Miss Harro Musical Instruments Subject Area: Music/Performing Arts Third Grade NEXT

Main Menu Click on an instrument to learn more about it! When you are finished, click “NEXT.” Piano Trombone Bass Clarinet Flute Trumpet Violin Drum NEXT

String Bass Member of the String family The largest and lowest-pitched string instrument; Played by plucking strings and/or with a bow Has four strings tuned in “fourths” (E1, A1, D2, and G2) Used in a range of genres, such as blues, rock and roll, jazz, and many types of folk music Return to Main Menu

Violin Member of the String family The smallest and highest-pitched string instrument; Most commonly played by drawing a bow across its strings Has four strings tuned in “perfect fifths” (G3, D4, A4, and E5) Most commonly used in Western, country, bluegrass, and folk music, where it is known as a “fiddle” Return to Main Menu

Piano Member of the Percussion family Complex instrument played using a keyboard, which is a row of keys that the performer strikes with his or her fingers on both hands Consists of a soundboard and a series of metal strings, which are sounded by a padded hammer when notes are struck Has a very wide range and the ability to play chords, or multiple notes at one time One of the Western world’s most familiar instruments; Used in almost all genres of music Return to Main Menu

Snare Drum Member of the Percussion family Made of two plastic heads and metal wires along the bottom head, called snares Known for its shallow, cylindrical shape and powerful, staccato sound when its top head is struck with drumsticks Used in concert bands, marching bands, parades, drum corps, and more Return to Main Menu

Trombone Member of the Brass family Sound is produced when the player vibrates his or her lips, causing the air column inside to vibrate Has a slide mechanism that alters the length of the instrument to change the pitch Derived from an Italian word meaning “large trumpet” Return to Main Menu

Trumpet Member of the Brass family Has the highest register in the Brass family, meaning it can produce the highest notes Played by blowing air through almost-closed lips, or “buzzing,” which starts a vibration inside its air column Used in popular music styles, such as jazz Return to Main Menu

Clarinet Member of the Woodwind family Has a single-reed mouthpiece, a cylindrical tube, and a flared bell Has the largest pitch range of all woodwind instruments, which is divided into 3 distinct registers Intricate key and finger pad organization Return to Main Menu

Flute Member of the Woodwind family Reedless; Sound is produced by the flow of air across an opening Most flutes are held sideways while played Most flutes are made of silver or wood A person who plays a flute is called a “flautist” Return to Main Menu

Comprehension Check Which complex musical instrument has a series of strings, a very wide range, and is used in a large variety of musical genres? A. Piano B. Violin C. FluteA. PianoB. ViolinC. Flute

A. Piano Correct! Although the piano is played by striking keys on a keyboard, the inside of this instrument is full of strings! The piano has the largest pitch range of all instruments. It is the most familiar instrument in the Western world, and is used in almost all musical genres. Great job! NEXT

B. Violin SO CLOSE! The violin is a member of the String family and has four strings, and it is used in a variety of musical genres However, its range is not as large as another instrument that you learned about. Try again! Return to Question

C. Flute GOOD TRY! The flute does have a sizeable range, and is used across many different cultures and musical genres. However, the flute does not have any strings. It is a member of the Woodwind family, and is played by blowing air through an opening on the end of the instrument. Try again! Return to Question

Congratulations! You have completed this lesson on musical instruments. Great work! Please click the “RETURN TO TITLE SLIDE” button so that the next user can start this lesson from the beginning. Return to Title Slide