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Consider helping your son or daughter be more successful in high school with “step up” equipment.  In most cases the equipment that was purchased for your 6th grader is made to make playing a new instrument easier for a 6th graders.  Once a student grows up, some of the equipment becomes too small and inadequate for a student to make a quality sound on. Purchasing the next level of equipment will help set your student up for success as he/she enjoys band at Kearney High.

Below you will find the make and model of some “step up” instruments and mouthpieces.  

**Please NOTE** Either an intermediate model or a professional are a SIGNIFICANT step up from a student model and, as always, you get what you pay for.  If something is “too good to be true,” it probably is.  Please don’t purchase without the advice and help of a band teacher or a qualified private instructor in the area!


Woodwinds

Flute

It is important to get a step up flute that has open holed keys and a B foot

  • Intermediate – Yamaha YFL – 461 Series Intermediate Flute
  • Professional – Yamaha 500 Series Pro Flute,  Yamaha 600 Series Pro Flute

Clarinet

The Vandoren 5RV Lyre is a good step up mouthpiece.  Also when looking for a step up clarinet consider the difference between wood bodies and synthetic bodies.  Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. 

  • Intermediate – Buffett E 11 Bb Clarinet, Yamaha YCL – 450 Series Intermediate Clarinet
  • Professional – Selmer Paris Professional Clarinet, Buffet R 13 Professional Clarinet

Saxophone

The Selmer C Star (C*) is a good step up mouthpiece. 

  • Intermediate – Yamaha YAS-457 Intermediate Alto Sax, Yamaha YAS-575 Allegro Intermediate Alto Sax, Selmer SAS280 La Voix Intermediate Alto Sax
  • Professional – Selmer Paris Series II or III Pro Alto Sax, Selmer Paris Reference 54 Pro Alto Sax, Yamaha YAS – 82Z Custom Z Series Pro Alto Sax, Yamaha YAS-62 Series Pro Alto Sax

Some possible places to check for prices and availability.

Brass

Trumpet

A Bach 5C is a great way to upgrade a students playing.  They (in most cases) SHOULD NOT be playing on the mouthpiece that came with their student line horn.

  • Intermediate – Yamaha Xeno YTR-4335
  • Professional – Yamaha Xeno YTR-8335, Bach Stradivarius (many models to choose from)

DOUBLE French Horn

Please don’t buy a new single french horn

A Laskey 75G is one great step up mouthpiece to help. 

  • Intermediate – Conn 8D
  • Professional – Yamaha YHR 667

Trombone

All students should be playing on at least a Bach 6 ½ AL mouthpiece, preferably a 5G size.  Please do not use the 12C mouthpiece that came with their current horn.  Also work with a director or instructor about the size of the shank of the mouthpiece.  These mouthpieces come in large and small shanks.

  • Intermediate – Yamaha Allegro, 447G, 448G, Getzen Custom, Jupiter 636(L)
  • Professional – Bach 42 (O), Conn 88HO, Yamaha Xeno YSL-8220, Jupiter XO, Edwards, Shires, Rath

Euphonium 

All students should be playing on at least a Bach 6 ½ AL mouthpiece, preferably a 5G size or larger. Also work with a director or instructor about the size of the shank of the mouthpiece.  These mouthpieces come in large and small shanks.

  • Intermediate – Yamaha 321, Jupiter 470, 570 (now JEP 1000 and 1020), King 2280, Kanstul 985, Big Mouth Brass I-808SP
  • Professional – Adams Custom, Besson Sovereign or Prestige, Miraphone Ambassador, Wilson, Yamaha 642/842, Jupiter XO, Sterling

Tuba 

All students should be playing on at least a Bach 7 or Conn Helleberg mouthpiece size or larger.

  • Intermediate – Yamaha 105/201/321, Jupiter 378/382/482, Big Mouth Brass J-734, St. Petersburg
  • Professional – Adams Custom, Besson Sovereign, B & S, Miraphone, Willson, Meinl Weston, Hirsbrunner