Instrument Families String Family The Violin Highest sounding

Instrument Families

String Family • The Violin – Highest sounding from all of the string instruments – Has the strings E, A, D, G – Is played by plucking the string with the finger, or using a bow across the strings – The violin reads treble clef

• The Viola – Bigger in size than the violin – Has a lower string, C – Unlike the violin, it does not have an E string – Viola reads alto clef

• The Cello – Strings are tuned just like the viola, but one octave lower – Has an end-pin on which it stands on the floor – Deeper sounding than the violin and viola – Reads bass clef

• The Bass – Lowest sounding of all the string instruments – Tuned like the violin, but the sound of the strings are opposite (E is the lowest string, G is the highest string) – Performers stand up or sit on a stool – Like the cello, the bass reads bass clef

Woodwind Family • The Flute – A reed-less wind instrument – Sound is produced by the flow of air across the embouchure – It is held to the performers right, parallel with the ground

• The Clarinet – Comes in a dozen sizes – Is a single reed instrument – The most common is the B-flat soprano clarinet

• The Saxophone – A single reed instrument – Invented by Adolphe Sax in 1841 – The E-flat soprano sax and the B-flat tenor sax are the most common ones – Particularly associated with jazz music

• The Oboe – A double reed instrument – A large range of timbre and dynamics can be produced – The oboe tunes the orchestra, giving the musicians the reference pitch of concert A

• The Bassoon – A double reed instrument – Generally plays in the bass and tenor registers – Has a warm and dark sound