Top 10 Most Important Instruments to a Band
Most of the people that vote for instruments like the electric guitar and bass, in my opinion, with no offense intended, are heavy metal and rock listeners, who probably have never cared to actually listen to a wind ensemble or marching band, or even rock itself. This vote isn't about the nicest sounding instrument, there's another poll for that, metal and rock listeners. I read a comment saying "Take away a guitar and it doesn't have a genre." Guitars didn't even EXIST for a long time. Drums however, are seen in almost every single song with more than two or three different types of instruments. Take away drums? You no longer have a steady beat, you no longer have a solid cadence to listen to, and the bass of your songs are removed. Drums are, by far the most important instrument in a band, and they can sound pretty amazing in solos too.
I have been in band for many years and I can conclude that drums are the most important instrument, and I don't even play the drums! I don't know why guitars are at the top. I don't know if it was some biased guitar fans or what. Guitars are mainly for rock and country. If you take away the drums in a song...well its hard to know what your even listening to. Now, I have been in concert and jazz band. Whenever the drummer was away for practice, it was so hard to carry on! The drum provides the rhythm for us, and drums help you follow the song and also fill in gaps. Without drums it just sounds odd and even messy at times. I don't know one song where we didn't require some time of drum. This is coming from a trumpet player, so no biased thoughts here
I play a bass guitar, sometimes rhythm, when I was in a band in high school and, afterwards, played now and again with some friends. Both the bass and the drums are important for keeping the beat of a song but, and even I can admit this, the drums are far more important even in this regard.
We once had this temp drummer who, after playing a particularly fast fill, would end up speeding up his overall temp and the rest of us would follow and only realize we were playing too fast when the vocalist started singing too fast. :D
One time I decided to try the same, speeding up the bass slightly, just to see if they'd notice. Everyone noticed the difference. I was the only one playing out of time. And even though I tried to do it on purpose, the beat of the drums kept pulling me in and I was struggling to purposely go off beat.
So not only do the drums add some excitement like the lead guitar, but it also keeps the beat far more effectively than the bass. Taking out the ...more
Drums help keep the rhythm and keep the song upbeat. Look up drum less versions of songs on YouTube, and see how your favorite songs sound without drums. Other instruments can be replaced or substituted, you can play a guitar part on a piano, but you can't play a drum part on a different instrument. Admittedly I am a percussionist so I'm a bit biased, but it's still a valid point.

People says drums are most important. Try a song without the guitar and it fits no genre. Take out the drums and at least you will know what your listening to. I listen to metal, Thrash to be exact, and those who say an acoustic fits all genres, listen to Slayer, Destruction, Exodus, or Dark Angel and tell me you could replace an electric guitar with an acoustic!
In music the most recognizable part of the song is the Melody. Drums are vital to having a song sound like its supposed to but since it doesn't play the main part/recognizable but people wont understand what the song would be as many songs can share similar drum parts. HOWEVER I personally enjoy classic rock and some rock/jazz and I can say that it does depend on what type of band. In any rock band both bass,guitar and drums and very important but the part that stands out is generally played by the electric guitar. In jazz though drums sometimes provides part of the main song not just the beat of it.
When there is a solo the first thing you think is electric guitar because you don't see drums solo because it's not sound good. Drums can be replaced with all the techno thing but electric guitars no and it's more difficult than drums you super fingers for guitars.
Drums are important. I am the drummer in the band I play in, but not every song needs drums. Without the guitars, however, both acoustic and electric, the song would be kinda bad. Next to vocals, guitars are the most important!
All instruments are important, a band's not a band without a combination of instruments, but Bass is the one instrument that every good band needs. Bass lays down rhythm and establishes the chord progressions that the whole song is built on. The bass is the foundation the band is built on, and although you can't have a house without walls and a roof, you can't have walls and a roof without a solid foundation.
A great bass player can then expand from the two main roles of rhythm and chord progression and become counter melody (to the singer, lead guitar, piano, or whatever instrument has the melody at the time). Without a bass player, the melody is not part of a "band" it's just a solo with some accompaniment. If the bass line changes, even without changing the chord progression, the whole song can change in tonality rhythm and feeling.
The bass is no doubt a supporting instrument, but it's the support that makes the band a band, and not just a soloist. Electric guitar is ...more
Bass!
All instruments are important, a band's not a band without a combination of instruments, but Bass is the one instrument that every good band needs. Bass lays down rhythm and establishes the chord progressions that the whole song is built on. The bass is the foundation the band is built on, and although you can't have a house without walls and a roof, you can't have walls and a roof without a solid foundation.
A great bass player can then expand from the two main roles of rhythm and chord progression and become counter melody (to the singer, lead guitar, piano, or whatever instrument has the melody at the time). Without a bass player, the melody is not part of a "band" it's just a solo with some accompaniment. If the bass line changes, even without changing the chord progression, the whole song can change in tonality rhythm and feeling.
The bass is no doubt a supporting instrument, but it's the support that makes the band a band, and not just a soloist. ...more
It's clear most of the people on this list don't have a clue about how a band works... The electric guitar may be cool but it wouldn't be able to do all the cool stuff it does without the bass. The bass and the drums are the most important part of all bands. It's like a song is a house. The guitar and singing is the wallpaper and furniture. There very nice, but not on their own. The bass and drums are the concrete and foundation. Which is what you need to make the wallpaper and furniture look good. If your wondering why I decided to vote bass out of bass and drums, here's why. What is the only instrument that is used in every style of western music? BASS GUITAR!
Firstly, you of course need the drum beat to have the base. But, the bass is the thing, that makes the drum beat go to a completely different level. Recently, I've discovered, that I might turn into a bass player from guitar playing, simply because I feel, that I have more ears for backing the song, making it really stand up, creating the bottom of the song. Bass always forms the song, kinda like glues everything together to beautiful song. The better the bass is, the better the song will be.
I think that keyboard sets the mood for most band's performance
A must in my opinion
Absolutely amazing instrument! It's much more portable than a piano and mostly always has the melody of a song! :D

