Hart County Schools Beginning Band

1. Hart County Schools Beginning Band Raider Music Introduction to Band Instruments Mr. Johnson Revised: 2 August 2010 The Pride of Hart County

2. 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 • Originally made of wood, played by blowing air over a wooden reed or over a tone hole.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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

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

6. Woodwinds – Flute • Small case size. • May also play the piccolo after three years of study.

7. 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.

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

9. 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.

10. Woodwinds – Alto & Tenor Saxophone • Large case size. • May also play the baritone saxophone after two years of study.

11. Woodwinds Not Taught Beginning Band: • 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.

12. Woodwinds Not Taught Beginning Band: • 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.

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

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

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

16. Brass – Trombone • Large case size. • May also play bass trombone in high school jazz band.

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

18. 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.

19. Brass – Euphonium • Large case size. • Trumpet players can usually switch to this instrument easily.

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

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

22. Brass – Tuba • Large case size. • Trumpets players can usually switch to this instrument easily.

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

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

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

26. Which Instrument Should I Play? • We need a variety of instruments. However… play You should whichever YOU want! instrument