The principle of the game on which, of course, is carried out:
- sound production by blowing air flow and the position of the musician’s lips,
- regulating the strength and tone of the sound according to the strength and length of the air flow issued.
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The name “copper” historically goes back to the material from which these instruments were made; in our time, in addition to copper, brass is often used for their manufacture, less often silver, or the material of manufacture is covered with a silver film (silver plated). Some of the medieval and baroque instruments with a similar method of sound production (for example, the serpent) were made of wood, but covered with sheet copper.
Brass instruments include modern ones: horn, trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn, trombone, tuba. A separate group consists of saxhorns. Ancient brass instruments: sakbut (predecessor of the modern trombone), serpent, etc. Some are also brass folk instruments, for example, Central Asian karnai.
History of copper instruments
The art of blowing the hollow horn of an animal or a shell was known already in ancient times. Subsequently, people learned to make special instruments from metal, similar to horns and intended for military, hunting and religious purposes.
The ancestors of modern brass instruments were hunting horns, military signal trumpets, postal horns and ancient Greek fanfares (the pioneer bugle may also be mentioned). These instruments, which did not have a valve mechanism, produced several sounds of a natural scale, extracted only with the help of the performer’s lips. From here came military and hunting fanfares and signals based on the sounds of a natural scale, which became firmly established in musical practice.
With the improvement of metal processing technology and the production of metal products, it became possible to produce pipes for wind instruments of certain dimensions and the required degree of finishing. As copper wind trumpets improved and the art of producing a significant number of natural scale sounds on them developed, the concept of natural instruments , that is, instruments without a mechanism, capable of producing only a natural scale.
IN early XIX century, a valve mechanism was invented, which dramatically changed the performance technique and increased the capabilities of brass instruments.
Classification of copper instruments
Copper wind instruments are divided into several families:
Nowadays, with the revival of interest in ancient music, performance on natural and valve instruments is once again becoming a practice.
Brass instruments can also be classified according to their acoustic properties:
- Full - instruments on which you can extract the fundamental tone of the harmonic scale.
- Half - instruments on which the fundamental tone cannot be extracted, and the scale begins with the second harmonic consonance.
The use of brass instruments in music
Brass wind instruments are widely used in various musical genres and compositions. As part of a symphony orchestra, they form one of its main groups. Standard composition of a group of brass instruments in symphony orchestra includes:
- Horns (an even number from two to eight, most often four)
- Pipes (from two to five, most often two or three)
- Trombones (usually three: two tenors and one bass)
- Tuba (usually one)
In 19th-century scores, cornets were also often included in the symphony orchestra, but with the development of performance technology, their parts began to be played on trumpets. Other brass instruments appear in the orchestra only sporadically.
Brass instruments are the basis of the brass orchestra, which, in addition to the above instruments, also includes saxhorns different sizes.
Solo musical compositions for brass instruments are quite numerous - virtuoso performers on natural trumpets and horns already existed in the early Baroque era, and composers willingly created their works for them. After a slight decline in interest in wind instruments during the era of romanticism, in the 20th century there was a discovery of new performing capabilities of brass instruments and a significant expansion of their repertoire.
In chamber ensembles, brass instruments are used relatively rarely, but they can themselves be combined into ensembles, of which the most common is the brass quintet (two trumpets, horn, trombone, tuba).
Trumpets and trombones play an important role in jazz and a number of other genres of modern music.
Music surrounds us since childhood. And then we have the first musical instruments. Do you remember your first drum or tambourine? And what about the shiny metallophone, the records of which had to be struck with a wooden stick? What about pipes with holes in the side? With some skill it was even possible to play simple melodies on them.
Toy instruments are the first step into the world of real music. Nowadays you can buy a variety of musical toys: from simple drums and harmonicas to almost real pianos and synthesizers. Do you think these are just toys? Not at all: in preparatory classes music schools Whole noise orchestras are made from such toys, in which kids selflessly blow pipes, knock on drums and tambourines, spur the rhythm with maracas and play their first songs on the xylophone... And this is their first real step into the world of music.
Types of musical instruments
The world of music has its own order and classification. Tools are divided into large groups: strings, keyboards, percussion, winds, and also reed. Which of them appeared earlier and which later is now difficult to say for sure. But already the ancient people who shot from a bow noticed that a tense bowstring sounds, reed tubes, when blown into them, make whistling sounds, and it is convenient to beat the rhythm on any surface with all available means. These objects became the progenitors of strings, winds and percussion instruments, already known in Ancient Greece. Reed ones appeared just as long ago, but keyboards were invented a little later. Let's look at these main groups.
Brass
In wind instruments, sound is produced by vibrations of a column of air enclosed inside a tube. The greater the volume of air, the lower the sound it produces.
Wind instruments are divided into two large groups: wooden And copper. Wooden - flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, alpine horn... - are a straight tube with side holes. By closing or opening the holes with their fingers, the musician can shorten the column of air and change the pitch of the sound. Modern instruments often made from materials other than wood, but traditionally they are called wooden.
Copper wind instruments set the tone for any orchestra, from brass to symphony. Trumpet, horn, trombone, tuba, helicon, a whole family of saxhorns (baritone, tenor, alto) are typical representatives of this very loud group tools. Later, the saxophone appeared - the king of jazz.
