Instruments

Question 1

Sound

Answer 1

Associated with nature and urban sounds, sound effects, and other non-musical auditory phenomena

Question 2

Acoustics

Answer 2

The science of the production, propagation, and perception of sound
Sound waves are transmitted from the sound source, through the air, to our ears

Question 3

Treble

Answer 3

higher frequencies

Question 4

Bass

Answer 4

lower frequencies

Question 5

Timbre

Answer 5

The character or quality of a sound; tone colour
Basically how an instrument sounds

Question 6

forte, mezzo-forte, mezzo-piano, piano

Answer 6

Forte (f): loud
Mezzo-forte (mf): moderately loud
Mezzo-piano (mp): moderately soft
Piano (p): soft

Question 7

Orchestral families

Answer 7

Families of Instruments
These families of instruments are related in a number of ways, including design, materials of construction, means of sound production, and performance techniques

Question 8

Hornbostel-Sachs classification system

Answer 8

This system classifies instruments based on nature of sound production alone; the source and method of producing the sound

Developed by Erich Moritz von Hornbostel (1877-1935) and Curt Sachs (1881-1959)

Question 9

Aerophone

Answer 9

an instrument in which a column of air is the primary vibrating system

Question 10

Idiophone

Answer 10

an instrument which produces sound by the vibration of its own primary material (i.e., without the vibrations of a string, membrane, or column of air)

Make sound by hitting, rubbing, or shaking the instrument.

Question 11

Membranophone

Answer 11

an instrument in which sound is produced by the vibration of a membrane

Question 12

Chordophone

Answer 12

an instrument in which sound is produced by the vibration of a string

Question 13

Legato

Answer 13

a succession of notes played smoothly, with no separation between notes

Question 14

Staccato

Answer 14

a succession of notes played detached, with separation between notes; in music notation, hold note for 1/2 of written value

Question 15

Trills

Answer 15

an ornament consisting of the alternation of a note with the note above it

Question 16

Glissando

Answer 16

a sliding movement from one note to another, typically spanning many notes; can be continuous or chromatic/ diatonic

Question 17

Arpeggio

Answer 17

the notes of a chord played in succession, rather than simultaneously

Question 18

Bends

Answer 18

a slight variation in pitch, sliding from one note to another; similar to gliss

Question 19

Riff

Answer 19

a short, repeated phrase (e.g., guitar riff )

Question 20

Drone

Answer 20

a note held continuously; often in the low register

Question 21

Tacet

Answer 21

an indication instructing performers to be silent

Question 22

Vibrato

Answer 22

a slight and continuous fluctuation of pitch used by performers to enrich or intensify the sound

Question 23

Mouthpiece

Answer 23

Brass: * Mouthpiece: the part of a musical instrument placed against the lips; the performer blows into the mouthpiece while buzzing their lips to create sound

Woodwind: * Mouthpiece: the part of a musical instrument placed against the lips; the performer blows into the mouthpiece to create sound

Question 24

Key

Answer 24

the small discs that open and close sound holes on the instrument; typically made of metal

Question 25

Valve

Answer 25

a mechanism used to change the length of tubing in a brass instrument; the performer presses the valves to activate them The buttons

Question 26

Bell

Answer 26

the flared opening at the end of the instrument’s tubing; the mouthpiece is at one end of the instrument, the bell is at the other end

Question 27

Mutes

Answer 27

a typically cone-shaped plug that is inserted into the bell of a brass instrument to alter the timbre Straight, cup, harmon, plunger

Question 28

Roll

Answer 28

the rapid, even repetition of beats to produce the effect of a single sustained sound (e.g., drum roll)

Question 29

Mallet

Answer 29

a wooden or plastic stick with a rounded head used to strike a percussion instrument

Question 30

Drum set

Answer 30

a set of drums and cymbals used with drumsticks; used extensively across popular music * Common components: kick drum, snare drum, hi-hat, crash cymbal, tom-toms

Question 31

Bow

Answer 31

a curved wooden rod with horsehair stretched across its length used to play bowed string instruments (e.g., violin)

Question 32

Fingerboard

Answer 32

a flat piece of wood on the neck of a string instrument, against which the strings are pressed

Question 33

Fretboard

Answer 33

same as a fingerboard, but with frets (metal bars stretching horizontally across the fretboard)

Question 34

Strings

Answer 34

flexible cords stretched across an instrument that produce sound when they vibrate

Question 35

Arco

Answer 35

bowed notes; the technique of bowing the strings of the instrument

Question 36

Pizzicato

Answer 36

plucked notes; the technique of plucking the strings with the fingers

Question 37

Walking bass

Answer 37

a bassline in which one note is played on each beat; typically moves stepwise ascending and descending; common in jazz

Question 38

Strumming

Answer 38

playing a guitar (or similar string instrument) by sweeping the fingers/ pick up and down across the strings

Question 39

Dynamic

Answer 39

The aspect of music relating to degrees of loudness