Music: Instruments
Identifying instrument families, sounds, and roles in ensembles
Music: Instruments
Identifying instrument families, sounds, and roles in ensembles
Music - Grade 6-8
- 1
Name the four main instrument families in a typical orchestra. Give one example of an instrument from each family.
Think about how each instrument makes sound.
The four main instrument families are strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. Examples include violin for strings, flute for woodwinds, trumpet for brass, and timpani for percussion. - 2
A clarinet, flute, oboe, and bassoon are usually grouped into the same instrument family. What family is this, and what do these instruments have in common?
These instruments are in the woodwind family. They are played by blowing air through them, and many use keys to change pitch. - 3
Explain the difference between a trumpet and a trombone in how the player changes pitch.
Focus on the parts the player moves while performing.
A trumpet player changes pitch by pressing valves and changing lip tension. A trombone player changes pitch by moving a slide and changing lip tension. - 4
A violin, viola, cello, and double bass are all string instruments. Put these instruments in order from highest usual pitch to lowest usual pitch.
The order from highest usual pitch to lowest usual pitch is violin, viola, cello, and double bass. - 5
Describe two ways a string player can make sound on a violin.
One method uses the bow, and one method uses the fingers.
A violin player can make sound by drawing a bow across the strings or by plucking the strings with a finger. Plucking is called pizzicato. - 6
Identify whether each instrument is pitched or unpitched percussion: xylophone, snare drum, timpani, triangle.
A xylophone is pitched percussion, a snare drum is unpitched percussion, timpani are pitched percussion, and a triangle is usually unpitched percussion. - 7
Why is the piano sometimes classified as a percussion instrument even though it has strings?
Think about what happens inside the piano when a key is pressed.
The piano is sometimes classified as a percussion instrument because pressing a key causes a hammer to strike a string, which creates the sound. - 8
Choose the best instrument family for each description: A player buzzes their lips into a mouthpiece. A player strikes, shakes, or scrapes the instrument. A player uses a bow or plucks strings.
Buzzing lips into a mouthpiece describes the brass family. Striking, shaking, or scraping describes the percussion family. Using a bow or plucking strings describes the string family. - 9
A saxophone is made of brass, but it is usually considered a woodwind instrument. Explain why.
Focus on how the sound begins.
A saxophone is considered a woodwind instrument because it uses a single reed to make sound. Instrument families are based mainly on how sound is produced, not only on what material the instrument is made from. - 10
In a concert band, which family usually has more instruments: strings or brass and woodwinds? Explain your answer.
A concert band usually has many brass and woodwind instruments and does not normally include the main orchestra string section. It may include string bass, but violins, violas, and cellos are not standard concert band instruments. - 11
Match each instrument to its family: French horn, bassoon, maracas, harp, tuba.
Decide how each instrument makes sound before choosing the family.
The French horn is brass, the bassoon is woodwind, maracas are percussion, the harp is strings, and the tuba is brass. - 12
Look at the seating of a typical orchestra. Where are the string instruments usually placed in relation to the conductor, and why might this placement be useful?
String instruments are usually placed near the front of the orchestra close to the conductor. This placement helps the large string section see the conductor clearly and balance with the other families behind them. - 13
Explain how instrument size usually affects pitch within the same family. Use one example.
Compare instruments that are shaped similarly but are different sizes.
Within the same family, larger instruments usually produce lower pitches because they have longer strings, longer tubes, or larger vibrating parts. For example, a cello usually sounds lower than a violin. - 14
A composer wants a bright, high melody that can be heard clearly above the ensemble. Name two instruments that could play it and explain why they fit.
A flute and a violin could play a bright, high melody because both instruments can play in a high range and can carry a clear melodic line. A trumpet could also work if the composer wants a stronger brass sound. - 15
Create a mini ensemble with one instrument from each of these families: strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. List the four instruments and describe the role each could play.
A balanced ensemble often includes melody, harmony, rhythm, and support.
One possible ensemble is violin, clarinet, trumpet, and snare drum. The violin could play the melody, the clarinet could play a harmony or countermelody, the trumpet could add a strong main theme or fanfare, and the snare drum could provide rhythm.