The pitch of the sound in brass instruments changes due to the force of the air blown and the position of the lips. Without additional valves, such a pipe can produce only a limited number of sounds - a natural scale. To expand the range of sound and the ability to reach all sounds, a system of valves was invented - valves that change the height of the air column (like side holes on wooden ones). Too long copper pipes, unlike wooden ones, can be rolled up, giving them a more compact shape. Horn, tuba, helicon are examples of rolled pipes.
Strings
The bow string can be considered a prototype string instruments- one of the most important groups of any orchestra. The sound here is produced by a vibrating string. To amplify the sound, strings began to be pulled over a hollow body - this is how the lute and mandolin, cymbals, harp were born... and the guitar that we know well.
The string group is divided into two main subgroups: bowed And plucked tools. Bowed violins include all types of violins: violins, violas, cellos and huge double basses. The sound is extracted from them with a bow, which is moved along stretched strings. But for plucked bows, a bow is not needed: the musician plucks the string with his fingers, causing it to vibrate. Guitar, balalaika, lute are plucked instruments. Just like the beautiful harp, which makes such gentle cooing sounds. But the double bass is bowed or plucked instrument? Formally, it belongs to the bowed instrument, but often, especially in jazz, it is played with plucked strings.
Keyboards
If the fingers striking the strings are replaced with hammers, and the hammers are set in motion using keys, the result will be keyboards tools. The first keyboards - clavichords and harpsichords- appeared in the Middle Ages. They sounded quite quietly, but very tender and romantic. And at the beginning of the 18th century they invented piano- an instrument that could be played both loudly (forte) and quietly (piano). Long name usually shortened to the more familiar "piano". The older brother of the piano - what's up, the brother is the king! - that’s what it’s called: piano. This is no longer an instrument for small apartments, but for concert halls.
The keyboard includes the largest one - and one of the most ancient! - musical instruments: organ. This is no longer a percussion keyboard, like a piano and grand piano, but keyboard and wind instrument: not the musician's lungs, but a blowing machine that creates a flow of air into a system of tubes. This huge system is controlled by a complex control panel, which has everything: from a manual (that is, manual) keyboard to pedals and register switches. And how could it be otherwise: organs consist of tens of thousands of individual tubes of various sizes! But their range is enormous: each tube can sound only one note, but when there are thousands of them...
Drums
The oldest musical instruments were drums. It was the tapping of the rhythm that was the first prehistoric music. The sound can be produced by a stretched membrane (drum, tambourine, oriental darbuka...) or the body of the instrument itself: triangles, cymbals, gongs, castanets and other knockers and rattles. Special group consists of percussion instruments that produce a sound of a certain pitch: timpani, bells, xylophones. You can already play a melody on them. Percussion ensembles consisting only of percussion instruments stage entire concerts!
Reed
Is there any other way to extract sound? Can. If one end of a plate made of wood or metal is fixed, and the other is left free and forced to vibrate, then we get the simplest reed - the basis of reed instruments. If there is only one tongue, we get Jew's harp. Reeds include harmonicas, button accordions, accordions and their miniature model - harmonica.
harmonica
You can see keys on the button accordion and accordion, so they are considered both keyboard and reed. Some wind instruments are also reeded: for example, in the already familiar clarinet and bassoon, the reed is hidden inside the pipe. Therefore, the division of tools into these types is arbitrary: there are many tools mixed type.
In the 20th century, the friendly musical family was replenished with another large family: electronic instruments . The sound in them is created artificially using electronic circuits, and the first example was the legendary theremin, created back in 1919. Electronic synthesizers can imitate the sound of any instrument and even... play it themselves. If, of course, someone draws up a program. :)
Dividing instruments into these groups is just one way of classification. There are many others: for example, the Chinese grouped tools depending on the material from which they were made: wood, metal, silk and even stone... Methods of classification are not so important. It is much more important to be able to recognize instruments both by appearance and sound. This is what we will learn.
What are wind instruments?
According to the existing classification, wind instruments are divided into copper and wood. The main difference between them is the features of sound production. In woodwinds, the sound depends on the vibrations of air entering a hollow tube with a reed. The pitch of the sound is adjusted by opening or closing the holes. For brass instruments, the sound is supplied by the performer through a mouthpiece, and is controlled by a system of special valves. Wooden instruments include flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon and saxophone.
The brass group includes horn, cornet, trombone, trumpet and tuba. Throughout history, wind instruments have been modified until they became modern forms. In this regard, the existing division into wooden and copper groups has no basis other than sound production. For example, now almost all flutes and saxophones are made of metal, and oboes and clarinets often have plastic parts.
Place in the orchestra
Each group of wind instruments has its own purpose. In orchestral composition they most often act as accompanists. Their musical parts support, enhance and add variety to the sound of both the strings and the entire orchestra. However, as with any rule, there are exceptions.
In the classics you can hear solo parts of the flute, oboe or clarinet. And in jazz, the saxophone and trumpet are recognized soloists. In an orchestra, brass instruments are placed in the background, next to the drums, so that the strength of their sound does not drown out the rest of the instruments. And the woodwinds are located immediately behind the string instruments.
