Chapter 2 - Instruments

Woodwind Family

FLUTE

Reedless

Produces sound from the flow of air across mouthpiece

Aside from voice, earliest known instrument

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=How+It%27s+Made+Flute&Form=VQFRVP#view=detail&mid=E182041B9314B7D4D248E182041B9314B7D4D248

Piccolo

Italian for ‘small’

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=piccolo+demonstration&FORM=VIRE9#view=detail&mid=601925F8136BF279816F601925F8136BF279816F

Woodwind Family

Clarinet

Single-Reed Mouthpiece

Like the flute, uses a system of keys and holes to produce

various pitches

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=How+It%27s+Made+Saxophone&Form=VQFRVP#view=detail&mid=050E55AF5210E31354AA050E55AF5210E31354AA

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=bass%20clarinet%20demonstration&qs=n&form=QBVR&pq=bass%20clarinet%20demonstration&sc=0-21&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&mid=AF2E65218FCE903C9AF4AF2E65218FCE903C9AF4

Woodwind Family

Oboe Double-Reed Instrument

Similar to Clarinet, uses key and has a flared bell

Sound made from blowing into the reed and vibrating

a column of air

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=oboe+demonstration&FORM=VIRE1#view=detail&mid=DB5CAD84D06D6C32937DDB5CAD84D06D6C32937D

English Horn (Cor Anglais – French)

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=english+horn+solo&FORM=VIRE5#view=detail&mid=2897576BB53B651BEB6C2897576BB53B651BEB6C

Woodwind Family

Saxophone

Usually made of brass

Single-reed mouthpiece, similar to clarinet

Invented by Adolphe Sax, in 1840

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=saxophone+solo&qs=VI&form=QBVR&pq=saxophone&sc=8-9&sp=3&sk=VI2#view=detail&mid=DFD562F126FAF354DE5ADFD562F126FAF354DE5A

Woodwind Family

Bassoon

Translates to ‘bundle of sticks’

Double-Reed Instrument, like the oboe

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=bassoon+demonstration&qs=n&form=QBVR&pq=bassoon+demonstration&sc=0-0&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&mid=BB27F4265FD59509913ABB27F4265FD59509913A

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=contrabassoon+solo&FORM=VIRE1#view=detail&mid=BD91F769C355B178F234BD91F769C355B178F234

Brass Family

Trumpet

Highest member of brass family

Played by blowing air through almost-closed lips, producing a buzzing sound

Valves

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=How+It%27s+Made+Trumpets&Form=VQFRVP#view=detail&mid=1811C948E9A695B66EB91811C948E9A695B66EB9

Brass Family

French Horn

Unlike other brass instruments, the bore gradually increases in width through most of its length

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=french+horn&FORM=VIRE7#view=detail&mid=352E17DD2976E8FC4CE8352E17DD2976E8FC4CE8

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=french+horn+how+it's+made&qs=OS&sk=&FORM=QBVR&pq=french%20horn%20how%20its&sc=1-19&sp=1&qs=OS&sk=#view=detail&mid=2C631C4C775C7A8B53AF2C631C4C775C7A8B53AF

Brass Family

Trombone

Most have slide mechanism that varies the length of the instrument to change the pitch

Italian for ‘large trumpet’

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=How+It%27s+Made+Trombone&Form=VQFRVP#view=detail&mid=1B00DA9CA81F74718F491B00DA9CA81F74718F49

Brass Family

Tuba

Lowest-pitched member of brass family

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=How+It%27s+Made+Tuba&qs=n&form=QBVR&pq=how+it%27s+made+tub&sc=6-17&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&mid=26889B393249227BD1B526889B393249227BD1B5

String Family

Violin

Highest member of the string family

Smallest member of the string family

4 strings (Highest – Lowest E, A, D, G)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_BzcAyBbi8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFj1ZkuuFKo

String Family

Viola

2nd highest member of string family

Held same way as violin (on shoulder)

Four strings (highest to lowest A, D, G, C)

String Family

Cello

2nd lowest member of the string family

Four strings (Highest to Lowest A, D, G, C)

Strings 1 octave lower than viola

Held between legs

Has endpin to support and balance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-B8k0n_3cs

String Family

Double Bass

Also called the contrabass or just bass

Lowest member of the string family

Four Strings (highest to lowest G, D, A, E)

Usually played standing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyUZh_Cbw6Q

String Family

Harp

Date back to 3500BC

Most modern harps made of wood with nylon strings

Pedals operated by the player’s feet control

different pitches (making the note flat, sharp or natural)

Percussion Family

Timpani

Also known as the kettle drums

Made of copper (kettle)

Heads (or skins)

Played by striking the head with a mallet (or stick)

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=timpani+demonstration&FORM=VIRE1#view=detail&mid=F479E120E0F761746B12F479E120E0F761746B12

Percussion Family

Xylophone

Vibraphone

Glockenspiel

Marimba

https://www.bing.com/search?q=xylophone&filters=ufn%3a%22xylophone%22+sid%3a%2205b5e161-33e8-6434-3e6e-be797c35af92%22&FORM=SNAPST

Percussion Family

Snare Drum

Also known as side drum

Known for it’s ‘staccato’ sound

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPD4Ae-Zv_Y

Percussion Family

Other members include:

Cymbals

Triangle

Cow Bell

Wood Blocks

Keyboard Family

Harpsichord

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=harpsichord&FORM=VIRE3#view=detail&mid=93BF82D02E487CA843EC93BF82D02E487CA843EC

Pianoforte

Organ

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=toccata+and+fugue+in+d+minor&FORM=VIRE1#view=detail&mid=BF95C7043E19CEFA309ABF95C7043E19CEFA309A