Intrument Families

Instruments are separated into four families:

• Woodwind

• Brass

• Strings

• Percussion​

The Woodwind Family:

• ​Originally made from wood, that gave them their names

• Now they are made from wood, metal, plastic, or a combination

• All except flute, use a reed on the mouthpiece to create a sound

• Have many keys and holes to cover to create the different pitches

• Smallest and highest pitched woodwind

• ​No reed, air is blown over the mouthpiece (like a bottle)

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Flute

• Uses a single reed

• Lower notes have a dark and rich tone

• Higher notes have​ a brighter sound.

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Clarinet

• Newest of the woodwind instruments

• Curved bell

• ​Uses a single reed​

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Alto Saxophone

​The Brass Family:

• Originally made from animal horns or shells.

• Modern day instruments are made from brass.

• Players must buzz their lips into a mouthpiece and use valves or slides to create different notes.

• Loudest wind instruments in an ensemble​.

• Smallest and Highest pitched brass instrument

• Three Valves are used to play.​

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Trumpet

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• Notable for it's round shape.

• Has a very​ warm, mellow sound

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French Horn

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• Is played with a slide.

• ​Included in 'Low Brass'

• Plays in Bass Clef (Middle C and below)​

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Trombon​e

• Largest and Lowest pitched brass instrument

• ​Played with three valves

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Tuba

The String Family:

• Made from wood, has strings attached​ that creates the note

• Strings can be plucked or ​played with a bow

• The bow​s are made out of hair from a horse's tail and need rosin to create friction on the strings

• Makes up the majority of an orchestra​

• The smallest and highest string instrument​

• Around 30 in an orchestra (the most of any instrument)

Violin

• Slightly larger than a violin

• About 10-14 in an orchestra​

• Reads in the alto clef​

Viola

• Much larger than the violin and viola.

• Played upright with a bow​

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Cello​

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• Also called an upright bass

• Largest and lowest string instrument​

• Players have to stand or sit on a tall stool​

Double Bass

The Percussion Family:

• ​Made up of many instruments

• Includes drums, cymbals, mallet/keyboard percussion, accessory percussion, and more

• Sound is made by hitting a drum with a stick, crashing cym​bals together, or hitting an instrument with your hand

• Snare Drum

• Bass Drum

• Timpani

• Are played by hitting the drum with sticks or mallets​

• Are played with two or four mallets

• The keys are set up like a piano keyboard

• Bells will usually play a part similar to flute

• Marimba and Xylophone will play more rhythmic harmonies​

• Can be played with a stick or mallet

• Crash Cymbals - Played by crashing together

​Cymbals

• Triangle

• Jingle Bells

• Tambourine

• Maracas​

​Accessory Percussion