Chapter 3 The Structures of Music Musical Instruments.
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Transcript of Chapter 3 The Structures of Music Musical Instruments.
Chapter 3The Structures of Music
Musical
Instruments
Key Terms
Instrument familiesStringed instruments
• Bow• pizzicato
Woodwind instruments
• Single-reed• Double-reed
Brass instruments
Percussion instruments
• Pitched• Unpitched
Keyboard instruments
• Action• Stops
Plucked stringed instruments
Key Terms
OrchestraOrchestral seating plan
• Strings• Woodwinds• Brass• Percussion
Key Terms
Stringed instrumentsViolin
Viola
Cello
Bass viol
Harp
Brass instrumentsTrumpet
French horn
Trombone• Tenor trombone• Bass trombone
Tuba
Key Terms
Woodwind instruments
Flute• Piccolo• Alto flute• Bass flute
Recorder
Clarinet• E-flat clarinet• Bass clarinet
Oboe• English horn
Bassoon• Contrabassoon
Saxophone• Alto saxophone• Tenor saxophone
Key Terms
Pitched percussion instruments
Timpani
Glockenspiel
Xylophone
Marimba
Vibraphone
Celesta
Tubular bells
Unpitched percussion instruments
Cymbals
Triangle
Tam-tam
Snare drum
Tenor drum
Bass drum
Key Terms
Keyboard instrumentsPiano
Harpsichord
Clavichord
Organ• Pipe organ
Electronic keyboard instruments
• Synthesizer
Plucked stringed instruments
Guitar
Mandolin
Lute
Theorbo
Archlute
Electric guitar
Stringed Instruments
A bow strung with horsehair “scrapes” against a stringThe string’s vibration is carried via the bridge to the instrument’s bodyThe hollow body amplifies the soundThe left hand “stops” the string at different locations, changing the length of the vibrating string
• Longer string = lower pitch• Shorter string = higher pitch
Stringed Instruments
Different bow strokes create different dynamics and articulations:
• Legato• Staccato
Player can play a melody on one string at a time, or play chords on two or more strings simultaneously
Player can also pluck the strings:• Pizzicato
Violin Family
Violin (“soprano/alto” range)• Versatile, can be forceful or delicate, brilliant or
songlike• Four strings tuned in fifths• Held horizontally under chin• Player can stand or sit
Violin Family
Viola (“tenor” range)• Mellow, “throaty” quality, but can also be
powerful and intense• Four strings tuned in fifths• Held horizontally under chin• Player can stand or sit
Violin Family
Cello (“bass” range)• Rich, gorgeous, singing tone• Four strings tuned in fifths• Instrument stands vertically on the floor• Seated player leans neck back toward left
shoulder, holds body between the knees
Bass Viol
Very low “bass” range• Deep, mellow, “chocolate” sound• Four strings tuned in fourths• Instrument stands vertically on the floor• Player stands behind it (or sits on a tall stool)• More often called string bass, double bass, or
just bass• Usually bowed in classical music, usually
plucked in jazz
Harp
Concert harp has 47 strings, covers six and a half octaves
Strings correspond to white keys on keyboard: one string for each letter name
Seven pedals add sharps and flats• e.g., the A pedal can raise or lower all A strings
by a half step
Normally plucked; glissando a popular special effect
Woodwind Instruments
Tube-shaped instruments; may be straight, bent, or curvedPlayers blow into tube via a mouthpieceSounds result from vibrations in the column of air inside the tubePlayers open or close holes bored along the length of the tube, in effect shortening or lengthening the air column
• Longer air column = lower pitch• Shorter air column = higher pitch
Flute Family
Long cylindrical tube held horizontally
Mouthpiece an open hole on the side
Players set air column vibrating by blowing across the mouthpiece
• Like tooting on a Coke bottle, but more sophisticated
Elaborate key mechanism opens and closes holes in tube
Flute Family Instruments
Flute (“soprano” range)• Extremely agile; can sound gentle or piercing
Piccolo (very high “soprano” range)
Alto flute (“alto” range)
Bass flute (“tenor/bass” range)
Recorder family• Old family of flutes held vertically• Player blows into mouthpiece at the top• Fingers cover holes directly; no keys
