Instrument Families
Name the four instrument families in an orchestra
Brass, Woodwinds, Strings, and Percussion
What is the main role of a conductor in an orchestra?
To keep the orchestra together.
What is the largest instrument in the orchestra?
Double Bass
What are the characteristics of the brass family?
Buzz lips to play; made of metal; yellow in color; have buttons to press or a slide to slide
Which family does the violin belong to?
The string family
To keep the steady beat; to show loud and soft; to show speeding up the tempo and slowing it down; to start and stop the orchestra
Name two instruments from the brass family
Trumpet; Horn; Trombone; Tuba; Baritone
You blow into woodwinds; you buzz into brass instruments; woodwinds have a reed (or you blow across a hole) and brass have a mouthpiece; woodwinds have multiple buttons and brass have just a few or none at all.
The Brass Family
Why is the conductor important in an orchestra?
The conductor leads the orchestra; The conductor keeps the orchestra together.
Name two instruments from the woodwind family.
Piccolo; flute; clarinet; oboe; english horn; bassoon
How are instruments classified into families?
By how they look, how they sound, and how they are played.
Which family does the flute belong to?
The Woodwind Family
How does a conductor communicate with the musicians?
By using a baton
Name two instruments from the percussion family
Snare Drum; Timpani; Bass Drum; Xylophone; Glockenspiel; Marimba; Cymbals
What are the characteristics of the percussion family?
Anything that you can scrape, shake, or strike.
Which family does the double bass belong to?
What skills does a conductor need to have?
Leadership; good teacher; encourager; team player;
Name two instruments from the string family
Violin; Viola; Cello; Double Bass; Harp
How can you differentiate between the string and percussion families?
Percussion instruments are played by striking, shaking, or scraping while string instruments are bowed or plucked; Percussion instruments all look very different and string instruments look very similar (except for the harp)