This document summarizes the different families of musical instruments - string, woodwind, brass, and percussion. It provides details on specific instruments within each family, describing their physical characteristics, playing techniques, and tonal qualities. The string family includes instruments like the violin, viola, cello, guitar, and double bass. The woodwind family consists of instruments like the flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and English horn. Brass instruments outlined are the trumpet, French horn, trombone, and tuba. Percussion instruments discussed have either a definite or indefinite pitch and include the timpani, xylophone, snare drum, bass drum, and triangle.

2. • Anything set up to create sound vibration
can become a musical instrument.
• Of all the instruments, the “human voice”
is the oldest and most popular. The
voice as a medium of musical
expression is so intimate, personal and
direct.
• It is the most ideal exponent of lyric
melody and has been the model of
instrumentalist in expressing musical
impulses.

3. Musical Instruments are
divided into 4 families:
• String
• Woodwind
• Brass
• Percussion

4. String
Instruments

5. • The stringed section includes the violin,
viola, cello, guitar, and double bass.
• These instruments have four strings
which are played by means of a “bow”.
They can also be played by plucking
called “pizzicato”.

6. • Is a plucked
(pizzicato)
instrument, with a flat
black and inward
curving sides
somewhat six strings
and is said to be of
oriental origin.
Revival of interest in
guitar music was
done by the Spanish
GUITAR

7. VIOLIN
• Has an extremely
wide range, admired
for its
which
singing tone
is the
instrument closest to
the human voice. The
greatest violin maker
was Antonio
Stradivari an Italian of
origin.

8. VIOLA
• Is bigger than a violin.
Its strings are longer,
thicker and heavier
and is lower in range.
It is an ideal
instrument to express
and
nature
mournful
passionate
and situation.

9. CELLO(VIOLONCELLO)
• Is popularly known as
“cello”. It has lower
range than the viola,
notable for
quality
resonance
lower range.
its lyric
and dark
in the
In the
orchestra, the cellos
can perform functions
similar to the violins
and violas.

10. DOUBLEBASS
• Is so large that it is
played standing. It
has the lowest range
in the string section.
It plays the bass part,
the foundation of the
harmony.

11. Woodwind
Instruments

12. • The woodwind of the orchestra consists
of members of four different families:
• Piccolo
• Flute
• Oboe
• Clarinet (an English Horn)
• The tone of the woodwind instrument is
produced by a column of air vibrating
within a pipe that has little holes at the
sides.

13. PICCOLO
• Means “little flute”. It
has a
that
highest note in
piercing tone
produces the
the
orchestra. The tone is
shrill in the upper
register that sounds
like a birdcall.

14. FLUTE
• It is the orchestra
soprano of the
woodwind choir. It is
one of the oldest
instruments. Its tone
color ranges from the
poetic to the brilliant,
cool and velvety in
the lower register and
smooth in the
middle.

15. OBOE
• Is made up of wood;
the double reed in the
mouthpiece consists
of two slips of cane
so shaped as to leave
between them a small
passage for air. This
instrument
associated
is
with
pastoral scenes and
nostalgic melodies. It
sounds mysterious

16. CLARINET
• Is a single reed
instrument. The tone
is beautiful, clear and
powerful in the higher
register, relax in the
middle and cool and
almost expectral in
the low register. This
is considered the alto
of the woodwind
family.

17. BASSCLARINET
• It has a rich, flexible,
wide and dynamic
tone, making it an
invaluable member of
an orchestra. The
range is one octave
lower than that of the
clarinet.

18. THEBASSOON
• It has a heavy, thick
tone in
register,
sonorous
the low
dry and
in the
middle, reedy, intense
and somewhat funny
in the upper register.
It is called the “clown
of the orchestra”.

19. THECONTRABASSOON
• Also known as the
“double bassoon” ,
produces the lowest
tone in the orchestra.
In the woodwind
section it is compared
to the double bass
among
and that
the strings
it supplies
the foundation for the
harmony of the

20. ENGLISHHORN
• It has a heavy, thick
tone in
register,
sonorous
the low
dry and
in the
middle, reedy, intense
and somewhat funny
in the upper register.
It is called the “clown
of the orchestra”.

21. Brass
Instruments

22. • The brass family consists of the trumpet,
cornet, trombone, horn and tuba.
• This section can be utilized in playing
melodies, sustaining harmony, rhythmic
accent for massed tone and sonority
that contributes to the climax of the
music.
• These instruments have cup-shaped
mouthpieces, except for the French
horn, whose mouthpiece is shaped like
a funnel.

