Musical Instruments - Woodwinds
Piccolo
The piccolo is a type of transverse flute that is
pitched an octave above the concert (or standard) flute. It has a range of nearly three octaves
and reaches the highest pitches of a modern orchestra. It is usually used for special effects in
orchestras but is more widely used in concert and marching bands. It is played in the same
manner as a flute would be played.
History: The piccolo was originally made out of wood and was featured in man prominent
composers' works. One of the earliest pieces to use the piccolo was Beethoven's Fifth
Symphony. However, the most familiar use of the piccolo is in the end of John Philip Sousa's
"The Stars and Stripes Forever."
Flute
The flute is the instrument that
serves as the soprano voice in most
bands, orchestras, and woodwind
groups. Most flutes are made of metal
and consist chiefly of a tube with a mouthpiece near one end. The musician holds the flute
horizontally and blows across an oval shaped hole in the mouthpiece. At the same time, the
musician presses levers on the flute, called keys. The keys, when depressed and released,
open and close tone holes on the flute to produce different notes. The concert flute, which is
tuned in the key of C, is the most popular flute and has a three octave range. Other members
of the flute family include the piccolo, the alto flute, and the bass flute.
History:
The transverse flute, the flute that is most commonly used in Western music, was known to
have existed in China about 900 BCE. The flute reached Europe during the 12th century
where it became most used as a military instrument in German speaking areas. This led to its
formal name, the German flute. The flute then evolved into a chamber music instrument
during the 16th and 17th centuries. These early flutes were often made in one piece with
six fingerholes. During the 1600s, however, the flute was redesigned and was built in
three sections with joints which connected them together. Gradually, more keys were
added to the flute, and it began to replace the recorder in orchestral pieces. By 1800, a
four-keyed flute was most common, but during that century, an eight-keyed flute was
also developed. Currently, the cylindrical Bohem flute is the most commonly used with
thirteen or more tone holes controlled by a system of padded keys.
English Horn
The English Horn is part of the oboe family. It is also called an alto oboe because it is
tuned one-fifth lower in pitch than an oboe. Its shape is similar to that of an oboe and is
often played by the third oboe player in an orchestra.
History:
Prototypes of the English Horn appeared before the end of the 17th century. These
instruments were curved and leather covered with holes in the body. The holes were usually
bored at an angle to accomodate the stretch of the fingers. It is believed that the oboe da
caccia (hunting oboe) which was used by Johann Sebastian Bach was almost identical to the
English Horn. Its distinctively dark and plaintive tone has been featured by such composers as
Hector Berlioz, Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky, and Richard Wagner.
Oboe
The oboe is the smallest and highest pitched double reed instrument. It has a
cylindrical wooden body with keys along the length of its body. The oboe has a
range of about three octaves but is extremely difficult to play. The oboe
requires alot of air to play, and the musician must learn proper breathing
techniques.
History:
The oboe was invented in the 17th century by Jean Hotteterre and Michel
Philidor, two French musicians. They modified the louder shawm into a new
instrument, the hautbois. The hautbois had a narrower body than the shawm
and was split into three sections. By the 18th century most orchestras had
incoporated oboes into the ensemble. Throuhgout history, several copmosers
have written solo pieces for the oboe. These composers include George Frideric
Handel, Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Motzart, and Ludwig van
Beethoven.
Clarinet
The clarinet, a member of the woodwind family, usually consists of a
long tube with a mouthpiece at one end and a bell-shaped opening at the
other end. Usually made of wood, the clarinet has tone holes that are covered
by small metal levers. To create sound, the musician blows on a flat cane
reed that is attatched to the mouthpiece. As the reed vibrates, a full, rich tone
is produced. By pushing the keys to close and open the tone holes on the
instrument, the pitches of the tone can be changed. Clarinets are
manufactured in four keys; the most common band instrument is the B-flat clarinet. This
clarinet has a range of about three-and-one-half octaves.
History:
The clarinet was invented in the early 18th century by Johann Cristoph Denner, a German
flute maker, as a modification of a folk reedipe, the chalumeau. By the 1840s two complex
systems of keywork had been developed for the instrument. Clarinets became common in
orchestras by about the 1780s. Early works featuring the clarinet include an overture written
by George Frideric Handel for two clarinets and a horn and the clarinet concerto by Wolfgang
Amadeus Mozart.
