I am interested in getting a piccolo. I am not going to be marching with it, all i am playing it for is concert. I saw the prices for all concert piccolo and they are quite expensive. The other choices are either getting a marching piccolo or a marching&concert piccolo in one. I like the the style though of the marching piccolo(all silver) than the marching&concert piccolo in one(silver and black plasic for the body) Now my question is is that is there really a difference between the two piccolos? If i get the marching piccolo could i play it for orchestra with out sounding out of place? Thanks for your response!

To be safe, I`d recommend getting what I have: plastic body with silver headjoint.

I`m going to give you a summary of piccolos and what`s good where and why. (Maybe it`ll be more of an essay)

All-metal piccs are great for marching band because their sound cuts through the rest of the band, so you can actually be heard on the field. Unfortunetally, this makes it awful for concert bands and orchestras because it`s just too darn loud and shrill.

All-wood piccs are fantastic for indoor concerts in band and orchestra because they can blend into the sound, and not sound bad and shrill. The disadvantages to wood: it cracks. Marching a wood piccolo, or even outdoor concerts in not-so-great weather can damage the wood and seriously hurt your wood picc. In addition, the sound wouldn`t carry enough in a marching band setting.

All-plastic or silver-and-plastic piccs combine the best of each world. An all-plastic picc looks like a wood one (and some sound almost as good), without the problems that wood creates. Plastic with a metal headjoint carries well on the marching field, but isn`t too loud for a concert setting.

I believe it is possible to purchase a plastic piccolo, and then order wood, silver, or plastic headjoints, so you can have as softer sound (wood) for indoors, and a shriller sound (silver) for outdoors, or the balance of plastic.

I hope this helped a bit, but keep researching.

Have fun with your picc hunt!
Gumdrop

That you very much for all your wonderful info on the piccolos.