Classical Music Instruments :: essays research papers

Woodwinds: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Flute: The flute is made in the form of an open cylindrical air column about 66 cm long. Its fundamental pitch is middle C (C4) and it has a range of about three octaves to C7. Sound is produced from a flute by blowing onto a sharp edge, causing air enclosed in a tube to vibrate. The modern flute was developed by Theobald Boehm who experimented with it from 1832 to 1847, desiring to give it a bigger tone. He finally produced a parabolic (bowl-shaped) head joint attached to a cylindrical body with open-standing keys and finger pads to cover large finger holes. Since then, other minor improvements have been made. The modern flute usually has a range from middle C (C4) upward for about three octaves. In Europe flutes are often constructed of wood; silver is commonly used in the United States. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Oboe: The oboe is a soprano-range, double-reed woodwind instrument of length 62 cm. Its wooden tube is distinguished by a conical bore expanding at the end into a flaring bell. The modern oboe's range extends from the B-flat below middle C (B3-flat) to the A nearly three octaves higher (A6). Sounding a fifth below the oboe is the English horn and the bass member of this family is the bassoon. A melodic instrument capable of very gentle, expressive passages, the instrument is yet said to take a large amount of air to play. The range of pressure between the softest and loudest sounds is rather small, so careful control of the pressure on the reed is necessary. Traditionally made from African Blackwood, also called grenadille, the instrument is made in three parts. The top joint has 10 holes, three of which are manipulated by the player's left hand. The bottom joint also has 10 holes, three of which the player uses with the right hand. The bell section has two hole s, covered with keys, which are not typically used by the player. Oboes are still hand made by expert craftsmen who are very secretive about the dimensions, size of aperture, etc. used in the construction. The double reed is fashioned from cane which is grown on the east coast of Spain, which is usually dried and aged for several years. The careful fashioning of the double reed is a key part of getting a fine musical sound from the instrument. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Clarinet: The clarinet consists of a closed cylindrical air column with a bell-shaped opening at one end. Classical Music Instruments :: essays research papers Woodwinds: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Flute: The flute is made in the form of an open cylindrical air column about 66 cm long. Its fundamental pitch is middle C (C4) and it has a range of about three octaves to C7. Sound is produced from a flute by blowing onto a sharp edge, causing air enclosed in a tube to vibrate. The modern flute was developed by Theobald Boehm who experimented with it from 1832 to 1847, desiring to give it a bigger tone. He finally produced a parabolic (bowl-shaped) head joint attached to a cylindrical body with open-standing keys and finger pads to cover large finger holes. Since then, other minor improvements have been made. The modern flute usually has a range from middle C (C4) upward for about three octaves. In Europe flutes are often constructed of wood; silver is commonly used in the United States. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Oboe: The oboe is a soprano-range, double-reed woodwind instrument of length 62 cm. Its wooden tube is distinguished by a conical bore expanding at the end into a flaring bell. The modern oboe's range extends from the B-flat below middle C (B3-flat) to the A nearly three octaves higher (A6). Sounding a fifth below the oboe is the English horn and the bass member of this family is the bassoon. A melodic instrument capable of very gentle, expressive passages, the instrument is yet said to take a large amount of air to play. The range of pressure between the softest and loudest sounds is rather small, so careful control of the pressure on the reed is necessary. Traditionally made from African Blackwood, also called grenadille, the instrument is made in three parts. The top joint has 10 holes, three of which are manipulated by the player's left hand. The bottom joint also has 10 holes, three of which the player uses with the right hand. The bell section has two hole s, covered with keys, which are not typically used by the player. Oboes are still hand made by expert craftsmen who are very secretive about the dimensions, size of aperture, etc. used in the construction. The double reed is fashioned from cane which is grown on the east coast of Spain, which is usually dried and aged for several years. The careful fashioning of the double reed is a key part of getting a fine musical sound from the instrument. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Clarinet: The clarinet consists of a closed cylindrical air column with a bell-shaped opening at one end.