Whether you're in your school's marching band, a garage band or some other sort of musical group, you've got an instrument to play. There's probably a reason why you picked up that instrument and started playing, but what is it? Several Valley High School musicians shared their reasons.

Junior Hunter Hughes is new to the Valley High School band. He joined at the beginning of this school year. Walking into the band room, he saw the quints (a five-piece tenor drum set) and chose that as his instrument.

"It caught my eye, [and I liked] the sound it made," he said. "I thought I would have to play a bass drum since I was new, but I didn't."

He chose the instrument for its looks and sound, but it took work to learn how to play it. He said he had a hard time learning to play drum rolls.

Hughes is also a musician outside of school. He doesn't play in a band or anything; he just plays because he loves to play music.

In addition to the drums, he also plays guitar. He says each instrument comes with complications; for him, it's learning to play new songs on a new instrument. Playing music makes all the practice worthwhile, though.

Junior Bella Little has been playing in school band for five years, three of which have been at Valley. She's been playing the alto saxophone since the fourth grade, and when she joined the band at Valley, she didn't have anything else in mind.

"It's the only instrument I could make a sound out of," she explained.

In the beginning, she had difficulties learning to playing since she didn't know to keep her cheeks in. "I looked like a puffer fish," she said.

For her, the best part of playing music is bonding with her bandmates. "The best part about being in the school band is the feeling of having a second family and all the funny stories that will be shared when the season is over," she said.

Sophomore Zae Davis has been a band member for three years. She plays the tenor saxophone because when she joined the band, it was an instrument that needed to be played.

"I felt I could handle the responsibility to take the part," she said, adding that playing the instrument isn't hard for her, but it does hurt her neck.

Davis likes jazz music, and this reassured her that the tenor sax would be an instrument she would enjoy playing. Though that's what she plays in the band, she can also play the flute, alto sax, string instruments and drums.

Though Little feels the best part about band is the family feeling and Hughes likes the music itself, Davis' favorite part is more unique.

"The best part is you're actually a part of the team," she said. "You pump up the crowed and keep the football team and fans excited during the game. Along with the cheerleaders, you cheer on the team."

Many people may disagree with Davis' opinion that the band is part of the team, and she said that can be hard on its members. She said that people might not realize it, but when they say negative things like that, it's hurtful to the musicians.

It gets to them mentally. It can make them feel like they're not good enough and discourage them from practicing harder. When a band is small, like Valley's, that can put extra strain on the musicians.

Size, however, doesn't mean anything. "Just because we are small doesn't mean we don't have talent," Davis said.