String Instruments

String instruments may be played with or without a bow. These

instruments produce sound when strummed, plucked, struck or
slapped, these instruments are classified as chordophones.
1. Banjo
A banjo is a stringed instrument that is played using different
techniques such as the Scruggs-style or the "claw hammer". It
also comes in different types and some manufacturers even
experimented on other forms by blending the banjo with
another instrument.
2. Cello
The cello is essentially a large violin but its body is thicker. It is
played the same way as the violin, by rubbing the bow across
the strings. But if you can play the violin standing up, the cello
is played sitting down while holding it between your legs.
3. Double Bass
This instrument is like a huge cello and is played the same
way, by rubbing the bow across the strings. Another way of
playing it is by plucking or striking the strings. The double bass
may be played while standing up or sitting down.
4. Guitar
The origin of guitars may have dated back to 1900-1800 B.C.
in Babylonia. Archaeologists found a clay plaque showing nude
figures holding musical instruments, some of which resembled
the guitar.
5. Harp
The harp is one of the oldest musical instruments;
archaeologists discovered a wall painting in Ancient Egyptian
tombs which resembled that of a harp and dates back to 3000
BC.
6. Lute
The lute is another musical instrument popularly used during
the Medieval Period and still very much enjoyed to this day.
The lute is quite a beautiful instrument, both aesthetically and
tonally. Composers such as Bach and Dowland used this
instrument in their compositions.
7. Mandolin
The mandolin is a plucked string instrument believed to have
evolved from the lute and emerged during the 18th century. It
has a pear-shaped body and 4 pairs of strings. The mandolin
is another musical instrument that belongs to the string family.
One of the most popular brands of mandolins is the Gibson,
named after the luthier Orville Gibson.
8. Ukulele
The ukulele is one of Hawaii's most popular musical
instruments. It became more widely used during the 20th
century and popularized by musicians such as Eddie Karnae
and Jake Shimabukuro. The ukulele is like a small guitar but its
tone is much lighter.
9. Viola
The viola may look like a violin but it certainly has its own
unique tone. It is tuned a fifth lower than the violin and
functions as the tenor instrument in a string ensemble. Violas

didn't enjoy immediate prominence when it first emerged. But

thanks to great composers such as Mozart. Strauss and
Bartk, the viola has become an integral part of every string
ensemble.
10. Violin
The violin is believed to have evolved from the Rebec and the
Lira da braccio. In Europe, the earliest four
stringed violins were used in the first part of the century.
11. Zither
These instruments can be bowed, plucked or struck with
wooden mallets. The earliest types of zithers were called
"ground zithers" before it evolved into "board zithers." Zithers
have no necks; its strings are stretched from one end of the
board to the other.

Wind Instruments
Wind instruments produce sound by a vibrating column of air,
either using a reed or a musician's lips. It is classified into two
groups; woodwinds and brass winds. In Ancient civilization,
wind instruments made of animal horns were used as a
warning signal.
1. Bagpipes
The bagpipe is one of those instruments that requires a
musician to have lung-power in order to play it. Bagpipes take
more time to master than other wind instruments, but it seems
to be a fun instrument to play.
Euphoniums, Tubas, Trombones, Horns & Cornets, All top
brands
2. Bassoon
By the early 17th century, bassoons were included in
orchestras, although it would achieve more prominence by the
18th century. The bassoon can be traced back to a musical
instrument called curtal.
3. Clarinet
The clarinet has undergone many changes and innovations
through the years. From its first inception during the late 1600s
to todays' clarinet models, this musical instrument has
certainly gone a long way. Due to the many improvements it
underwent, many different types of clarinets were made
throughout the years.
4. Contrabassoon
Also known as double bassoon, this reed instrument that
belongs to the wind family of musical instruments is bigger
than the bassoon. That's why it's called "the bassoon's big
brother." It is pitched lower than the bassoon and demands
lung-power from a musician.
5. Cornet
The trumpet and cornet are quite similar; they are usually
pitched in B flat, both are transposing instruments and they
both have valves. But whereas the trumpet is used in jazz
bands, the cornet is usually used in brass bands. A trumpet
also has a more powerful sound and has a cylindrical bore.
Cornets, on the other hand, have a conical bore.

6. Dulcian
The dulcian is another double-reed wind instrument of the
Renaissance period. It is the predecessor of the shawm and
the precursor of the oboe.
7. Flute
The flute belongs to the wind family of musical instruments. It
is of ancient origin and was first made of wood. Now, however,
the flute is made of silver and other metals. There are two
types of methods used in playing the flute: side-blown or endblown.
8. Flutophone
The flutophone is a lightweight, pre-band musical instrument
that serves as a great introduction to playing other wind
instruments such as the recorder. Flutophones are also
inexpensive and quite easy to learn.
9. Harmonica
The harmonica is a free-reed wind instrument and is used in
blues and folk music. Musicians such as Larry Adler
and Sonny Boy Williamson played the harmonica. This is
certainly an instrument worth trying out, very portable,
affordable and offers a lot of opportunities for jam sessions.
10. Oboe
The origin of the oboe can be traced back to instruments used
in previous periods such as the shawm of the Renaissance.
The soprano oboe was particularly favored during the 17th
century.

