Musical Instrument selections

So, I have always been facinated with the selection of musical instruments from students. What I mean by that is, if you have been around band instruments and students long enough you can guess fairly accurately what instrument the student plays.
Try it sometime.

There are just some stereotypes that really work well. I am no expert on this, and it is not a exact science. There are exceptions, but there are definite rules.


For example, it seems that the goof off guys are either play Trombone, or Percussion. There are no girls in these instrument selections. It would just be wrong.

The bigger guys all go for the Tuba. You don't usually see a bean pole in the Tuba section- for one thing, he would fall over from the massive weight of the Tuba- he would get crushed. Also, you don't see pretty girls in the tuba section either. (Sorry, Ella- you are an exception to that rule, but think about your other instrument- Violin- def. an instrument I would see you playing)

Also, think about the Flute section. Are you thinking about them. Now, do you see a guy in there ANYWHERE?? Nope, you don't because the flute section seems to have all the popular girls in it. If you caught a guy in there, well then he is in big trouble. (or he just wants to be with all the popular girls, but it won't help him out- Flute is not a manly instrument.)

Now, Clarinet is a difficult one to put a finger on. It DOES have a mixture of both guys and girl, but I would say majority is of girls. No huge stereotypes there.

Saxaphone... Usually those are the loudmouths. Mostly made of guys, but can have some ladies as well. The ones you know when they enter the room.

Trumpet is mostly guys. They are goof-offs too, but not to the extent of the Trombones or the Percussion players.

The other instruments that are more specific and not as chosen usually go to the perfect children that can handle the "Difficult" instruments. They are the ones that are musically inclined and everyone knows it. The Oboes, the French Hornys, the Bass Clarineters, the Barisaxists, the bassoonites. They know they are good and already have music in their blood so they already know what instrument, although obscure, is their favorite.

That is my observations from the years I have spent in Bands in school as well as growing up in a musical family and going to many performances. I realized that very much tonight as I was attending my Alma Matre- Redmond High's Band Christmas Concert. I got there to find out that some of my former 5th Grade Student Teaching Students were in the 9th grade (time flies right) band. As I perused the band members names and found ones I knew from that former class, I was not a bit surprised by where the students stood. WOW.