Copyright © 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Music in Early Childhood Education Discovering Rhythm & Orchestral Instruments
Copyright © 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Music Lab #7 Instruments of the Orchestra String Family Violins are the smallest instruments in the string family. The strings are shorter and thinner, making it the highest sounding instrument in the family. The violin has remained unchanged for more than 300 years.
Copyright © 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Music Lab #7 Instruments of the Orchestra String Family Violas are the second smallest instrument in the string family. Around 1550, string-instrument makers began to make instruments that corresponded with the human voice. The viola was the alto-tenor of the violin family.
Copyright © 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Music Lab #7 Instruments of the Orchestra String Family Violoncellos or cellos were developed in the 1500s. The name comes from violone, which means “big viola.” The cello has a peg on the bottom that allows the musician to sit on a chair with the cello sitting on its peg between the musician’s knees.
Copyright © 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Music Lab #7 Instruments of the Orchestra String Family Double bass viols were patterned, with slight changes, from the violoncello—hence the name, double bass viol. The bass is 6 feet tall, and the musician must stand to play it. This instrument is also found in jazz ensembles.