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INSTRUMENTS OF THE ORCHESTRA
VOCABULARY Study Guide!
Term
Family
Definition
ARCO
String
When the bow is used
to play the violin, viola,
cello or bass
BASS
String
BASSOON
Woodwind
BOW
String
BOWHAIR
String
BUZZ
Brass
The largest instrument
of the string family;
must STAND to play. It
is different because the
strings are tuned four
pitches/notes apart.
A double reed
instrument in the
woodwind family. It is
the largest member of
the woodwind family
and is brown with silver
keys.
The bow is used to
create sound on
stringed instruments.
The parts include the
frog, bow stick and bow
hair.
The hair on the string
instrument bow; it is
typically made of horse
hair.
The sound that a brass
player’s mouth must
make in order to cause
a sound and vibration.
CELLO
String
The cello is larger than
the viola and violin; it is
played sitting down. An
end pin helps to balance
it. The pitches of the
strings are five notes
apart.
Picture
CLARINET
Woodwind
Black in color with
silver key; uses a single
reed. Sound is made
using the player’s air
and the movement of
the reed
CRASH CYMBALS
Percussion
DRUM KIT
Percussion
DRUMSTICKS
Percussion
EMBOUCHURE
Brass
Woodwind
FLUTE
Woodwind
Unpitched percussion;
Set of cymbals crashed
together to make a loud
sound; Sound is created
by a STRIKE!
Unpitched percussion;
Hi-hat, snare drum,
bass drum, floor tom, hi
toms and suspended
cymbal. Sound is
created by a STRIKE!
Sticks used to strike
percussion instruments
including drumset,
snare drum and toms
Mouth shape needed to
play woodwind and
brass instruments.
High in pitch, smallest
member of the
woodwind family; no
reed. Vibration &
sound made using the
player’s air
FORTE
Dynamics
Loud
FORTISSIMO
Dynamics
Very Loud
FRENCH HORN
Brass
GONG
Percussion
Brass instrument
somewhat larger than a
trumpet so it’s pitched
lower, originally used
for hunting.
Unpitched percussion
instrument; Gong is hit
using a mallet to make a
loud sound; Sound is
created by a STRIKE!
HARP
String
The harp has 47
different strings.
The player strums the
strings to change the
sound. The pedals at
the bottom of the
instrument are used to
change the pitch up or
down
Playing in a long,
smooth connected style.
Sticks used to play
marimba, gong,
xylophone, timpani,
LEGATO
MALLETS
Style of
Performance
Percussion
MEZZOPIANO
Dynamics
Medium Soft
MEZZOFORTE
Dynamics
Medium Loud
MARACAS
Percussion
Percussion instrument,
sound created by shake
MOUTHPIECE
Brass
Woodwind
OBOE
Woodwind
PIANO
Percussion
PIZZICATO
String
Device used to create
sound for both
woodwind and brass
family instruments.
Black and silver in
color; double reed
Sound is made using the
player’s air and the
movement of the reed
Pitched percussion
instrument; Pressing
keys of instrument
causes hammers to
release and strike
strings, creating sound
Style of playing for
string instruments
where the bow is not
used, and the strings
are plucked
REED
Woodwind
A single reed is 1 piece
of wood used to create
sound (clarinets and
saxophones); a double
reed is 2 pieces of wood
tied together , used to
SAXOPHONE
Woodwind
SNARE DRUM
Percussion
STACCATO
Style of
Performance
Percussion
TAMBOURINE
TEMPO
TIMPANI
Style of
Performance
Percussion
TRIANGLE
Percussion
TROMBONE
Brass
TRUMPET
Brass
create sound with
instruments (oboes and
bassoons
Not typically used in
mot orchestras, this
instrument is different
from other woodwinds
because it is made of
metal.
Unpitched drum with
20 metal wires called
snares on the bottom.
Sound is made when
the instrument is
STRUCK!
Short, separate style of
playing music
Unpitched instrument
that can produce sound
by being SHAKEN or
STRUCK!
Speed of the music
Pitched percussion
instrument; the sound
of the timpani can be
changed by using foot
pedals.
Unpitched percussion
instrument; Sound is
produced by being
STRUCK!
The trombone is a brass
instrument with a
unique feature. Rather
than valves or keys that
are pushed with the
fingertips, the
trombone uses a slide
to change pitches.
The trumpet is the
smallest and highest
member of the brass
family. It has 3 valves.
TUBA
Brass
VIOLA
String
VIOLIN
String
XYLOPHONE
Percussion
They tuba is the largest
and lowest instruments
of the brass family. It
changes pitch by the
players mouth or
embouchure. The tuba
has 3 valves.
The viola is just larger
than the violin and
therefore just a little bit
lower in pitch.
The viola is played
sitting down or
standing up, and is
played just off of the
musician’s left shoulder
and chin.
The violin is the
smallest member of the
string family, and the
therefore the highest in
pitch. The violin is
played sitting down or
standing up, and is
played just off of the
musician’s left shoulder
and chin
Pitched percussion
instrument, keys are
made of metal and set
up similar to a piano.
The Orchestra: A Seating Guide