Musical Instruments & Ensembles

There are 7 categories of musical instruments

• Voices• Strings• Woodwinds • Brasses• Percussion• Keyboard• Electronic

Voices • The voice is the most fundamental

musical instrument.• It has expressive qualities not found

in other musical instruments.• Voices have the ability to combine

both music & words.• Voices are divided into high, middle,

& low registers.

Women’s registers

•Soprano—highest•Mezzo-soprano—middle•Contralto (alto)--lowest

Men’s registers•Tenor—highest•Baritone—middle•Bass--lowest

Strings• String instruments are among the

most important in Western music.• They constitute the backbone of the

symphony orchestra & the chamber orchestra

• There are 2 types of string instruments–Bowed–Plucked (harp, guitar, banjo)

• Bowed instruments include (from HIGHEST pitch to LOWEST pitch)– Violin– Viola– Violoncello (cello)– Double bass

• These instruments are similar in construction, but differ in sizes (see diagram.)

• The violin was first developed in the 16th century from more primitive string instruments.

• Drawing the bow across the strings causes them to vibrate & make sound.

• Pitch is determined by pressing down the string against the fingerboard & adjusting the length of the string.– This is known as “stopping the string.”

• The longer the string, the lower the pitch; the shorter the string, the higher the pitch.

Bowing Techniques

•This is pulling the bow across the strings to produce different sounds.–Legato: smooth, connected up & down strokes

–Staccato: short & detached strokes (bow is actually bounced off the strings.)

–Tremolo: rapid strokes (trembling)

Playing Techniques

•Vibrato: rapid vibration of the left hand while pressing the string against the fingerboard.

• Pizzicato: plucking the strings instead of playing with the bow.

•Mute: a device clamped onto the bridge that produces a subdued velvety sound.

Plucked Instruments

• There are 2 string instruments used by the orchestra that are plucked– Harp– Guitar

• The guitar can have 6 or 12 strings.• Strings are usually made of either

nylon (gut) or steel.• The two main types of guitars are

the acoustic & the electric

• The harp has 47 strings stretched vertically on a triangular frame.

• It has 7-9 pedals to adjust pitch of the strings.

Woodwinds

• These instruments produce sound when air is blown through the tube-like body of the instrument.

• The pitch is raised or lowered by opening & closing finger holes on the body of the instrument.

• Common woodwinds include (highest to lowest pitch)

– Flute– Clarinet– Oboe– Bassoon

• Most of the woodwinds use a vibrating reed to help produce sound.– A reed is a small strip of cane/wood

used in the mouthpiece.

• The flute has an opening on the edge of the body. This is where the performer blows air into to produce sound.

– This opening is called the embouchure hole.

– The performer also manipulates keys with the fingers.

•Reed instruments can be single or double reed.–Single reed instruments include

•Clarinet•Bass clarinet•Saxophone

• Double reed instruments are– Oboe– English horn (cor anglee)– Bassoon– Contrabassoon

• The woodwind group is often expanded in the symphony to include the following instruments.

• From highest to lowest pitch– Piccolo– Flute– Oboe– English Horn– Clarinet– Bass Clarinet– Bassoon– Contrabassoon

• The saxophone is a woodwind instrument even though it is made of brass or some other metal.

• It uses a reed to produce sound.

• The saxophone is an “invented” instrument.

• It was invented by Adolphe Sax of Brussels, Belgium.

Brasses• Brass instruments include (from highest to

lowest pitch)– Trumpet

– (French) Horn

– Trombone

– Tuba

• The tubing is coiled for easier handling• There is a mouthpiece at one end.

• The flared end is called the bell.

• Pitch adjustments are made thru a combinations of– Adjusting the tension of the lips;– Manipulating a mechanism that shortens or extends

the length of the tube;– Breathing

• The mechanism on the following instruments is a set of valves operated by the fingers.– Trumpet– Horn– Tuba

• The mechanism on the trombone is a slide (U-shaped piece of tubing.)

Percussion

• Percussion instruments will vary from ensemble to ensemble.

• There are 2 types of percussion instruments:– Definite pitch– Indefinite pitch

• Definite pitch instruments includeTimpani GlockenspielCelesta VibraphoneXylophone MarimbaChimes

• Timpani (aka “kettledrums”)– Pitch is adjusted by manipulating a set of screws

around the head of the drum or by using foot pedals

• Glockenspiel (aka “bells”)– 2 rows of steel bars each producing a definite pitch– The steel bars are struck with a mallet.

• Celesta– This is a keyboard glockenspiel that looks like a

piano– It has a wider range of pitches than the bells.– It produces many different pitches simulatneously.– Produces a “tinkling” sound.

• Vibraphone (aka “vibraharp”)– Metal bars arranged similar to the keys of the piano– An electric mechanism makes the vibrato effect.– Vibrato sounds like a vibrating musical sound.

• Xylophone– Tuned wooden bars that produce a hollow sound

when struck by a mallet.

• Marimba– A xylophone with resonators under each bar.

• Chimes (aka “tubular bells”)– Tuned metal bars suspended vertically in a frame– Can be played with 1 or 2 mallets– Sounds like church bells (hence the name “chimes”)

Timpani Drums

Celesta

Xylophone

Chimes/Bells

Glockenspiel

Table version of Glockenspiel

Vibraphone

Marimba

Indefinite Pitch

• AKA “fixed pitch” instruments

• These just make sounds not musical notes

• Includes things that can be scraped, struck, or manipulated in any other fashion.

