Some parents find this guide helpful for acquiring an instrument:  http://web.memberclicks.com/mc/page.do?sitePageId=94504&orgId=napbirt
  
FLUTE
(Book--Music stand--Swab)
  • You will need a lesson book (Essential Elements 2000).  
  • Purchasing a music stand for home practice is highly recommended.  
  • Clean the moisture from your flute after every practice session.  Use a flute swab, or use the cleaning rod in combination with a small moisture absorbing handkerchief-type piece of material, thin enough to pull through the flute.  Wash the swab/handkerchief every few weeks to prevent mold/mildew from building inside the case. 
  • You can also purchase a polishing cloth (optional) for cleaning off dirt, oil, and fingerprints.

OBOE
(Book--Music stand--Cork grease--Med/Soft Reeds--Swab)
  • You will need a lesson book (Essential Elements 2000).  
  • Purchasing a music stand for home practice is highly recommended.  
  • The cork on oboe joints needs a tiny bit of cork grease every now and then.  
  • Always have plenty of extra wooden (not plastic) reeds (buy Medium-Soft).  Reeds WILL break, and they need to be replaced often. 
  • Clean the moisture from your oboe after every practice session.  Use a handkerchief-type oboe swab (silk is best) - you can buy one at your local music store or online.  Wash the swab every few weeks to prevent mold/mildew from building inside the case.

CLARINET
(Book--Music stand--Cork grease--#2 Reeds--Swab)
  • You will need a lesson book (Essential Elements 2000).  
  • Purchasing a music stand for home practice is highly recommended.  
  • The cork on clarinet joints needs a tiny bit of cork grease (probably given with clarinet) every now and then.  
  • Always have plenty of extra reeds (size 2).  Reeds WILL break, and they need to be replaced often.  
  • Clean the moisture from your clarinet after every practice session.  Use a handkerchief-type clarinet swab (silk is best) - you can buy one at your local music store or online.  Wash the swab every few weeks to prevent mold/mildew from building inside the case.  

SAXOPHONE
(Book--Music stand--Cork grease--Neckstrap--#2 Reeds--Swab)
  • You will need a lesson book (Essential Elements 2000).  
  • Purchasing a music stand for home practice is highly recommended.  
  • The cork on the neck joint needs a tiny bit of cork grease (probably given with instrument) every now and then.  
  • Saxophone players need a neckstrap - consider trying the more comfortable neckstraps with extra cushioning around the back of the neck.
  • Always have plenty of extra reeds (size 2).  Reeds WILL break, and they need to be replaced often.  
  • Clean the moisture from your saxophone after every practice session.  Use a handkerchief-type sax swab (silk is best) - you can buy one at your local music store or online.  Wash the swab every few weeks to prevent mold/mildew from building inside the case.

TRUMPET
(Book--Music stand--Valve Oil)
  • You will need a lesson book (Essential Elements 2000).  
  • Purchasing a music stand for home practice is highly recommended.   
  • Always keep a small bottle of valve oil in your case.  Students are shown by their teacher how to oil valves properly (taking them out; oil over a sink or paper towels) and should do so when a valve sounds/feels like it is drying out.  
  • Empty the moisture from the trumpet after every practice session.  Open the water key and blow (not buzz) into the horn over a trash can or sink.  
  • You can also purchase a polishing cloth (optional) for cleaning off dirt, oil, and fingerprints.

FRENCH HORN
(Book--Music stand--Rotor Oil)
  • You will need a lesson book (Essential Elements 2000).  
  • Purchasing a music stand for home practice is highly recommended.  
  • Always keep a small bottle of rotor oil in your case.  Students are shown by their teacher how to oil rotors properly and should do so when a key sounds/feels like it is drying out.  
  • Empty the moisture from the horn after every practice session.  Pull out rear tube and empty over a trash can or sink.  
  • You can also purchase a polishing cloth (optional) for cleaning off dirt, oil, and fingerprints.

TROMBONE
(Book--Music stand--Slide Cream)
  • You will need a lesson book (Essential Elements 2000).  
  • Purchasing a music stand for home practice is highly recommended.  
  • Always keep a small bottle of slide cream (oil is different and often does not work as well as slide cream) in your case.  Students are shown how to apply cream to the slide properly, and should do so when the slide feels slow and scratchy.  
  • Empty the moisture from the trombone after every practice session.  Open the water key and blow (not buzz) into the trombone over a trash can or sink.  
  • You can purchase a polishing cloth (optional) for cleaning off dirt, oil, and fingerprints.

BARITONE
(Book--Music stand--Valve Oil)
  • You will need a lesson book (Essential Elements 2000).  
  • Purchasing a music stand for home practice is highly recommended.  
  • Always keep a small bottle of valve oil in your case.  Students are shown by their teacher how to oil valves properly (taking them out; oil over a sink or paper towels) and should do so when a valve sounds/feels like it is drying out.  
  • Empty the moisture from the baritone after every practice session.  Open the water key and blow (not buzz) into the baritone over a trash can or sink.  
  • You can purchase a polishing cloth (optional) for cleaning off dirt, oil, and fingerprints.

PERCUSSION/BELL KIT
(Book--Music stand)
  • You will need a lesson book (Essential Elements 2000).  
  • Purchasing a music stand for home practice is highly recommended.  
  • Most bell kits come with all needed supplies.  Many bells already have note names etched on keys - this option is best.  If your bells come with note name stickers, please bring them to school so your teacher can properly adhere them.  
  • Students must have a pair of drum sticks (size 2B) and bell mallets.  It would be helpful for students to have a pair of soft rubber mallets (as well as hard ones) for a softer sound during home practicing!  Many bell kits come with double-headed mallets (one end is hard plastic, other end is rubber).  
  • It is very helpful to have a bell kit where a student can use the same base stand for both the practice pad and the bells.  
Last Modified on June 27, 2012