Bassoon
The bassoon is a double reed instrument. It is made up of about eight
feet of cylidrical wood tubing. There are four joints in the bassoon: the
bass joint, the tenor join, the double joint, and the bell joint. The bell
joint is slightly flared and is attactched at the bottom to the bass joint.
This is set in turn to the tenor joint which is then set into the double joint.
The double reed mouthpiece is attached to a crook in the tenor joint. The
bassoon usually has about ten key controlled holes on the body as well
has eight finger holes. The musician plays the basson by putting his or
her lips on the double reed, blowing through the instrument, and
changing fingerings on the keys and holes to create different tones.
History:
The bassoon was most likely developed in 1650 from the curtal, a
similar instrument which was made from a single block of wood. The
modern French bassoon was developed in the mid-19th century by a
French firm, Buffet-Crampon. The German bassoon was perfected by
Wilhelm Heckel, a German manufacturer. Each type of bassoon was
played in different parts of Europe.
Saxophone
The saxophone is a member
of the reed-sounded wind
instruments. In its
construction, it combines the
single reed and mouthpiece of
the clarinet, a metal body, and
a widened version of the
conical bore of the oboe. Most
saxophones are curved at the
bottom so they resemble the
bass clarinet. A few, however, such as the soprano saxophone, are straight and look very
similar to a clarinet. The saxophone body contains twenty openings that are covered by keys.
These keys can be opened or closed in groups by the musician by depressing and releasing six
studs, or finger plates. Two additional holes are located on the body of the instrument to
produce notes an octave above or below the normal range of the instrument. The most
common saxophones, the soprano, the alto, and the tenor, have a range of about two and a half
octaves.
History:
The saxophone was invented around 1840 by a Belgian instrument maker named Adolph
Sax. In 1844, saxophones first appeared in symphonic orchestras. However, pieces were only
occasionally written to include saxophones. It wasn't until the 20th century in America when
saxophones became popular because of their association with the development of jazz.
Musical Instruments
Brass
Trumpet
The trumpet is a popular brass instrument that is
played in both bands and orchestras. The trumpet player
produces tones by vibrating his or her lips and blowing
into a cup-shaped mouthpiece. Notes on the trumpet can
be changed by changing fingerings on the trumpet's three
valves and by changing lip tension. Most modern bands
use trumpets that are pitched in the key of B flat and have a tube of four and a half feet. This
tube makes up the majority of the instrument.
History
Trumpets, which were first made from conch shells, have been used since ancient times as
ritual instruments in many cultures. Silver and bronze trumpets with long straight tubes and
flared bells still survive from ancient Egypt. Later, in medieval Europe several versions of the
trumpet developed. Trumpets with long striahg tubes began to be replaced by shorter trumpets
with curled tubes. At this time the tone of the trumpet was brilliant but it had a very limited
note range. By the 1800s, instrument builders sought to build a trumpet that could playa full
chromatic scale. This goal was accomplished in the 1820s by adding valves to the trumpet.
French Horn
The French horn, or the orchestral horn, is a member of the
brass family, and consists of a metal tube that is about twelve
feet long. The tube is coiled into a circular shape which flares
into a bell at the base of the instrument. A musician plays the
French horn by vibrating his or her lips in funnel shaped mouthpiece. The musician can then
change the pitch of the instrument by moving the three valves and by changing his or her lip
tension. The valves are usually fingered with the musician's left hand while the musician
places his or her right hand in the bell of the instrument to create additional pitches and
variations in tone qualities.
History:
The French horn was developed around the 1650s in France and is a large version of the
smaller crescent-shaped horns that existed at the time. The French hunting horn produced
about twelve tones or the natural harmonic series and entered the orchestra in the 1700s. By
the 1750s, the horn gained greater flexibility when hand-stopping was developed. This is the
procedure described above whereby the musician puts his or her hand in the bell of the
instrument. It allowed the musician to alter the natural notes as much as a whole step higher
or lower. However, the horn did not make its next evolutionary step until the 19th century
when valves were added. This allowed the musician to alter the length of the tubing by
depressing or releasing one or more of the three valves.
Trombone
The trombone is a brass-wind instrument that is most typically used as the
tenor voice in a brass section. It has a cup-shaped mouthpiece, a slide
mechanism, and a nine foot tube that is folded to overlap in the center. Most
trombones are made out of brass though some are sometimes nickel-plated.
