Amanda Ball

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Instrument Families

• Amanda Ball
• Kindergarten

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• Just like us, instruments have families.
• Each instrument has things in common with the
  other instruments in its family. Just like you
  and your family!

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• Instruments in the same family often have these
  things in common
• how they are constructed
• how they are played
• how they make their sounds

Ready to learn more?
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The String Family
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Parts of String Instruments

• Long neck
• Strings stretched from the neck to the bottom
• Hollow body
• Bow

cello
violin
viola
String bass
The different string instruments
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• You can play the strings by plucking or tapping
  them.
• You can use a bow and rub it across the strings

OR
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• What is a bow?
• A bow is a lot of little threads that are close
  together and strung really tight.
• Really good bows are made of horse hair!

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• When you touch a string, the hollow body makes
  the sound echo. This creates beautiful music!

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Which of these instruments is a member of the
string family?
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Im sorry, thats wrong. Click here to review the
information.
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Strings Review

• Strings that go from the top of the instrument
  to the bottom
• You play it with a bow or your fingers
• A bow is moved across the strings to make noise
• String instruments have very long necks

Now that youve reviewed, Click here to try the
question again
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Great Job!!!
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The Woodwind Family
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Wood

• All of the instruments in this family used to be
  made out of wood.
• Today, some are made out of metal

Saxophone
Flute
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Wind

• Wind is the air you blow through the instrument
  to make the sound
• All woodwind instruments make their sound when
  you blow air into them

Not this wind!!
Thats more like it!!!
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How does it work?

• Woodwind instruments have a lot of holes!
• There are keys that can cover up the holes
• Holding down different keys makes different notes!

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Woodwind Family Portrait
flute
clarinet
oboe
bassoon
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Which is NOT a member of the woodwind family?
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Im sorry, thats wrong. Click here to review the
information.
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Woodwind Review
The answer you chose WAS a woodwind because it
had Many keys A mouthpiece that you blow air
into Some woodwinds have reeds on the mouthpiece
Reeds are little pieces of wood If an instrument
has a reed than it must be a woodwind
Now that youve reviewed, Click here to try the
question again
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Great Job!!!
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The Brass Family
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• You guessed it! Brass instruments really are made
  of brass.
• The Brass family is a VERY LOUD family!

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• Brass instruments are basically long tubes that
  have a large end called a bell.
• The tubes are curved so it is easier to play the
  instrument.
• To play a note you buzz air into the mouthpiece
  and push down on the valves.

mouthpiece
valves
bell
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How long are they uncurled?
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Trumpet
6 feet of tube Thats like
2 baseball bats
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Trombone
9 feet of tube! Thats like
3 baseball bats
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French Horn
12 feet of tube! Thats like
4 baseball bats
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Tuba
15 feet of tube! Thats like
5 baseball bats
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The Percussion Family
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This family is HUGE!

• If you have ever thought you were very different
  from the rest of your family, then the percussion
  family is for you!
• Can you believe that these are in the same family?

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So what DO they have in common?

• Percussion instruments are played by either
• -hitting
• -scraping
• -shaking
• Raise your hand if you can think of an example!

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Tuned and Untuned
Tuned percussion instruments can play pitches
just like the strings, brass and woodwind
families. Untuned instruments do not play
certain pitches.
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Tuned Instruments
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Untuned Instruments
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Useful Sites

• www.dsokids.com
• Good site for children especially those with
  knowledge of music already, teacher and kids
  section, teacher section includes lesson plans
  and other resources
• www.sfskids.com
• -really good site to help kids learn music
  basics