Often the music teacher is in the position of introducing students to their instrument in a beginning band setting. Particular care should be taken in this setting to prevent bad habits and incorrect embouchure. The following are suggestions that can minimize problems:
- Divide the class into woodwind, brass, and percussion groups.
- Do separate classes for flutes and oboes, and saxophones and clarinets. The transposition factors which favor the clarinet and saxophone, work against the oboes and flutes. Also the embouchures for oboe and flute differ markedly from those for clarinet and Saxophone.
- Have a separate percussion class and avoid class method books in teaching them. The pace in class methods books is boring, consisting of larger note values for several lessons. Percussion players can be trained very quickly by using the regular beginning books. Specific recommendation for materials will be provided in that methods class.