Equal access to music education is a concern in public schools. Certain populations, including minority and low socioeconomic students, remain underrepresented in instrumental ensembles across America. This phenomenon has been well documented, and socioeconomics have been repeatedly identified as a reliable predictor of instrumental music participation in school ensembles. Research into specific and detailed ways in which socioeconomic factors and instrumental music participation intersect and best practices for alleviating any resulting negative effects on instrumental music participation are limited. Researchers often collected emic data from disadvantaged students in the majority of existing studies on these topics. I collected both etic and emic data from seven parent/guardian study participants from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and from two instrumental music teachers in a school district that served a large population of low socioeconomic and minority students. I also compiled data from field notes, observations, and artifacts associated with the school district and town in which the study took place. I analyzed and interpreted the data, applying Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus, capital, and field. My findings indicated that socioeconomic factors including cultural differences, community building, peer group relationships, ensemble travel, geographic location, socioeconomic segregation, parental bias, privilege, and prior family musical experiences all potentially affected students’ decisions to participate in instrumental music ensembles. My research also indicated that attempts to assuage negative effects of low socioeconomics on instrumental music participation, including instrument loaner programs and fundraising, were sometimes undermined and did not completely address the problem.