The most famous wind instrument
Of course it's a flute. Translated from Italian, “flute” means “blow,” and this definition perfectly suits its melodic singing, with a slight whistle. The history of the flute goes back thousands of years, and the ancestor of the instrument was most likely an ordinary whistle. Already in Ancient Egypt the flute has found almost modern look: wooden, ornate and, interestingly, with a chamfer (a beveled edge into which the air hits). At the same time, two main types of instruments began to be distinguished: straight (block flute) and transverse. Perhaps no other wind instrument has such a variety of types.
Here are just a few of them: ocarina (clay whistle flute), pan flute (flute with several pipes), svirel (Russian flute with two pipes), duduk (Armenian flute with a double reed), whistle (Celtic longitudinal flute).
Sound! It is difficult to imagine music without wind instruments. They give a piece of music power and soulfulness of sound, the ability to display the slightest nuances of mood. And if the roar of trumpets can deafen, then the quiet melody of a flute will make anyone listen.
French horn(from German Waldhorn - “forest horn”, Italian corno, English French horn, French cor) - a brass musical instrument of the bass-tenor register. Derived from a hunting signal horn, it entered the orchestra in the middle of the 17th century. Until the 1830s, like other brass instruments, it did not have valves and was a natural instrument with a limited scale (the so-called “natural horn”, which was used by Beethoven). The horn is used in symphony and brass orchestras, as well as as an ensemble and solo instrument. Currently, it is used mainly in F (in the Fa tuning), in brass bands also in Es (in the E-flat tuning). The actual sound range of the horn is from H1 (B counter octave) to f² (F second octave) with all intermediate sounds along the chromatic scale. Notes for the horn are written in treble clef a fifth higher than the actual sound and in the bass - a fourth lower than the actual sound (previously notated without key signs). The timbre of the instrument is somewhat rough in the lower register, soft and melodious on the piano, light and bright on the forte - in the middle and upper register.
The horn is good at playing long notes (including on the organ station) and melodies of wide breathing. The air consumption on this instrument is relatively small (not counting the extreme registers).
IN
Agner tuba(German Wagnertuba, English Wagner tuba, Italian Tuba wagneriana or Tuba di Wagner, French Tuba wagnerien; the name comes from the name of the composer Richard Wagner) - a brass musical instrument of the bass-tenor register, combining the design features of the horn and tuba . The name “Wagner tuba” is not entirely correct, since this instrument is closer in design to a horn, and moreover, it uses a horn mouthpiece, so in the vast majority of cases it is played by professional horn players. It is more correct to classify it as a type of horn. However, the existing name developed historically in several European languages. The sound of the Wagner tuba resembles a euphonium, so in the absence of this instrument in the orchestra, the euphonium often replaces it.The invention of this instrument is attributed to Richard Wagner, who first used it in his works. Presumably, the inventor of the saxophone, Adolf Sax, also took part in the design of the Wagner tuba. The Wagner tuba is used quite rarely by composers. Most famous musical works with the participation of this instrument - Richard Wagner’s tetralogy “Der Ring of the Nibelungen”, Anton Bruckner’s symphonies No. 7, 8 and 9, Igor Stravinsky’s ballet “Petrushka”, Richard Strauss’s operas “Electra” and “Woman without a Shadow”, as well as his “Home Symphony” .
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rub (natural), despite its centuries-old history, the instrument is very young. However, this is true! The trumpet is a child of technological progress, its production is associated with metal processing and the first instruments that can be called a trumpet appeared around 3600 BC - in the Bronze Age.Known are Egyptian trumpets from the reign of Pharaoh Tutankhamun (1500 BC), Roman trumpets: lur, cornu, lituus, buccina. Each round of progress was invariably reflected in the quality and shape of the manufactured pipes. The thickness of the metal sheet from which the tool was made changed, the quality of soldering joints improved, and the metal itself from which the pipe was made (bronze, silver, copper) also changed. Naturally, there was a variety of instrument forms. The main thing remained - the purpose of the pipe. For centuries it was used in the retinues of rulers and as a signaling instrument among troops.
Finally, to early XVII century, the pipe acquired different qualities and shape. This is how composers knew it, from Monteverdi and Purcell, to Mendelssohn and Berlioz. (The first mention of instrument makers, such as Schnitzer in Germany, dates back to approximately 1590.) Over the next two centuries, the shape of the pipe would change little. We now call this instrument a natural trumpet. The sounds on it are produced by blowing and built according to overtones. Due to the long length of the instrument, the bottom (pedal) note was located in a large octave, and scale-like passages could be used from the eighth overtone.