Percussion Instruments
Percussion instruments give rhythmic support and dramatic
effect to any piece of music. These instruments are
categorized into two types; tuned and untuned percussions
instruments.
1. Bass Drum
The bass drum is a percussion instrument and is the lowest
and largest member of the drum family. Bass drums are used
in orchestral music as well as marching bands.
Marimba, Tubular Bells High-quality percussion instruments
2. Bell
Bells can be made from various materials including clay, glass
or metal. It also ranges in shape and size. It may be played by
lightly shaking it as in hand bells or by striking it using a metal
or wooden striker or mallet.
3. Bongo Drum
Another type of drum that is mostly used in world music is the
bongo drum. Bongos are played by striking the fingertips
and/or the heel of the hand on the drumhead.
Drums, Cymbals
4. Castanet
For some reason I think of chestnuts when I hear the word
castanets. True enough the word castanet was derived from
the Spanish word castana meaning chestnuts. Castanets
belong to the clapper family of percussion instruments.
5. Conga Drum

A conga drum is another type of percussion instrument

belonging to the drum family. It is shaped somewhat like a
barrel and is played the same way as the bongo drum. Conga
also refers to a form of dance of Afro-Cuban origin. A perfect
example is the song "Conga" by Gloria Estefan.
6. Cymbal
The player holds the strap attached to each cymbal and
brushes it against each other or clashes it together. It can
either be held horizontally or vertically or played either loudly
or softly depending on the music.
7. Glockenspiel
Glockenspiels have tuned steel bars or tubes which are struck
by the musician using two beaters. The beaters may be made
from metal, wood or rubber.
8. Gong
Remember that show on NBC during the 70's hosted by Chuck
Barris? It was called "The Gong Show" and it's an amateur
talent show where the gong was sounded to signal that a
contestant was eliminated. Read more about the gong.
9. Maracas
The maracas are one of the easiest musical instruments to
play; you just need to have a sense of rhythm, timing and a
flair for shaking. Maracas are made in various materials
including plastic and wood and it ranges from the very simple
to the most intricate designs.
10. Met allophone
Generally, met allophones differ from xylophones because the
tuned bars which are struck with a mallet are made of metal,
hence the name met allophones. There are many different
kinds of met allophones; here we will focus on those which are
used by Indonesian gamelan orchestras.

Keyboard Instruments
Keyboard instruments have undergone many changes through
the years. In its early form, keyboards only had natural notes,
but by the 15th century it had become chromatic.
1. Clavichord
The clavichord is believed to be the descendant of the
monochord. The word "clavichord" comes from the Latin
word clavis meaning "key" and chorde which means "string".
During the latter half of the 18th century, interest on the
clavichord was revived when composers like Carl Philip
Emanuel Bach wrote pieces for it.
2. Harpsichord
Not much is known about the harpsichords' early history. This
wing-shaped instrument is believed to have emerged from the
psaltery - a hand-held instrument that is plucked by a plectrum.
Many Baroque composers like J.S. Bach and Jean-Philippe
Rameau, wrote for or played the harpsichord.
3. Piano
Most of the famous classical composers were piano virtuosos,
such as Mozart and Beethoven. Today, the piano remains one
of the most popular musical instruments for both children and
adults.

The Voice as Musical Instrument

Each of us has a specific voice type or vocal range; some may
be capable of hitting very high notes, while others are more
comfortable singing low. Did you know that our voice is also
considered a musical instrument? Learn more about the
different types of voices.
1. Alto - Alto is a type of voice that is lower than a soprano
but higher than a tenor. There are many people who sing
using the alto voice. One of the popular alto male singers,
also known as a counter-tenor, is James Bowman.
Bowman sang some of the most memorable compositions
of Britten including the role of Oberon from "A Midsummer
Night's Dream."
2. Baritone -The baritone voice is lower than the tenor but
higher than the bass. It is the most common male voice

type. In operas, baritones may play the role of either the

main character or the supporting character.
3. Bass - For female singers, the soprano is the highest
voice type, while for men, the bass is the lowest. One of
the famous bass singers of our time is Samuel Ramey
who played the role of Archibald in the operaLamore dei
tre Re by Italo Montemezzi.
4. Mezzo-Soprano - In Georges Bizet's opera "Carmen,"
the mezzo-soprano voice is used to play the role of
Carmen. This type of voice is lower or darker than a
soprano but higher or lighter than an alto.
5. Soprano - The soprano voice is the highest female voice
type; the late Beverly Sills was one of the most famous
coloratura sopranos of our time.
6. Tenor - If the soprano is the highest female vocal range,
the tenor, on the other hand, is the highest male vocal range.
One of the famous tenors of our time was the late Lucianno
Pavarotti.