Band and Orchestra Rentals at Ted Brown Music

Musical instruments are grouped into families by like characteristics. The flute is a member of the woodwind family. However, unlike other woodwind instruments, the flute does not use a reed to produce its sound. Instead a thin column of air is blown over the top of the hole in the head joint, creating a whistle-like sound.

The flute is the highest sounding member of the woodwind family. It often plays the melody in the group, and is known for its light and fast sound. Composers sometimes use the flute to portray birds and other small and agile animals.

Musical instruments are grouped into families by like characteristics. The oboe belongs to the woodwind family. Most woodwind instruments use a reed to produce their sound, but the oboe's reed is different from that of the clarinet or saxophone.

Clarinet and saxophone reeds are a single piece of thin cane which vibrates against a mouthpiece when air is blow past it. The oboe uses something called a double reed, which is two pieces of cane bound together by wire. The oboe's sound is produced when these two pieces of cane vibrate against each other, rather than against a mouthpiece.

Oboe players are highly sought after in symphony orchestras because, compared to instruments like flute and trumpet, far fewer people play oboe. In many cases, there are even college scholarships available for oboe players.

If a student is interested in learning to play the oboe, but the band teacher said they should start with something else first and switch to oboe later, the clarinet is a great starting point.

Musical instruments are grouped into families by like characteristics. The clarinet is a member of the woodwind family. Like most woodwind instruments, the clarinet produces it's sound with a reed. The reed is a thin piece of cane which attaches to the mouthpiece and vibrates when air is blown past it.

Reeds come in a variety of different stiffness represented by a number on the package. Either a number 2 or 2.5 is what most music educators recommend for beginning players. After about six months of playing, students are encouraged to move up a half size.

Reeds will wear out over time and, as the player grows in ability, they should continue to move up in reed stiffness.

The clarinet has a very wide range, able to play both high notes and low notes. It splits its time playing both melodies and harmonies, and produces a very warm and inviting sound.

Musical instruments are grouped into families by like characteristics. The bass clarinet is a member of the woodwind family. Like most woodwind instruments, the bass clarinet produces its sound with a reed. The reed is a thin piece of cane which attaches to the mouthpiece and vibrates when air is blown past it.

Reeds come in a variety of different stiffness represented by a number on the package. Either a number 2 or 2.5 is what most music educators recommend for beginning players. After about six months of playing, students are encouraged to move up a half size.

If the student has been playing the regular clarinet, it is often recommended they get a couple reeds a half size down from where they where. It's important to note during this transitional period, when moving down, do not drop below a number 2.5. It won't take very long to get used to the bass clarinet mouthpiece, at which point they should move back up in strength.

Reeds will wear out over time and, as the player grows in ability, they should continue to move up in reed stiffness.

The sound produced by the bass clarinet is very warm and inviting, much like the cello in an orchestra. It often plays harmonies and bass lines, but is fully capable of playing melodies as well.

If a student is interested in learning to play the bass clarinet, but the band teacher said they should start with something else first and switch later, the clarinet is a great starting point.

Musical instruments are grouped into families by like characteristics. The alto saxophone, although its body is made of brass, is actually a woodwind instrument. Saxophones belong to the woodwind family because, like most woodwinds, they use a reed to produce their sound, and change notes by covering specific combinations of holes along the body.

A reed is a thin piece of cane which attaches to the mouthpiece, and vibrates when air is blown past it. Reeds come in a variety of different stiffness represented by a number on the package. Either a number 2 or 2.5 is what most music educators recommend for beginning players. After about six months of playing, students are encouraged to move up a half size.

If a student is switching from clarinet, it is often recommended they get a couple reeds a half size down from where they where. It's important to note during this transitional period, when moving down, do not drop below a number 2.5. It won't take very long to get used to the saxophone mouthpiece, at which point they should move back up in strength.

Reeds will wear out over time, and as the player grows in ability, they should continue to move up in reed stiffness.

