Performing
Voices and Instruments
Voices
For many reasons, singing is difficult thing
to do.
 When you sing, air from your lungs passes
through your vocal folds.


When this happens, your vocal folds
vibrate and create a sound.
– Men’s vocal folds are longer than womans’.
– This is what makes their voices sound lower.
Voices

Voices are classified into categories based on their
ranges
 Women
– Soprano
– Mezzo-Soprano
– Alto
 Men
– Tenor
– Baritone
– Bass

A group of singers performing together is called a choir

Viewing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGds2GAvGQ
Higher thinking order question…
When you are sick with a cold, your vocal
folds get swollen from coughing and
sometimes covered with phlegm. (Eww!)
What does this do to the sound of your
voice and why?
Musical Instruments

Instruments are classified into 5 different
families
String
Woodwind
Brass
Percussion
Electronic
Musical Instruments
Instruments popularity changes through
history
 Instruments that were popular at one
point aren’t anymore.

– Examples: Harpsichord, Keytar
Performance Groups

There are many types of musical groups,
but the two most common are:
– A concert band is a performing group that
does not have any traditional string
instruments.
– An orchestra is a performing group that has
all types of traditional instruments.
Musical Leaders

A conductor is someone who leads a
performance group.

A baton is a thin stick that conductors use to
help keep beat.

A concertmaster is the leader of all the string
instruments and is responsible for making sure
the group is in tune
Higher order thinking question…
Why do you think the orchestra is organized
the way it is with certain instruments
closer to the front and others in the back?
String Family
All instruments
in the string
family have
strings.
 Some are
bowed.
 Some are
plucked.

Viewing: Smooth Criminal by 2 Cellos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx0xCI1jaUM
Woodwind Family


Viewing: Lady Gaga Saga by Breaking Winds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B8_a_VLAyU
Woodwind
instruments
are wind
instruments
that at one
point used to
be made out
of wood.
Most of them
use reeds.
Brass Family

Brass
instruments
are made out
of metal still
today and all
are played by
buzzing into a
mouthpiece.
Viewing: William Tell Overture by Mnozil Brass
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_srdB2JGBI
Percussion Family
Percussion instruments have either
definite or indefinite pitch
 Sound is produced by striking or shaking
the instrument.

– Striking is done by hand, with a stick,
hammer, or mallet.
Definite Pitch Percussion
Indefinite Pitch Percussion
Viewing: Super Mario Brothers Themes for Percussion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-TfL8JxGVs
Higher order thinking question…
Think back to tone vs. noise.
How can this be related to the two different
types of percussion?
Listening Examples
Skylife by Turtle Island String Quartet
 Smooth Criminal video
 Simple Gifts by Canadian Brass
 Gimpel the Fool by The Klezmer
Conservatory
 Wandenza (Tradition African)

Output- Concept Map
Write the main idea in the center and
connect topics to it.
 Each topic should include three supporting
ideas
 Use a different color in each topic

String
Woodwind
Instrument Families
Percussion
Brass