With the slide closed, the trombone produces the third B-flat below middle C
as its fundamental note. Some orchestras also use bass trombones which have
a lower fundamental note.
History:
The early trombone, called a sackbut, was almost exactly identical to the
modern trombone with a few exceptions. In the early trombone, the metal that
was used to create the instrument was thicker and the bell of the instrument
was narrower. This produced a softer, mellower tone which was favored in church and
chamber music. The use of the trombone declined in the early 1700s except in town bands
where they remained prevalent. However, toward the end of the 18th century, the trombone
began to be used in the expanding military. It was during this period that the widely flared
bell was added to the trombone. Early orchestral compositions with the trombone included
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Don Giovanni and Ludvig von Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.
However, it wasn't until 1850 when the trombone was firmly established in the orchestra.
Euphonium
The euphonium is a member of the tuba family. It is also known as
the tenor tuba and it is the most popular tuba instrument. It has three or
four valves and is most commonly used in concert and marching bands.
For a more complete description of how this instrument is played, see
TUBA.
Tuba
Tuba is the general name for several musical instruments
which are the newest additions to the brass family. Tubas are the
largest instruments in the brass family and also have the lowest
pitch. The tuba, unlike most other brass instruments is held
vertically when it is played. Sound is produced when the
musician vibrates his or her lips into a cup shaped mouthpiece.
Notes can then be changed when the musician changes his or
her lip tension or fingering on the instrument's valves. The most
popular type of tube is the baritone tuba, also known as the
euphonium. This type of tuba usually has three or four valves
and is most common in concert and marching bands. The
upright tuba is usually used in symphony orchestras. This tuba
has three to five valves and is generally larger than the baritone
tuba. The three valve sousaphone is often used in marching
bands. It wraps around the musician and has a flaring bell. In
addition, in drum and bugle corps, the marching bugle tuba, a three-valve tuba, is often used.
History:
The tuba was patented in 1835 by Friedrich Wilhelm Wieprecht (a Prussian bandmaster)
and Johann Gottfried Moritz (a German builder). It was one of their several attempts to
provide the wind band with a suitable valved, brass, bass instrument. There were several
antecedents of the tuba, including the serpent (an s-shaped, cup mouthpiece wooden bass with
finger holes) and the ophicleide (a keyed bass bugle).
Musical Instruments
Strings
Violin
The violin, which is probably the best known orchestral
instrument, is a stringed instrument that is played with a bow. The
violin is the highest pitched member of the violin family, which also
includes the viola, the cello, and the double bass. The violin consists
of several main parts: the front, the ribs, the neck, the fingerboard,
the pegbox, the scroll, the bridge, the tailpiece, and the f-holes. The
front, also known as the top, belly, or soundboard is usually made of
well-seasoned spruce, while the back is made of well-seasoned
maple.
When a violin is made, the front, back, and ribs are joined
together to create a hollow sound box. The four strings of the violin
are fastened to the tailpiece, rest on the bridge of the violin, are
suspended over the fingerboard, and run to the pegbox. At the pegbox, they are attached to
tuning pegs which can be turned to alter the pitch of the string. By changing the position of
his or her fingers on the fingerboard, different pitches are made. Then the player draws a bow
across the strings at a right angle to produce a tone. The bow that is used is a narrow, slightly
curved stick that is made of Pernambuco. It is about 75 cm. long and has a band of horse hair
strung from one end to the other.
Among the most useful characterstics of the violin is its musical tone and its ability to play
very rapid, brilliant figurations as well as lyrical melodies. Violinists also create special
sounds by using the following techniques: pizzicato, (plucking the strings rather than playing
with a bow), tremelo, (moving the bow rapidly back and forth on a string), sul ponticello,
(playing with the bow extremely close to the bridge to produce a thin, glassy sound), col
legno, (playing with the wooden part of the bow as opposed to the hair), and glissando,
(steadily gliding the left fingers up and down the strings to produce a sliding pitch).
History:
The beginnings of the violin can be traced to Italy in the early 1500s. It seems to have
evolved from two other stringed instruments, the fiddle and the lira da braccio (a Renassaince
instrument). The craft of violin making began during the 17th and 18th centuries in the
workshops of such artists as Antonio Stradivari, Guiseppe Guarneri, and Jacob Stainer. The
violins that were made at this time had a shorter neck, a shorter fingerboard, and a flatter
bridge than the violins of today.
