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To learn more about the Families of Instruments and
hear their sounds, click the links below.
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Brass Family |
French horn, trombone,
trumpet, tuba |
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Keyboard Family |
Celesta, harpsichord,
organ, piano, synthesizer |
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Percussion Family |
Drum set,
timpani, xylophone |
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String Family |
Cello,
harp,
string bass, viola,
violin |
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Woodwind Family |
Bassoon,
clarinet, flute,
oboe, saxophone |
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Brass Family
 French horn:
This instrument was once carried on horseback during fox hunts. It is
thought to be the most difficult brass instrument to play. The left hand
plays the valves and the right hand is inserted into the bell.
Its tone blends equally well with woodwind and brass instruments.
 Trombone: This
instrument can slide from one note to another. It is played in the bass
clef. Unlike the other brass instruments, it has no
valves.
 Trumpet: This is the
most popular of all the brass instruments, and one of the oldest. It can
play very high notes. It can change its sound by inserting a mute into the
bell. Long ago kings and queens would announce their arrival with
trumpets playing a fanfare.
 Tuba:
This is the lowest
sounding brass instrument. It is also the largest member of the brass
family. The tuba uses valves and its cup-shaped
mouthpiece to change pitches. It sits in the back of the orchestra.
A cousin of the tuba is the sousaphone, which is a tuba with a different
shape. The sousaphone is used for parades and was invented by John Philip
Sousa.
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Keyboard Family
Celesta:
This has a beautiful, sparkling sound. Most people recognize the sound,
but usually don't know that they're hearing a celesta. Tchaikovsky
used this instrument in his ballet, The Nutcracker.
 Harpsichord:
This keyboard instrument was very popular during the Baroque
period. It came before the piano. Its strings are plucked. It
looks like a piano, but sounds very different from a piano.
 Organ: This keyboard
instrument is almost always found in churches. It is also found in grand
concert halls. A long time ago air had to be pumped into the bellows to
produce sound. Today electricity does the job. Some organs can have
two, three, or four keyboards. The lowest notes are played by having the
feet push down on peddles. An organ today can cost over a million
dollars!
 Piano: This instrument is
over 300 years old. It is the most popular of all the keyboard
instruments. Lots of music has been written for it. It also comes in
different sizes from small to grand. Hammers strike the strings to make it
sound.
Synthesizer: This is
a computer that makes music. It is the newest of all keyboard
instruments. It first appeared in the 1950's. With its keyboard and
switches, it can sound like any instrument you choose. It can even make up
sounds that haven't ever been heard before!
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Percussion
Family
     
Drum
set: This includes the bass drum, cymbals, tambourine, castanets,
triangle, gong, and other
percussion instruments like the wood block. These instruments are found in
most rock, pop, and jazz bands.
 Timpani:
These copper-colored drums are also called the kettle drums because they look
like big kettles. Each drum plays a different note. Orchestras
usually have from two to four timpani.
Xylophone: Mallets strike wooden bars to produce different
pitches.
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String Family
Cello:
You have to site down and hold this instrument between your knees to play this
mellow instrument. It has a rich sound and can play a wide range of notes.
Like the other members of its family, it has four strings.
Harp: This is the instrument of the
angels. It has 47 strings and seven pedals. It is played by plucking
the strings with the fingers of both hands. These instruments are found in
almost every size and in every culture on the planet. Harps have been around for thousands
of years.
String bass: This instrument stands over six feet tall and is the
lowest sounding instrument in the string family. It is a popular
instrument for many different styles of music, including symphonic, jazz,
bluegrass, and rock. The string bass is similar in pitch to a bass guitar.
Viola: This
instrument looks like the twin brother of the violin, but it's a bit bigger with
a slightly lower sound. You probably could not tell the difference between
the violin and viola unless you put them side by side.
 Violin:
This is the most popular instrument in the string family. It has a high,
brilliant sound. It is the smallest instrument in the string family.
There are more violins in a symphony orchestra than any other instrument.
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Woodwind
Family
Bassoon: This is the largest of the woodwind instruments. It
has the lowest pitch. Some people think of this instrument as the clown of
the orchestra. It is a double reed instrument.
Clarinet: It is a single reed instrument. This instrument
has a rich, round sound and a wide range of notes. The clarinet can play
in the low register, where the notes are rich and full. It can play in the
middle register. It can also play in the high register.
 Flute:
This silver
instrument has a high, bright sound. Air is blown into a small hole to
produce its joyful sound. It is made of metal, even though it is in the
woodwind family. Long ago it used to be made of wood. The instrument
is found in cultures throughout the world. It is one of the oldest and
most popular instruments in the history of music.
Oboe:
The orchestra tunes to this instrument. It has a nasal, piercing sound and
uses a double reed. The oboe gives the orchestra its note when tuning
before a concert.
Saxophone: This is the newest of the woodwind instruments.
It looks like it belongs in the brass family because of its golden color.
It is a reed instrument and is popular in pop, jazz, and rock bands. It is
also being used more in symphonic music. It got its name from its
inventor, Mr. Adolphe Sax.
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Capistrano School