I play piano, and I must say to be honest all instruments of the band are equally important! After all, you can't have a band without all the instruments! The reason I voted piano though is because most songs can be played solely by a piano, and you see piano covers of songs all the time, however I still believe all instruments are equally important! It's the musical accents, not just the vocals and melody, that can make all the difference in a song.
I think piano is the best because you can play any song you like on the piano. The only thing is that it's a bit too big... Being a pianist has also taught me to have more control over my fingers, moving fast or slow and hitting the correct key at the correct time. I'm surprise piano didn't come out as the top instrument. And I think violin in also good. Maybe second in the list.
It's just a fun instrument and a starting place for all other instruments because it builds skill in your fingers.
Piano is the 4th most important instrument in a band.

My son's band instructor is developing a jazz band with interested students. My son plays the clarinet and is interested in participating in jazz. My son's band instructor told him that the clarinet is not part of a jazz ensemble. Thoughts? I told my boy to share some facts regarding the clarinet and a couple of articles like this one. In my honest opinion, back in his day, his band instructor did more tokin' than playing'.
Clarinets should be part of the jazz band always and forever. Schools are excluded the clarinets from the jazz band ensembles because they are considered a non original jazz band instrument. It's okay if clarinets don't have have written music about them clarinets can just play the trumpet parts like they do now. They are many famous clarinet players that were in jazz band who became very successful in their time. We are good at playing the nice harmonys and we have very beautiful solos that we can take on. We also have a very high scale level so we can hit the high notes better than the other instruments.
~By The Petition Masters~
CLARINET! Because one it needs to be used more often in a band so that when it is played or seen on a stage it plays a variety of notes rhythms and has a beautiful sound this needs to be at the top! You can teach any clarinet player to play your favorite song and it is likely that would happen because they have leaned the song and the notes including the rhythms or they could play any song in the world like I taught myself how to play songs written by pop stars like Katy Perry and Taio Cruz.
First of all the clarinet can produce a variety of sounds such as really high or really low. Second the clarinet is fairly easy to learn, I have been playing for 3 years now and will continue to play in my schools band. In my band we have solos a lot because the clarinets can help carry a melody.

