Classification and Sound Production Musical Instruments Classification and Sound Production

Western Symphonic Classification Five Families of Instruments Woodwind Brass String Percussion Keyboard (added later)

Woodwinds Often times has a reed or double reed to produce sound Generally has many keys Keys: small buttons the player presses down to cover the holes Examples: Saxophone Clarinet Oboe ALSO included flutes and recorders

Reeds Single Reeds Double Reeds

Keys

How Woodwinds Work Single/Double Reeds Flutes (and Recorders)

Brass Instruments are made of metal and use a bowl-shaped mouthpiece that the player “buzzes” their lips into by pursing their lips and blowing through them Includes trumpets, trombone, tuba, etc.

How Brass Instruments Work Slide (Trombone) Piston Valves (Trumpet, Tuba, most others) Rotary Valves (Horn)

String Instruments Anything played by plucking or rubbing against a string Includes guitar, banjo, violin, cello, harp, etc.

How String Instruments Work Plucked (pizzicato) Played with a Bow (arco)

Percussion Any Instrument that is: Hit Shaken Scraped

Keyboard Instruments that use a piano-style keyboard, such as: Organ Accordion Harpsichord Although they produce sound in different ways, they are all operated with a keyboard

Hornbostel-Sachs Classification Idiophones Self-sounding instruments Membranophones Instruments producing sound by means of a stretched skin or membrane Chordophones String instruments Aerophones Wind instruments with the sound caused by vibrating air Electrophones Instruments using electronic circuits