The “golden age” of the natural pipe was the 17th century. The natural trumpet shines in the works of such masters as G. Purcell, A. Scarlatti, A. Vivaldi, G.F. Telemann and reaches the heights in the music of G.F. Handel and J.S. Bach. The role of the trumpet in the music of that time is twofold. Firstly, the trumpet remains a signal instrument and a group of trumpets (usually three players) together with timpani create a festive, inviting sound. Secondly, composers use the upper register of the solo trumpet for moving phrases and jubilations (for example, in the sonatas of G. Purcell and A. Corelli, concertos by A. Vivaldi, G. F. Telemann, Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 by J. S. Bach) and they brilliantly combine it with a solo voice (six arias by A. Scarlatti, arias from cantatas by J. S. Bach and oratorios by G. F. Handel). The trumpet enters into competition with the voice on equal terms. Alas, such competitions were not always successful for trumpet players. Let us remember the film “Castrato Farinelli” about the famous virtuoso singer, where there is a scene in the market square when Farinelli enters into competition with the trumpeter and defeats him, turning out to be more virtuoso.
History has preserved for us the names of trumpeters of that time. This is Girolamo Fantini, the author of eight trumpet sonatas and “Modo per impare a sonare di tromba” - the first published school of trumpet playing, D. Shore, I. Clark, for whom G. Purcell and G.F. Handel, as well as Johann Gottfried Reiche from Leipzig - the first performer of the music of J.S. Bach. The end of the 18th century marks the beginning of the technical changes that brought the pipe to its current appearance and quality. Performers needed a chromatic instrument, and composers began to use more and more complex combinations of tonalities in their compositions. The first chromatic trumpet (reported on it dates back to 1793) had valves installed in the manner of flute and clarinet ones. Although this innovation was not further developed, since with open valves the trumpet lost sound, the valved trumpet was immortalized in the concerts of I. Haydn (1798) and I.N. Hummel (1803), commissioned by the Viennese trumpeter Anton Weidinger (1766-1852). These concerts are still the most popular in the trumpet players' repertoire. The experiments continued. Their practical meaning was to use some mechanisms to lengthen the instrument's tube, thus lowering the notes of the natural scale. Do not think that during these searches the natural pipe has lost its position. Chromatic instruments have so far been inferior to natural ones in sound quality, and composers have had to show miracles of ingenuity, finding more pauses to change pitches or, like G. Berlioz and the early R. Wagner, using four natural trumpets of different tunings in pairs.
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piccolo shirt, like the small D trumpet, it was invented at about the same time and for the same purpose - to perform early music. Its beautiful, sonorous timbre and wide range made it possible to revive many beautiful works by old masters.In 1884, the famous German trumpeter Julius Kozlek (1835-1905), after many experiments, designed a trumpet in A tuning with two valves, on which he could easily play the most difficult clarino parts. Moreover, using a mouthpiece with a deep cone-shaped cup, he achieved an unusually light and beautiful timbre of sound.
The piccolo trumpet has 4 valves and 4 additional crowns. The fourth valve is a quartet valve, that is, it lowers each natural sound by a quart. It serves to fill the zone from C to F of the first octave, as well as to build individual inaccurately intonated sounds. The instrument has an additional tube for tuning from B-flat to A.
Nowadays it is played with a smaller mouthpiece, which makes it easier to produce sounds in the upper register and clearer intonation.
The piccolo trumpet began to be used in orchestras in the 20th century (for example, Stravinsky in “Petrushka”, where there is a famous piccolo trumpet solo). And in solo practice when performing early music, the instrument is even more popular than the D trumpet.
Such wonderful trumpeters as Adolf Scherbaum, Ludwig Güttler, Maurice Andre, Wynton Marsalis, Hakan Hardenberger and many others played and still play small trumpets and piccolo trumpets.
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ruba(Italian tromba, French trompette, German Trompete, English trumpet) is a brass musical instrument of the alto-soprano register, the highest in sound among brass instruments. The natural trumpet has been used as a signaling instrument since ancient times, and became part of the orchestra around the 17th century. With the invention of the valve mechanism, the trumpet received a full chromatic scale and from the middle of the 19th century became a full-fledged instrument of classical music. The instrument has a bright, brilliant timbre, and is used as a solo instrument, in symphony and brass orchestras, as well as in jazz and other genres.Pipes are made of brass or copper, less often - of silver and other metals. Already in antiquity, there was a technology for making an instrument from one single sheet of metal.
At its core, a pipe is a long tube that is bent solely for compactness. It narrows slightly at the mouthpiece, widens at the bell, and in other areas has a cylindrical shape. It is this tube shape that gives the trumpet its bright timbre. When making a pipe, an extremely accurate calculation of both the length of the pipe itself and the degree of expansion of the bell is important - this radically affects the structure of the instrument.
The basic principle of playing the trumpet is to obtain harmonic consonances by changing the position of the lips and changing the length of the air column in the instrument, achieved using a valve mechanism. The trumpet uses three valves that reduce the sound by a tone, a semitone and a tone and a half. Simultaneously pressing two or three valves makes it possible to lower the overall scale of the instrument to three tones. Thus, the trumpet receives a chromatic scale.
On some types of trumpet (for example, the piccolo trumpet) there is also a fourth valve (quart valve), which lowers the tuning by a perfect fourth (five semitones).
The trumpet is a right-handed instrument: when playing, the valves are pressed with the right hand, the left hand supports the instrument.