The trumpet usually always has the main and most important part of the song. If you listen to famous songs, such as the main theme of Star Wars, the trumpet stands out over all instruments (while it's playing). The trumpet is a good instrument for almost any song, and it's easy to carry around, so you don't have to worry about things like that. The notes are relatively easy to play, especially compared to other instruments, once you get the hang of it. Although drums can keep the beat, any instrument can do that as well. It may not be as efficient as a drum, but it's still does the job. Overall, trumpet it the most important instrument in a band.
I play just about everything. And overall the trumpets are the most important. The trumpet can play an extremely diverse range and is a beautiful instrument. Trumpets are also great when playing solo. Mainly though, trumpets and other brass are usually the heart of a band's sound. Yes the percussion keeps rhythm but a good band can sound just as good without it. Any instrument can be used to keep rhythm. By far the trumpet seems most important.
The trumpet is important to the band. They can carry the melody or moving parts in the background and honestly, they sound beautiful doing either. Play correctly they have such a rich and amazing tone (especially when they players add vibrato). Plus they can be in a jazz band which all instruments can't really play in. The trumpet in my opinion is underrated and bashed in ways. It's the best band instrument and I may or may not be saying that because I play the trumpet lol.
This instrument should be at least second. We can play the melody, the bass, even both. Clarients shouldn't even be up there. Beautiful sound! They sound like a duck that is yelping and annoying. Trumpets are the best! Thank you

Much more important than many of these other instruments and especially the drums!
The violins are the main! Without them the music is going to sound motionless
The best bands have at least one violin player.
The violin is so versatile.

Although all instruments are important, the saxophone is the most important woodwind. The clarinets can be hard faintly, but the flutes are not heard at all! (No offense flautists) The saxophone can play many types of music, and it comes in many different sizes. Depending on what size, it can play the melody, harmony, and bass all at once! Once again, every instrument is important, but the saxophone is the best!
The saxaphone is the melody and personality of the band! It's basically the only woodwind you can hear and it has a personality of its own. It's better than all brass instruments because it can be high and low, so it could be woodwind parts and also brass, so why even need brass? It's much better than percussion also. It adds a melody and pizazz to the song when all you need to know to play a snare, timbani, bass drum, cow bell, triangle, etc is to know how to count to at least four and roll.
I play the alto sax, and I think it is very important in my Middle School band. I play the melody and harmony all the time. It also adds more volume to the sound of the band. Most woodwinds cannot be heard, it the saxophone is very loud but not too loud. Every instrument is important, but people always underrate the sax. It deserves to be noticed.
The Saxophone was invented to give the woodwinds more sound and notice because wood winds were overblown by brass and the sax also was meant to make the brass seem less powerful. It often plays with the melody or Is there to make songs more interesting and lastly it is a very low and high instrument

The flute is important to concert band, definitely. Why else would it be the flautists that sit in the front? We play the melody often, which is a whole half of the song. Flutes can be soft and melodic, almost like a clarinet, or they can be loud, staccato, and high. There's a pretty large range the flute can play. Also, it's quite difficult. Other instrument players don't realize how much air it takes a person to blow into their flute. Only half of the air you'd blow would go into it the other half would go right over the top of it. Good posture is another hard thing with flute. With oboe or clarinet, you just hold your instrument and play. With saxophone, you almost get permission to be a little slouchy they are pretty heavy instruments. With flute, however, you have to sit up straight, not rest your elbow on the back of your chair, and hold your flute straight up the whole time you play. Your left wrist will constantly be sore. Finally, you may be whacked by other flutes nearby.
Yas. Also, flutes, when playing some high notes, can give you a very different feeling than when playing some of the lower notes. This also applies for any differences between flutes and other instruments.
Flutes may be soft but they add to the overall sound of the band as a whole and the flutes can go high and low which means they can go through a whole range of notes.
Flutes lead the group on with the song you are playing. Without the flutes, the song basically has no purpose, no melody.

In our band, the Trombones make up most of the Low Brass section and if the band lost most of the low brass most of the songs wouldn't really sound very good.
Low brass is very important, probably the most important part of a band. And which low brass instrument is the best, trombone, thus making it the most important
It keeps the bass line and makes sure that the melody has something to go along with it.
It's my instrument in band so wish #1 was trombone.

Even though most people think electric guitar is better, in my opinion acoustic guitar is more relaxing, quiet, and natural. Overall, I definitely think acoustic guitar is very important to bands of any kind.

