All of the following method books are available at Music & Arts, Mike's Music, Chuck Levin's and online. Please call ahead to check supply at music stores. The links below are an example of what the book looks like. You may also order from Amazon, but make sure it's the correct book for the correct instrument.
Woodwind & Brass Method Books (Percussionists do NOT buy these books...keep looking down this page!)
Concert Band
Symphonic Band
Wind Ensemble
Tuner (Required for Woodwind and Brass in all three bands)
Percussion Method Books
Concert Band
Symphonic Band
Wind Ensemble
All percussionists are required to have a 3 ring binder dedicated to band. The binder should be at least 1.5 inches thick and have a cover page which has the band and student name clearly labeled. This is to keep all music and handouts distributed and keep the percussion section clean.
Other Required Materials
Suggested Materials (not required)
Instrument Specific Required & Optional MaterialFlute
Recommended Brand: Yamaha - open hole, low b foot, solid silver head joint (also, solid silver body and foot, whenever possible)
Required Accessories: Cleaning Rod and Cloth
Oboe
Recommended Brand: Fox Renard or Yamaha (recommendation of private instructor)
Recommended Reeds: Must be hand made; AmericanOboeReed.com
Required Accessories: Cork Grease, Swab, Reed Case, and Water Container (old pill bottle or film canister works fine)
Recommended Accessories: Reed tools (if studying privately)
Clarinet
Recommended Brand: Buffet R-13 or E-12f, Yamaha YCL-64 or YCL-52
Required Reeds: Student must have at least four Vandoren #3 to 3.5 strength reeds
Required Accessories: Cork Grease, Swab, Reed Saver, and Mouthpiece Cap
Recommended Mouthpiece: Vandoren B-45 with step-up ligature (Rovner)
Optional Recommended Accessories: Pad Savers and Mouthpiece Pouch/Mouse, thumb rest pad
Bass Clarinet
Recommended Brand: Yamaha, Vito, Buffet
Required Reeds: Student must have at least four Vandoren #2-1/2 to 3 strength reeds Required Accessories: Mouthpiece Cap
Recommended Mouthpiece: Stock Yamaha mouthpiece or Vandoren B-45 with step-up ligature (Rovner H ligature)
Optional Recommended Accessories: Mouthpiece Pouch/Mouse
Bassoon
Recommended Brand: Fox Renard, Heckle
Required Accessories: Seat Strap, Crutch, Swab Paraffin or Cork Grease
Required Reed: Must be hand made; see Mr. Flinchbaugh
Sax (alto, tenor, bari)
Recommended Brand: Selmer Mark VI, Yamaha, Super Action 80
Required Accessories: Student must have at least four Hemke #2-1/2 to 3 strength reeds (Vandoren or Hemke); Cork Grease; Swab; Mouthpiece Cap
Recommended Mouthpiece: Selmer C* with Rovner Ligature
Recommended Accessories: Pad Savers and Mouthpiece Pouch/Mouse
French Horn
Recommended Brand: Holton Farkas H179 or H180, Yamaha YHR-567D, or YHR-667D, Conn 8D
Required Mouthpiece: Holton MDC, Stork
Required Accessories: Hetman ROTOR Oil, Hetman Bearing/Spindle Oil, Hetman Heavy- Bodied Slide Oil
Recommended Accessories: Non-transposing Mute; Pencil Clip
Trumpet
Recommended Brand: Bach Stradivarius ML180S-37, many other Bach Stradivarius models, Yamaha Xeno
Recommended Mouthpiece: Bach 3C or 5C (ask Mr. Flinchbaugh or private teacher)
Required Accessories: Hetman Piston Oil, Hetman Slide Oil (for 1st & 3rd valve slides), Hetman Heavy-Bodied Slide Oil; Metal Straight Mute (Jo-Ral; copper or brass bottom*, Dennis Wick)
Recommended Accessories: ; Hand Guard for Silver Trumpets (Leather Specialties)
Additional Accessories: Cup Mute (Dennis Wick*), Jo Ral Bubble Mute
Euphonium
Recommended Brand: Yamaha YEP-642 or YEP-642S, Willson 2900DS, Yamaha YEP-312 (see me about this!), JZ 4-valve compensating (see me about this!)