TO
paw trombone differs from a regular trombone in that the pitch of notes is changed by three valves (a similar principle is used in the orchestral trumpet). These valves give the performer enough more freedom, but the sound of a valve trombone is inferior in brightness and richness to a regular trombone. Until the mid-20th century, valve trombones were widespread in dance ensembles and theater orchestras, but now they are mostly used in jazz music.TO
ornette(Italian cornetto - “horn”) or cornet-a-piston (French cornet à pistons - “horn with pistons”) - a brass wind musical instrument that resembles a trumpet, but has a wider and shorter tube and is equipped not with valves, but pistons. It originates from the postal horn. It was constructed in France around 1830.The volume of the actual sound of the cornet coincides with the range of the trumpet - from e (minor octave E) to c3 (up to the third octave). Used in B-flat (in B) and A (in A) tunings, notes are usually written without key marks, a tone or one and a half (depending on the tuning) higher than the actual sound.
In the 19th century, cornets were often introduced into the orchestra along with trumpets. Despite the fact that trumpets were already chromatic instruments, composers rarely trusted them with solo and virtuoso episodes. It was believed that the cornet has greater virtuoso capabilities and a softer timbre than the trumpet. Cornets were used in orchestral works by Berlioz (symphony “Harold in Italy”), Bizet (music for the drama “La Arlesienne”), Tchaikovsky (Italian Capriccio, “Francesca da Rimini”). One of the most famous solo numbers for the cornet is the Neapolitan Dance from Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake.
In the second half of the 19th century, the cornet was very popular. In 1869, a cornet class was opened at the Paris Conservatory; the founder and first professor was the famous virtuoso cornetist Jean Baptiste Arban.
In the 20th century, improvements in trumpet design and the skill of trumpet players virtually eliminated the problem of fluency and timbre, and cornets disappeared from the orchestra. Nowadays, orchestral parts of cornets are performed, as a rule, on trumpets, although sometimes an original instrument is used.
The cornet is an ordinary member of a brass band, where he performs the melodic voice. It was used in the early stages of jazz, but later gave way to the trumpet.
Currently, in addition to the brass band, the cornet is used as a teaching instrument and occasionally as a soloist.
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uba(Italian from Latin tuba - “trumpet”, English tuba, German Tuba, French tube) is a wide-bore brass musical instrument, the lowest in register. The modern model of the instrument was designed in the second quarter of the XIX century by Adolphe Sax. The tuba has a harsh, massive timbre; the sound of the tuba is difficult to intonate. It is used mainly in a symphony orchestra, where it plays the role of a bass instrument in a brass section. It is actively used in brass bands, relatively less often in various jazz and pop orchestras and ensembles. The tuba appears relatively rarely as a solo instrument.In a symphony orchestra, as a rule, one, less often two or three, tubas are used. The tuba usually plays the role of bass in a group of brass instruments. In the score, the tuba part is written below the other instruments of this group, often on the same line as the third trombone part.
Thanks to the valve mechanism, the tuba is a fairly technically flexible instrument (which does not apply, however, to the most extreme registers), however, in fast scale-like diatonic and chromatic passages, as well as in arpeggios, the intonation of the tuba becomes indistinct.
Staccato on the tuba sounds quite distinct, although somewhat heavy. It works better in forte than in piano.
Valve trills are used on the tuba; in addition, it is possible to extract several trills with the lips in the upper register.
Due to the rather impressive weight of the instrument, performers rarely play standing, using a support belt or, sometimes, a whole system of them. Usually playing the tuba while standing is a necessary measure caused by the fact that the orchestra plays in motion (on the march). In other situations when the orchestra plays standing, it is not uncommon for tuba players to remain seated: since they are usually placed in the farthest row of the orchestra, this does not spoil the appearance of the orchestra at the front.
A variety of mutes have been created for the tuba. But due to the “silent protest” that performers have to carry an already difficult instrument, musicians, for the most part, boycott the use of mutes.
E
electric guitar- a type of guitar with electric pickups that convert vibrations metal strings into electric current fluctuations. The signal from the pickups can be processed to produce various sound effects and then amplified for playback through speakers. The word “electric guitar” itself arose from the phrase “electric guitar,” but many people forget about this, mistakenly calling it “electronic guitar.”Some people think that electric guitars are made of plastic or metal, but in fact they are usually made of wood. The most common materials are alder, ash, mahogany (mahogany), maple. Rosewood, ebony and maple are used as fingerboards.
The most common are six-string electric guitars. The classic tuning of a six-string guitar is similar to that of an acoustic guitar: E B G D A E. Quite often the “dropped D” tuning is used, in which the bottom string is tuned to D (D) and lower tunings (Drop C, Drop B), which are used mainly by metal and alternative music guitarists. In seven-string electric guitars, most often the additional low string is tuned to B (B). Eight-string guitar - an electric guitar with an additional 7 and 8 strings for extreme heavy music. First made to order and used by the Swedish metal band Meshuggah. Thanks to the popularity of this group, the first mass-produced 8-string guitar, the Ibanez 2228, was released for fans of this type of music.
Typical, most popular and one of the oldest models of electric guitars are the Telecaster (released in 1951) and Stratocaster (1954) from Fender, as well as the Les Paul (1952) from Gibson. These guitars are considered reference guitars and have many copies and imitations produced by other companies. Many of today's large musical instrument companies started out producing only copies of the popular Fender and Gibson models. However, subsequently such companies as Rickenbacker, Ibanez, Jackson, Yamaha, Hamer (English), B.C. Rich, ESP, Schecter and others have released their own ranges of instruments that have become very popular in the world.