Every band needs a tuba player, I mean seriously, it's practically the beat of the music! Also, the tuba goes lower than most or all instruments, so if you need to hit the low note, just point to tuba! It also is the most fun instrument to play. You get to do that awesome lip thing you did all the time when you were five. plus, not many people can get a sound out of tuba, so if you can, you should try it. Not many people do tuba, so you'd get a lot of attention from peers.
GO TUBA!
As a tuba player, I feel unappreciated a lot. We don't really get the good parts, and we mainly get a bunch of drum lines, if we're lucky. Or else it's just a bunch of whole notes, depending on the song. So seeing these comments have really made me happy. Also, I like hearing the band with no tuba then when you bring the tubas in and then you can really hear those low notes.
It is by far the most important instrument in a band. As a tuba player, I am the foundation of my band and make sure the band sounds good.
You obviously need a Tuba it has the bass that the band beats to. Also it is hard to play tuba just because its size.
The french horn is a confusing instrument that very little people play. My friend plays the saxophone so What I think is personally harder is the french horn because you just have to get the notes right or you teacher gonn' be like "Girl, if you don't get that note right I reckon you do it again! " To me the French Horn is what I like to play.
The French horn is a hard instrument. You need to have good ears and tell if you're hitting the right note. The French horn is a beautiful looking instrument. Also while having to tell if you're hitting the right note you have to be good with melody and be able to hit all you're notes. It has a very nice sound
French Horn (mellophone in the marching band) is important because it has a soft sound that you usually don't get from the other brass instruments.
The french horn is perfect, because of the sound, and the fact that you have a very high range, so you can play really low notes, but also high notes.
Literally if you don't play in low brass, your first words are going to be "what is a Euphonium? " and make the section angered at you. All instruments are important, but this one should certainly be higher on the list. It has an expansive range (Cb1 which is lower than most tubas go, all the way up to a F5, four and a half octaves, which is why it is flexible) and it plays anywhere from contrabass to alto voicing, but normally staying within it's tenor voice. Due to it's 2/3 conical bore, it makes a dark and mellow sound, compared to the inverted Baritone Horn, which is much brighter. It rarely carries the melody because most composers simply have no knowledge of the instrument. It's misidentified as a Baritone because it is rarely taught about, not even at the professional level. Its tone is very colorful, and when played correctly, you can make it out and will be satisfied with its performance.
The euphonium is great because it carries the baritone melody in a mellow and listenable way. Trombones and baritones came close in this category but they are too piercing and tend to solely carry the baritone line. While this is important, the euphonium carries the baritone line and helps it blend in so that it doesn't come out as piercing and unorchestral. The trombone and baritone may get the baritone line to be significant and regal, but the euphonium is the glue that keeps the baritone line together with the rest of the orchestra/band.
The Euphonium is so underrated. Like, if you don't play in low brass, you probably don't even know what it is. It has a great range. It can play as high as trumpet or clarinet, and it can also play lower than a tuba. It also has a very deep and full sound, which is extremely important for the band as a whole, and it more important than others may think.
The euphonium plays so many different parts in every song, that it sort of blends everyone's parts together, making the song more pleasant to listen to overall. The euphonium's warm sound also produce a nice, strong base for the melody.

The oboe IS a very hard instrument to play. I've tried it before and I'll admit, it's hard. You need a kind of personality where you persevere if you have a tough time, the kind of person who will only go for an A A A. Although being a tough instrument it creates a powerful band.
Oboe is one of the hardest ever instruments to play some people take the oboe for granted when I have noticed it is a grand instrument.
The oboe is the instrument that you can pick out from the crowd in the band. It's the one that gives the band its humanity
The whole band tunes to the oboe! I mean, seriously, them is hard to tune!
Listen to Don't fear the reaper, needs more cowbell!

The Harmonica adds sound effects to specific songs.
The synth allows you to get a very nice futuristic, and pop timbre. It suits a lot of bands.
Synth riffs can add a great deal of vibe and depth to a band and their songs.
Exactly, but it is easy to play it too loud. I think it is by far the most important instrument to any band, I mean who cares about the drums or the guitar, or even *cringes* the singing. *shivers in pure fright*
Obviously the most important and hardest instrument to play in any decent rock band.
The bassoon is a hard but nice instrument. It has a low sound needed for a good band

It's like a minnie guitar and has a slightly higher pitch. Very beautiful sound.
It can be necessary
Ukulele should be #1
We all agree that the percussion instruments keep the tempo flowing.
The percussion keeps the tempo together.