Section Stereotypes

I don't know about any of you, but I've always felt like there are stereotypes for each section in a band-- i.e., a certain personality they tend to have, common methods of approaching social situations, etc. So here is a breakdown of the different sections and what type of person usually plays that instrument.

Flutes- Flute players can be one of two things. They can either be a bit haughty and think they're better than everyone else, or they can be quiet, sweet, and shy. And then there are the rarities who are a combination of the two-- confident, but not snobbish. Another stereotype is that most flute players are girls. Which is true, but I know of several male flutists who are just as good as the female flutists, maybe even better than some of them.

Clarinets- Clarinetists can, again, be one of two things. They are usually either obnoxious and immature, or quiet and a little shy. Again, there can be a combination of the two, but those are even more rare than the combination-type flute players. Clarinetists are also usually female, although of course, there are many male clarinet players out there.

Oboes- I haven't had much experience with oboe players, but the few that I do know are pretty quiet and reserved most of the time. They are also good musicians, because oboe is one of those instruments that people don't play unless they're willing to work hard to be good at it.

I sound like a wild goose when I play sax, just sayin'.

Saxophones- Ah, saxophones. A very interesting group, indeed. They tend to be a bit loud and obnoxious and sometimes quite strange. They aren't as egotistical as trumpet players, but they have more confidence than clarinetists.

Low Reeds (Bassoon, Bass Clarinet, Tenor and Bari Sax)- These are also instruments that people generally don't play unless they're good at it. People who play these instruments are usually a little different, which could be why they chose their respective instrument. For example, a bass clarinet player might play that instrument because they don't feel like they fit in with the other clarinets, etc.

Trumpets- Trumpet players are generally quite full of themselves. The ones who are good at playing the trumpet tend to have the biggest egos on the planet, while the ones who aren't that good don't seem to care much about band. However, I have found that male trumpet players are more egotistical than females.

French Horns- Horn players are similar to trumpet players in the sense that they think highly of themselves. The difference is that because the French horn is a difficult instrument to master, they are slightly more mature and they put forth more effort.

Trombones- Honestly, I'm not really sure. I know some trombone players who used to play woodwind instruments, so they still carry that attitude, and I know some who are similar to the euphoniums and tubas in being the comic relief, except they're quieter about it. So I guess they're a mix.

Baritones/Euphoniums- Definitely the comic relief of the band. They can be very immature, loud, and obnoxious, though. As far as gender goes, I've only ever known one girl who played the euphonium, and she quit band after a year.

Tubas- Tuba players (tubists?) are pretty much like the euphonium players, except (obviously) they play a bigger, lower, louder instrument. They are also usually male, but I do know a girl who plays the tuba and is freaking amazing at it.

Percussion- Percussionists are definitely their own type of people. Just like their music doesn't look like any other kind of music I've ever seen in my life, they certainly have an interesting personality. They are generally likable, but they like to be in their own little world, doing their own thing. Like trumpet players, they can have a very big ego, and as a drum major, I've found them to be the hardest section to gain the respect of. However, they can be funny and some of them are adorable, which makes them probably one of my favorite sections of the band.

So that's that. Please note that this is just for fun and wasn't meant to be degrading to any section. Even though I mentioned having a soft spot for percussionists, I really do love all of the sections because without them, we wouldn't have a band. Thanks for reading this, everyone who did, and if somebody wants to make my day by putting a comment down below about if I was correct in these section stereotypes and what your favorite section is, that'd be fabulous!