The musical

instruments
Characteristics and classification
 Musical instruments are objects used to produce musical sounds

We classify musical instruments

by the way the instrument produces sound

This classification system is called Hornbostel-Sachs System

Hornbostel and Sachs made it possible to classify instruments from any culture

This system classify instruments into 5 main categories:

Idiophones, Membranophones, Chordophones, Aerophones, Electrophones

This system is a bit complex, it is easier to divide instruments into 5 families:

Percussions, Strings, Wind instruments, Keyboards, Electronic instruments
 We can differentiate between musical instruments by
the way they are played, the sound they make and the material they are made from

These characteristics make every instrument unique and suitable for different contexts
and musical genres

Each culture has its own typical instruments.

This defines the sounds of music around the world

We usually classify crafted instruments but the most common instrument is

The Human Voice

 Percussions / Percussive instruments

guiro
drums gong

We can play these instruments by hitting, shaking or scraping them

This category divides into: Idiophones and Membranophones

hang drum (or hand pan)

vibraphone
 Idiophones

maracas
xylophone
triangle (glockenspiel)

These instruments produce sound by vibration of the actual instrument

We can shake them, hit them or use other tools to play them (e.g. sticks)
 Membranophones

tabla bongos
snare drum

These instruments produce sound by vibration of a membrane

We can hit the membrane with our hands or with sticks or other tools
 Strings / Stringed instruments

classical guitar
cello
harp

These instruments produce sound by vibration of a string

We can play these instruments by plucking, bowing or strumming the strings

These instruments are also called chordophones

banjo

violin

sitar
 Wind instruments

flute
clarinet

saxophone

These instruments produce sound by vibration caused by airflow

We can play these instruments by blowing into them or buzzing into a mouthpiece

These instruments are also called aerophones

 Woodwind instruments

bassoon

oboe recorder

These instruments produce sound by blowing into a hole or a reed

These instruments are usually made of wood

 Brass instruments

french horn
trombone

tuba

These instruments produce sound by blowing into a mouthpiece

These instruments are usually made of brass

 ocarina
bagpipes

panflute
 Keyboards

accordion
organ piano

These instruments produce sound by hitting/pressing a key

These instruments also use air (organ) or strings (piano), so it is difficult to classify them

The main characteristic, as we said, is the use of keys

 harpsichord
electric piano
 Electronic instruments

synthesizer
theremin

drum machine

These instruments produce sound using electricity

These instruments are modern and in continuous evolution

These instruments are also called electrophones

 The Orchestra
An orchestra is a large group of musicians playing together on various instruments.
There could be 15 to 100 instrumentalists, depending on the music to be played.

Instruments improved and new ones were added and, by about 1830, the modern
symphony orchestra was more or less established.