• 2026-2027 Band Handbook - 2026.08.06 Revision (changes to grading policy to align with school and district guidelines).

• 2026-2027 Band Contract

• 2026-2027 Calendar of Events - 2026.07.15 Revision | Printable PDF

• 2026-2027 Welcome to Band Packet for beginners

• Band & Music Advocacy

• 2026-2027 Band Equipment Checkout Form - required for any student renting a school owned instrument.

• Instrument Repair Request Form

• Pride of the Midlands Rehearsal & Performance Schedule - for 8th graders at CMS and SHMS also in marching band.

• Band Instrument Survey - All students or parents need to complete ASAP.

• What you need, at a glance

• Beginner Checklist - What you’ll be doing the first weeks with your instrument.

• First 5 Note Fingering Chart

• MusicTheory.net - Easy way to learn and practice the basics of music.

• A guide for students and parents on how to make the most of your first days as a beginner band student

• Beginner Band Pass-Off Checklist

• Articulation Chart

• Should I touch any percussion equipment?

• South Carolina Middle School Band Standards

• Chrome Music Lab - A fun way to experiment with making music.

• MuseScore - Free software for writing music.

• Metronome & Tuner:  Tonal Energy - The absolute best tuner for visualizing steady notes.

• Instrumental Recordings- A reference of professional recordings on all instruments.

• Weekly Practice Logs

To download individual parts of concert music, you must be signed in to your Lexington-Richland 5 account. This is to comply with copyright laws and protect the intellectual property of composers. You will be given access to concert music to print extra parts, and will lose access at the end of each school year. Due to copyright restrictions, you will given access to only your parts.

• ALL Concert Music to print (must be given access and logged into your LexRich 5 account). See above

• 1st Semester 6th Grade Warm-ups (in your Sight-Reading & Technique Class Binder)  - Full Score | Flute | Oboe | Bassoon | Clarinet | Bass Clarinet | Alto Sax | Tenor Sax | Bari Sax | Trumpet | French Horn | Horn in 5ths | Trombone | Euphonium | Baritone Treble Clef | Tuba | Mallets | Snare | Full Recording

• 2nd Semester 6th Grade Warm-ups (in your Sight-Reading & Technique Class Binder) - Full Score | Flute | Oboe | Bassoon | Clarinet | Bass Clarinet | Alto Sax | Tenor Sax | Bari Sax | Trumpet | French Horn | Trombone | Euphonium | Baritone Treble Clef | Tuba | Mallets | Snare

  • Backing Track - Chapin 6th Grade Warmups - Etherial Mood

  • Backing Track - Chapin 6th Grade Warmups - Old School Nintendo Vibe

• McCallister Warmups (in your Sight-Reading & Technique Class Binder). You must request access and be logged into your LexRich 5 account.

  • Video - First Fundamentals - Set 1 - Drone + Metronome | Cinematic | Synthwave

  • Video - First Fundamentals - Set 2 - Drone + Metronome | Cinematic

  • Video - First Fundamentals - Set 3 - Drone + Metronome | Cinematic

  • Video - Foundation WarmUps - Set 1 - Drone + Metronome | Cinematic | LoFi | Bossa Nova

  • Video - Foundation WarmUps - Set 2 - Drone + Metronome | Cinematic | LoFi | Funk

  • Video - Foundation WarmUps - Set 3 - Drone + Metronome | Cinematic | LoFi

  • Video - Foundation WarmUps - Set 4 - Drone + Metronome | Cinematic | Lofi

  • Video - Foundation WarmUps - Set 5 - Drone + Metronome | Cinematic | LoFi

  • Video - Foundation WarmUps - Set 6 - Drone + Metronome | Cinematic

  • Video - Framework Fundamentals - Set 1 - Drone + Metronome | Cinematic | LoFi

  • Video - Framework Fundamentals - Set 2 - Drone + Metronome | Cinematic

  • Seasonal Warmups Videos - Winter | Paris | Ireland | New Orleans | Spring | Caribbean | Autumn | Haunted Long Tones | Haunted House | Festive Warmups | Festive Long Tones

