This document provides an overview of voices and instrument families. It begins by explaining how sound is produced in voices and musical instruments. It then discusses the basic classifications of voices like soprano, alto and bass. Specific voice types like coloratura soprano and robusto tenor are also outlined. The major categories of musical instruments are defined as strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion, and keyboards. Examples are given for different instruments that fall within each category. The document concludes by noting electronic instruments create sound through electrical currents and speakers.

1. THE ENJOYMENT OF MUSIC
ESSENTIAL LISTENING
EDITION
THIRD EDITION
by
Kristine Forney
Andrew Dell’Antonio
Joseph Machlis
Lecture Slides

2. Chapter 9
Voices and Instrument Families

3. Musical Acoustics: The Science of
Sound
Air
Energy
source
Vocal
cords
Vibrating
element
Oral
cavity
Resonating
chamber
Waves
air
Ear
Ear
canals

4. Musical Instruments
• Can do four things:
– 1. Produce their
characteristic sound
– 2. Modify their basic
timbre
– 3. Play different pitches
– 4. Start and stop their
sounds

5. Voices and Instrument Families
• Musical Timbre
– tone color, sound quality
– determined by size, shape, proportions of an
instrument
• instrument: mechanism that generates musical
vibrations
– register: melodic range (low, middle, high)

6. The Human Voice

7. The Human Voice
• Sound production: vibration of vocal chords in the
larnyx, action of diaphragm pushing air through
the larnyx
• Basic timbre: depends upon shape of oral/nasal
cavities
• Pitch: determined by amount of tension in vocal
chords and length of vocal chords

8. Basic Voice Classifications
• Soprano: the highest female voice
• Mezzo-Soprano: a moderately high voice with a
more mellow timbre
• Alto: a low female voice, heavier and darker than
mezzo
• Tenor: the highest male voice
• Baritone: the middle range male voice, with darker
timbre than tenor
• Bass: the lowest male voice, dark timbre

9. Some Specialized Voices: Sopranos
• Coloratura Soprano: high range with great virtuosity
(can sing many fast notes)
• Dramatic Soprano: powerful voice for very dramatic
opera roles
• Lyric Soprano-lighter voice for sweeter opera roles or
solo recital singing

10. Some Specialized Voices: Tenors
• Robusto Tenor: a full, powerful tenor voice for strong
operatic roles
• Lyric Tenor: a lighter voice, for smooth lyrical singing
roles
• Heroic Tenor: a powerful, expressive, virtuostic voice
with great agility (can sing many fast notes)

11. Some Specialized Voices: Basses
and Baritones
• Profondo: deep range, powerful voice for solemn
roles
• Cantate: smooth, lyrical singing voice for lighter roles
• Buffo: agile voice for comic roles

12. Classical Female Voices
• Classical Female Voices

13. Classical Male Voices
• Classical Male Voices

14. The World of Musical Instruments
• Aerophones
• Chordophones
• Idiophones
• Membranophones

15. Categories of Musical Instruments:
Overview
• String Instruments: vibrating strings are source of
sound
• Brass Instruments: vibrating lips are source of sound
• Woodwind Instruments: vibrating reeds OR air
blown over a mouth hole are sources of sound

16. Categories of Musical Instruments:
Overview
• Percussion Instruments: sources of sound
(examples)
– vibrating plates (cymbals)
– vibrating bars (marimba, xylophone)
– vibrating stretched skins, called membranes (timpani,
drums)
– other vibrating objects (claves, triangle, maracas)
– struck with the hands or with various mallets

17. Categories of Musical Instruments:
Overview
• Keyboard Instruments: sources of sound
– plucked vibrating strings (harpsichord)
– hammered vibrating strings (piano),
– air columns in pipes (organ)
– steel bars struck with hammers (celesta)
• Electronic Instruments: Electrical currents create
moving transistors that transmit sounds through
speakers or headphones

18. End Slide
THE ENJOYMENT OF MUSIC
ESSENTIAL LISTENING EDITION
http://wwnorton.com/web/enjoyess2
THIRD EDITION
by
Kristine Forney
Andrew Dell’Antonio
Joseph Machlis