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Are you a rising 6th grader at Holly Ridge Middle School and taking Band with Mr. Grimes? Are you not sure what instrument you'd like to play yet? That's OKAY! A lot of students at the beginning of 6th grade don't know what they want to play and that is perfectly fine! Below are short 2 minute videos from the United States Army Field Band on each of the instruments that you will be able to start playing on in Band at Holly Ridge Middle! I encourage you to watch them all to get a feel for what each one sounds like and how it is played! Make sure after watching them to have both a 1st choice and 2nd choice of what you think you would like to play. You will have an opportunity at the beginning of the school year with Mr. Grimes to try these instruments out in person to know for sure which one you would like to play!
There are some other instruments that you will have an opportunity to switch to once you have established the basics of reading music. Those other instruments and the instrument you would need to learn first are listed below:
Oboe - Start the year playing Flute or Clarinet
Bassoon - Start the year playing Flute, Clarinet, or Alto Sax
Tenor Saxophone - Start the year playing Alto Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone - Start the year playing Alto Saxophone
French Horn - Start the year playing Trumpet
Euphonium/Baritone - Start the year playing Trumpet or Trombone
Tuba - Start the year playing Trumpet or Trombone
If you are interested in playing any of these instruments we would start experimenting with switching to one of them after the 2nd Quarter of 6th grade (around February). Tenor Saxophone and Baritone Saxophone are played the exact same as Alto Saxophone, they are just larger. Videos for the instruments listed above (except Tenor and Baritone Saxophone) can be found below.
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