Sonoran Foothills School

Students are highly encouraged to have their own supplies. These supplies are necessary to be a successful musician, as well as to clean and maintain their instruments.

Dirty and neglected instrument = illness and costly repairs. Protect your health and your pocket. Make sure you have the right supplies!

Supplies can be found at a number of music retailers or online sites.
Links are included for items, available from Music & Arts or Amazon.

MUST HAVE General Supplies: 

Every day, each band student needs:

• Their musical instrument, in working condition 🎵
• Water bottle (hydration is very important when playing instruments!) 💧
• An erasable pencil (no pens) 📝
• Highlighter
• 3 ring binder to contain all music and exercises 
• 8 or more binder dividers with tabs
• HIGHLY ENCOURAGED: Etymotic Research ER20 High-Fidelity Earplugs for Musicians (from Amazon). Protect your hearing!
• Recommended: Personal Instrument Tuner. Can also be found as free apps on App Store(iOS) or Play Store (Android)

Flutes:

• Plastic or wooden Cleaning Rod
• Silk swab (for daily inside cleaning)
• Cotton cleaning cloth (for daily outside cleaning)

Reed instruments - soprano/bass clarinet, alto/tenor/baritone saxophone:

• • Weighted cleaning swab
  • Cork grease
  • Bristled Mouthpiece cleaning brush
  • Cotton cleaning cloth (for daily outside cleaning)

REEDS: Minimum of 3 reeds in their cases. CLICK HERE to read about what "reed strength" is, and how to select the strength of reed you need (includes charts). 

Generally speaking:

Year 1: 2.0-2.5 hardness

Year 2: 2.5-3.0 hardness 

Year 3 and 4: 2.5-3.5 hardness

High quality and affordable brands: Vandoren (classic blue box, or V12 silver box), Juno, D’Addario by Rico, Rico Royal, Mitchell Lurie. BE SURE TO GET THE RIGHT REED FOR YOUR INSTRUMENT. Reeds are not interchangeable between instruments. 

Brass (trumpet, trombone, French horn, euphonium, tuba):

• Valve oil
• French horn only: Key oil
• Slide grease
• Mouthpiece cleaning brush and interior cleaning snake
• Cotton cleaning cloth (for daily outside cleaning)
• Trombone only: Trombone Slide Cream 

Percussion/drums:

• For 7th and 8th grade: Stick bag to store sticks, mallets, and practice pad. Percussion kit will no longer be kept at school. 
• 5th and 6th grade: Percussion kit (contains all items you need as listed below)
  • Pair of wood snare drum sticks (type 2B/3B)
  • Pair of rubber practice mallets
  • Practice pad for at home practice
  • Optional but highly recommended: bell kit or piano/keyboard, for at home practice (can find used for good price)

Electric guitar/bass guitar:

• Electric guitar only: Picks
• Adjustable guitar shoulder strap
• Guitar/Bass guitar amp (with 1/4" cable) for at home practice (can find new or used at music stores or online)