B
ac guitar- a plucked string musical instrument designed for playing in the bass range. Used in many musical styles and genres as an accompanying and, less often, solo instrument. Since its appearance in the middle of the 20th century, it has become one of the most common bass instruments.The bass guitar part in a piece of music is called a bass line or bassline, and the player who plays the bass guitar is called a bass guitarist or bass player.
The main area of application of the bass guitar is modern popular and jazz music, in classical music The bass guitar is used less frequently than the regular six-string guitar. The role of the bass guitar in an ensemble also differs from the role of a regular guitar - the bass guitar is more often used for accompaniment and rhythmic support than as a solo instrument.
The bass guitar sounds an octave lower than usual. It is completely symmetrical (that is, each subsequent open string is tuned a fourth lower than the previous one), so the standard tuning of a bass guitar is the same as the tuning of the four bass strings of a regular guitar, only an octave lower (the tuning of the bass guitar is the same as the tuning of the double bass). The range of an ordinary four-string bass guitar in classical tuning is just over three octaves - from E counter octave to G first octave.
Unlike other types of guitars, the bass guitar has the following design features, due to the need to obtain a lower sound range:
Large sizes;
Increased scale length (864 mm (34") versus 650 mm for a classical guitar);
Thicker strings;
Reduced number of strings (4-string bass guitars are the most common).
Historically, the bass guitar first appeared in the form of an electric bass and only then was an acoustic version created, in contrast to the guitar, where everything was the other way around - first the emergence of an acoustic guitar, and then its transformation into an electric guitar.
AND
The instrument, which originates from the ancient zither, appears before us in one of the most skillful professional incarnations.Hungarian dulcimer to this day they are found mainly in Hungarian gypsy ensembles, where they are masterfully played by musicians dressed in national costumes.
IN late XIX century, when the concert version of the Hungarian dulcimer appeared, the instrument was still considered ethnic, folk, despite the fact that maestro Franz Liszt turned to it.
The situation was changed by outstanding representatives of the Hungarian school of composition Béla Bartók and Zenon Kodály. Later they were joined by Igor Stravinsky, who never missed an opportunity to experiment with any new sound. The individual timbre and style of the Hungarian dulcimer embellished and diversified the musical fabric of his composition Tale about a Fox.
C
itra(German: Zither) is a plucked string musical instrument that became most widespread in Austria and Germany in the 18th century. It has a flat wooden body of irregular shape, on top of which are stretched from 30 to 45 strings (depending on the size of the instrument). Several strings closest to the performer (usually 4-5), stretched over a fingerboard with metal frets, are plucked on the thumb right hand plectrum, a melody is played on them. The remaining strings serve as chord accompaniment and are played with the remaining fingers.Highlight various types zither: treble zither, bass zither, concert zither, etc. The total volume of the group is from G counteroctave to D fourth octave. In orchestral works, the zither most often plays solo.
The zither is famous in Western Europe from the end of the 18th century, appeared in Russia in the second half of the 19th century. Similar instruments of ancient origin are found among many peoples. Thus, zithers were common in China and the Middle East.
TO
oto(Japanese 琴) or Japanese zither is a Japanese plucked musical instrument. The koto, along with the hayashi and shakuhachi flutes, the tsuzumi drum and the shamisen lute, is a traditional Japanese musical instrument.Similar instruments are characteristic of the culture of Korea (kayageum) and China (qixianqin).
The history of the koto as a Japanese musical instrument dates back more than a thousand years. It was introduced to Japan from China during the Nara period (710-793 CE) as an instrument for the palace orchestra and was used in gagaku (雅楽) music. Koto reached its peak in the Heian era, as an invariable attribute of aristocratic education and pastime. One of the most famous pieces written specifically for koto is the composition “Rokudan no Shirabe” (六段の調べ, “Music of the Six Steps”) created in the 17th century by the blind master Yatsuhashi Kengyo.
The koto is played using false nail picks (kotozume, Japanese 琴爪), placed on the thumb, index and middle fingers of the right hand. Modes and keys are adjusted using string bridges immediately before playing.
Playing the koto is one of the traditional Japanese national arts, which became widespread primarily at the imperial court. However, even today this instrument is very popular. Thanks to its plasticity, koto finds application in modern Japanese music and contributes to its development.
There are currently two main types of tools:
A seven-string “kin” 1 m long - used as a solo instrument;
and “so” - from 1.80 to 2.00 m long, with the number of strings from 13 and above - used as an orchestral instrument.
G
itara Torres. This type of guitar was produced from 1852 by a Spanish master named Antonio de Torres Jurado, who lived in Almeria.Torres's guitar was the standard basis for the modern classical guitar. Torres increased the size of the guitar's body and redesigned the internal structure, which significantly improved the sound of the instrument.
This guitar is the direct predecessor of the modern acoustic guitar. It received its name in honor of its creator, Antonio de Torres (1817-1892). The guitar has a large body, especially in the lower part. Inside, under the top deck, resonating strips are located in a certain way, the task of which is to enhance the sound and improve the tone.