• Supplimental Solfege (in your Sight-Reading & Technique Class Binder)

• Rhythm Charts (in your Sight-Reading & Technique Class Binder)

• Paired Rhythm Charts (in your Sight-Reading & Technique Class Binder) - Coming soon

• Sight-reading Confidence Builder - Volume 1 (First 5 Notes)(in your Sight-Reading & Technique Class Binder) - Full Score | Flute/Oboe/Mallets | Clarinet/Bass Clarinet/Trumpet/Baritone TC | Alto Sax/Bari Sax | Tenor Sax/Advanced Clarinet | French Horn | Trombone/Baritone/Euphonium/Bassoon | Tuba | Snare (accents/single stroke roll, rudiment 1A - PAS 1)

• Sight-reading Confidence Builder - Volume 2 (Adding 8th notes)(in your Sight-Reading & Technique Class Binder) - Full Score | Flute/Oboe/Mallets | Clarinet/Bass Clarinet/Trumpet/Baritone TC | Alto Sax/Bari Sax | Tenor Sax/Advanced Clarinet | French Horn | Trombone/Baritone/Euphonium/Bassoon | Tuba | Snare (accents/single stroke roll, rudiment 1A - PAS 1)

• Sight-reading Confidence Builder - Volume 3 (Adding low A)(in your Sight-Reading & Technique Class Binder) - Full Score | Flute/Oboe/Mallets | Clarinet/Bass Clarinet/Trumpet/Baritone TC | Alto Sax/Bari Sax | Tenor Sax/Advanced Clarinet | French Horn | Trombone/Baritone/Euphonium/Bassoon | Tuba | Snare (accents/single stroke roll, rudiment 1A - PAS 1)

• Sight-reading Confidence Builder - Volume 4 (Adding low G)(in your Sight-Reading & Technique Class Binder) - Full Score | Flute/Oboe/Mallets | Clarinet/Bass Clarinet/Trumpet/Baritone TC | Alto Sax/Bari Sax | Tenor Sax/Advanced Clarinet | French Horn | Trombone/Baritone/Euphonium/Bassoon | Tuba | Snare (buzz roll, rudiment 1B - PAS 4)

This is what you should in your personal band binder that you need to have in every class, available here in case you need another copy of anything. You do not need to print out anything unless you lose it. Anything that should be in your binder will be handed out in class. You will hand in your binder occasionally for a grade, to check for organization and completion.

FRONT COVER - I will give you this. You do not need to print it yourself

INSIDE COVER - Habits book (optional), pencil holder w/mechanical pencils (optional), tuner (optional). Table of Contents (coming soon)

Tab 1: INFORMATION
This is for important information, such as any handouts you receive in class, other than assignments. Anything in tab 1 should be in sheet protectors.

• 2026-2027 Band Calendar (all grades)

• Band Handbook (optional, if you would like a printed copy)

• Welcome to Band packet (optional, if you would like a printed copy)

• Instrument Repair Request Form

• Band Equipment Checkout Form (if you need it)

• 2026-2027 Band Goals (all grades) - This is a major grade that should be COMPLETED, that we will reference occasionally.

Tab 2: INSTRUMENT SPECIFIC
Any supplement that pertains to your instrument, such as fingering charts, technique guides, etc, will in here. Anything in tab 2 should be in sheet protectors, as we will reference this material often.

• Instrument Care Guide (all grades) - You will need to request access to this file as it’s copyrighted if you need to print another copy.

• First Five Note Fingering Chart (6th grade)

• Your First Five Notes (6th grade) Must be logged in to your student account to print another copy due to copyright.

• Beginner Checklist (6th grade)

• Full Fingering Chart (all grades) - Flute | Oboe | Clarinet | Bass Clarinet | Bassoon | Saxophone | Trumpet | French Horn | Trombone | Baritone (TC) | Euphonium (BC) | Tuba | Percussion

• Articulation Chart (all grades)

• Brass Position Chart (all grades, brass only)

• Percussion Rudiments (all grades, percussion only)

Tab 3: WARM-UPS
While many warm-ups and technique exercises are in your class binder, warm-ups we use more frequently will be here. Everything in tab 3 should be in sheet protectors since we will reference them often.