Required Accessories: Pillow-Pad as necessary; Hetman Piston, Hetman Heavy- Bodied Slide Oil
Recommended Mouthpiece: Schilke 51D
Recommended Accessories: Cleaning Snake
Trombone
Recommended Brand: Bach 42A (“Hagman” valve), Bach 42T(G) (“Thayer-valve” with gold brass bell), Bach 42B(G) (standard rotor with gold brass bell), Conn 88-H, Yamaha YSL-682B
Recommended Mouthpiece: Bach 6-1/2 AL, Bach 5
Required Accessories: Trombontine or Slide-O-Mix, [Hetman ROTOR Oil & Hetman Bearing/Spindle Oil – trombones with triggers, only!] Hetman Heavy-Bodied Slide Oil, Cleaning Rod, 4"x4" cotton t-shirt rag, access to WD-40 (do not bring to school!), and Cleaning Snake
Recommended Accessories: Straight Mute (Jo-Ral aluminum), cup mute
Tuba
Recommended Brand: Getzen CB-50, Canadian Brass CB-50, Yamaha YBB-621
Required Accessories: Hetman Piston Oil, Hetman Heavy-bodied Slide Oil
Recommended Mouthpiece: Conn Hellenberg, Perantucci, Schilke Hellenberg
Recommended Accessories: Pencil clip; Cleaning Snake (you will probably have to get a large bore trombone snake)
Percussion
Required: At home, all percussion students must have a snare drum with a snare drum stand, a bell set with bell mallets, and a music stand. This is the minimum requirement.
Recommended Brands: Ludwig, Pearl, Remo
Students are recommended to have:
Woodwind & Brass Method Books (Percussionists do NOT buy these books...keep looking down this page!)
Concert Band
- Foundations for Superior Performance for your specific instrument
- Sound Innovations for Concert Band Book 2 for your specific instrument.
Symphonic Band
- Foundations for Superior Performance for your specific instrument
- Essential Technique for Band Book 3
Wind Ensemble
- Foundations for Superior Performance for your specific instrument
- Essential Technique for Band Book 3
Tuner (Required for Woodwind and Brass in all three bands)
- Korg TM-60 Tuner/Metronome Combination or equivalent. CMS Band Boosters will sell these tuners at Open House on 8/29. This is a fundraiser for the program, so please consider purchasing at CMS (same cost to you as music store).
Percussion Method Books
Concert Band
Symphonic Band
Wind Ensemble
All percussionists are required to have a 3 ring binder dedicated to band. The binder should be at least 1.5 inches thick and have a cover page which has the band and student name clearly labeled. This is to keep all music and handouts distributed and keep the percussion section clean.
Other Required Materials
- Pencils (at least 3)
- All concert music, warm-ups, chorales, and handouts in binder or folder
- Fingering Chart (there is one in each method book, or you may print out a separate one from the internet)
Suggested Materials (not required)
- Spotify (home practice - free program to stream music)
- Recording Device - this can be a smartphone, tablet, iPod touch w/ mic, or laptop. Recording practice performances of yourself at home can help you hear mistakes that might not be obvious to you when you are playing.
Instrument Specific Required & Optional MaterialFlute
Recommended Brand: Yamaha - open hole, low b foot, solid silver head joint (also, solid silver body and foot, whenever possible)
Required Accessories: Cleaning Rod and Cloth
Oboe
Recommended Brand: Fox Renard or Yamaha (recommendation of private instructor)
Recommended Reeds: Must be hand made; AmericanOboeReed.com
Required Accessories: Cork Grease, Swab, Reed Case, and Water Container (old pill bottle or film canister works fine)
Recommended Accessories: Reed tools (if studying privately)
Clarinet
Recommended Brand: Buffet R-13 or E-12f, Yamaha YCL-64 or YCL-52
Required Reeds: Student must have at least four Vandoren #3 to 3.5 strength reeds
Required Accessories: Cork Grease, Swab, Reed Saver, and Mouthpiece Cap
Recommended Mouthpiece: Vandoren B-45 with step-up ligature (Rovner)
Optional Recommended Accessories: Pad Savers and Mouthpiece Pouch/Mouse, thumb rest pad
