Music is an important part of your child's education and is a rewarding experience that will enrich your child's life for years to come. The opportunity for your child is now. As a parent, you have the chance to introduce your child to a beautiful and fulfilling world, to develop abilities and interests that may otherwise never be discovered. Your decision to enroll your child in band may be one of the most important contributions you make to his/her life.
Each instrument is unique and fun, but just like a sports team, not everyone can play the same position. Not everyone who “really wants" to
play a certain instrument will be able to. Those wishing to play
percussion as a first choice must select a second choice instrument.
Marcus percussion instructor Kennan Wylie will meet with prospective
percussionists.
DO NOT immediately run out and get an instrument until you have met with the directors at the Band Parent Information sessions (in April) so you are sure you have all the necessary information about quality brands and models and the list of required accessories to accompany the instrument. Do not buy used instruments from various sources such as pawn shops and E-Bay without consulting one of the Lamar Band Directors. Consider this purchase as important to your child’s success as the purchase of a vehicle is to your family’s safety. Take precaution in instruments whose history you are unaware of as there may be hidden defects (even in some new instruments, depending on brand).
Flute
Family: Woodwind, Personality: Conscientious
Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening.
Physical Characteristics: Flute players should have a slight “frown” to the upper lip with NO tear drop shape in the middle. Flute tones are produced by being able to focus an extremely small airstream to an exact location on the tone hole. The tear-drop-shaped lip will make it difficult to direct the air so precisely. Flute players should also have agile fingers for moving this multi-keyed instrument through a fast musical passage. Students with extreme overbites (receded jaw) should avoid choosing flute as this makes it difficult to produce quality sounds.
Other Considerations: Students with double-jointed fingers should avoid selecting flute as double-jointedness can cause lack of agility in the fingers.
Clarinet
Family: Woodwind, Personality: Focused
The clarinet uses a “single reed” and a mouthpiece to produce the sound. Willingness to purchase or rent a director-recommended clarinet is a MUST! Unfortunately, there are some clarinets on the market whose poor design and craftsmanship will make it next to impossible for your student to succeed. We can help you avoid that pitfall. Some clarinet students may be chosen to play Bass Clarinet as 7th graders.
Physical Characteristics: One necessity of clarinet tone production is the ability to make the chin flat. Orthodontia is okay, but if a student has an extremely rounded bottom row of teeth, the mouthpiece will be hard to place in the proper position for tone production.
Other Considerations: Instruction in clarinet can be meticulous. Students who are able to focus on and perform a detailed series of instructions could do well on clarinet. Students who have difficulty remembering a series of instructions should avoid playing clarinet.
Clarinet players are also responsible for maintaining a working stock of 4-6 quality reeds. A box of 10 reeds costs around $17.50 and can last (with proper care) up to 4 months.
Oboe
Family: Woodwind, Personality: Studious
The oboe is similar in its appearance to a clarinet, but it is played using a “double reed” instead of a single reed and mouthpiece.
Physical Characteristics: Students with profound overbites or
under bites would have EXTREME difficulties producing good sounds on the oboe since the embouchure (mouth position) requires equal pressure on both sides of the reed at the same placement.
Other Considerations: Because the oboe is such a difficult instrument to master, only students with high academic performance records will be considered. Students who choose to play oboe are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to take weekly private lessons with the applied lesson teacher at Lamar. Private lessons cost around $17.00 per week and scholarships are available based on financial need and demonstration of diligent work ethic. The financial trade-off for having to take lessons and keep a stock of working reeds is that Lamar provides oboes for students at a cost of $60 rental for an entire school year payable to LISD for routine maintenance.
Private Lessons Recommended.
Oboe players are required to maintain a supply of 3-4 high-quality reeds at ALL times. Reeds can cost $14-$16 each.
School Rental Available.
Bassoon
Family: Woodwind, Personality: Serious
The bassoon is to the oboe what the bass clarinet is to the clarinet. It is the larger, lower sounding version of the double reed instrument. However, bassoon students will not play oboe before switching, instead they will begin on the bassoon itself.
Physical Characteristics: A slight overbite is okay for students wishing to play bassoon, however, a student with an under bite should avoid bassoon. Agile thumbs is a necessity for playing bassoon proficiently as well as a medium or greater hand span.
Other Considerations: Like the oboe, the bassoon is such a difficult instrument to master. Students who choose to play bassoon are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to take weekly private lessons with the applied lesson teacher at Lamar. Private lessons cost around $17.00 per week and scholarships are available based on financial need and demonstration of diligent work ethic. Students are required to maintain a supply of 3-4 high-quality reeds at ALL times. Reeds can cost $10-15 each. The financial trade-off for having to take lessons and keep a stock of working reeds is that Lamar provides bassoons for students at a cost of $60 rental for an entire school year payable to LISD for routine maintenance.
Private Lessons Recommended.
Bassoon players are required to maintain a supply of 3-4 high-quality reeds at ALL times. Reeds can cost $10-$15 each.
School Rental Available.
Saxophone
Family: Woodwind, Personality: Mellow
The alto saxophone gives the impression of being both a brass
and woodwind instrument, however it is indeed considered a woodwind instrument. The alto saxophone, which uses a single reed like the clarinet, is a very popular instrument like flute.
Physical Characteristics: Since the balance of the saxophone is maintained by the use of a neck strap, it is extremely important that students be able to sit up completely straight when asked to.
