Understanding Instruments
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Transcript of Understanding Instruments
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Understanding Instruments Instruments and voices are the media
with which music is created
A pitch is produced when a mediumvibrates at a given frequency
The medium also determines a pitchstimbre, or quality of sound
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Timbre - Quality of Sound Timbre is hard to pin down and describe
A medium can be modified to createdifferent timbres
Preferred timbres are a culturalconsideration
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Kinds of Media Instrument classification systems vary
culturally
Classification systems are based on localneeds and musical systems
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Ancient Ba Yin 8 SoundsSystem Systematic classification of instruments devised
by Zhou dynasty (c.1000-200 B.C.E)
Instruments grouped according to the naturalsound producing material
8 Sounds: metal, stone, skin, vegetable gourd, bamboo,wood, silk, earth
Associations manifested a link between music and natureimportant for Confucian ritual
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Indian System Provides a constant, systematic criteria
for classification:
Primary sound-producing medium determinesin which group an instrument is placed
Vibrating body, vibrating membrane, vibratingstring, vibrating column of air
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Sachs-Hornbostel System 20th C. European ethnomusicologists adopted
ancient Indian system as a scientific means ofclassifying exotic instruments Curt Sachs and Erich von Hornbostel
Four major categories: Idiophones Membranophones Chordophones Aerophones
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Idiophones An instrument whose
body vibrates toproduce sound is anidiophone
Ex: bells, shakers,gongs, xylophones, wood blocks
Can be plucked,struck, or shaken
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Membranophones Membranophones
have a vibratingmembrane, or skin,stretched over aframe
Differences based onbody shape, number of heads, and method ofstriking
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Aerophones Aerophones
produce soundthrough the directvibration of a columnof air
Flutes, reeds, andtrumpets
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Chordophones Chordophones
produce sound viaone or more stringsstretched betweentwo points
Lutes, zithers, lyres,and harps
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Local Systems Musicians devise systems that fulfill local
needs or reflect local ensembles, tuningsystems, etc.
Java: instruments grouped into loud and softplaying
Igbo (W. Africa): popularity/relative importance W.European: based on orchestra sections
(strings, brass, winds, percussion)