 Saxophone -like the string bass and contrabassoon, it furnishes
-this wind instrument has a single reed that combines
the reed mouthpiece of a clarinet with a curved conical
metal tube.
-It blends well with either woodwind or brass
THE BRASSES
-have been regularly used in many countries.
-consist of the: trumpet, horn, trombone, & tuba
-are indispensable for their ability to play very loudly,
for melody, for sustaining harmony, for rhythmic accent
and fro the flamelike sonority they contribute to the
climaxes.
-have cup-shaped mouth-pieces (except for the horn,
whose mouthpiece is shaped like a funnel)
-a player sounds a brass instrument by blowing into the
mouthpiece, varying the note by altering the tension of
his lips. This allows him to blow a series of notes but not
a complete scale.
 Trumpet
-possesses a firm and brilliant timbre that lends
radiance to the orchestral mass.
-because of its military history, it is often associated
with martial pomp and vigor or battle calls.
-played softly, the instrument commands a lovely
round tone.
-the muted sound, which is made by inserting the
mute, a pear-shaped device of metal or cardboard
in the bell, is much used.
 Horn
-generally called the French horn
-is a versatile instrument; as a solo instrument, it is
very satisfactory because it has a wide range and
can be loud or soft, lyrical or dramatic.
-normally has a smooth, mellow tone, but can be
made to sound very brassy.
-the timbre of the horn blends equally well with
woodwinds, brass & strings, for which reason it
serves as the connecting link among them.
-has the ability to project sounds across great
distances
-by playing a mute or by putting a hand into the
bell, the performer can get a muted sound, a poetic
faraway sound which is haunting.
-by pushing one’s hand far into the bell and blowing
with greater force, one can produce an extremely
brassy, almost threatening sound.
 Trombone
- in Italian means “large instrument”
-are of 2 kinds: tenor & base
-the 2 are alike in construction but the bass
trombone has a lower range.
-its tone is rich and mellow
-it can play softly, but it is more often used to
achieve effect of nobility & grandeur
 Tuba
- is the bass of the brass choir
the foundation for the harmonic fabric.
-its sound is rather like the bass trombone, but
fuller, richer and more powerful.
 Cornet
- is a brass-wind musical instrument of the trumpet
family, consisting a long looped tube, 9 ft. long.
-it is used in orchestras, bands and brass bands.
-is larger than the trumpet
-has a shorter body and possesses greater agility
-the tone is rounder but less brilliant than that of
the trumpet
THE PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS
-percussion section comprises a variety of
instruments that are made to sound by hitting them
with special sticks, or by striking or shaking their
parts together.
-some are made of metal or wood
-Drums-vibration is set up by striking a stretched
skin.
-The percussion instruments fall into 2 categories
 Definite pitch are:
1. Kettledrums or Timpani
– which is used in sets of 2 or 3.
- It is a hemisphere copper shell, across which a
stretched “head” of calfskin is held in place by a
metal ring.
- The instrument is played with 2 padded sticks,
which may either be soft or hard.
- Its dynamic range extends from a mysterious
rumble to a thunderous roll.
2. Glockenspiel (German for a set of balls)
- consists of a series of horizontal tuned plates of
various sizes, made of steel.
-the player strikes these with mallets, producing
bright metallic sounds
-usually cover about 2 octaves
3. Xylophone
- consists of tuned blocks of wood which produce a
dry, crisp timbre when struck.
- expert xylophone players attain dazzling speed and
accuracy.
4. Marimba
- a xylophone of African and South American origin,
is associated with dance music.
- it is simply a xylophone with a resonator.
-small tubes suspended under the wooden bass
resonate the sound of the vibrating wood
 Indefinite pitch are:
(Snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, gong, triangle and etc.)
1. Snare Drum
- is the small drum in the orchestra
- it has a drumhead stretched across each end
2. Chimes
- consist of a set of tuned metal tubes of various
lengths attached to a frame and struck with a
hammer.
-they have a broad dynamic range, from a metallic
tinkle to sonorous clang
-are frequently called upon to stimulate church
bells.
3. Harp
-is said to be one of the oldest musical instruments
-its earliest form appeared in the Babylonian
inscriptions several thousand years ago.
-this instrument is almost extinct today
-it survives in the modern orchestra, as a supporting
instrument most of the time
-its strings are played by plucking, producing a
crystalline tone that blends well with the orchestral
timbres.
-the pedals are used to shorten the strings, thereby
raising the pitch
-chords on the harp are frequently played in broken
form; that is, the tones are sounded one after
another instead of simultaneously.

KEYBOARD INSTRUMENTS
-these instruments are operated by means of a
keyboard which consists of a series of black and
white keys.
-produce tones in a variety of ways
-when a performer depresses a key, a tone sounds
-normally included with the percussion group, they
constitute a special set which may be considered
separately.
- Piano, celesta, harpsichord & organ are all
keyboard instruments of definite pitch but each has
physical properties quite different from the others