Rent - Area music stores offer a variety of rent-to-own plans for beginning instrumentalists.   Call around to find the best deal.  The stores listed under Resources (in the menu bar at the left) have all provided dependable service for Shepherd of the Hills' band parents over the years.

Purchase - The music stores listed under Resources (menu on the left) all sell reliable instruments.  You can also purchase from individuals through the paper or online, but it is recommended that you talk to the director before purchasing an instrument this way.  Some of the instruments online are new as advertised, but they don't play well.  Used instruments often need repair/maintenance to be playable.  There are good deals to be found in the used instrument market if the buyer is careful.

Borrow - Often family members or friends have an instrument that is available to use.   Have it checked by someone who can play it to be sure it is still in playable condition.  Nothing is more frustrating to a band student than to not be able to get a sound on the instrument!

Click on the name of an instrument for a short description of that instrument.

This woodwind instrument is different from other woodwind instruments because it doesn't actually use wood to produce the sound.  The sound is produced from the flow of air against an edge on the flute.

It is small and easy to carry, and it makes a clear and delicate sound that blends well with other instruments in the band.

The oboe is a double-reed woodwind instrument.  The sound is produced by blowing air across two reeds that are tied together.  The oboe has an exotic sound that is used often for solo work in advanced ensembles.

The clarinet uses a single reed to produce the sound.  The reed vibrates, producing a range from very low to very high notes.  This is a small, lightweight instrument. 

The saxophone is another single reed instrument, like the clarinet.  There are several saxophones:
Soprano
Alto (most often used in our band)
Tenor (we do have one of these available)
Baritone (we do have one of these available)
Bass

Saxophones are larger instruments, and they work well in a band or as a solo instrument.

One of the most familiar brass instruments is the trumpet.  It can sound loud and brassy or soft and mellow.  It is often leading the band in melody and ensemble playing.  Brass instruments produce sound by buzzing into the mouthpiece.

Trumpets and cornets are used interchangeably in our band - they play the same parts.  There is a slight difference in the sound.  Choosing trumpet or cornet depends on personal preference.

The horn, also known as a French horn, has a beautiful sonorous sound.  It's design is derived from the hunting horn, and it is used in bands and orchestras often as a melody instrument. 

The trombone uses buzzing into a mouthpiece to produce the sound, like the trumpet.  But it has a slide instead of three valves.  It is a low-pitched instrument that can play distinct pitches and glissandos easily.  It harmonizes and blends well with the other instruments, and is also used as a solo instrument.

The baritone, or baritone horn, sounds like a trombone, but it is played like a trumpet.  In fact, trumpet players often double on baritone since they can read the same music.  The low sound of the baritone adds a lot to the overall sound of the band.

The tuba is the foundation of the band.  This large instrument provides the low notes that are so prominent in many pieces of music.

The percussion family includes many instruments, and students in the school band will play all of them at one time or another.  The percussionist helps lead the band's rhythm by keeping a beat.  Percussion instruments provide a variety of sounds, mostly produced by striking the instrument. 

Beginners need a bell kit, which includes a set of bells, mallets, drum sticks, and a practice pad. 

We use these instruments in band.
Bells
Bass Drum
Snare Drum
Roto-Toms
Cymbals
Tam-Tam
Tom-Tom
Woodblock
Triangle
Tambourine

Instrument donations are always welcome.  Beginning band students usually borrow school instruments, so we are always in need of:
Flutes
Clarinets
Saxophones
Trumpets

There are other "specialty" school instruments that we can always use to add to the experience for our band students, and to the sound of the band.
Piccolo
English Horn
Bassoon
Alto Clarinet
Bass Clarinet
Soprano Saxophone
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone
French Horn

Thank you for considering a donation to the Ram Band program!