Instruments Flashcards, test questions and answers
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What is Instruments?
Instruments are a vital part of the music industry and can come in many different forms. Instruments can be acoustic or electric, and range from simple drums to elaborate synthesizers. All instruments require a musician to learn how to play them, but some are easier than others. The most common types of instruments include strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion, keyboards/synths and guitars. String instruments are the oldest type of instrument and have been used for centuries in various cultures around the world. They typically consist of four strings tuned to certain notes that when plucked create vibrations which become sound waves heard by humans. Common string instruments include violin, viola, cello and double bass. Brass instruments produce sound when air is passed through a mouthpiece connected to a metal tube or bell-shaped object which amplifies the sound produced by the player’s lips as they vibrate against it. These types of instruments are commonly found in orchestras as well as jazz bands and marching bands because of their loudness and ability to be heard over other sounds such as drums or electric guitars. Popular brass instruments include trumpet, trombone and French horn. Woodwinds produce sounds when air is blown across an opening at one end called a reed which causes vibrations in the instrument’s body that create sound waves heard by humans. Woodwinds have been used since ancient times with some of them being made out of animal bones or bamboo tubes filled with water. Popular woodwinds include flute, clarinet and oboe among others. Percussion instruments produce sounds when struck with something like sticks or hands which cause vibrations that travel through an object creating sound waves heard by humans. Percussion is essential for almost all kinds of music from folk songs played on hand drums to symphonies using mallet percussion such as xylophone or vibraphone among other things. Popular percussion includes snare drum set (bass drum & hi-hat), congas & bongos etc Keyboards/Synthesizers are electronic musical devices capable of producing unique electronic sounds not found anywhere else due to their complex programmability features such as envelopes or filters that help shape each note played into something special. Synthesizers range from small portable devices meant for live performance use all the way up large expensive workstations able to create full tracks within minutes.