The orchestra I

1. Watch the video (3,17 min.) called "Instrument families" which makes a brief explanation about the orchestra. If you do not understand something, you can read the transcript of the video, where you can also look up the words you do not know in a dictionary by clicking on the word.

 

1. Instrument families:

 

0:00 - Instrument Families in the Orchestra (music).

 

0:27 - An orchestra is a group of musicians who play instruments. The orchestra has different groups or families that the instruments are divided into, these families include the strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion.

 

The string family gets his name from the vibrating strings which produce sound. The strings may be played with a bow or plucked to cause the vibration. Instruments on the string family include the bass, cello, viola, violin and harp.

 

0:57 - Listen! The String Family (music).

 

1:06 - The woodwind family contains instruments that all used to be made from wooden tubes, today some are made from metal. Woodwinds are played by blowing on a mouthpiece.

 

Instruments on the woodwind family include the bassoon, clarinet, oboe, flute and piccolo.

 

1:25 - Listen! The Woodwind Family (music).

 

1:35 - The brass family requires the player not only to blow into a mouthpiece but vibrate or buzz their lips as well. This family gets his name because all of the instruments are made of brass.

 

The brass family includes the tuba, trombone, horn and trumpet.

 

1:53 - Listen! The Brass Family (music).

 

2:02 - The percussion family includes all instruments that are played by striking, scraping or shaking. One musician may play multiple instruments in one piece of music. Instruments in the percussion family include the tambourine, bass drum, snare drum, timpani, xylophone, cymbal, gong, triangle, wood block and many others.

 

2:29 - Listen! The Percussion Family (music).

 

2:35 - These are the instrument families in the orchestra: strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion. When they all come together in the orchestra they can create a sound that is pretty amazing.

 

2:47 - Listen! The Orchestra (music).