4. TIMBRE: INSTRUMENTS
1. CLASSIFICATION
Timbre is the quality of sound that allows us to identify the object that produces the sound (different voices and instruments). It depends on the shape of the object, the material from which it is made and the way the sound is made. The result is a complex wave composed of a fundamental frequency and its harmonics.
Timbre can be described in terms of density (light, dense), temperature (warm, cold), texture (rough, soft), and weight (heavy, light).
A luthier is a professional who builds and repairs musical instruments.
There are two methods to classify musical instruments:
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Traditional classification groups instruments as they appear in a Western orchestra (string, wind and percussion). It can be confusing for non-orchestral instruments.
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Universal classification groups instruments according to how they produce sound (chordophones, aerophones, membranophones, idiophones and electrophones). It can classify any instrument.
Sound is produced by the vibration of one or more strings. The pitch of sound depends on the length, thickness and tension of the string. The longer, thicker and looser the string the lower the sound, and vice versa.
They are divided into three groups:
Bowed string
String instruments that produce sound by rubbing the strings with a bow. They all have 4 strings and a very similar shape.
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Violin is the smallest and the one with the highest pitch of the family. It's played resting on the shoulder.
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Viola is a little bigger and lower than the violin. It's played resting on the shoulder.
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Violoncello is bigger and lower. It's played sitting down and in between the players knees, with an end pin stuck in the floor for balance.
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Double bass is the biggest and the lowest. It's played by either sitting on a stool or standing, with an end pin stuck in the floor for balance.
Plucked string
String instruments that produce sound by pulling and releasing the strings with fingers or a pick.
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Harp has 47 strings. All C/Do strings are red and all F/Fa strings are blue to easily locate the notes.
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Guitar has 6 strings and a neck with frets that mark semitone distances.
Struck string
String instruments that produce sound by hitting the strings with small hammers activated by a keyboard.
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Piano has 88 keys that cover more than seven octaves, providing the widest range of notes of any instrument.
Sound is produced by the vibration of an air column inside a tube.
They are divided into two groups:
Woodwind
Wind instruments originally made of wood that produce sound by blowing into a mouthpiece. The pitch of sound depends on the length of the tube, which is changed by opening or closing holes. The longer the tube, the lower the sound and vice versa.
There are three types of mouthpiece:
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Fipple: sound is produced by the vibration of the air blown against an edge.
E.g. recorder, transverse flute. -
Single reed: sound is produced by the vibration of one cane as air is blown between the cane and the mouthpiece.
E.g. clarinet, saxophone. -
Double reed: sound is produced by the vibration of two canes as air is blown between both canes.
E.g. oboe, bassoon.
Brass
Wind instruments usually made of metal that produce sound by buzzing the lips against a cup mouthpiece. They have a rolled tube that ends in a bell shape. The pitch of sound depends on lip tension and tube length, which is changed using valves or slides. The looser the lips and the longer the tube, the lower the sound and vice versa.
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Trumpet has 3 valves and is the smallest and highest-pitched of the family.
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French horn has 3 valves and is the second smallest; it is played with the left hand.
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Trombone is the only brass instrument that uses a slide instead of valves to change pitch.
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Tuba has 4 valves and is the biggest and lowest-pitched.
These instruments produce sound when hit, shaken or scraped.
According to traditional classification, we divide these instruments into two groups:
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Pitched or tuned percussion: percussion instruments that can play notes and melodies.
E.g. timpani, marimba, vibraphone, tubular bells, glockenspiel, celesta, glass harmonica, etc. -
Unpitched or untuned percussion: percussion instruments that cannot play notes and melodies.
E.g. bass drum, snare drum, cymbals, tambourine, triangle, castanets, claves, whip, ratchet, gong, etc.
According to universal classification, we divide these instruments into two groups:
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Membranophones: percussion instruments that produce sound when a membrane or skin vibrates.
E.g. timpani, bass drum. -
Idiophones: percussion instruments that produce sound when the instrument itself vibrates.
E.g. marimba, castanets.
We divide these instruments into two groups:
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Electromechanical instruments: electrophones where sound is generated mechanically and amplified electronically. They are conventional instruments that use a pickup or contact microphone to amplify the sound. E.g. electric guitar, electric bass, electric violin, electric cello, etc.
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Electronic instruments: electrophones where sound is generated and amplified electronically with oscillators that create alternating electric currents. They modify sound parameters to achieve a wide variety of timbres, registers and effects.
E.g. theremin, ondes martenot, synthesizer, electronic drum, reactable, etc.
Types of instrumental groups or ensembles according to the number of members:
Small ensembles: They are also called chamber ensembles because they used to play in small rooms (chambers). No conductor is needed because musicians can see and hear each other.
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String quartet: classical ensemble made up of two violins, viola and cello.
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Wind quintet: classical ensemble made up of transverse flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon and French horn.
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Rondalla: traditional Spanish ensemble made up of plucked string instruments and percussion.
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Rock band: popular urban music ensemble made up of electric guitars (lead, rhythm, bass), drums, keyboard and vocals. Sometimes it includes saxophone, brass, harmonica, violin or extra percussion.
Large ensembles: They need a conductor for visual cues because they cannot hear each other well.
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Symphony/philharmonic orchestra: classical ensemble made up of string, woodwind, brass and percussion sections. Seating is based on dynamics: quiet instruments at the front and loud instruments at the back.
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Big band: jazz ensemble made up of a melody section (saxophones, trumpets, trombones) and a rhythm section (drums, bass, guitar, piano).
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Wind band: traditional ensemble made up of wind and percussion which is used in parades and celebrations. It is very popular in Valencia, where every town and village has its own band.
ACTIVITIES
1. Listen to The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra by Britten and indicate which instrument family plays each variation.
The full orchestra plays the initial theme, followed by variations from each instrument family, and ends with the initial theme performed by the whole orchestra.
2. Write the name of the instruments of the orchestra associated with each number and the name of the instrument family associated with each colour.
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REVIEW