There are four common voicings for the saxophone, much like a choir. From highest sound to lowest, the four saxophone voicings are Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Baritone. The alto saxophone is most common.

Because the saxophone did not exist until 1846, it is not a member of the symphony orchestra like most other instruments. It is however a key voice in jazz, rock and pop music.

If a student is interested in learning to play the alto saxophone, but the band teacher said they should start with something else first and switch later, the clarinet is a great starting point.

Musical instruments are grouped into families by like characteristics. The tenor saxophone, although its body is made of brass, is actually a woodwind instrument. Saxophones belong to the woodwind family because, like most woodwinds, they use a reed to produce their sound, and change notes by covering specific combinations of holes along the body.

A reed is a thin piece of cane which attaches to the mouthpiece, and vibrates when air is blown past it. Reeds come in a variety of different stiffness represented by a number on the package. Either a number 2 or 2.5 is what most music educators recommend for beginning players. After about six months of playing, students are encouraged to move up a half size.

If a student is switching from clarinet, it is often recommended they get a couple reeds a half size down from where they where. It's important to note during this transitional period, when moving down, do not drop below a number 2.5. It won't take very long to get used to the saxophone mouthpiece, at which point they should move back up in strength.

Reeds will wear out over time, and as the player grows in ability, they should continue to move up in reed stiffness.

There are four common voicings for the saxophone, much like a choir. From highest sound to lowest, the four saxophone voicings are Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Baritone. The tenor saxophone splits its time between melody and harmony. Because the sound it produces is in the same range as many of our voices, the tenor sax is used to fill in the middle sounds of the group. It is a bridge between the high flutes and trumpets, and low trombones and tubas.

Because the saxophone did not exist until 1846, it is not a member of the symphony orchestra like most other instruments. It does however play a key role in jazz, rock and pop music.

If a student is interested in learning to play the tenor saxophone, but the band teacher said they should start with something else first and switch later, the clarinet is a great starting point.

Musical instruments are grouped by like characteristics into families. The trumpet is a member of the brass family. In addition to being made of brass, these instruments all produce their sound the same way. Air passes between the loose center of the lips, causing them to vibrate and make a buzzing sound. This buzz, when placed against the mouthpiece, produces the iconic sound of the brass family.

The trumpet is the highest sounding brass instrument. It often plays the melody in the group, and is known for its powerful fanfare sound. The trumpet also takes a lead role in jazz, rock, and pop music.

Musical instruments are grouped into families by like characteristics. The French horn is a member of the brass family. In addition to all being made from brass, these instruments also produce their sound the same way. Air passes between the loose center of the lips, causing them to vibrate and make a buzzing sound. This buzz, when placed against the mouthpiece, produces the iconic sound of the brass family.

The French horn's tubing is different from a trumpet or trombone. It has a conical bore, which means from the mouthpiece to the bell, the internal diameter of the tubing gets bigger. The trumpet, on the other hand, has the same diameter tubing all the way through and then flairs at the bell. This conical bore gives the French horn a very dark and warm sound, such as the iconic sound in the Universal Studios main theme.

If a student is interested in learning to play the French horn, but the band teacher said they should start with something else first and switch later, the trumpet is a great starting point.

Musical instruments are grouped into families by like characteristics. The trombone is a member of the brass family. In addition to all being made from brass, these instruments also produce their sound the same way. Air passes between the loose center of the lips, causing them to vibrate and make a buzzing sound. This buzz, when placed against the mouthpiece, produces the iconic sound of the brass family.

The trombone is one of the lowest sounding brass instruments and often plays harmonies and baselines in the group. Unlike other brass instruments, the trombone does not have any valves to change notes, but rather uses a slide which lengthens and shortens the instrument. Because of this slide, the trombone is able to cleanly smear between notes, producing a fun and light-hearted sound effect.

