Supplies Needed:

1. Computer with speakers

2. Copies of the pictures of the instruments (click this link to download)

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Sounds of Different Instruments

Ask them if anyone can name the four major types of instruments (string, woodwind, brass, percussion).  As people name them, give examples of each type of instrument.  You might want to note at some point that the piano is a mix between string and percussion.

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Hand out the sheets with pictures of the instruments.  Give examples of the different musical instruments being played.  After each instrument, talk about the types of sounds that each instrument emits (for example, the flute has a high-pitched sound that sounds like someone breathing, but the clarinet has a lower-pitched breathing sound).  Here are some samples (click the links under the instrument names for recordings):

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• Piano (Rondo Alla Turca, W.A. Mozart)

• Violin (Unaccompanied Sonata No. 1, J.S. Bach)

• Cello (Sonata-Fantasy for Unaccompanied Cello, A.Khatshaturian)

• Flute (Concertino No. 7 for Flute and Piano, Cecile Chaminade)

• Clarinet (Benny Goodman, Sweet Georgia Brown)

• Trumpet (Sonata for Trumpet and Piano: I. Allegro moderato, Halsey Stevens)

• Trombone (Tommy Dorsey)

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Identifying Sounds of Different Instruments

After you have given an example of each instrument, ask the audience to identify the instrument being played in a given piece.  Here are some examples of solo and group pieces (click the links under the instrument names for recordings):

 

1. Trumpet (Johannes Faber)

2. Flute (Prokofiev Flute Sonata) – Start at 0:10

3. Piano (Duke Ellington)

4. Cello (Boccherini Cello Sonata)

5. Clarinet (Artie Shaw Concerto for Clarinet – has band accompaniment)

6. Trombone (Jack Teagarden)

7. Violin (Tchaikovsky violin concerto)  -- Start at 1:38

 

These are ensemble pieces, so ask them to identify the class of instrument being played.

1. Brass ensemble (Riot Jazz Band)

2. String orchestra (Telemann Viola Concerto)

3. Winds and brass -- say that this one has two groups (Gustav Holst, Planets Suite, Jupiter)