The fan system is a set of deck-reinforcing strips on the inside of the deck that fan out from the outlet. It distributes vibrations and enriches the sound of the instrument. Torres did not invent the fan system, but he did improve it. He established the optimal number (seven) of fan springs and a new principle for their location. They seem to direct air towards the listener.
Standing: Torres' setting was another important step. Since 1857, the master began to use a lower nut (bone) on a stand, which allowed him to precisely adjust the height of the strings. The strings, passing through the stand, are attached to it with knots.
Sheika: This is one of the most important parts of making a guitar. Here the thickness of the neck, the top, and the height of the stand should be taken into account. Torres increased the width of the neck on the tuning box side to 5 cm, which made it easier to play with the left hand. The neck angle determines the position of the string relative to the frets and the nature of the sound depends on the angle of tension of the string relative to the top soundboard. The neck has become wider and slightly more convex in relation to the plane of the soundboard and continues all the way to the sound hole, which coincides with the 12th fret
Materials: He pays special attention to the choice of wood for the top, but is not overly concerned with the choice of material for the cosmetic elements. In addition, he used cypress, maple, rosewood and other woods for the back and sides, with no particular preference. Torres himself worked with wood that was too thin. This made the guitar more lively, but perhaps more fragile.
Finishing (rosettes, etc.): He made both simple rosettes and more delicate and complex ones, but always followed the context. It depends on what the client paid for. Most of his guitars had simple finishes. Unless, of course, this concerned the functional parts of the instrument.
The rest: He took into account various elements - neck thickness and shape, nut width, tuning head angle, mechanics, mix and match of materials, finish, etc. etc.
U
kulele(from Hawaiian ʻukulele [ˈʔukuˈlele]) is a four-stringed plucked musical instrument. Appeared in the 1880s as a development of the braguinha, a miniature guitar from the island of Madeira, related to the Portuguese cavaquinho. The ukulele is common on various Pacific islands, but has been associated primarily with Hawaiian music since Hawaiian musicians toured at the 1915 Pacific Exposition in San Francisco. The standard tuning is GCEA (Gol-Do-Mi-La).The name is translated according to one version as “jumping flea,” since the movement of the fingers when playing the ukulele resembles the jumping of a flea, according to another - as “a gift that came here.”
There are 4 types of ukuleles:
soprano (total length 53 cm) - the first and most common type;
concert (58 cm) - slightly larger;
tenor (66 cm) - appeared in the 20s of the XX century;
baritone (76 cm) - the largest, appeared in the 40s of the 20th century.
B
Alalaika- Russian folk three-stringed plucked musical instrument, from 600-700 mm (prima balalaika) to 1.7 meters (double bass balalaika) long, with a triangular slightly curved (in XVIII-XIX centuries also oval) wooden body. The balalaika is one of the instruments that has become (along with the accordion and, to a lesser extent, the pity) a musical symbol of the Russian people.The body is glued together from separate (6-7) segments, the head of the long neck is slightly bent back. The strings are metal (In the 18th century, two of them were gut strings; modern balalaikas have nylon or carbon). On the neck of a modern balalaika there are 16-31 metal frets (until the end of the 19th century - 5-7 fixed frets).
The sound is clear but soft. The most common techniques for producing sound: rattling, pizzicato, double pizzicato, single pizzicato, vibrato, tremolo, rolls, guitar techniques.
Before the transformation of the balalaika into a concert instrument at the end of the 19th century by Vasily Andreev, it did not have a constant, widespread system. Each performer tuned the instrument in accordance with his manner of performance, the general mood of the pieces being played, and local traditions.
The system introduced by Andreev (two strings in unison - the note "E", one - a quart higher - the note "A" (both "E" and "A" of the first octave) became widespread among concert balalaika players and began to be called "academic". There is also a “folk” tuning - the first string is “G”, the second is “E”, the third is “C”. In this tuning, triads are easier to play; its disadvantage is the difficulty of playing on open strings. In addition to the above, there are also regional traditions of tuning the instrument. The number of rare local settings reaches two dozen.
In the modern orchestra of Russian folk instruments, five varieties of balalaikas are used: prima, second, viola, bass and double bass. Of these, only the prima is a solo, virtuoso instrument, while the rest are assigned purely orchestral functions: the second and viola implement chord accompaniment, and the bass and double bass perform the bass function.
The balalaika is a fairly common musical instrument that is studied in academic music schools in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.
The duration of balalaika training in a children's music school is 5 - 7 years (depending on the age of the student), and on average educational institution- 4 years, in a higher educational institution 4-5 years. Repertoire: arrangements of folk songs, transcriptions of classical works, original music.
Keyboards
ABOUT
Hammond's organ is an electric organ that was designed and built by Lawrence Hammond in April 1935. Hammond organs were originally sold to churches as an inexpensive alternative to pipe organs, but the instrument was often used in blues, jazz, rock and roll (1960s and 1970s) and gospel. The Hammond organ gained wide popularity in military ensembles during the Second World War and in the post-war years.Currently (2011) the Hammond brand is owned by Suzuki Musical Inst. Mfg. Co., Ltd., and is called Hammond Suzuki Co., Ltd.
