Fort Zumwalt South Bands

Home of the award-winning Bulldog Brigade Marching Band from Saint Peters, Missouri

Local Music Stores We Recommend for Purchasing Equipment:

Music & Arts - 6161 Mid Rivers Drive, Saint Peters, MO 63376 - 10 minutes from South

Mozingo Music - 4689 State Highway K, O'Fallon, MO 63368 - 15 minutes from South

Mid Rivers Music - 355 Mid Rivers Mall Drive, Saint Peters, MO 63376 - 5 minutes from South

Basic Equipment for Band:

  • Instrument with luggage tag on case

  • Method book - Tradition of Excellence (for your instrument):

    • 6th Grade - Book 1

    • 7th Grade - Book 1 & Book 2

    • 8th Grade - Book 2 & Book 3

  • Accessories (see "Recommended Instruments & Accessories" below)

  • Music stand for at-home use

  • Metronome and tuner apps (see Apps for Band)

  • Box of 10 pencils

General Information About Purchasing Instruments & Accessories:

  • Beware of discount instruments from sites like Amazon that go for $200 or less. These instruments are of very poor quality and break easily. In addition, most music store repairmen will not work on these instruments due to their extremely fragile construction. Good instruments cost more, but will pay for themselves many times over in the long run.

  • If you are looking to upgrade to a better instrument, please use the "Preferred Brands" list below or contact one of the band directors for suggestions.

  • A high quality mouthpiece or head joint is the first step towards achieving a more mature sound. If you have been in band for a while and are still playing on the mouthpiece you played in 6th Grade, it might be time for an upgrade.

  • Note to clarinetists & saxophonists: Reed strengths are only suggestions; individuals may require slightly harder or softer reeds. Talk to a band director or private instructor before deviating from the suggestions below.

Recommended Instruments & Accessories

Flute

  • Preferred Brands: Armstrong, Gemeinhardt, Selmer, Yamaha

  • Accessories: Cleaning rod, lint-free cloth, silver polishing cloth (if instrument is silver plated)

Oboe

  • Preferred Brands: Fox, Selmer, Yamaha

  • Accessories: Swab cloth, water cup for reeds

  • Reeds: Talk to private instructor for suggestions

Bassoon

  • Preferred Brands: Fox, Selmer, Yamaha

  • Accessories: Swab cloth, water cup for reeds

  • Reeds: Talk to private instructor for suggestions

Clarinet & Bass Clarinet

  • Preferred Brands: Buffet, Leblanc, Selmer, Yamaha

  • Accessories: Silk cleaning swab, cork grease, reed case that holds 4 reeds, Rovner mouthpiece ligature

  • Reeds:

    • Beginner - Rico or Juno, size 2.5 (box of 10)

    • Middle school upgrade - Vandoren navy blue box, size 2.5

    • High school upgrade - Vandoren navy blue box, size 3

  • Mouthpiece:

    • Beginner - Clark Fobes Debut

    • High school upgrade - D'Addario Reserve X0, X5, or X10 (clarinet only)

Saxophone

  • Preferred Brands: Conn, King, Selmer, Yamaha, Cannonball

  • Accessories: Swab cloth, cork grease, neck strap, reed guard that holds 4 reeds, Rovner mouthpiece ligature

  • Reeds:

    • Beginner - Rico, size 2.5 (box of 10)

    • Middle school upgrade – Vandoren - navy blue box, size 2.5

    • High school upgrade – Vandoren navy blue box, size 3 (classical) or Vandoren green box, size 3 (jazz)

  • Mouthpiece:

    • Beginner - Clark Fobes Debut

    • High school upgrade - Selmer C* (classical) or Meyer 6M (jazz)

Trumpet

  • Preferred Brands: Bach, Conn, Jupiter, Yamaha

  • Accessories: Valve oil (Hetman or Blue Juice), tuning slide grease (Schilke w/ lanolin), clean rag

  • Mouthpiece: Bach 7C

French Horn

  • Preferred Brands: Bach, Conn, Jupiter, Yamaha

  • Accessories: Valve oil (Hetman or Blue Juice), tuning slide grease (Schilke w/ lanolin), mouthpiece brush, clean rag

  • Mouthpiece: Yamaha Thomas Bacon Replica or Holton Farkas MDC

Trombone

  • Preferred Brands: Bach, Conn, Jupiter, Yamaha

  • Accessories: Slide-O-Mix, tuning slide grease (Schilke w/ lanolin), mouthpiece brush, clean rag

  • Mouthpiece: Bach 6 1/2 AL

Euphonium/Baritone

  • Preferred Brands: Bach, Conn, Jupiter, Yamaha

  • Accessories: Valve oil (Hetman or Blue Juice), tuning slide grease (Schilke w/ lanolin), mouthpiece brush, clean rag

  • Mouthpiece: Back 6 1/2 AL, Yamaha 48D, or Schilke 51D

Tuba

  • Preferred Brands: Bach, Conn, Jupiter, Yamaha

  • Accessories: Valve oil (Blue Juice or Al Cass), tuning slide grease (Schilke w/ lanolin), clean rag

  • Mouthpiece: Conn Helleberg 7B

Percussion

  • Preferred Brands: Adams, Ludwig, Musser, Pearl

  • Accessories: FP-2 Intermediate Pack (comes with 4 sets of sticks/mallets and a stick bag)

  • Student xylophone (for home use): Musser M-41 student xylophone or Ludwig 2.5 octave xylophone kit

Looking to upgrade to a new instrument?

Please see Recommended Instruments & Equipment above for reputable brands and contact the band directors for advice. We recommend the following stores for purchasing new instruments: