Strings
A small wooden instrument with four strings, similar to a guitar. It was brought to Hawaii by Portuguese settlers in the 1870’s, and quickly became popular with native Hawaiians.
What is a Ukulele?
A brass wind instrument with a conical tube that’s bent into a circle, a funnel shaped mouthpiece, and a wide bell.
What is a French Horn?
A small flute that sounds an octave higher than a regular flute. It gets its name from the Italian word for “little”
What is a piccolo?
A percussion instrument consisting of two round metal plates that create classing sounds when struck together. A single one of these can also be struck with a stick.
What are Cymbals?
A flat, circular metal disc which is hit with a mallet.
What is a Gong?
A stringed instrument with a long neck and a flat, hollow body. Its strings are plucked or strummed with the fingers.
What is a Guitar?
A brass instrument with a cup-shaped mouthpiece and a metal tube with a bell-shaped end. Three valves can be pressed to change the length of the tube, which changes the pitch of the instrument.
What is a Trumpet?
A woodwind instrument consisting of a black cylindrical tube that has a mouthpiece with a single reed at one end, and a bell at the other end. The wooden tube has holes covered by metal keys, which are pressed to change the instrument’s pitch.
What is a Clarinet?
A set of tuned metal tubes that hang in rows in a frame. The sound is made by striking the tube at the top edge with a mallet. They are often used by orchestras to create the sound of bells.
What are Chimes?
A rattle which appears in many genres of Caribbean and Latin music
What are Maracas?
A stringed instrument that is double the length of a violin and deeper from front to back. It has four strings, is held between the knees, and is supported on the floor with a metal peg. It is played with a bow and has a tone that is much lower and more mellow than a violin.
What is a Cello?
A brass wind instrument with a cup mouthpiece and a long metal tube. A moveable U-shaped slide changes the length of the tube, which changes the pitch of the instrument.
What is a Trombone?
A small, cylindrical woodwind instrument, usually made of silver, that is held sideways to the mouth. It is a tube with one open end and one capped end. Sound is created by blowing across a mouthpiece at the capped end of the instrument. Its pitch is changed by pressing the metal keys that cover holes along the tube.
What is a flute?
A small double-sided drum with skin pulled tight over the top and bottom. Metal wires are stretched across the bottom skin, and rattle when the drum is struck.
What is a Snare Drum?
A percussion instrument made of a metal bar bent into the shape of a triangle with one corner open. It is held by a string and struck with a metal rod.
What is a Triangle?
A small, stringed instrument of the lute family. It has a pear shaped body, strings in four pairs and a neck similar to a guitar.
What is a Mandolin?
Similar to a trumpet, this instrument has a partly conical metal tube and is mellower and less brilliant than the trumpet.
What is a Cornet?
This long, narrow woodwind instrument has a double reed. Its wooden tube is doubled back on itself to reduce its height and ends with a bell that points up. It plays the low notes in the woodwind family.
What is a Bassoon?
A percussion instrument consisting of a small wooden hoop with metal disc inserts called jingles. The hoop is covered on one side with a drumhead. It is played by shaking or striking the drumhead with the hand.
What is a Tambourine?
A percussion instrument consisting of a set of tuned wooden bars arranged like a piano keyboard, with a hollow tube under each bar. Each bar gives off a different pitch when struck with a mallet.
What is a Xylophone?
The strings are graduated in length from longest/lowest pitches to shortest/highest and there are pedals that can be used to raise the pitch of each string by half steps. The sound is created by plucking the strings with fingers.
What is a Harp?
The largest and lowest brass instrument, with a mouthpiece and a big bell-shaped opening to a tube that is wrapped around in an oval. Valves on the tube can be pressed to change the pitch of the instrument.
What is a Tuba?
A woodwind instrument made of a conical tube with a double reed stuck into the top. Sound is made by blowing through the double reed. The pitch is changed by opening and closing holes on the sides of the instrument.
What is an oboe?
The only drum that can be tuned to produce definite pitches. It's name in Italian means kettle drum, another name for the instrument because of its large kettle-shaped bottom, over which the skin of the drumhead is stretched. The player uses a pedal to tighten and loosen the drumhead to change the pitch.
What is Timpani?
A stringed instrument in the guitar family with a long neck, five strings and a round body like a tambourine with an open back. The strings are strummed or plucked with the fingers.
What is a Banjo?