Flute:

Putting the instrument together

1. Open your case right side up.
2. Put the head joint into the middle joint with a gentle twisting motion.
3. Line up the embouchure hole with the center of the tone holes.
4. Hold the assembled head and middle joints and gently twist on the foot joint.
5. Line up the foot joint so the rod is centered with the tone holes.

Preparing to play

1. Sit up straight on the edge of your chair.
2. Make a "C" with your left hand so that you form a shelf at the base of your thumb.  Rest the flute on that shelf.
3. Place your left thumb on the long straight key on the underside of the flute.  Move your left hand to the right and rest the flute at the base of the index finger between the knuckle and first joint.
4. Place the tip of your right thumb under the flute between the first and second fingers.
5. Curving your fingers on both ahnds, place your right little finger on the Eb key.  Your elbows should be away from your body.  The flute should be pointing slightly downward.

Playing you flute

1. Remove the head joint and place your right hand over the open end.  Shape your mouth as if saying "whee-too."
2. Place the head joint on your chin, and position it so that the edge of the embouchure hole is at the bottom of the lower lip.  The corners of the lower lip should rest against the embouchure plate.
3. Cover 1/4 to 1/3 of the embouchure hole with your lower lip.  Take a full breath of air and blow over the hole using the syllable "doo" to play a long, steady tone.
4. Assemble the head joint to the body.  Position your flute to the right of your body, with the flute pointing slightly downward.
5. Take a full breath of air and play a long, steady tone.

Caring for your instrument

1. After playing, dry the inside of your flute with a soft cloth over a cleaning rod.
2. Shake the water out of the head joint.  Wipe the joints clean.
3. Wipe the outside of your flute with a soft, clean cloth.  Carefully put away all parts of your flute and latch your case.

Clarinet:

Putting your Clarinet together

1. Open your case right side up.  Put the thin end of the reed in your mouth to moisten it.  Grease cork if necessary.
2. Hold the lower section in your right hand and the upper section in your left hand.  IMPORTANT: Press down the tone hole rings on the upper section.  Gently twist the section.  Gently twist the sections together, aligning the bridge keys.
3. Hold the two sections in your right hand, pressing down the tone hole rings of the lower section.  Gently twist on the bell with your left hand.
4. Hold the clarinet in your left hand, and twist the barrel and mouthpiece on with your right hand.  Remove the metal cap and ligiture before putting on the mouthpiece.  Align the flat side of the mouthpiece with the register key on the back of the clarinet.
5. Put on the ligiture, and slide the reed behind it.  Center your reed on the flat part of the mouthpiece with only a hairline of mouthpiece visible above the reed.  Tighten the screws on the ligature only until snug.  Overtightening can damage your ligature.

Preparing to play

1. Sit up straight on the edge of your chair.
2. Keeping your thumb straight, place your right thumb under the thumb rest.
3. Hold your clarinet directly in front of you, with the bell between your knees.
4. Curve your fingers on both hands.  keep your wrists straight.
5. Your elbows should be away from your body.

Playing your Clarinet

1. Remove the mouthpiece and barrel.  Shaem your mouth as if saying "whee-too."
2. Cover your bottom teeth with a small amount of your lower lip.
3. Place the mouthpiece in your mouth to where the reed and mouthpiece touch.
4. Rest your top teeth directly on the mouthpiece.  Close your mouth in a drawstring fashion with equal pressure on all sides of the reed.  Your chin should be flat and pointed.
5. Take a full breath of air and play a long, steady tone.  Put the mouthpiece and barrel on the clarinet and play a long, steady tone.

Caring for your Clarinet

1. After playing, remove the reed.  Place it in the reed holder to dry.
2. Remove the mouthpiece and wipe the inside with a soft, clean cloth.  Remove the barrel and draw the swab through it.  Remove the upper section and swab it out by dropping the weight into the top end and pulling the swab through.  Do the same for the lower section.
3. Dry each joint, and then wipe the outsid eof the clarinet with a soft, clean cloth.  Carefully put away all parts of your clarinet and latch the case.

Alto Saxophone:

Putting your Alto Saxophone together

1. Open your case right side up.  Put the thin end of the reed inside your mouth to moisten it.  grease the cork on the neck if necessary.
2. Put the neck strap around your neck.  Hook the body of the instrument to the neck strap.  Remove the end plug.
3. Put the mouthpiece on the neck so that half of the cork is exposed.  The flat side of the mouthpiece should be on the bottom side.
4. Put on the ligature, and slide the reed behind it.  Center your reed on the flat part of the mouthpiece with only a hairline of mouthpiece visible above the reed.  Tighten the screwson the ligature only until snug.  Overtightening can damage your ligature.
5. Put the neck onto the body, carefully aligning the connecting lever.  Tighten the neck screw.