Bass drum Bongos Gong

Snare drum Congas Sleigh bells

Tambourine Cowbell Cymbals

Triangle Ratchet Tom-tom

Slapsticks Castanets

Keyboard Instruments• Most common

– Piano– Harpsichord– Organ

• Keyboard instruments share 3 important characteristics:– They are capable of producing many different tones

at the same time– They are both melodic & harmonic (can play both

simultaneously.) – Widest range of pitches all instruments

• Keyboard instruments all operate from a set of keys, but their technical aspects are different.

HARPSICHORD• This instrument was developed before the

piano.• The sound is produced by a vibrating string

stretched over a sounding board.• The sound board amplifies the sound.• The strings are not struck, like a piano, but

rather plucked by a specific mechanism.– The mechanism is called a plectra.

• Popular during the Renaissance & Baroque eras.

Harpsichord

• 2 main drawbacks of the harpsichord are– It has very little sustaining power– It doesn’t have a wide dynamic range (doesn’t

sound very loud or forceful.)

PIANO

• The pianoforte (piano) was developed from the harpsichord during the mid-18th century into the 19th century.

• It was originally called the pianoforte because of its dynamic range.– Piano = soft– Forte = loud

• Each key operates a hammer that strikes the string.

• It has more dynamic range than the harpsichord– The great the force pressing the key, the louder the

resulting tone/sound.

• Sustaining tones or sounds is achieved thru the use of the pedals (3)– Damper (R) sustains selected sounds even after the

keys are released.– Sostenuto (M) sustains selected tone– Quiet (L) helps with playing soft sounds.

• The best brands of pianos are the Bosendorfer & Steinway

Grand Piano

ORGAN (Baroque period)• The organ uses a combination of keyboard,

wind, & pipes to create sound.• Electric organs don’t have the wind & the pipes.• The pipe organ consists of a set of pipes

controlled by a keyboard that sends air into the pipes from a blower.

• The pipes can also be controlled by a footboard that is controlled by the organist.

• The pipes are “turned on” or “turned off” by selecting various stops.

• Tone colors & dynamic levels are controlled by using a combination of stops, keys & pedals.

Pipe Organ

Ensembles

• Music ranges from the unaccompanied soloist to the large orchestra, which can include soloists (vocal &/or instruments) & chorus.

• Two categories of instrumental music are chamber music & orchestral music.– Chamber music: 1 musician plays each part– Orchestral music: sections with more than one

performer playing the composition.

• 2 divisions of orchestral music

– Small chamber orchestra– Large symphony orchestra

• Both are similar in make up; the only difference is size.

Chamber Ensembles

• These are classified for the number of instruments playing– Duo --Quintet– Trio --Sextet– Quartet --Octet

• The music can be written for 1 type of instrument, a family of instruments, or an assortment of instruments.

• For example– Piano Quintet in A major, D.667– String Quintet in C major, D. 959

• The string quartet is the most important chamber combination; it is the basis for all other ensembles.

• The quartet consists of 1st & 2nd violins, 1 viola, & 1 cello (the bass can take the place of one of the violins.)

• The other ensembles add performers necessary to play the music.

The Orchestra

• The orchestra has changed thruout musical history.

• It became standardized in the late 18th century.– The symphony orchestra grew out of the chamber

orchestra which grew out of the chamber ensembles.

– The string family dominated the chamber ensembles & eventually became the backbone of the symphony orchestra.

– Woodwinds were added & would become an important part of the group.

• In the late 18th century & early 19th century, many instruments underwent technical improvements (Industrial Revolution.)

• These improvements increased the size of the orchestra & change the sound quality of the instruments.

• The IR also allowed more families to move into the middle class, providing them with access to instruments & music lessons which would help increase the size of the orchestra (professional musicians.)

• By the end of the 19th century, the symphony orchestra had a nucleus of about 100 performers.

• Today, many orchestras have between 100 & 150 musicians.

• Early orchestras did not have a conductor, but a concert master.

• The concert master made sure all the instruments were tuned up & all musicians were ready for the performance.

• Today the concert master is the 1st violinist; he or she sits in the first seat to the left of the conductor.

C 1st Violins

2nd Violins

Brasses

Basses

Percussion

Woodwinds

Violas

Cellos

Band & Wind Ensembles

• Marching bands that play at sporting events or concerts in the park are in this group of ensembles.

• The “band” relies on the WWs, brasses & percussion instruments.

• Synonyms include concert band, symphonic band, wind ensembles, & jazz band.

Vocal Ensembles

• There will be vocal duos, trios, quartets, etc.

• Usually include 1 voice from each register.

• A chorus or choir will usually have 4, 5 or more singers from each register.

• A woman’s chorus will usually include SS AA.

• A men’s chorus will usually include TT BrBs.

• A Cappella is choral music written with no instrumental accompaniment.

The Conductor

• The conductor directs the ensemble & is responsible for all aspects of its performance (artistic & business.)

• Conducting is very complex.– Right hand = tempo & basic metrical structure– Left hand = cues entrances of instruments, guides

shadings, dynamics, or expressive characteristics of the music

Test Information

Part I: Matching

Organ Guitar Piano Reed

Marimba Saxophone Voices

Violin Trombone Glockenspiel

Part II: True/False

20 statements

Study notes

Part III: Pick the element that DOES NOT belong in the group (10.)

Part IV: Match the instrument with the family (20.)

Part V: Identify the instrument using characteristics.

Part VI: Listing/Short answer

1. What is the difference between definite pitch percussion instruments & indefinite pitch percussion instruments?

2. List 3 important characteristics shared by all key board instruments.

3. Explain the function of the 3 different piano pedals.

4. List 2 playing techniques used by string players.

5. Know orchestra seating chart.