• Stage Warm-Up Packet (Coming Soon)

Tab 4: CONCERT MUSIC
We will sightread many pieces, however, pieces we are currently working on for performances go here. You will receive them with holes punched, so you do not need sheet protectors, as marking your music is encouraged.

• Chapin Middle School Spirit Packet (All grades)

• Beethoven’s Jingle (6th grade) - Coming soon. You will need to request access due to copyright to be able to download PDF to print.

• Spin that Dreidel (6th grade) - Coming soon. You will need to request access due to copyright to be able to download PDF to print.

• Little Drummer Bob (6th grade) - Coming soon.

• Up on the Housetop (6th grade) - Coming soon.

• LEAD SHEETS for Up on the Housetop (6th grade) - Coming soon.

• Angels we have Heard on High (6th grade) - Coming soon. You will need to request access due to copyright to be able to download PDF to print.

• LEAD SHEETS for Angels we have Heard on High (6th grade) - Coming soon. You will need to request access due to copyright to be able to download PDF to print.

• Last Christmas (7th & 8th Grade). Coming soon. You will need to request access to download and print PDF due to copyright.

• Instant Holiday Encore (7th & 8th Grade). Coming soon. You will need to request access to download and print PDF due to copyright.

• Into the Blizzard (7th & 8th Grade). Coming soon. You will need to request access to download and print PDF due to copyright.

• Winter Song (7th & 8th Grade). Coming soon. You will need to request access to download and print PDF due to copyright.

• Krampus on the Rooftop (7th & 8th Grade). Coming soon. You will need to request access to download and print PDF due to copyright.

• Santa the Barbarian (7th & 8th Grade). Coming soon. You will need to request access to download and print PDF due to copyright.

• In the Bleak Midwinter (7th & 8th Grade). Coming soon.

TAB 5: ASSIGNMENTS
Any assignments that are to be completed go here. Do not use sheet protectors. Your director will give you everything hole punched.

• Notebook paper (all grades, student provides)

• Staff paper (all grades, director provides).

• Sawyer Theory Book - Must be logged into your school account to print another copy as it’s copyrighted. 6th grade should have pages 1-7 completed, 7th grade should have pages 1-10 completed, 8th grade should have pages 1-12 completed.

• Piano Keyboard Study Guide - This is a reference you should have that we refer to often. All grades.

• Note Naming Study Guide - This is a reference you should have that we refer to often. All grades.

• Startup Clinics (coming soon). - All grades.

• Note naming practice 1 (6th grade) - Must be logged in to your student account to access due to copyright. To be turned in with next binder check (6th & 7th grades)

• Finger Fill-Ins 1 (6th grade) - Director will give out when it’s time to complete (This week). Must be logged in to your student account to access due to copyright.

• Returned Practice Logs for your reference (6th grade)

• Returned Binder Check Rubrics (all grades)

BACK INSIDE COVER

• Extra Weekly Practice Logs (6th grade). Director gives you 4 at a time. Due at the beginning of class each Monday.

This is our binder we use in class for sight-reading and technique studies. This does NOT leave the band room. This is provided if you would like to work on any of our in-class studies at home.

We will post everything that’s in this binder in here at a later date.

• Flute Startup Clinics

• Green Book Video Exercises - Flute

• Blue Book Video Exercises - Flute

• First Five Note Fingering Chart - Flute

• Full Flute Fingering Chart 

• Clarinet Startup Clinics

• Green Book Video Exercises - Clarinet

• First Five Note Fingering Chart - Clarinet

• Full Clarinet Fingering Chart - Via John McCallister | Via Habits Universal

• Crossing the Break - Play Along Video (via John McCallister) & Printable PDF

• Learn your Scales - McCallister Scale Page

• Crush ALL your scales! - McCallister Printable PDF | YouTube Play-along

• Brass position chart

• Brass position chart

• Brass position chart

• Brass position chart

• Brass position chart

• PAS Rudiments