MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

CLASSIFICATION

1. STRING INSTRUMENTS

A string instrument is a musical instrument

that produces sound by string that vibrates.

They are usually categorized by the technique

used to make the strings vibrate. The three

most common techniques are bowing, plucking and striking.

1.1. BOWING

The bow consists of a stick with many hairs stretched

between its ends that make the string vibrates. Instruments are violin, viola, cello and double

bass.

BOW

1.2. PLUCKING

Plucking is the method of playing by using a finger or

by some type of plectrum on instruments such us the

guitar, harp or lute.

GUITAR

BANJO

LUTE

HARP

1.3. STRIKING

The third common method of sound production in stringed instruments is to strike the string with a hammer. By far the most well-known instrument to use this method is the piano.

2. WIND INSTRUMENTS2.1. WOODWIND INSTRUMENTS

A woodwind instrument is a musical instrument which produces sound when the player blows air against an edge or a thin piece of wood called a reed. Most of these instruments were originally made of wood, but some, such as the saxophone and some flutes, are now commonly made of other materials like metals or plastics.

Single reed instruments: clarinet, saxophone.Double reed instruments: oboe, cor anglais,

bassoon.Flutes: traverse flutes and recorder.

2.2. BRASS INSTRUMENTS

A brass instrument is a musical instrument whose tone is produced by a vibration of the player´s lips into a embouchure. The main brass instruments are the horn, the trumpet, the trombone and the tuba.

3. PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS

A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound by being hit with an implement, shaken, rubbed, scraped or by any other action which makes the object vibrates.

3.1. PITCHED PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS

They can produce certain pitches (notes), definite sounds, such as the marimba, xylophone, vibraphone or timpani.

TIMPANI

TUBULAR BELLS

XYLOPHONE

VIBRAPHONE

MARIMBA

3.2. UNPITCHED PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS

They produce indefinite sounds, such as the drum, triangle, castanets, cymbals, snare drum or sleigh bells.

BASS DRUM GONG SNARE DRUM MUSICAL CURTAIN CYMBALS COWBELL TAMBOURINE

TRIANGLE HANDBELL MARACA CASTANETS

4. ELECTROPHONES

They are instruments that produce sound electronically or produce its initial sound traditionally and then amplified electronically, for instance the electric guitar.

DIGITAL PIANO BASS GUITAR

ELECTRIC VIOLIN ELECTRIC GUITAR

VOCABULARY

STRING: CUERDA BOWING: FROTADA PLUCKING: PULSADA STRIKING: PERCUTIDA BOW: ARCO STRETCHED: ESTIRADA HAMMER: MARTILLO BLOW: SOPLAR EDGE: BORDE REED: LENGÜETA EMBOUCHURE: EMBOCADURA HIT: GOLPEAR IMPLEMENT: HERRAMIENTA SHAKEN: SACUDIDO RUBBED: FROTADO SCARPED: RASPADO