1. Musical Instrument Families
ARTS & HUMANITIES
Musical
Instrument
Families

2. Timbre
Timbre (a.k.a. tone color) is the special sound that makes one instrument or voice different from another.

3. VOICE PARTS Soprano Highest female vocal range
Alto Lowest female vocal range
Tenor Highest male vocal range
Bass Lowest male vocal range

4. STRINGS
Instruments that make sounds by vibrating the string in one of the following ways:
1) Drawing a bow across them
2) Plucking them
3) Striking them

5. Guitar Harp Violin family
STRINGS
Guitar
Harp
Violin family

6. WOODWINDS
Instruments originally made from wood that are now often made of metal or plastic. They set a column of air into vibration by wind moving:
Across a mouthpiece
2) Into a whistle-like mouthpiece
3) Over 1 reed
4) Over 2 reeds

7. Flute Recorder Clarinet Oboe
WOODWINDS
Flute
Recorder
Clarinet
Oboe

8. BRASS 1) Mouthpiece end 2) Bell shaped end (to amplify sound)
Instruments usually made of brass. They create sound from the vibration of the performer’s lips buzzing into a cuplike mouthpiece. They have 2 ends.
1) Mouthpiece end
2) Bell shaped end (to amplify sound)

9. Trumpet Trombone French Horn Tuba
BRASS
Trumpet
Trombone
French Horn
Tuba

10. PERCUSSION
These are the most ancient instruments. They are used to make rhythm. There are two groups of percussion instruments.

11. PERCUSSION
Membranophones
Also known as the drum family. An instrument with a membrane (drum head) stretched across a form (drum body). The membrane is struck by a hand or with a stick.

12. Tambourine Snare Drum Bass Bongo
PERCUSSION
Membranophones
Tambourine
Snare Drum
Bass
Bongo

13. PERCUSSION
Idiophones
Make sounds by striking rubbing, shaking, or rattling the materials they are made of.

14. Xylophone Chimes Triangle Cymbals
PERCUSSION
Idiophones
Xylophone
Chimes
Triangle
Cymbals