The flute is a member of the woodwind family. It is one of the oldest known wind instruments, with flutes as much as 40,000 years old being uncovered by archaeologists who explore ancient cultures.
The flute we will learn to play in class is a modern version of the instrument and thankfully has undergone numerous improvements over the years to make it easier to play!
The clarinet is a member of the woodwind family. It is one of two instruments that requires the use of a reed to produce a sound on the instrument.
The clarinet evolved over many years, particularly from a similar instrument called the chalumeau. It is a staple instrument of both bands and orchestras. The great composer W. A. Mozart wrote a concerto for the clarinet which has become one of the most well known pieces performed on that instrument.
Though the saxophone is mostly made of metal, it is still considered a woodwind instrument. Like the clarinet, it uses a reed to make the sound, and it utilizes many different keys to produce the higher and lower sounds on the instrument.
The saxophone is the youngest, relatively speaking, of the instruments offered for instruction, being invented in the 19th century by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax. Though it is an important instrument in the school band, the saxophone has found it's way into other forms of music, such as jazz and rock, more than any other woodwind instrument.
The trumpet is a member of the brass family. Brass instruments are also called 'lip-reed' instruments because the lips must be formed in a way that they vibrate back forth in a way that produces a sound on the instrument.
Like the saxophone, the trumpet can be found not only in traditional ensembles such as concert bands and orchestras, but also frequently in other genres of music such as jazz, rock, and R & B.
The trombone is a member of the brass family. Similar to the trumpet, the trombone player makes sound by blowing into the instrument while vibrating his or her lips.
The main difference between the trumpet and the trombone is that the trombone utilizes a slide to assist in producing the notes whereas the trumpet uses valves. The trombone is also capable of producing lower notes than the trumpet and generally is played that way.
The percussion family encompasses more instruments than all of the other instrument families combined. The word percussion comes from the Latin 'percutere' - "to strike forcibly". This is what defines a percussion instrument. Rather than being blown into or started with a bow, a percussion instrument is struck - with a hand, stick, mallet or other object.
Percussionists in the school band are expected to learn and become proficient on a multitude of instruments. Beginner band students will primarily focus on two: mallet percussion and the snare drum.
The violin is a member of the string instrument family. String instruments are defined by the use of (you guessed it) strings which vibrate to make sound on the instrument.
The violin is the highest pitched member of the string family and is probably the most well known. While many famous classical composers have written music featuring the violin, this instrument has found itself equally at home in a variety of more contemporary music styles such as country, bluegrass, and even jazz!
The viola is a member of the string instrument family. It is played over the shoulder similarly to the violin. The viola differs from the violin in that it is capable of playing lower notes. Full sized violas are also larger than violins to accommodate these lower pitches, giving the instrument a deeper, more robust sound.
While music wiritten for viola has historically played 'second fiddle' to that of the violin, many contemporary composers and performers have capitalized on the rich sound this instrument makes to create beautiful music.
The cello is one of the lower-pitched members of the string family. The most noticeable difference between the cello and its higher-pitched siblings is that it is played sitting down.
Many composers have made use of the deep, lyrical voice of the cello, as a part the orchestra, the lowest voice found in the string quartet, and even as a solo instrument. One of the most famous pieces of music for the cello is the set of suites written by J. S. Bach.