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by
Danlee Mitchell and
Jack Logan, Ph.D.
Musical instruments are the "colors" of music. Musical instruments of
all traditions have evolved over many centuries and each has a colorful
history of development. Organology is the term used for
the study of musical instruments and is one of the most fascinating aspects
of the study of music.
String Instruments
Bowed:
violin, viola, cello, doublebass, viola da gamba Plucked: guitar, lute,
mandolin, harp
Woodwind Instruments
(aka: Woodwinds)
piccolo,
flute, bass flute, oboe, English horn, clarinet, bass clarinet, contrabassoon,
recorder, alto/tenor/baritone saxophones
Brasswind
Instruments (aka: Brass)
trumpet,
cornet, French horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba
Percussion Instruments
(aka: Percussion)
snare drum,
tom-tom, bass drum, timpani or kettledrums, bongos, timbales, congas,
claves, cymbals, tam-tam, tambourine, castanets, triangle, wood block,
temple blocks, xylophone, marimba, glockenspiel, chimes, vibraphone, plus
a wide assortment of noisemakers.
Curt Sachs' Classification
System for Musical Instruments
The musicologist
Curt Sachs formulated a system of music instrument classification based
on the material of the vibrating source. This system is very useful in
the classification of all musical instruments world-wide and especially
useful in those areas of the world where there are a few similar instruments
with many different names a good example of which is Africa.
Idiophones
Instruments
made of naturally sonorous material not needing additional tension to
create sound.
Examples:
xylophones, bells, cymbals, gongs, claves, scrapers, rattles.
Membranophones
Instruments
creating sound by stretching a membrane over an opening.
Examples: All
drums of whatever type.
Aerophones
Instruments
usually referred to as "wind instruments" and most often needing the breath
of the player to create sound.
Examples: flute,
oboe, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, horn, trombone.
Chordophones
Instruments
creating sound by the vibration of a stretched string under tension.
Examples:
violin, viola, cello, harp, guitar.
Electrophones
Instruments
creating sound by the oscillating of amplified electric circuits.
Examples: electronic
music instruments.
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