Musical instruments are grouped into families by like characteristics. The Baritone is a member of the brass family. In addition to all being made from brass, these instruments also produce their sound the same way. Air passes between the loose center of the lips, causing them to vibrate and make a buzzing sound. This buzz, when placed against the mouthpiece, produces the iconic sound of the brass family.

Baritones and euphoniums are often thought of as the same instrument, but they are actually two distinct instruments that are closely related. Just like the relationship between the trumpet and the cornet, the baritone and the euphonium are played the same way and read the same music. The difference is their construction.

The euphonium has a conical bore, which means from the mouthpiece to the bell, the internal diameter of the tubing gets bigger, while the baritone is cylindrical and has the same diameter tubing all the way through and flairs at the bell. This small difference makes a big impact on the sound. For a beginner though, it doesn't matter at all which one you start with.

Baritones and euphoniums play the same notes and use the same size mouthpiece as the trombone, but uses the same valve combinations as the trumpet. This makes it really easy to switch to the baritone from either one. In fact, if a band director notices a student is having a hard time playing the higher notes on the trumpet, they may recommend switching to the baritone.

If a student is interested in learning to play baritone or euphonium, but the band teacher said they should start with something else first and switch later, the trombone is the preferred starting point.

Musical instruments are grouped into families by like characteristics. Percussion instruments make sound when they are struck. Therefore, anything that can be hit and makes a sound, is a percussion instrument. Because of this broad description, percussion instruments are divided into two categories, pitched and unpitched.

Pitched instruments are things like the marimba and xylophone, which play actual notes like wind and string instruments. Unpitched instruments are things like the snare drum and crash cymbals, which are used to emphasize pulse and provide sound effects.

Because the percussion world has so many different instruments, students often start with just a snare drum and a glockenspiel (also known as a glock or bells in English). The bells are a small metal keyboard instrument that looks like a mini xylophone.

Musical instruments are grouped into families by like characteristics. Percussion instruments make sound when they are struck. Therefore, anything that can be hit and makes a sound, is a percussion instrument. Because of this broad description, percussion instruments are divided into two categories, pitched and unpitched.

Pitched instruments are things like the marimba and xylophone, which play actual notes like wind and string instruments. Unpitched instruments are things like the snare drum and crash cymbals, which are used to emphasize pulse and provide sound effects.

Because the percussion world has so many different instruments, students often start with just a snare drum and a glockenspiel (also known as a glock or bells in English). The bells are a small metal keyboard instrument that looks like a mini xylophone.

Musical instruments are grouped into families by like characteristics. The violin is a member of the string family, but not entirely for the reason you think. Yes, they do have strings, but the members of the string family are all played by either pulling a bow across the strings or by plucking them with your fingers or a pick. The piano, though it has strings, is actually a percussion instrument because the strings are struck by hammers.

The violin is the smallest and highest sounding member of the string family. It primarily plays melodies in the ensemble, and is known for its fast and light sound. In comparison to a choir, the violin is the soprano voice.

Unlike their band counterparts, orchestral instruments come in different sizes. Different sizes of student-model violins are scaled down versions of the full size, allowing kids as young as three or four years old to start leaning to play.

Which size Violin is the right one?

Choosing the right size is all about comfort and making the instrument easier to hold. Finding the right size is easy, all you need is a tape measure or a yardstick. Extend your left arm all the way out in front of you with your palm facing up and measure from your neck to the center of your palm. Below are the different sized violins in relation to this measurement.

• 4/4 (Full Size): 23.5 inch arm length or longer
• 3/4 Size: About 22 inch arm length
• 1/2 Size: About 20.5 inch arm length
• 1/4 Size: About 18.5 inch arm length
• 1/8 Size: About 17 inch arm length
• 1/10 Size: About 15.25 inch arm length
• 1/16 Size: About 14 inch arm length
• 1/32 Size: Shorter than 14 inch arm length

Musical instruments are grouped into families by like characteristics. The viola is a member of the string family, but not for the reason you might think. Yes, they do have strings, but the members of the string family are all played by either pulling a bow across the strings or by plucking them with your fingers or a pick. The piano, though it has strings, is actually a percussion instrument because the strings are struck by hammers.

