Instrument families Flashcards
Name the instruments in the string family
- Violin; smallest, highest pitch
- Viola
- Cello
- Double Bass; largest, lowest pitched
- Harp
Describe the harp
- pedals or levers that change the string pitch
- strings are plucked
- music is arranged on 2 staves (like piano)
Name the instruments in the woodwind family
- Piccolo; smallest, highest range
- Flute
- Oboe
- Clarinet; 4 octave range
- Cor Anglais
- Bassoon; double reed, warm dark timbre
Describe the piccolo
- small type of flute
- treble clef
- octave higher than written
Describe the cor anglais
- (English horn), closely related to oboe
- treble clef
- transposing
Name the instruments in the brass family
- trumpet
- trombone
- tuba; lowest pitched, mellow
- french horn
Name the instruments in the percussion family
- timpani
- tubular bells
- xylophone
- glockenspiel
- marimba
- vibraphone
- celesta
- side drum
- bass drum
- castanets
- cymbals
- triangle
- tam tam
- tambourine
describe the tubular bells (definite or indefinite pitch?)
- vertical metal bars struck with small hammers (DEFINITE PITCH)
describe the xylophone (definite or indefinite pitch?)
- horizontal wooden bars arranged like a piano keyboard
- struck with hard beaters (DEFINITE PITCH)
describe the marimba (definite or indefinite pitch?)
- like the xylophone (larger, more mellow)
- struck with softer beaters (DEFINITE PITCH)
describe the glockenspiel (definite or indefinite pitch?)
- horizontal metal bars arranged like a piano, struck by beaters (DEFINITE PITCH)
describe the vibraphone (definite or indefinite pitch?)
- similar to glockenspiel, softer sound when metal bars are struck
- motor to add vibration to sound (DEFINITE PITCH)
describe the celesta (definite or indefinite pitch?)
- looks like piano, metal bars not strings
-bell like sound (DEFINITE PITCH)
describe the tambourine (definite or indefinite pitch?)
- hit or shaken by the hand
- small cymbal like discs around the outer edge
- has ‘skin;’ or membrane (sometimes) (INDEFINITE PITCH)
describe the castanets (definite or indefinite pitch?)
- two small discs of wood hit together with fingers
- originate from Spain (INDEFINITE PITCH)
describe the triangle (definite or indefinite pitch?)
- triangular metal instrument hit with metal beater (INDEFINITE PITCH)
describe the tam-tam (definite or indefinite pitch?)
- large gong hit with a beater (INDEFINITE PITCH)
what is a single reed?
a very thin piece of wood that vibrates against its mouthpiece e.g. clarinet
what is a double reed?
two thin pieces of wood, bound together, that vibrate against each other to create the sound e.g. oboe, cor anglais, bassoon
what instruments don’t use reed?
flute and piccolo (all other non woodwind)
