A school concert band has three families of instruments: woodwinds, brass, and percussion. It has no violins or cellos. This page lists every instrument a child is likely to meet in band, says how each one makes its sound, and marks the ones that beginners most often start on.
The short list
| Family | Instruments |
|---|---|
| Woodwinds | Piccolo, flute, oboe, bassoon, clarinet, bass clarinet, and alto, tenor, and baritone saxophone |
| Brass | Trumpet, French horn, trombone, euphonium, and tuba |
| Percussion | Snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, timpani, bells, xylophone, and small hand instruments |
Woodwinds
| Instrument | How the sound starts | Sound | A usual first choice? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piccolo | Air across a hole | The highest in the band | No. Flute players add it later. |
| Flute | Air across a hole | Clear and bright | Yes |
| Oboe | Two reeds tied together | Bright and reedy | In some bands |
| Bassoon | Two reeds tied together | Low and woody | In some bands |
| Clarinet | One reed on a mouthpiece | Smooth, from dark to bright | Yes |
| Bass clarinet | One reed on a mouthpiece | Deep and mellow | No. Clarinet players move to it. |
| Alto saxophone | One reed on a mouthpiece | Clear and singing | Yes |
| Tenor saxophone | One reed on a mouthpiece | Warm and husky | No. Alto players move to it. |
| Baritone saxophone | One reed on a mouthpiece | Deep and buzzy | No. Alto players move to it. |
Read the flute, the clarinet, the oboe, the bassoon, the saxophone, and the piccolo.
Brass
Every brass player makes the sound in the same way. The lips buzz inside a cup-shaped mouthpiece.
| Instrument | How notes change | Sound | A usual first choice? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trumpet | Three valves | Bright and bold | Yes |
| French horn | Three or four valves, worked by the left hand | Round and mellow | In some bands |
| Trombone | A slide | Strong and noble | Yes |
| Euphonium | Three or four valves | Warm, like a small tuba | In some bands |
| Tuba | Three or four valves | The lowest in the band | In some bands |
Some bands use a baritone horn in place of the euphonium. The two look alike and play the same part.
Read the trumpet, the French horn, the trombone, and the tuba.
Percussion
Band percussionists do not pick one instrument. They learn them all and move from one to the next during a concert.
| Instrument | What it does |
|---|---|
| Snare drum | The crisp beat of a march |
| Bass drum | The low boom |
| Cymbals | Crashes and shimmers |
| Timpani | Large tuned drums |
| Bells | A glockenspiel, which plays tunes |
| Xylophone | Wooden bars, for bright, quick tunes |
| Triangle, tambourine, and wood block | Color and rhythm |
Many beginners start on a snare drum or a practice pad, and a set of bells.
Read the snare drum, the bass drum, and the cymbals, the timpani, and the xylophone and the glockenspiel.
The usual first choices
Most school bands start in grade 5 or 6. The usual first choices are these six:
- Flute
- Clarinet
- Alto saxophone
- Trumpet
- Trombone
- Percussion
Some bands also start the French horn, the euphonium, the tuba, the oboe, or the bassoon in the first year. Others add them in the second.
Read how to choose a band instrument.
Who is missing
Violins, violas, and cellos. String instruments belong to the orchestra. A band may have one double bass.
Piano and guitar. They are more at home in the jazz band. Read the jazz band for kids.
Recorder. Many children play it in class before band begins. Read the recorder for kids.
Who gets the tune
In an orchestra, the violins carry the tune most of the time. In a band, the clarinets and the flutes take that job, and a band has many of each. The tubas, the bass clarinets, and the baritone saxophone hold the bottom.
Read band vs orchestra.
A note on written notes
A clarinet, a trumpet, and a saxophone each read a different written note to play the same sound. Players do not need to worry about this. It matters when a child wants to play a duet with a friend on a different instrument. Read transposing instruments explained.
When the band marches
A marching band uses most of the same instruments, with a few swaps. The tuba becomes a sousaphone, which wraps around the player’s body. Read the marching band for kids.
Things to do together
Sort the cards. Write each instrument on a card. Sort the cards into woodwinds, brass, and percussion.
One reed, two reeds, no reed. Sort the woodwinds by how the sound starts.
High to low. Line up the brass from the highest to the lowest.
Listen and name. Play a band piece. Call out each instrument you can pick out.
Try before you choose. Go to the school’s instrument night, and let your child make a sound on three or four.
Print and play
Tick each family on the instrument families listening chart. Try the instrument picker quiz. Read school band and orchestra: a parent’s guide to year one and playing a band instrument with braces.
More from this guide
This article is part of Instruments of the orchestra for kids: the four families and how they sound.
Band vs orchestra: what is the difference?
Band and orchestra compared for kids and parents: which instruments each one has, what music each plays, and how to choose between them at school.
Best instruments for 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds
The best instruments for 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds: what works at each age, when lessons make sense, what to wait on, and what to keep in the toy box.
Brass instruments for kids: what they are and how each one sounds
The brass family explained for parents and kids: how the trumpet, French horn, trombone, and tuba make sound, how to tell them apart, and pieces to hear.
Cello vs double bass: how to tell them apart
Cello vs double bass for kids and parents: size, strings, sound, how each is played, their jobs in the orchestra, and two pieces that show the difference.
Easiest instruments for a child to learn, and why
The easiest instruments for a child to start: ukulele, piano, recorder, percussion, and voice. Why each one gives quick wins, and which ones start slower.
Flute vs clarinet: which is easier for a beginner?
Flute or clarinet for a beginner? How each makes a sound, what is hard in the first year of each, what each costs to keep, and how to help a child choose.
Use it with your kids
Print a listening page, a practice chart, or a composer fact sheet. Or try a tool, such as the composer timeline or the piece picker.