The viola is the second smallest and second highest sounding member of the string family. It primarily plays harmonies in the ensemble, and is known for its full and rich sound. In comparison to a choir, the viola is the alto voice.

Unlike their band counterparts, orchestral instruments come in different sizes. These different sizes are proportionally scaled down versions of the full size, allowing kids as young as five or six years old to start playing.

Which size Viola is the right one?

Choosing the right size is all about comfort and making the instrument easier to hold. Finding the right size is easy, all you need is a tape measure or a yardstick. Extend your left arm all the way out in front of you with your palm facing up and measure from your neck to the center of your palm. Below are the different sized violas in relation to this measurement. Viola sizes are in inches rather than fractions of a whole like the violin and cello.

• 16.5 inch viola: 27 inch arm length or longer
• 16 inch viola: About 26.25 inch arm length
• 15.5 inch viola: About 25.5 inch arm length
• 15 inch viola: About 24.75 inch arm length
• 14 inch viola: About 23 inch arm length
• 13 inch viola: About 21.75 inch arm length

Musical instruments are grouped into families by like characteristics. The cello is a member of the string family, but not for the reason you might think. Yes, they do have strings, but the members of the string family are all played by either pulling a bow across the strings or by plucking them with your fingers or a pick. The piano, though it has strings, is actually a percussion instrument because the strings are struck by hammers.

The cello is the second largest and lowest member of the string family. It plays a mix of melodies, harmonies, and bass lines, and is known for its dark and warm sound. In comparison to a choir, the cello is the tenor voice.

Unlike their band counterparts, orchestral instruments come in different sizes. These different sizes are proportionally scaled down versions of the full size, allowing kids as young as five or six years old to start playing.

Which size Cello is the right one?

Choosing the right size is all about comfort and making the instrument easier to hold, and finding the right size is easy. You can generally judge the size of cello by the height of the player. To make sure the cello has been sized properly, find a straight-backed chair and sit with your feet flat on the floor. Extend the end pin about 12 inches and let the cello rest against your chest at about a 45-degree angle. The top of the cello should rest at the center of your chest, and the lowest string peg should be near your left ear.

• 4/4 (Full Size): 5 feet tall and above
• 3/4 Size: 4½ to 5 feet tall
• 1/2 Size: 4 to 4½ feet tall
• 1/8 to 1/4 Size: Below 4 feet tall

Musical instruments are grouped into families by like characteristics. The double bass is a member of the string family, but not for the reason you might think. Yes, they do have strings, but the members of the string family are all played by either pulling a bow across the strings or by plucking them with your fingers or a pick. The piano, though it has strings, is actually a percussion instrument because the strings are struck by hammers.

The bass is the largest and lowest member of the string family. It primarily plays bass lines and is known for its deep, dark sound. Its official name is the double bass, but is also known as the string bass, stand-up, or upright bass.

Unlike their band counterparts, orchestral instruments come in different sizes. These different sizes are proportionally scaled down versions of the full size, allowing younger students to play.

The bass is unique, because very few people actually play a full-size model. Because the bass is such a large instrument, almost everyone plays a 3/4 size.

Which size Upright Bass is the right one?

Choosing the right size is all about comfort and making the instrument easier to play. Because the bass is such a large instrument, most 5th grade and many 6th grade students, generally kids five feet tall or less, start on a 1/4 size bass. 1/2 size basses are a good choice for 7th and 8th grade students, but if they are having a hard time reaching around the body, they could also play a 1/4. The upright bass has a height adjustable end pin which can be used to place the bass at the correct playing height, so the biggest concern with the different sizes is the players ability to reach around the instrument to play. Many younger players that want to play bass often start on cello because the bass is such a large instrument.