MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF THE

ORCHESTRA

By: Amina Boudjellel 7x1

Membranophones and Idiophones are two groups made up of musical

instruments in the Percussion family. Some of the main instruments in the Percussion family are: Mallet, Drum kit,

Xylophone, Snare drum, Triangle, Tambourine, Maracas, Chimes, Marimba, Djembe, Drum Machine, Timpani or Piano, Cymbals or Castanets, Bass drum, Gongs, Celesta etc...

Membranophones is an instrument that has a stretched membrane or drum head covering a hole. Idiophones is an instrument without a membrane that creates sound when the instrument itself is made to vibrate.

A Mallet is a stick which causes the drum to vibrate and make a noise, either with your hand or a mallet.

A drum kit includes a bass drum, a snare drum, toms and cymbals. A drum machine can create a number of percussion sounds.

Percussion FamilyDid you know? Early

humans made primitive

instruments b

y stretching

animal skin over gourds

to make drums.

Brass Family

Some of the main instruments of the Brass Family are: Brass,Tuba,Trombone,Bugle,Trumpet and French horn.

Brass is nothing more than long metal tubes. The tube is twisted around, to make it compact and easy to handle.

A Tuba is a Brass instrument that hits the lowest notes. The length of the pipe that makes a Tuba can be as long as 5.5 metres, and it sits on the players lap.

The bugle is a natural brass instrument that doesn't have valves or slides and they have a limited range of notes.

Did you know? When

you press a valve you

create a longer airway

inside the instrument.

Some of the instruments in the Stringed family are: Lyre, Bow,

guitar, harp, banjo, electric guitar, violin. A few key terms: Resonator- is the body of an instrument. It’s a hollow structure

usually made of wood or metal. It amplifies the sound waves from a vibrating string, it makes the sound louder and fuller.

Plucked- a string can be plucked, which is like flicking it with your thumb, finger or a small piece of plastic.

Struck: - the strings in a piano is usually struck with a small hammer. A felt covered hammer hits one of the strings, producing a sound on the piano key.

Stringed FamilyDid you know? The

lower pitched strings

are long and thick, and

the high pitched strings

are short and thin.

BOWGUITAR

HARP

LYREVIOLIN

Some of the instruments in the woodwind

family: piccolo, flute, oboe/English horn, saxophone , clarinet,  bass clarinet, bassoon .

Here are some key words: Woodwinds is a tube with holes along it. Mouthpiece: to make music , air is blown into the instrument

through a mouthpiece or a reed. Reed: it is often made of bamboo, through this it’s the vibrating

air produced inside the instrument, that makes the sound.

Woodwind familyRecord

er

Bassoon