Preparing to play

1. Sit up straight on the edge of your chair.
2. Allow your neck strap to support the weight of the saxophone.
3. Position the saxophone on the right side of your body.  Adjust your neck strap so the reed touches your lower lip.
4. Put your left thumb diagonally on the upper thumb rest.  put your right thumb under the lower thumb rest.
5. Curve your fingers on both hands.  Keep your wrists straight.  Your elbows should be away from body.

Playing your Alto saxophone

1. Position your lips as if saying "oh."
2. Cover your bottom teeth with your lower lip.
3. Place the mouthpiece in your mouth to where the reed and mouthpiece touch.
4. Rest your top teeth directly on the mouthpiece.  Close your mouth in a drawstring fashion with equal pressure on all sides of the reed.  Your chin should be flat and pointed.
5. Take a full breath of air and play a long, steady tone.

Caring for your Alto Saxophone

1. After playing, remove the reed.  Place it in the reed holder to dry.
2. Remove the mouthpiece and wipe the inside with a soft, clean cloth.  Remove the neck and drain any excess water from the neck before putting it back in the case.
3. Swab out the body by dropping the weight into the bell and pulling it through.  Wipe the outside of your saxophone with a soft, clean cloth.  Carefully put away all parts of your saxophone and latch the case.

Trumpet:

Putting the instrument together

1. Open your case right side up.
2. Hold your instrument in your left hand.  Hold the mouthpiece in your right hand, and place it into the mouthpiece receiver on the lead pipe.
3. Gently turn the mouthpiece to the right, not too tightly.
4. Depress the second valve and pull out the second valve slide.  Place 5 or 6 drops of oil into the tubes.  Keeping the valve depressed, replace the slide and work the valve up and down.
5. Repeat the same process with all valves.

Preparing to play

1. Sit up straight on the edge of your chair.
2. Place your left hand around the valves.  Hold your instrument firmly but without tension.  Place your left middle finger in the third valve ring.
3. Place your right thumb under the lead pipe between the first and second valves.
4. Place the tips of your first three fingers on the valve tops.  Your fingers should be curved and relaxed.
5. Place your right little finger on the ring (not in the ring).  Keep your wrists stright and turn your instrument slightly to the right.  Your elbows should be away from your body.

Playing you trumpet

1. Shape the inside of your mouth as if saying "oh".  Bring your lips together as if saying "em."
2. Your lips should have firm corners but a relaxed center.  Your chin should be flat and pointed.
3. Take a full breath of air and blow, creating a relaxed, buzzing tone.
4. While buzzing, place the mouthpiece over the buzz with equal amounts of the mouthpiece on the upper and lower lips.
5. Put the mouthpiece into the lead pipe.  Take a full breath of air and play a long, steady tone.

Caring for your trumpet

1. After playing, depress the water key to drain the excess water from your instrument.  Wipe off your instrument with a soft, clean cloth.
2. Remove the mouthpiece and put it and your instrument carefully in the case and latch it.
3. Grease your slides regularly.

Trombone:

Putting your Trombone together

1. Open your case right side up.  Lock your slide.
2. Hold the bell section in your left hand.  Point the bell toward the floor with the receiver to the right.
3. Hold the slide section by the braces in your right hand with the "U" of the slide section down.  Put the longer side of the slide section into the bell receiver.  Make a "V" angle between the two sections.  The exact angle will be determined by the size of your hand.
4. Tighten the lock that holds the two sections together.  Put the mouthpiece into the mouthpiece receiver with your right hand.
5. Rest the tip of the slide on the floor.  Unlock the slide and lift the inner slide.  Place 5 or 6 drops of slide oil on each inner slide.  Move the slide up and down to evenly spread the oil.

Preparing to play

1. Sit up straight on the edge of the chair.
2. Place your left thumb around the bell brace.  Place the other fingers of your left hand around the first slide brace.  Place your left index finger on or near the mouthpiece.
3. With your right hand, hold the bottom of the slide brace with the thumb, index and middle fingers.
4. Keep your right wrist flexible.
5. Your elbows should be away from your body.

Playing your trombone

1. Shape the inside of your mouth as if saying "oh."  Bring your lips together as if saying "em."
2. Your lips should have firm corners but a relaxed center.  Your chin should be flat and pointed.
3. Take a full breath of air and blow, creating a relaxed, buzzing tone.
4. While buzzing, place the mouthpiece over the buzz with equal amounts of the mouthpiece on the upper and lower lips.
5. Put the mouthpiece into the mouthpiece receiver.  Take a full breath of air and play a long, steady tone.

