BAND & DRUMLINE
Franklin Academy
Instrument Procedures
THE INSTRUMENTS
Middle School Beginner students in a specific woodwinds and mallets class can elect to play the
Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Alto Sax, Tenor Sax, or Mallets (Bells).
Middle School Beginner students in a specific brass and drum class can elect to play the
Trumpet, Horn (Mellophone), Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba, or Drums (Snare).
High School Beginner students in a combined woodwind/brass class may choose Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Alto Sax, Trumpet, Horn (Mellophone), Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba, Mallets (Bells) or Drums (Snare).
[All students in the Drumline class will start off on the Drum Pad (see Instrument Supplies) and will be selected for specific drumline parts throughout the year. Drumline students do not complete selection forms]
**Remember that the instrument you get assigned is NOT permanent. You can always switch to another instrument next semester or next year. (This is why it is better to rent instead of purchase)
THE SELECTION PROCESS
Watch this VIDEO: Band Instrument Demonstrations
Step 1 - During the first band class, the students will watch the demonstration video above, hear them played in class, and learn about the instruments and how to produce a sound on them. The students will complete and submit their Instrument LIKES Form.
Instrument LIKES Form [MS Beginning Band: Woodwinds & Mallets]
Instrument LIKES Form [MS Beginning Band: Brass & Drums]
Instrument LIKES Form [HS Beginning Band: Mixed]
Step 2 - During the second band class the students will have the opportunity to try the instruments in class to see which instruments "fit" them the best. The fitting process is always conducted as sanitarily as possible. This year, Instrument Fitting is OPTIONAL. Fitting will only take place on the second day of class, if a student is absent, they will still submit the instrument selection form based on their favorite instruments.
Step 3 - Students and Parents will submit their Instrument Selection Forms (below) the evening of the fitting. This will be Friday, August 20th for A-Day, and Monday August 23rd for B-Day.
Instrument Selection Form - PERIOD 1 (link)
Instrument Selection Form - PERIOD 4 (link)
Instrument Selection Form - PERIOD 8 (link)
Step 4 - Instrument assignments will be emailed out to parents and posted on Remind101 the morning after the selection form deadline. At this point, families will have about a week to acquire their instrument and required accessories by August 30th which is the Monday of Week 3 when we start playing the instruments in class for grading. A couple of days without the instrument isn't too bad, but more than a week without an instrument might delay the student's progress.
GETTING YOUR INSTRUMENT
RENTING from the STORE
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Beginners should always try to RENT!
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Nearby music stores: All County Music, Music Tech Studios, Sam Ash Music
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Rentals from most music stores are generally between $25-$45 per month depending on the instrument.
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Stores usually rent out better quality instruments that are dependable and come with all the accessories you need.
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Rental fees include repairs and possible instrument switches
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Most rental fees can apply to the eventual purchase of the rented instrument.
RENTING from the SCHOOL
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Renting from the school is the second best option.
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The school only gets a couple of new instruments each year, so our inventory is mostly used. Any unplayable school instruments have been removed from circulation and are not rented out.
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See SCHOOL RENTALS below
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Students who rent from the school will receive a pdf Instrument Rental Contract that has the payment link on it. The Rental Contract must be submitted with payment before the instrument can be used by the student.
PURCHASING from ONLINE
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If renting from a store is not within your budget, then Amazon is the recommended place for online purchasing.
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Please see my list of Approved Beginner Instruments from Amazon
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If you would like to purchase a better quality instrument than the Amazon recommendations, please visit Woodwind & Brasswind
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Anything from Woodwind & Brasswind is automatically approved as it is the most widely used online store by teachers
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If you choose to purchase an instrument the only APPROVED purchase options are Woodwind & Brasswind and the Amazon list linked above. Any other instrument or site must be approved before you make the purchase.
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Ebay and Walmart are NOT acceptable options for instruments and will not be approved
Drummers in Band must have their own snare drum and drum stand at home. This stays at home for assignments and the school drums will be used in class. Sticks must stay in backpacks or the class cabinet.
Drummers in Drumline must have their own practice pad set that will travel between home and the school for class.
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SCHOOL RENTALS
PARENT RESPONSIBILITY:
It is the parent's responsibility to acquire an instrument for this class through purchase or rental so that the student has the proper learning tools to succeed in an instrumental music class where the instrument is the most important mandatory class material. Although the school does have an inventory of instruments available for rental by the students, it is a limited inventory of used instruments.
SMALL INSTRUMENTS
Mellophone $50/semester
Trombone $50/semester
MEDIUM INSTRUMENTS
Bassoon $75/semester
Bass Clarinet $75/semester
Tenor Saxophone $75/semester
French Horn $75/semester
Euphonium $75/semester
LARGE INSTRUMENTS
Practice Tuba $75/semester (stays at home)
The school does NOT rent out:
Flutes, Oboes, Clarinets, Alto Saxes, Trumpets, or Percussion instruments.
School Rental Terms & Conditions
You will receive a PDF of the rental contract via email that must be printed, signed, and
handed in or scanned and emailed. School rental fees are final and non-refundable.
Fees are paid online on Wufoo. The link will be provided in the contract pdf.
If you would like to reserve a school instrument, please email me immediately.
Instruments may not be used until the contract and payment is submitted.
If the rental fee is not paid after two weeks, the Instrument Rental Contract will be voided and the instrument will be made available for another student.
School Rentals are more affordable since they do not include repairs.
This means that any repair needed on the instrument while under contract is the responsibility of the family.
Provided with rentals: Mouthpieces, valve/rotor oil, polishing cloths
Not Provided with rentals: Reeds, cleaning swabs.
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INSTRUMENT TREATMENT
I. INSTRUMENT CARE
It is the student's responsibility to be kind to their instruments. All instruments must be treated as if they were human babies. Don't bump them or drop them! Any damage to instruments must be brought to the attention of the teacher, parents, and/or repair location immediately.
Students are expected to maintain their instruments regularly as specified by the director when it comes to swabbing, bathing, polishing, oiling, greasing, and tuning. Students must take care of instrument maintenance at home to avoid instructional delays in the classroom.
II. INSTRUMENT DROP-OFF AND PICK UP
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS should bring their instruments to the band room at the beginning of the day when they have band class. Students are permitted to have instruments in other classes only if the other teacher permits it. If another teacher does not permit an instrument in their classroom, it is the student's responsibility to bring it to the band room at soon as possible. HS students will pick up their instruments after school before their leave for the day. Students can pick up their instruments before the last class of the day if their teacher allows so that they can go straight to the bus loop or carline at dismissal.
MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS will bring their instruments to the band room after the first transition bell rings to go to class in the morning. Middle School students are not to bring their instruments to the band room before the first transition bell since the band teacher will be teaching the first High School class of the day during that time. Middle School students are welcome to take their instruments to their first class and bring it to the band room at anytime throughout the day with a pass or between classes.
Middle School students absolutely must pick up their instruments before the last class of the day and take the instruments to their last class since the High School schedule ends at 2:45pm and Mr. Saenz may not be in the band room after that time.
The band teacher will NOT write late students any passes due to late drop offs as a result of late arrivals. Make sure you are ON TIME for school. Instrument drop off will never be an excuse to be late to the students' first class.
In the even that the band teacher is late to school or absent due to unforeseen circumstances, the students must take their instruments to their other classes until an opportunity arises that they are able to drop them off to the band room.
Students may NEVER leave their instruments unattended at the doorway of the band classroom or music rooms where someone can damage or steal the instrument. Any student who leaves a school instrument abandoned on campus outside the band room may lose their privileges to rent school instruments in the future.