HOLIDAY BAND GIFT GIVING GUIDE

It’s holiday gift giving time and you may be thinking of purchasing an instrument for your band student. This is a great gift that can help your student enjoy successful music making for a long time. Unfortunately, not all band instrument brands are alike. They are companies out there that sell low- quality instruments at cheap prices. These may seem like a great option in the short term but will end up causing you more hassle than is necessary. They are made with low-quality parts, break easily, and most quality instrument repairmen will not touch them. It is worth investing the time and perhaps a little more money in a quality trusted instrument brand. Of course, I am an expert and am happy to help you find the best quality for your money! Please feel free to include me in your decision making.

You will also want to consider the level of the instrument you are purchasing. Instruments are categorized into (1) Beginner, (2) Intermediate or Step-Up, and (3) Professional models. If your band student is looking to continue playing into high school it is worth the investment into an Intermediate Level Model. A beginner instrument will not be able to play as in tune and will end up holding your band student back skill-wise when they get into higher level music.

NEW vs. USED INSTRUMENTS:

Whether to purchase a new or a used instrument is another consideration. Obviously, a new instrument will give you many years of wonderful music making and should work well right out of the box. While you may want the instrument to be a surprise for your child I highly advise against this. They should play the instrument, and preferably try out a few instruments before you make the investment. Every instrument brand is made slightly different and some will play differently for each musician. Any quality music store will allow you to test out several instruments before purchasing one. Your child should bring some music to play that they are comfortable with to test the instruments.

You can also find some great quality used instruments as well. When buying a used instrument you want to make sure that all the keys and parts move, that the pads look clean and intact (not ripped), and that it is in playing condition. Some repairs can cost more than you spent for the instrument! Your child can play the instrument and tell you if things are working properly or if you will need to take it to a repair shop.

WHERE TO BUY:

New: Music and Arts Center, Milano’s Music, The Music Store, Woodwind and Brasswind, Musician’s Friend, Cascio Music, Flute World,

Used: Craigslist, Ebay, Pawn Shops, Woodwind and Brasswind, Milano’s Music (Contact Mrs. Bock about any used instrument you are thinking of purchasing and she can help you make the wisest choice!)

Below are some instrument brands I recommend and some terms and things you should look for when purchasing a band instrument for your student.

FLUTE: Recommended brands- Pearl, Azumi, Amadeus, Sonare, Yamaha

Things to look for: solid silver (the more solid silver there is on the flute the better the tone quality) off-set G key (will be more comfortable for the hands) open hole (better tone quality and a definite must for a step-up flute) low B key/gizmo (adds an additional note and helps high note intonation)

CLARINET: Recommended brands: Buffet (E11, R13, or Greenline), Selmer, LeBlanc, Yamaha

Things to look for: Grenedilla wood (a wood clarinet will have a more resonant tone quality)

Also: Mouthpiece upgrades are a great idea too! Vandoren B45 is a great trusted mouthpiece. Selmer, Yamaha, and Rico Reserve also have some good quality ones worth investigating.

SAXOPHONE: Recommended brands: Selmer, Yamaha, Jupiter, Conn

Things to look for: F# key is a must low A key for bari sax

Also: Mouthpiece upgrades are a great idea too! The Selmer C* is the way to go! Yamaha has some nice ones too.

TRUMPET: Recommended brands: Bach, Yamaha, Conn, Holton, Getzen

Mouthpiece: Bach 7C or 5C for more advanced players

FRENCH HORN: Recommended brands: Holton or Conn

Things to look for: Trigger or Double Horn is a must!

TROMBONE: Recommended brands: Bach, Conn, Yamaha, Holton, Besson, King, Jupiter (newer models)

Mouthpiece: Bach 6 & 1/2AL

Things to look for: an F-attachment is a must for a serious trombonist!

EUPHONIUM/: Recommended brands: King, Conn, Besson, Jupiter (newer models)

Things to look for: 4-valve instruments- at the intermediate and high school level this is a must!

PERCUSSION: Recommended brands: Pearl, Vic Firth, Remo, Zildjian

Mallets: Mike Balter, Innovative Sticks: Vic Firth (5B is recommended) Cymbals: Zildjian

OTHER GENERALLY TRUST-WORTHY BRANDS: Gehmeinhardt, LeBlanc, Selmer, Yamaha, Jupiter, Armstrong, Olds, Conn, Bach, Bundy, Vito, King, Holton, Besson, Getzen, Keilwerth, King, Artley Remember: Mrs. Bock is HAPPY to help you find a great instrument for your student. Please do not hesitate to contact her for advice before you purchase. An email to [email protected] will go to her phone and most times she will respond to you immediately if she can.

CAN’T AFFORD AN INSTRUMENT BUT WANT TO HELP YOUR BAND STUDENT BE MORE SUCCESSFUL? HERE ARE SOME OTHER GIFT IDEAS!

Music Stand Tuner Metronome Neckstrap NEW Mouthpiece Valve Oil- Blue Juice Cork Grease Ligature Reeds- Rico Reserve, Vandoren, Legere Sticks/Mallets Practice Pads Percussion Stick Bag Mutes Silent Brass Mute (makes brass instruments quiet enough for only the player to hear) Cleaning Cloth Instrument Stand Private Lessons Sheet Music SmartMusic software Music writing software- Finale, Sibelius, Noteflight New instrument case Bike basket or hand cart for traveling to school with instrument CDs of professionals on their instrument, jazz or classical music