Caring for your Trombone

1. After playing, depress the water key to drain the excess water from your trombone.  Lock your slide.  Wipe off your instrument with a soft, clean cloth.
2. Remove the mouthpiece and put it and your trombone carefully in the case and latch it.
3. Grease your tuning slide regularly.

Baritone Horn

Putting Your Baritone Together

1. Open your case right side up.
2. Hold the baritone in your left hand.  Hold the mouthpiece in your right hand and place it into the mouthpiece receiver on the lead pipe.
3. Gently turn the mouthpiece to the right, not too tightly.
4. Depress the first valve and pull out the first valve slide.  Place 5 or 6 drops of oil into the tubes.  Keeping the valve depressed, replace the slide and work the valve up and down.
5. Repeat the same process with all valves.

Preparing to Play

1. Sit up staight on the edge of your chair.
2. Rest the baritone in your lap.  Steady the instrument with your left hand on the tubing.
3. Place your right thumb in the ring near the valves.  Place the tips of your fingers on the valve tops.  Your fingers should be curved and relaxed.
4. Keep your right wrist straight.
5. Your elbows should be away from your body.

Playing Your Baritone

1. Shape the inside of your mouth as if saying "oh".  Bring your lips together as if saying "em."
2. Your lips should have firm corners but a relaxed center.  Your chin should be flat and pointed.
3. Take a full breath of air and blow, creating a relaxed center.  Your chin should be flat and pointed.
4. Take a full breath of air and blow, creating a relaxed, buzzing tone.
5. While buzzing, place the mouthpiece over the buzz with equal amounts of the mouthpiece on the upper and lower lips.
6. Put the mouthpiece into the lead pipe.  take a full breath of air and play a long, steady tone.

Caring for Your Baritone

1. After playing, drain the excess water from your baritone.  Wipe off your instrument with a soft, clean cloth.
2. Remove the mouthpiece and put it and your baritone carefully in the case and latch it.
3. Grease your slides regularly.

Snare Drum

Putting the Snare Drum Together

1. Open your case right side up.
2. Set up the stand so that it rests solidly on the floor.  The three drum support brackets should be spread out and level with the floor.
3. Place the drum on the stand so that the snares face the floor and the snare release lever is directly in front of you.  Adjust the drum support arms to hold the drum snugly in place.
4. Adjust the stand height so that the top rim of the drum is four inches below your waist.
5. Adjust the angle of the stand so that the drum leans slightly toward you.

Preparing to play

1. Stand up straight with your feet slightly spread and your weight distributed evenly on both feet.
2. Bend your arms at the elbow and lift your hand until your forearm is at a slight angle to the floor.
3. Find the spot on the drum stick approximately one/third of the length from the end.  Place that part of the stick between the first joint of your index finger and the pad of your thumb.
4. Place your remaining fingers on the stick and pull it in  toward your palm.  Your fingers should hold the stick loosely, and your thumb should point toward the drum stick tip.  Your palm should face down when the stick is parallel to the drum head.
5. Repeat steps two through four with your other hand.

Playing Your Snare Drum

1. Stand about eight inches from your drum with your feet comfortably apart and your weight equally placed on each foot.  Hold the sticks using the correct grip.
2. Hold your sticks one to two inches above and almost parallel to the batter head.  The sticks should form a 60 degree angle.
3. Using your wrist, raise the tip of the stick six to eight inches above the head.  Then, drop the stick to the head and allow it to bounce off.  The stick should strike the head slightly off-center directly above the snares.
4. To follow immediately with another stroke in the same hand, allow the stick to rebound six to eight inches above the drum head, then play the next stroke.  To pause between strokes, allow the stick to rebound to its rest position one to two inches above the drum head.
5. When striking the drum, imagine that you are drawing the tone out of the drum.

Caring for your Snare Drum

1. Clean the drum heads regularly with a damp cloth.  Replace the heads when they become worn, dented or punctured.
2. Periodically clean metal parts and hoops with a damp cloth or metal polish.
3. Periodically lubricate tension rods with petroleum jelly or light grease.  Lubricate the snare strainer and othe rmoving parts with household machine oil or lubricant.

Playing the Bass Drum

Using the bass drum beater, strike the drum halfway between the rim and the center of the head.  Use a direct forearm motion to create the stroke (not at a glancing motion).