Single-Reeds
A flat piece of cane reed is fastened to the mouthpiece
Mouthpiece is attached to the top of the instrument
Blowing into the thin hole between reed and mouthpiece forces reed to vibrate; this makes air column in tube vibrate as well
Elaborate key mechanism opens and closes holes in tube
Single-Reed Instruments
Clarinet familyClarinet (“soprano/alto” range)
• Rich, flexible, almost vocal sound• Can sound warm and mellow or shrill and
strident• Slightly conical tube with narrow bell at end• Held vertically
Single-Reed Instruments
Clarinet familyE-flat clarinet (high “soprano” range)
• Often used for its shrill, piercing sound• Short, slightly conical tube with narrow bell at
end
Bass clarinet (“bass” range)• Deep, rich, mellow sound• Very long, slightly conical tube is bent forward
at the bottom with a flaring, narrow bell at the end
Single-Reed Instruments
Saxophone familyInvented by Adolphe Sax in early 1800sSimilar to clarinet family
• Single reed fastened to a mouthpiece
Several important differences• Wider tube, made of brass, not wood• More mellow yet more forceful sound• Tube is bent back at mouthpiece, forward at its
wide, flaring bell• Often held diagonally across lap
Single-Reed Instruments
Saxophone family instrumentsAlto saxophone
Tenor saxophone• The two most common saxophones
Soprano saxophone• Straight tube, held like clarinet
Baritone saxophone
Double-Reeds
Mouthpiece consists of two pieces of cane reed lashed together
Mouthpiece is inserted into hole at top of instrument
Blowing into mouthpiece forces reeds to vibrate against each other; this makes air column in tube vibrate as well
Elaborate key mechanism opens and closes holes in tube
Double-Reed Instruments
Oboe (“soprano” range)• Straight tube with narrow bell at end• Held vertically
English horn (“alto” range)• Slightly longer straight tube with narrow,
bulbous bell• Held vertically
Double-Reed Instruments
Bassoon (“tenor/bass” range)• Very long tube folded back against itself at
bottom end• Held across the lap at an angle• Mouthpiece inserted into a curved bocal
Contrabassoon (very low “bass” range)
Brass Instruments
All use long tubes, often coiledSmall, cup-shaped mouthpiece is inserted into the end of the hornPlayer holds mouthpiece to the mouth and buzzes lipsLip vibrations force the air column inside the tube to vibratePlayers control pitch by changing tube length and “buzzing” speed
• Faster = higher pitch; Slower = lower pitch
Brass Instruments
Trumpet (“soprano” range)
Bright, strong, piercing tone
Long cylindrical tube, bent in several places with small, flared bell
Three valves used to change tube length
Brass Instruments
French horn (“alto/tenor” range)
Lower, mellower, “thicker” tone
Can sound mysterious, romantic, or heroic
Longer conical tube in coils with very wide, flared bell
Valves used to change tube length
Player holds instrument with hand in bell
Brass Instruments
Trombone (“tenor/bass” range)
Sound can range from singing and “vocal” to hard and powerful
Very long cylindrical tube with large, flared bell
Slide mechanism used to change tube length
• Also used to create glissando effect
Brass Instruments
TubaDeep, full, mellow tone
Less agile than other brass instruments
Extremely long conical tube with many coils and a very wide flared bell
Valves used to change tube length
Seated player holds instrument in lap
Other Brass Instruments
Cornet• Like a trumpet, but conical tube makes it sound
more mellow
Flügelhorn• Like a trumpet, but its larger size makes it
sound deeper and more mellow
Bugle• Like a trumpet, but without valves
Other Brass Instruments
EuphoniumBaritone hornSaxhorn
• All three are pitched somewhere between French horn and tuba
• Rich, mellow sound
Sousaphone• Portable, marching band version of tuba• Player carries it slung over the shoulder, bell in
the air
Percussion Instruments
Instruments that are struck, slapped, scraped, and so on
Vibrating object may be a stretched membrane (a drumhead) or a solid or hollow piece of wood, metal, or plastic