When the violin was first used in classical pieces, it was considered to be an instrument of
low social status. However, through pieces such as Orfeo by Claudio Monteverdi, and through
groups such as the 24 violons du roi (King Louis XIII's band of musicians), the violin began
to gain greater stature in the world of music. This climb continued into the Baroque period
when many notable composers, including Antionio Vivaldi, Johann Sebastian Bach, and
Georg Philipp Telemann, featured the violin in their works. The violin became the driving
force in new instrumental genres which included the solo concerto, sonata, and suite. During
this period violins, emerged as the leading section in an orchestra. However, it wasn't until the
19th century that violin virtuosos emerged. People such as Giovanni Viotti, Isaac Stern,
Mischa Elman, and Nathan Milstein became world famous for their skill.
Viola
The viola is the second highest pitched member of the violin family.
It has four strings tuned to the notes c, g, d, and a. Music for the viola is
written in the alto clef. Violas vary in size, although they are always
larger and tuned lower than violins. Haydn and Mozart used the viola in
their works. The viola plays an important part in the symphony, although
its solo repertory is limited. Other composers such as Hector Berlioz,
Johannes Brahms, and Robert Schumann also used the viola extensively
in their works.
Cello
The cello, also known as violoncello, is a stringed instrument which is
part of the violin family. It is played with a bow much like the violin. It is
also shaped liked a violin but is much larger. The cello is about four feet
long and one and a half feet across at its widest part and, therefore, this
member of the violin family is played sitting down. Supported by an end
pin which is placed on the floor, the cello is then placed between the
knees of the musician and played with a large bow. The cello, like a
violin, also has four strings and notes are changed on the instrument when
the musician changes his or her fingerings on the neck of the instrument.
The cello's range can, therefore, extend over more than four octaves.
History:
The earliest surviving cellos date back to the 1560s and were made by
the Italian violinmaker Andrea Amati. Until the late 18th century, cellos
were not featured instruments, but played the bass line in an orchestra to
add fullness to the piece of music. However, during the Baroque era, composers like Antonio
Vivaldi and Luigi Boccherini composed unaccompanied cello suites. By the 19th century
other pieces for the cello included concertos that were written by Johannes Brahms and
Antonin Dvorak. Composers such as Sergei Prokofiev and Dmitri Shostakovich further
explored and expanded the cello's capabilities as a solo instrument during the 20th century.
String Bass
The double bass (also known as the string bass, bass viol, or
contrabass) is the largest and lowest pitched string instrument of the
violin family. It is usually six feet high and has four strings. Some basses
have an optional mechanism that allows the player to lengthen one string,
therefby lowering the pitch. To create sound, the player's left hand sets
the pitch on the neck of the bass while the right hand either plucks the
strings or uses a bow across them.
History:
Three strings basses were common during the 18th and 19th centuries
and survive today in Eastern European folk music. Until the 19th century,
the only means of playing the bass was by a bow that was curved out.
Later, musicians began to use the technique of plucking the strings or
using bows that were similar to violin bows which were curved inwards.
Basses have come to be used in orchestras and some chamber music
groups. It is one of the most important rythm instruments in jazz and popular music today.
Rhythmic Percussion
DRUM SET
The first drum sets were put together in
the late 1800s sometime after the invention
of the bass drum pedal. This invention made
it possible for one person to play several
percussion instruments (snare drum, bass
drum, and cymbals) at one time. The set
developed as it was used to accompany jazz
musicians in New Orleans during the 1920s.
As new instruments were introduced to
the drum set (tom-toms and the high hat
cymbal) in the late 1920s and 1930s, new
techniques developed. Gene Krupa, one of
the greatest jazz drummers of the big band
era, highlighted tom-toms in his pieces and did solos using the drum set as the featured
instrument.
The drum set, also commonly referred to as drum kit, is a collection of percussion
instruments which is played by one musician. It usually includes a bass drum, a snare drum,
several cymbals, and tom toms. Other percussion instruments such as cowbells and
woodblocks are sometimes included.
Bass Drum
This drum is the largest member of the set and is played by using a foot pedal attached to a
beater which then strikes the drum head. This drum produces a low deep sound.
Snare Drum
This shallow, cylindrical drum produces a sound that is very distinctive to the drum
(higher in pitch than the bass drum). The snares, which are bands of metal wires, are pulled
across the bottom head of the drum. This produces a buzzing or snapping sound when the
drum is struck using a variety of techniques.