Other Considerations: Saxophone players are
responsible for maintaining a working stock of 4-6
quality reeds. A box of 10 reeds costs around $23 and can last (with proper care) up to 4 months. Alto Saxophone students will have the opportunity after their first year of instruction to audition for Tenor Sax or Baritone Sax based on their proven musical and behavioral abilities while in alto saxophone class.
Saxophone players are also responsible for maintaining a working stock of 4-6 quality reeds. A box of 10 reeds costs around $23 and can last (with proper care) up to 4 months.
Trumpet
Family: Brass, Personality: Confident
The trumpet (cornet is a smaller version) is the smallest member of the brass family. The sound
on a trumpet is produced by buzzing into a small mouthpiece. Students who choose and are selected to play trumpet will begin on a cornet (smaller in size) and “graduate” into a trumpet upon the completion of a battery of playing exams.
Physical Characteristics: While orthodontia is somewhat troublesome to a trumpet player, it is not impossible to make good sounds with braces. A slight overbite is okay, but an under bite can severely hinder progress on trumpet.
Trumpet players come in all shapes and sizes.
Other Considerations: Trumpet parts usually have the melody (recognizable) part, therefore students who choose the trumpet should exhibit a confident demeanor, strong personality, and demonstrate a high level of self-motivation.
French Horn
Family: Brass, Personality: Academic & Noble
The french horn sound is produced by buzzing into a small mouthpiece similar to a trumpet. Students with good musical ears should consider
french horn.
Physical Characteristics: While orthodontia is somewhat troublesome to a
french horn player, it is not impossible to make good sounds with braces. A slight overbite is okay, but an under bite can severely hinder progress on French Horn. Because the bell of the French horn rests on the knee of the player while playing, it is imperative that a student’s upper torso be long enough to accommodate the size of the French horn to make good sounds and that players be able to demonstrate sitting straight up when asked to do so. The French horn’s keys are manipulated with the LEFT hand.
Other Considerations: Because of the difficult nature of French horn notes (mentioned above), students should exhibit GREAT ability to match sung or played pitches by humming or singing. Perhaps this is a good instrument choice for students who have participated in piano lessons or honor choir groups. Lamar provides
french horns for students at a cost of $50 rental for an entire school year. Students who choose to play
french horn are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to take weekly private lessons with the applied lesson teacher at Lamar. Private lessons cost around $17.00 per week and scholarships are available based on financial need and demonstration of diligent work ethic.
Private Lessons Recommended.
School Rental Available.
Trombone
Family: Brass, Personality: Analytical
Like the french horn, trombone players should have good “musical ears”. The trombone is played like the other brass instruments (buzzing into a cup-shaped mouthpiece), but uses a slide instead of valves. The slide is not marked or notched and players rely on their memory and hearing to tell if they are in the EXACT proper location. Students with good musical ears should consider Trombone.
Physical Characteristics: While some might think that trombone players must have long arms, the truth is there are numerous accommodations that make it possible for students of all shapes and sizes to play. A slight overbite is acceptable, while an extreme under bite would hinder success. Trombone players should have slightly fuller lips than average.
Other Considerations: Great trombone playing takes good concentration and study. Many quiet academicians have excelled at trombone.
Euphonium
Family: Brass, Personality: Artistic
The euphonium (you-PHONE-knee-yum) is sometimes known as the baritone. It is a member of the brass family and looks like a small version of a tuba. Its sound is similar to that of a trombone, but it uses valves like a trumpet instead of a slide.
Physical Characteristics: Euphonium players should have moderately full lips, but not too full. A SLIGHT overbite is okay, but an under bite would hinder a good sound. The euphonium requires a medium-sized hand span to reach the valves and students should have an above average lung capacity.
Other Considerations: Students with an above average amount of orthodontia will find the mouthpiece of the euphonium a bit more comfortable than trumpet or French horn. Lamar provides euphoniums for students at a cost of $60 rental for an entire school year, but students are required to purchase their own mouthpieces.
School Rental Available - must purchase own mouthpiece.
Tuba
Family: Brass, Personality: Unique
While many believe the tuba is the largest instrument in the band and would be hard to physically manage, the tubas we use for beginners are ¾ size and easy to handle.
Physical Characteristics: Tuba players need to
have full lips and a large lung capacity. While the
size of the student doesn’t matter too much, a long torso (upper body) helps a student reach the mouthpiece of the tuba while resting the bottom of the tuba on the edge of their chair or across the thighs.
Other Considerations: The tuba provides the musical foundation for the band and requires players that are self-motivated over-achievers. Students with a history of academic trouble should not consider tuba as we rely heavily on the ability of the tuba players to be consistently UIL eligible. Lamar provides tubas for students at a cost of $60 rental for an entire school year, but students are required to purchase their own mouthpieces.
School Rental Available - must purchase own mouthpiece.
Just because you are always tapping on things does not mean you are a natural percussionist (drummer). In fact, the percussion section is the most select, hand-picked section of the band. Only students with the highest grades, lowest discipline problems, backgrounds in piano lessons, and extremely high gross and fine motor skills will be considered for percussion.
Physical Characteristics: Students should exhibit a great deal of coordination in gross and fine motor skills
Other Considerations: The study of percussion includes bells, triangle, tambourine, maracas, claves,
bells, xylophone, marimba, and timpani among many other instruments.
