Instrument families

Question 1

Name the instruments in the string family

Answer 1

• Violin; smallest, highest pitch
• Viola
• Cello
• Double Bass; largest, lowest pitched
• Harp

Question 2

Describe the harp

Answer 2

• pedals or levers that change the string pitch
• strings are plucked
• music is arranged on 2 staves (like piano)

Question 3

Name the instruments in the woodwind family

Answer 3

• Piccolo; smallest, highest range
• Flute
• Oboe
• Clarinet; 4 octave range
• Cor Anglais
• Bassoon; double reed, warm dark timbre

Question 4

Describe the piccolo

Answer 4

• small type of flute
• treble clef
• octave higher than written

Question 5

Describe the cor anglais

Answer 5

• (English horn), closely related to oboe
• treble clef
• transposing

Question 6

Name the instruments in the brass family

Answer 6

• trumpet
• trombone
• tuba; lowest pitched, mellow
• french horn

Question 7

Name the instruments in the percussion family

Answer 7

• timpani
• tubular bells
• xylophone
• glockenspiel
• marimba
• vibraphone
• celesta
• side drum
• bass drum
• castanets
• cymbals
• triangle
• tam tam
• tambourine

Question 8

describe the tubular bells (definite or indefinite pitch?)

Answer 8

• vertical metal bars struck with small hammers (DEFINITE PITCH)

Question 9

describe the xylophone (definite or indefinite pitch?)

Answer 9

• horizontal wooden bars arranged like a piano keyboard
• struck with hard beaters (DEFINITE PITCH)

Question 10

describe the marimba (definite or indefinite pitch?)

Answer 10

• like the xylophone (larger, more mellow)
• struck with softer beaters (DEFINITE PITCH)

Question 11

describe the glockenspiel (definite or indefinite pitch?)

Answer 11

• horizontal metal bars arranged like a piano, struck by beaters (DEFINITE PITCH)

Question 12

describe the vibraphone (definite or indefinite pitch?)

Answer 12

• similar to glockenspiel, softer sound when metal bars are struck
• motor to add vibration to sound (DEFINITE PITCH)

Question 13

describe the celesta (definite or indefinite pitch?)

Answer 13

• looks like piano, metal bars not strings
  -bell like sound (DEFINITE PITCH)

Question 14

describe the tambourine (definite or indefinite pitch?)

Answer 14

• hit or shaken by the hand
• small cymbal like discs around the outer edge
• has ‘skin;’ or membrane (sometimes) (INDEFINITE PITCH)

Question 15

describe the castanets (definite or indefinite pitch?)

Answer 15

• two small discs of wood hit together with fingers
• originate from Spain (INDEFINITE PITCH)

Question 16

describe the triangle (definite or indefinite pitch?)

Answer 16

• triangular metal instrument hit with metal beater (INDEFINITE PITCH)

Question 16

describe the tam-tam (definite or indefinite pitch?)

Answer 16

• large gong hit with a beater (INDEFINITE PITCH)

Question 17

what is a single reed?

Answer 17

a very thin piece of wood that vibrates against its mouthpiece e.g. clarinet

Question 18

what is a double reed?

Answer 18

two thin pieces of wood, bound together, that vibrate against each other to create the sound e.g. oboe, cor anglais, bassoon

Question 19

what instruments don’t use reed?

Answer 19

flute and piccolo (all other non woodwind)