23. TRUMPET
• It is associated with
martial music. The
tone is firm, brilliant
that gives radiance to
the orchestral mass.

24. TROMBONE
• It is an Italian word
which means “large
trumpet”.
sonorous
combines
brilliance
trumpet
It has its
tone that
the
of the
and the
majesty of the horn.
2 types:

25. HORN
• It is generally called
“French Horn”, has 4
valves played by the
left hand instead of
the right hand like the
trumpet and cornet.
This instrument was
first developed by the
kings for
hunting
French
elaborate
calls.

26. TUBA
• It is the bass of the
choir. It
the
brass
furnishes
harmonic foundation
of the section. It is
made of metal and
has three valves, but
some
fourth
tube has a
valve thus
expanding the range
of the instrument.

27. CORNET
• It is very similar to the
trumpet. It has 3
valves, the same cup-
shaped mouthpiece,
but partly cylindrical
and partly conical in
bore; the tone is more
mellow, less piercing
and shorter in length
than the trumpet.

28. Percussion
Instruments

29. • The term percuss means, “to strike” so
that all instruments whose manner of
playing is either by striking, plucking, or
strumming, directly or indirectly, fall
under the Percussion section.
• The percussion of the orchestra is
divided into two:
a. Percussion with definite pitch
b. Percussion without definite pitch

30. Percussion with definite pitch

31. TIMPANI
• (Kettle drum) are
used in sets of two,
four or six drums. It is
a hemisphere copper
shell across which is
stretched head of
calfskin held by a
metal ring. It is played
with two padded
sticks which may be
either soft or hard.

32. xuLoPHoNE
• Is consists of tuned
blocks of wood which
produce a dry crisp
timbre when struck. It
is frequently used in
primitive cultures
particularly in Africa.

33. CELESTA
• It resembles a small
upright piano. It is
a
operated by
keyboard, the steel
plates when struck by
a small hammer
produces an ethereal
sound. It is best
adapted to light and
graceful effects.

34. PIANoFoRTE
• Popularly known as
“piano”. It is the most
popular instrument
used in the home as
well as in the concert
stage. Its strings,
inside the body of the
piano, are struck with
hammers
little
controlled by a
keyboard

35. HARP
• It is said to be the
oldest musical
instruments. It was
the traditional
instrument of the
bands of the ancient
Britain and Ireland. Its
strings are played by
plucking and produce
a crystalline tone that
blends well with the

36. CHIMES
• Are bell-like sounds.
It is a set of metal
tubes, suspended
from a metal frame,
chromatically tuned
and struck with a
wooden hammer.
They are employed to
produce the effect of
church bells, hence
the alternative name

37. Percussion without definite
pitch

38. SNAREDRUM
• Also known as “side
drum”. It is a small
drum with two heads
stretched over a shell
of metal. The upper
head, which is struck
by the player with his
two drumsticks is
called batterhead.
The lower is called
the snare-head which
is equipped with

39. CASTANETS
• Consist
shaped
clappers
rhythmically
by Spanish
of cup-
wooden
clicked
together
dancers
to whose hands they
orchestral use,
are attached. In
they
are mounted in a
handle which is
shaken.

40. BASSDRUM
• With its Italian name
a “gran cassa”. A
large drum which
varies in size both in
depth and diameter,
the heads are thicker
and the tension is
much less than with
smaller drums, which
produces a deep
sonorous sound like
that of a cannon.

41. CuMBALS
consist of two
• It is
large circular brass
plates of equal size,
made slightly convex
so that
edges
together.
only the
will touch
They are
struck together with a
motion to
a crashing
sliding
create
sound.

42. GoNGS
• Also called “tam-tam”
of Chinese origin. A
broad circular disc of
metal slightly convex
with the edges turned
giving it the
appearance of a
shallow plate with low
suspended on
vertical sides. It is
a
frame so as to hand
freely and is struck

43. TRIANGLE
• It is a small round bar
of steel bent in shape
of a triangle, open at
the upper end, struck
with a beater of the
same material. The
tone is penetrating
and should be used
sparingly. It can play
strokes,
sparingly
single
rhythmic,

44. TAMBoURINE
• It is a small single-
headed
shell of
drum, the
which is
pierced at intervals to
allow the insertion of
loosely-hanging
jingles made of
circular metal plates,
usually in pairs
connected by a metal
wire which passes
through the holes of

45. END!!