May play specific pitches (xylophone) or indefinite ones (bass drum)
Percussion instruments can play louder and softer than any other family
Timpani
Large, hemispherical (kettle-shaped) drums come in several sizes, used in groups of two or morePlayed with felt malletsCan be tuned to specific pitches
• Usually plays a bass line
Player tunes drums with foot pedals (sometimes with screws)
• Greater tension = higher pitch• Less tension = lower pitch
Pitched Percussion
Usually a set of metal or wooden bars or plates tuned and arranged like a piano keyboard
Bars can be struck with yarn, rubber, plastic, or metal mallets
Metal bars sustain sound longer than wooden ones
Colorful, distinctive sounds
Pitched Percussion
Glockenspiel• Small steel bars with brass mallets• Bright, penetrating sound
Xylophone• Hardwood (or synthetic) bars with plastic
mallets• Dry, sharp tone
Marimba• Wooden (or synthetic) slats with yarn (or
rubber) mallets• Tubular resonators give it a mellow sound
Pitched Percussion
Vibraphone• Metal plates with rubber (or yarn) mallets• Tubular resonators give it a mellow sound• Sustain pedal and “vibrato” device
Celesta• Bars like a glockenspiel, but played from a
small keyboard; sounds like a music box
Tubular bells (Chimes)• Hollow hanging metal tubes struck with rolled
horsehide mallet; sound like church bells
Unpitched Percussion
Refers to any percussion instrument used to add a specific color, not to play a melody or bass lineIncludes drums: instruments with membranes (drumheads) stretched over one or both ends of a hollow, cylindrical frameAlso includes various instruments made of solid or hollow metal or wood objects in a variety of different shapes
Unpitched Percussion
Cymbals• Concave metal plates come in many sizes• One can be suspended and played with mallets• Pairs can be clapped together: a cymbal crash
Triangle• A rolled metal bar bent into a triangle shape• Struck with a metal beater
Tam-tam• A large, round, flat metal plate• Struck with a large lambs-wool beater
Unpitched Percussion
Snare drum• A smaller double-headed drum with a metal or
wooden frame• Usually played with wooden snare drum sticks
(metal brushes used for special effect)• High-tension heads give the snare drum a
sharp, dry sound• Snares (tightly wrapped metal coils held
against the bottom head of the drum) give the sound a sharp, metallic edge
Unpitched Percussion
Tenor drum• A larger, double-headed drum with wooden
frame, played with snare sticks• Lower tension and larger size gives the tenor
drum a deeper, rounder sound than the snare drum
Bass drum• A very large, double-headed drum with wooden
frame, played with large felt beater• Low tension and large size give the bass drum
a deep, rumbling sound
Orchestra
Modern orchestra began to take shape in the 1600s (Baroque era)
Basic format standardized by late 1700s (Classical era)
Four instrument families in today’s symphony orchestra
• Strings• Woodwinds• Brass• Percussion
Orchestra
Strings• 30-36 violins (divided into 1st and 2nd violin
sections)• 12 violas• 10-12 cellos• 8 double basses
The heart of the orchestra, they often play continuously
Orchestra
Woodwinds• 2 flutes and piccolo• 2 clarinets and bass clarinet• 2 oboes and English horn• 2 bassoons and contrabassoon
Used a bit less than strings, often to add color
Orchestra
Brass• 2-3 trumpets• 4 French horns• 2-3 trombones and bass trombone• 1 tuba
Used less then strings or woodwinds, often to add power
Orchestra
Percussion• 1 to 4 players• Percussionists play whatever instruments the
score calls for, most often timpani
Used less than strings, woodwinds, or brass, often for color or power
Orchestra
Keyboard Instruments
Sound producing mechanism controlled from a keyboard
Anywhere from 13 to 90+ keys
Some have two or more keyboards
Performers usually sit on a bench or stool to play traditional keyboard instruments; often stand to play modern keyboards
Various means of producing sounds
Piano
Invented early 1700sKeys activate hammers which strike piano strings—a percussion instrument!
