Musical Instruments

2 What is an instrument? An object or device used by humans to create musical sounds. Any object that makes a sound can be classified as an instrument.

The oldest known instrument dates back approximately 67,000 years ago. The “modern” human came to be around 50,000 years ago.

Divje Babe Flute Played by Neanderthals 4 notes

Instrument Groups Idiophones Chordophones Membranophones Aerophones Electronophones

Membranophones Instruments that make sound by striking a membrane.

Types of Membranophones Snare Drum Tabla Bass Drum Taiko Drum Drum Set Congas Djembe Bongos Tambourine Timpani

Talba Middle East

Djembe

Taiko Drums - Japan

Bongos

Congas Latin America

Timpani

Drum Set

Idiophones Idiophones produce their sound when the instrument itself vibrates. (Shake, Rattle, Scrape, Strike) Both pitched and un-pitched instruments.

Idiophones Gongs Maracas Cymbals Triangle Cow Bell Drum Sticks Wood Block Marimbas Xylophones Yellow = pitched Bells Chimes

Gong

Marimba Wooden Keys Played with mallets. Used mainly in orchestral music. Iphone ring tone

Percussion Mallets

Vibraphone Metal Keys Has a pedal

Chordophones A chordophone is any musical instrument that makes sound by way of a vibrating string or strings stretched between two points.

Chordophones Piano Acoustic Guitar Harpsichord Mandolin Harp Banjo “Fiddle” Ukulele Violin Viola Cello Double Bass

Chordophones Chordophones can be played by being bowed, plucked, or in some cases struck.

Orchestral Strings There are 4 major string instruments in the modern day orchestra. Violin Viola Cello Double Bass

Violin

Viola

Cello

Double Bass

String Quartet Quartet – small ensemble made up of four performers. 2 violins, 1 viola, 1 cello

Acoustic Guitar

Mandolin

Banjo

Ukulele

Harp

Aerophone An aerophone is any musical instrument which produces sound primarily by causing a body of air to vibrate, without the use of strings or membranes, and without the vibration of the instrument itself adding considerably to the sound.

Aerophone - Most aerophone instruments make their sound by vibrating air contained WITHIN the instrument.

Instruments either played with a wooden reed or made out of wood. Aerophones - Woodwind Instruments either played with a wooden reed or made out of wood. Clarinet Flute Piccolo Saxophone Bassoon Oboe

Flute Not made out of wood…….??!!!

Clarinet Played with a wooden reed.

Saxophone

Oboe Played with a double reed.

Bassoon Played with a double reed. (Not typically played while standing.)

Aerophones - Brass Instruments made out of brass, which make their sound by the vibration of the brass players lips on a metal mouthpiece. Trumpet French Horn Tuba Trombone Euphonium

Trumpet

Tuba

Trombone

French Horn