Spring Creek Middle School Beginning Band

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Spring Creek Middle SchoolBeginning Band

• Introduction to Band Instruments
• Mr. Hansen
• Revised 18 June 2004

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The Four Instrument Families

• Woodwind.
• Originally made of wood, played by blowing air
  over a wooden reed or over a tone hole.
  
• Brass.
• Made of brass, played by blowing air through the
  lips causing them to buzz in a cup shaped
  mouthpiece.

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The Four Instrument Families

• Percussion.
• Made of all sorts of materials, played by
  hitting, striking, or shaking.
  
• String.
• Made of wood, played by bowing or plucking
  strings.

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Instrumentation

• It is important to have a variety of instruments
  in band.
  
• The Pyramid of Sound
• The lower the pitch of the instrument the more
  players of that instrument are needed.

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Woodwinds Flute

• Made of metal.
• Sound produced by blowing air over a tone hole
  (like a soda pop bottle.).
  
• Held horizontally to the right.

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Woodwinds Flute

• Small case size.
• May also play the piccolo after three years of
  study.

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Woodwinds Clarinet

• Made of plastic or wood with metal keys.
• Sound produced by blowing air over a wooden
  reed.
  
• Held vertically in front between the legs.

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Woodwinds Clarinet

• Medium case size.
• May also play the bass clarinet after two years
  of study.

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Woodwinds Alto Tenor Saxophone

• Made of metal.
• Sound produced by blowing air over a wooden
  reed.
  
• Held with the aid of a neck strap while resting
  on right thigh.

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Woodwinds Alto Tenor Saxophone

• Large case size.
• May also play the baritone saxophone after two
  years of study.

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Woodwinds Not Taught At SCMS

• Piccolo.
• Oboe.
• Double reed instrument.
• Transfer to oboe from clarinet in high school.
• Bassoon.
• Double reed instrument.
• Transfer to bassoon from tenor saxophone in high
  school.

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Woodwinds Not Taught At SCMS

• Soprano saxophone.
• Used as a solo instrument in high school jazz
  band.
  
• Sopranino clarinet.
• Used as a solo instrument in college concert
  band.
  
• Alto clarinet.
• Becoming extinct. Used in clarinet choir
  ensembles.
  
• English horn.
• Usually played by oboists as a solo instrument in
  college orchestras.

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Brass Trumpet

• Made of metal and uses valves to change the
  pitch.
  
• Played by buzzing lips into a cup shaped
  mouthpiece.

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Brass Trumpet

• Large case size.
• May also play euphonium, French horn, or tuba
  after two years of study.

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Brass Trombone

• Made of metal and uses a slide to change the
  pitch.
  
• Played by buzzing lips into a cup shaped
  mouthpiece.

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Brass Trombone

• Large case size.
• May also play bass trombone in high school jazz
  band.

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Brass French Horn

• Made of metal and uses valves to change the
  pitch.
  
• Played by buzzing the lips into a cup shaped
  mouthpiece.

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Brass French Horn

• Play trumpet for one year and then switch to
  French horn.
  
• Large case size.
• Player needs to have a good ear for pitch.

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Brass Euphonium

• Made of metal and uses valves to change the
  pitch.
  
• Played by buzzing the lips into a cup shaped
  mouthpiece.

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Brass Euphonium

• Large case size.
• Trumpet players can usually switch to this
  instrument easily.
  
• SCMS has one euphonium that may be checked out.

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Brass Tuba

• Made of metal and uses valves to change the
  pitch.
  
• Played by buzzing the lips into a cup shaped
  mouthpiece.

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Brass Tuba

• Large case size.
• Trumpets players can usually switch to this
  instrument easily.
  
• SCMS has one tuba that may be checked out.

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Percussion

• Students learn on a bell kit which contains a set
  of bells, a practice pad, mallets, and sticks.
  
• Large case size.

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Percussion

• Each page of the method book is learned first on
  bells and then on snare drum (practice pad).

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Percussion

• Students will also learn snare drum, bass drum,
  cymbals, and other miscellaneous instruments.

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Strings Electric Bass

• While not a traditional band instrument, it is
  still taught in band at SCMS.
  
• Students need to purchase a bass, an amplifier,
  and a cable.

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Strings Electric Bass

• Many students find this instrument difficult to
  transport since there is a large case for the
  bass as well as the amplifier.

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Which Instrument Should I Play?

• We need a variety of instruments. However