ORCHESTRAL FAMILIES

RUBBED STRING (CUERDA FROTADA)

VIOLIN

-Smallest and highest member of the

string family

-It is played under the musician's chin

-It has four strings

-The concertmaster is the lead violinist

that acts as the leader of the orchestra

VIOLA

-String instrument a bit bigger than the

violin

-It is played under the musician's chin

-It has four strings

-The sound is often compared to the

human voice

CELLO

-Second lowest orchestra string

instrument

-It is played between musician's

knees. Rests on the ground when
played.

-It has four strings

DOUBLE BASS

-Biggest and lowest string family

instrument

-It is played stands up

-A full-size bass is 190 centimetres tall

-It has four strings

This family is the largest of the orchesta

These instruments are made from wood
All these instruments are rubbed with a bow
PLUCKED STRING (CUERDA PULSADA)
The string of these instruments are plucked with the fingers

-It belongs to plucked string family.

-An orchestral harp weighs over 40

kg

-The harp has 47 strings (do=red;

fa=purple; White= the other ones)

-It has 7 pedals which tighten the

strings to change the pitch and
produce alters.

-It belongs to plucked string family.

-It no so usual as orchestral

instrument

-The guitar has 6 string made of

metal and nylon
STRUCK STRING (CUERDA PERCUTIDA)

-The mechanism of the piano

is made up of a series of
hammers that are activated by
pressing the keys.

- It has 88 keys. The 52 half

notes produce the natural
sounds and the 36 the altered
ones (sharps and flats).

-It has three pedals:

the right one lengthens the

sound of the notes

the middle one makes it more

piano and

the left one cuts it.

WIND FAMILY

WOODWIND (VIENTO –MADERA)

FLUTE-PICCOLO

-It is the oldest instrument (over

40,000 years old)

-Woodwind family instrument, but

usually it is made of metal.

-The musician vibrates breath to

creates the sound

-It has a little hole as a mouthpiece

-It has a mechanism of keys

(llaves) to produce different
sounds

-Other membres of his family is:

the piccolo

CLARINET-BASS CLARINET

-Woodwind family instrument

-It has a single reed that vibrates

to make the sound

-It has a mechanism of keys

(llaves) to produce different
sounds

-Used commonly in both

orchestras and jazz ensembles

-Other membres of his family are:

bass clarinet
and requinto
OBOE- ENGLISH HORN

-Woodwind family instrument

-It has a double reed, two pieces

of Wood, that vibrate to make the
sound

-It has a mechanism of keys

(llaves) to produce different
sounds

-Plays the "tuning A" to help

musicians tune (afinar) before a
concert

-Other membres of his family is:

the english horn

BASSOON-DOUBLE BASSOON

-Lowest member of the woodwind

family

-It has a double reed, two pieces

of Wood, that vibrate to make the
sound

-It has a mechanism of keys

(llaves) to produce different
sounds

-The body would be over 2,5 etres

feet long

-Other membres of his family is:

the double basson

WIND FAMILY

BRASS (VIENTO –METAL)

TRUMPET

Highestest member of the brass

family

It has a conical tube of 180 cm

(that's as tall as a double bass!)

The trumpet only has 3 valves

but you can play 45 different
notes using these valves

It is used as an melodic
instrument

HORN

It has the biggest note range of

any brass instrument.

It has a conical tube of 3 metres

of tube and three valves to
produce the sounds

Earliest types of horns were

used by hunters and warriors

It is used as an
accompainement instrument
TROMBONE

This brass instrument uses 3,5

m. of tube

The trombone uses the slide to

change its pitch. It doesn't have
valves like other brass
instruments.

It is used as an
accompainement instrument

TUBA

Lowest member of the brass

family

It wasn't invented until 1835

This brass instrument uses 5,5

metres of tube and four valves
to produce the sounds

It is used as an
accompainement instrument.

-Brass instruments are used in many ensembles: orchestra, concert band, jazz
bands,…

-All brass family instruments has conical tube ended with bell shape.

The mouthpiece of these instruments has funnel shape.