To simulate the sounds of an organ with rows of pipes in multiple registers, the Hammond Organ used additive synthesis of a sound signal from a harmonic series. This technological solution is reminiscent of Thaddeus Cahill's early Telharmonium, where each individual signal was created by a mechanical phonic wheel rotating under an electromagnetic pickup. The Hammond organ is often called an electronic organ, which, in principle, is not entirely true. In a strict sense, the Hammond organ should be called an electric organ, since the sound in the original instruments is not generated by an electronic oscillator, but by a mechanical phonic wheel.
A characteristic feature of Hammond organs were small levers that could be used to mix different signal shapes in different ways. Later models of instruments also had electromechanical vibrato. The distinctive "click" sound, which was originally more of a design flaw, quickly became part of the signature Hammond organ sound. This feature is taken into account when creating modern copies of original instruments. At the same time, accurately simulating the sound of a Hammond organ based on electronic circuits is quite difficult, since in this way it is only difficult to accurately reproduce changes in the phase relationship between the phonic wheels.
Leslie speakers were widely used in Hammond organs, although Leslie was initially a serious competitor to Hammond. The Leslie speakers had a rotating component to create a vibrato effect and very soon became the de facto standard for Hammond organs, as they created the typical "growling" sound.
The B-3 has always been and remains the most popular model, although the C-3 differs only in details appearance. Conventionally, “Hammond organs” can be divided into two groups:
full-size console organs, such as B-3, C-3, A-100, having two 61-key manuals
compact spinet organs such as the L-100 and M-100, which have two 44-key manuals.
Most Hammond organs do not have a full AGO pedal set, which significantly increased the cost and size of the instrument (as well as weight: the total weight of the B3 model with bench and pedal set was 193 kg).
Basic information The viola (altohorn) is a brass wind musical instrument from the saxhorn family. Due to its rather dull and inexpressive sound, the scope of use of the viola is limited to brass bands, where it usually performs middle voices. The range of the alto is from A to b1 (A of the major octave - B-flat of the first). Video: Viola (althorn) on video + sound Thanks to these videos you
Basic information The horn (German waldhorn (forest horn), Italian corno, English french horn, French cor) is a wind brass musical instrument of the bass-tenor register. The horn is used in symphony and brass orchestras, as well as as an ensemble and solo instrument. Origin The French horn came from a hunting signal horn and entered the orchestra in the middle of the 17th century. Until the 1830s, like other copper
Basic information Helikon (from the Greek helix - twisted, curved) is the lowest sounding brass musical instrument. Helikon is used only in military bands. It is convenient for use in the army because a musician can play it, for example, while sitting astride a horse - the curved tube of the helicon is hung on the left shoulder, and the player’s hands remain free.
Basic information Horn (from German horn - horn) is a brass wind musical instrument, the ancestor of all brass instruments. The Horn device resembles a trumpet, but it lacks a valve mechanism, which is why its performance capabilities are sharply limited: the Horn can reproduce notes only within harmonic consonances. The pitch of the sound when playing the bugle can only be adjusted using the embouchure.
Basic information Karnai is an Uzbek folk wind brass musical instrument, related to brass based on the principle of sound production. Widely distributed in Iran, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Karnai is a long, sometimes more than two meters, usually unbent pipe. In register and timbre it is close to the trombone. Karnai is characterized by the performance of military or ceremonial signals. The instrument has a powerful and strong sound. IN
Basic information Cornet (Italian cornetto - horn) or cornet-a-piston (French cornet a pistons - horn with pistons) is a brass wind musical instrument that resembles a trumpet, but has a wider and shorter tube and is equipped not with valves, but with pistons . Design, application The range of the actual sound of the cornet coincides with the range of the trumpet - from e (minor octave E) to c3
Basic information A postal horn is a cylindrical wind copper or brass musical instrument with a mouthpiece, without valves or vents, which served to signal the arrival or departure of a foot or mounted postman and became international symbol mail. The post horn was the predecessor of the cornet-a-piston. Origin, history The postal horn goes back to the horn of butchers (herdmen), who, by blowing the horn, announced
Basic information Saxhorns are a family of brass musical instruments with a wide scale. These are oval-shaped chromatic instruments in which the tube gradually widens from the mouthpiece to the bell (unlike traditional brass instruments, which have a mostly cylindrical tube). Saxhorns were designed by Adolf Sax in the second quarter of the 19th century. Saxhorns form a family that includes: alto; tenor;
Basic information Serpent (French serpent - snake) is an ancient brass musical instrument, the ancestor of several modern wind instruments. It got its name due to its curved shape. Design The serpentine barrel with a conical bore without a bell, usually with 6 finger holes, is covered with leather. The serpent was made from a variety of materials: wood, copper, zinc. Had a mouthpiece very similar to the mouthpieces of modern brass
Basic information Trombone (Italian: trombone - large trumpet) is a brass wind musical instrument of the bass-tenor register. The trombone has been known since the 15th century. It differs from other brass instruments by the presence of a backstage - a special movable U-shaped tube, with the help of which the musician changes the volume of air contained in the instrument, thus achieving the ability to perform sounds of the chromatic scale (on the trumpet, horn and
