Timbre Flashcards
A cappella
Unaccompanied singing.
Arco
Using the bow on a string instrument.
Baritone
A male singer between a tenor and bass.
Bassoon
The lowest woodwind instrument. It uses a double reed.
Bodhran
A Celtic wooden drum held in one hand and played with a wooden beater.
Bongo drums
Untuned percussion. The drums are joined in pairs and are usually played with the hands
Castanets
Untuned percussion instrument popular in Spanish music
Clarsach
A small Scottish harp.
Con sordino
Con sordino means muted. Using a device which changes the sound of an instrument. Brass instruments and string instruments can use mutes.
Flutter tonguing
A method of playing a woodwind or brass instrument where the player rolls the letter r.
French horn
A brass instrument with a circular shape.
Hi-hat cymbals
Untuned percussion. Used as part of a drumkit, they consist of two cymbals (one upside down) that are opened and closed with a foot pedal
Mezzo soprano
A female singer between a soprano and alto.
Oboe
A woodwind instrument with a double reed.
Piccolo
A half sized flute which plays an octave higher than a flute.
Pizzicato
Plucking a string instrument.
Rolls
Very fast repetition of a note on a percussion instrument.
Sitar
A plucked string instrument from India.
Tabla
Two Indian drums.
Tuba
The largest and lowest brass instrument.
Viola
A string instrument which is slightly larger and lower than a violin.
String family in order of pitch
violin, viola, cello, double bass.
Brass family in order of pitch
Tuba
French horn
Trombone
Trumpet
Woodwind family in order of pitch
Piccolo, flute, clarinet, oboe, saxophone and bassoon.