Cymbals
Cymbals are made of various combinations of metals and are usually six to twenty-two
inches in diameter. The most important cymbals in the drum set are:
hi-hat- this horizontally mounted pair of cymbals can either be hit with a stick or
closed on each other with a foot pedal.
crash cymbal and ride cymbal- two commonly used cymbals in a drum set. Both are
hit with sticks and, depending on their size, produce varied sounds.
tom-toms- a drum set usually has three tom-toms. One is on the floor and the other the
other two are mounted on the bass drum.
TIMPANI
The timpani is often called a
kettledrum because it is shaped
like a kettle. The timpani has a
large copper or fiberglass shell
with a single drumhead. It also
has a pedal mechanism which
allows the musician to adjust
the tension of the drumhead,
thereby tuning the drum to
different pitches. This makes
the timpani the only drum
which can produce definite
musical notes. To produce the
deep tone of the timpani, its
drumheads are hit with mallets.
Mallets are made of soft and hard felt or wood and will produce different tones on the
timpani. Timpani are most often played in pairs or groups of four.
OTHER PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS
There are many instruments
included in the percussion family
commonly known as "toys".
Some examples of these would
be: cymbals, triangle, gong,
maracas, tambourine, and hand
drums.
CYMBAL
Cymbals, thin round concave plates
(usually made from copper-tin alloy),
have been known since the Middle Ages.
Often used in religious ceremonies, they
became part of the orchestra around the
18th century and are played by dashing
two together or by being struck
separately by beaters.
TRIANGLE
The triangle is another commonly used percussion instrument. The instrument is made by
bending a steel rod into a triangle shape with an opening at one corner. It is suspended by a
string and struck with a steel beater to produce a tone. The instrument has been used in
Europe since the 14th century.
Little known facts:
Up until the 1800s, the triangle often had jingling rings strung on it.
Franz Liszt, a Hungarian composer, included a triangle solo in his first piano concerto
written in 1849.
GONG
The gong is a bronze disk which, when struck by a beater, produces a rich ringing sound.
Many gongs have a central dome and a turned down outside rim. The gong has obscure
origins in the Middle East or South East Asia and by the 9th century had migrated to
Indonesia. The gong then made its way to Europe by the 18th century.
MARACAS
Maracas are egg-shaped musical rattles that are played in pairs. They originated in South
America and were first made from dried gourd shells that were filled with beans or beads. A
handle was attached so the gourd shells could be shaken. Today maracas are made from
plastic or wood. They are often used in Latin American music.
TAMBOURINE
A tambourine is a single-headed frame drum that has jingling metal disks set in its frame.
It can be struck, shaken, or rubbed to produce a tone.
Little known facts:
In ancient and prehistoric times and in medieval Europe, the tambourine was
traditionally a woman's instrument and continues to be so today in Islamic countries.
MELODIC PERCUSSION
XYLOPHONE
The xylophone is a mallet
percussion instrument. It consists of a set of graduated wooden bars which are hit with mallets
to produce a tone. Xylophones were used in Southeast Asia during the 1300s and spread to
Africa, Latin America, and Europe.
Little known facts:
The xylophone's first orchestral use was in Dance Macabre (1874) by French composer
Camille Saint-Saens.
HARP
The harp is a stringed instrument and produces a sound by plucking the strings which are
perpendicular to the body of the instrument. The strings themselves run between a neck and a
sound box also known as the body or resonator. There are several types of harps that are
classified bassed on their shape:
Arched Harp - the neck and body form a bow-like curve.
Angular Harp - the body and neck form a right angle.
Frame Harp - has a third piece called a fore pillar which is placed opposite the neck
and body creating a triangle.
The modern orchestral harp has forty-six strings. The instrument has six and a half octaves
with no accidentals. To produce sharp or flat notes, pedals which control strings in each
octave are depressed to certain degrees thereby creating different steps.
Arched harps are the most ancient harps and date back to Sumerian and Egyptian times.
Frame harps did not appear until the 9th century in Europe. Almost immediately, a new
version, called the Irish harp, developed with a few adjustments which made this harp unique.
Medieval harps also developed and were smaller and lighter than other harps. These Gothic
harps were the ancestors of the folk harps of Latin America. Later in the harp's history, a
second row of strings were added which allowed the harp to produce a wider range of notes.