• Requires great artistry to make it “sing”
Originally called pianoforte (soft-loud) • Player could change dynamics by pressing
keys harder or softer
Standard piano has 88 keysFoot pedals used for special effects
• Sustain, “soft” pedal, sostenuto
Early Keyboard Instruments
Harpsichord• May have one or more keyboards• Keys activate quills that pluck the strings—a
plucked stringed instrument!• Cannot change dynamics by pressing keys
harder or softer• Many have two complete sets of strings, one
louder, one softer• Players use “stops” or switch keyboards to
play louder or softer• Short sustain gives it a staccato feel
Early Keyboard Instruments
Clavichord• Keys activate “tangents” that press against
strings• Since tangent stays in contact with string until
key is released, player can bend the pitch by pressing harder or softer
• Since pressing harder or softer changes pitch as well as dynamics, only subtle dynamic changes are practical
• Delicate, subtle, expressive sound
Pipe Organ
Most have two or more keyboards and a pedal board
Keys activate mechanism that releases air into organ pipes—a woodwind instrument!
Each “stop” brings another set of pipes (rank) into play…and another tone color!
Organists obtain thousands of colors (and change dynamics) by mixing stops in different ways
Electronic Keyboards
Wide range of instruments available• At bottom end, 13-20 keys with a few “cheesy”
sounds• At top end, sophisticated MIDI synthesizers
with 60-88 keys• Keys serve as triggers that activate
electronically-generated sounds• Many have MIDI capability, a protocol that
allows keyboard and computer to communicate
Electronic Keyboards
Some important electronic keyboardsElectronic organs
• Popular from 1930s on, used in jazz and rock
Electric piano• Fender Rhodes popular in early jazz fusion
Electronic keyboard• Provides pre-programmed sounds: piano,
harpsichord, organ, etc.
Synthesizer
Electronic Keyboards
Synthesizer• Invented in the 1950s, but not commercially
viable until the 1960s• Includes pre-programmed sounds• Allows user to create and edit new electronic
sounds from scratch• Standard instrument for electronic music
studios, recording studios, and so on• Used in classical music since the 1950s• Used in jazz and rock since the late 1960s
Plucked Strings
Player uses right hand to pluck strings with fingers, fingernails, or “pick”
The string’s vibration is carried via the bridge to the instrument’s body
The hollow body amplifies the sound
The left hand “stops” the string at different frets, changing length of vibrating string
• Longer string = lower pitch• Shorter string = higher pitch
Plucked Strings
Different “picking” patterns and styles create different tone colors, dynamics, and articulations
Player can play a melody on one string at a time, or play chords on two or more strings simultaneously
Plucked Stringed Instruments
Acoustic Guitar• Can sound gentle and delicate or sharp and
percussive• Six strings tuned in fourths (and a third)• Strings made of nylon (classical guitar) or steel
(folk guitar)• Classical guitar held across lap; player sits• Player uses a shoulder strap to hold a folk
guitar; player can stand or sit• Used for centuries in classical, popular, and
folk music
Plucked Stringed Instruments
Other acoustic instrumentsMandolin
• Small, pear-shaped with 4 strings & frets
Lute• Pear-shaped with 6 to 11 strings & frets
Archlute• Enhanced lute with extra bass strings
Theorbo• Large bass lute with extra bass strings
Plucked Stringed Instruments
Electric guitar• Can sound gentle and delicate or ear-splittingly
loud, searing, and virtuosic• Usually tuned same as acoustic guitar• Strings made of steel• Vibrating strings picked up by transducers,
resulting electronic impulses run through amplifiers
• Held with a shoulder strap• Used primarily in rock and jazz