The flute is super old! People used to make it from wood, stone, clay, or even hollow reeds like bamboo. But now, flutes are made of silver, gold, or platinum! A standard flute is a little over 2 feet long and is usually the one you hear playing the melody in songs. You play the flute by holding it sideways with both hands and blowing across a hole in the mouthpiece, much like blowing across the top of a bottle. Then, you use your fingers to press down keys, which changes the sounds. The flute's sweet sound adds a special sparkle to songs and makes them even more awesome!

You may have seen this instrument being played by the most famous clarinet player of all- Squidward! The standard B-flat clarinet is just over 2 feet long and uses a single reed. Clarinets play both the melodies and harmonies in a song. The low notes have a dark rich sound, while the higher notes are bright and cheerful. You play the clarinet by holding it upright, blowing through the reed and mouthpiece. You use your hands to change the sounds by opening and closing the keys with your fingers.

"You like jazz?" Saxophones can produce a smooth, mellow sound to bright and lively ones! The standard Alto Saxophone uses a single reed and can play both melodies and harmonies. To play the saxophone, hold it upright and blow air through the reed and mouthpiece. You use your hands to change the sounds by opening and closing the keys with your fingers.

The oboe can make haunting sounds to joyful ones! The instrument is a 2 foot long black cylinder with metal keys covering its holes, and its mouthpiece uses a double reed, which vibrates when you blow through it. This vibration of the reed makes the air inside the oboe move, creating sound. To play the oboe, hold it upright, blow through the double reed in your mouth, and use both hands to press down on the keys to open and close the holes and change the sound.

The bassoon is a long pipe, doubled in half, made of wood, with many keys. If it were straight, the bassoon would be around 9 feet long! The bassoon uses a double reed, which is fitted into a curved metal mouthpiece. Bassoons usually play lower harmonies, but you will sometimes hear their hollow low notes featured in a melody. You play the bassoon by holding it upright and blowing through the double reed. The air travels down the tube and then makes a u-turn and goes up and out the top! You use both hands to press on the keys to open and close the holes and change the sound.

The French horn produces a wide variety of sounds, ranging from grand and heroic! to mellow and smooth. The French horn's tubing is rolled up into a circular shape, with a large bell at its end. If you were to unroll the French horn's tubing, it will roll out to be 18 feet long! To play the French horn, hold it with the bell curving downward and buzz into the mouthpiece. Your left hand plays the three valves and you can change the type of sound you make by the way you place your right hand in the bell.

The trumpet is a slender brass pipe with three attached valves, which is curved and bent into long loops. If you stretched out the trumpet to its full length, it would be 6 ½ feet long! You play the trumpet by holding it horizontally, buzzing your lips into the mouthpiece, and pressing down the three valves in various combinations to change pitch.

The baritone is like a big tube with a twist and a wide bell at the end. The baritone can produce deep, rich tones that can be bold and powerful or smooth and calm. If you straightened out its tubing, it would reach about 9 feet! To play the baritone, hold it with the bell facing up, blow into the mouthpiece, and use your fingers to press the valves on the front. Your right hand helps balance and control the sound by resting on the side.

The trombone is the only instrument in the brass family that uses a slide instead of valves to change pitch. A standard trombone is made of long thin U-shaped brass pipes and if you stretch the trombone out straight, it is about 9 feet long! You play the trombone by holding it horizontally, buzzing into the mouthpiece, and using your right hand to change pitch by pushing or pulling the slide to one of seven different positions. 

Meet the Tuba, the biggest instrument of the brass family! It's like a giant winding pipe with a massive bell. The tuba can make sounds that are as grand and deep as an ocean or as soft as a whisper. If you stretched out its tubing, it would be as long as 18 feet! To play the tuba, hold it up with the bell pointing up, buzz into the mouthpiece, and use your fingers to press the valves. Your left hand helps with the valves, while your right hand steadies and guides the tuba.

The Snare Drum is the heartbeat of the band! The snare drum has a layer on top called a drum head and tiny metal wires called snares underneath. The snare makes a crisp and lively sound that can be loud or soft. To play the snare drum, position the snare on a snare stand and strike the drum head with drumsticks. Its rhythmic possibilities are endless, contributing depth and texture to musical compositions across various genres. 

Keyboards add to the memorable tune of a song. The instrument is similar to the piano, but the bars on the keyboard vary in size. Each bar on the keyboard represents a different sound or pitch. This allows percussionists to play rhythmic melodies and harmonies in a song. To play the keyboard, you strike the bars with a keyboard mallet.

The Timpani stands as a symbol of power in the realm of percussion. The timpanis' are large, bowl-shaped drums with a rich sound. You The can control the pitches by tightening or loosening the drumheads with a foot pedal, located at the bottom of the instrument. To play the timpani, you strike the drumhead with a timpani mallet.

Auxiliary instruments add color, texture, and rhythm to songs. From the shimmering tones of the triangle to the sharp crack of the woodblock, these instruments come in an array of shapes and sizes. Tambourines, shakers, and cowbells contribute lively rhythms, while cymbals and gongs provide dramatic crashes. Each instrument in the auxiliary percussion family offers a unique sound, adding to the character of the song. Auxiliary instruments can be played with mallets, sticks, or your hands.