NO! For some time people within the community have advertised selling their old beginning model instruments to high school students as a “good marching band instrument”. The quality of sound on the marching band field (particularly for brass) is just as important as in the concert band; therefore, we do NOT recommend students purchase or continue playing a lesser quality instrument for marching band.
Some have expressed concern over damage that may occur to the instrument during marching season. Consider this:
- Students MUST make instrument care a priority throughout the year. Directors will NEVER ask students to perform in a manner that will cause damage to the instrument but accident do happen. Students have as many opportunities to damage their instrument during concert season as they do during marching season; therefore, instrument care should be a habit for all students always.
- A repair for a beginner instrument typically cost the same as a repair for a quality instrument.
Exceptions? We do NOT recommend wooden clarinets to be used on the marching field. The extreme temperatures will expand and compress the wood creating cracks that sometimes are very difficult to repair. We DO recommend plastic clarinets for marching.
CLICK HERE to see why a quality instrument is important for students at Sparkman High School.