Bass Clarinet
Recommended Brand: Yamaha, Vito, Buffet
Required Reeds: Student must have at least four Vandoren #2-1/2 to 3 strength reeds Required Accessories: Mouthpiece Cap
Recommended Mouthpiece: Stock Yamaha mouthpiece or Vandoren B-45 with step-up ligature (Rovner H ligature)
Optional Recommended Accessories: Mouthpiece Pouch/Mouse
Bassoon
Recommended Brand: Fox Renard, Heckle
Required Accessories: Seat Strap, Crutch, Swab Paraffin or Cork Grease
Required Reed: Must be hand made; see Mr. Flinchbaugh
Sax (alto, tenor, bari)
Recommended Brand: Selmer Mark VI, Yamaha, Super Action 80
Required Accessories: Student must have at least four Hemke #2-1/2 to 3 strength reeds (Vandoren or Hemke); Cork Grease; Swab; Mouthpiece Cap
Recommended Mouthpiece: Selmer C* with Rovner Ligature
Recommended Accessories: Pad Savers and Mouthpiece Pouch/Mouse
French Horn
Recommended Brand: Holton Farkas H179 or H180, Yamaha YHR-567D, or YHR-667D, Conn 8D
Required Mouthpiece: Holton MDC, Stork
Required Accessories: Hetman ROTOR Oil, Hetman Bearing/Spindle Oil, Hetman Heavy- Bodied Slide Oil
Recommended Accessories: Non-transposing Mute; Pencil Clip
Trumpet
Recommended Brand: Bach Stradivarius ML180S-37, many other Bach Stradivarius models, Yamaha Xeno
Recommended Mouthpiece: Bach 3C or 5C (ask Mr. Flinchbaugh or private teacher)
Required Accessories: Hetman Piston Oil, Hetman Slide Oil (for 1st & 3rd valve slides), Hetman Heavy-Bodied Slide Oil; Metal Straight Mute (Jo-Ral; copper or brass bottom*, Dennis Wick)
Recommended Accessories: ; Hand Guard for Silver Trumpets (Leather Specialties)
Additional Accessories: Cup Mute (Dennis Wick*), Jo Ral Bubble Mute
Euphonium
Recommended Brand: Yamaha YEP-642 or YEP-642S, Willson 2900DS, Yamaha YEP-312 (see me about this!), JZ 4-valve compensating (see me about this!)
Required Accessories: Pillow-Pad as necessary; Hetman Piston, Hetman Heavy- Bodied Slide Oil
Recommended Mouthpiece: Schilke 51D
Recommended Accessories: Cleaning Snake
Trombone
Recommended Brand: Bach 42A (“Hagman” valve), Bach 42T(G) (“Thayer-valve” with gold brass bell), Bach 42B(G) (standard rotor with gold brass bell), Conn 88-H, Yamaha YSL-682B
Recommended Mouthpiece: Bach 6-1/2 AL, Bach 5
Required Accessories: Trombontine or Slide-O-Mix, [Hetman ROTOR Oil & Hetman Bearing/Spindle Oil – trombones with triggers, only!] Hetman Heavy-Bodied Slide Oil, Cleaning Rod, 4"x4" cotton t-shirt rag, access to WD-40 (do not bring to school!), and Cleaning Snake
Recommended Accessories: Straight Mute (Jo-Ral aluminum), cup mute
Tuba
Recommended Brand: Getzen CB-50, Canadian Brass CB-50, Yamaha YBB-621
Required Accessories: Hetman Piston Oil, Hetman Heavy-bodied Slide Oil
Recommended Mouthpiece: Conn Hellenberg, Perantucci, Schilke Hellenberg
Recommended Accessories: Pencil clip; Cleaning Snake (you will probably have to get a large bore trombone snake)
Percussion
Required: At home, all percussion students must have a snare drum with a snare drum stand, a bell set with bell mallets, and a music stand. This is the minimum requirement.
Recommended Brands: Ludwig, Pearl, Remo
Students are recommended to have:
- A Stick Bag with their name on it. (Approximate cost: $15-30.)
- One pair of SD-1 or 5B Drum Sticks with Round Beads. (Approximate cost: $6-10.)
- Optional, but recommended: One pair of Light Snare Drum Sticks with Round Beads such as ProMark “Tom Freer OLW Light Orchestral.” (Approximate cost: $10.)
- One pair of Soft Yarn Mallets such as the Musser or Vic Firth “yellow” mallets, or Vic Firth “blue.” “Rattan” handles preferred, such as Mike Balter “Rattan” 13R (Blue-Medium). (Approximate cost: $25.)
- One pair of general Timpani Mallets such as the Payson “white” mallets.(Approximate cost: $30.)
- One pair of Glockenspiel Mallets like Malletech ‘Rattan’ OR45R Plastic mallets (approximate cost: $25).