Matthew Range

The Principles of Musical Instruments

In order to be a successful producer in these times of days, there are many other extra things that
you have to understand. It is important to know extra things within music that not just to do with a
musical software as it gives you a better understanding of music in general. By knowing extra, it will
allow you to become a better producer as youll know how things such as sound will work. Its
important as when creating a good song it is best to know as much as possible about everything as
you will be able to create a project with ease and it will be really good.
An example of a good aspect to know a lot about is instruments and how they work. This is a good
and important thing to know about as if you are using many different types of instruments within
your project, knowing how they work and how they can be played can change how they sound. This
is good because you can make your audience like the instrument or give them a sense of wonder
about what it is as they will not know what the instrument is because it sounds differently. In this
article you will know about 3 different types of musical instruments that you will know all that you
will need to know to ensure that you can use within your projects and also fully edit.
The 3 main musical instruments are;

Stringed instruments
Wind instruments
Percussion instruments

As you can see these instruments are totally different, which is good as there are so many different
types of instruments that can be used so knowing about a range of different types as you will be able
to use them in your work. Its good to have a vary of instruments and to know about them as when
you are stuck on a project for example you can go through and pick an instrument that you have
never used before. Because you will know about the instrument through this article you can use it
with confidence and you and use it like you use an instrument you use frequently

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Stringed Instruments
Within the musical world there are many stringed instruments in that group. They are all used quite
frequently and some are only used for certain genres of music. In the stringed instrument category
we are going to be talking about two stringed instruments, those instruments are going to be the
Guitar and the Violin.
Guitar (acoustic)
The guitar is a very common instrument as with this instrument it can be used in any type of song
you wish.
The acoustic guitar is a very classical instrument as it creates nice harmonic tones which are pleasing
to the ear with whatever kind of note is played.
Physical construction:
The average acoustic guitar has 6 steel strings which vibrate
when plucked or strummed, they vibrate from the base to
the head of the guitar.
The acoustic guitar has a wooden frame and shell, the
reason that a guitar is wooden is because wood is not a fully
smooth material as it has many ridges and imperfections
within it so the sound can be absorbed better which in turn
creates a better sound. A guitar is also made out of wood as
wood does not carry vibrations, so when the guitar is
strummed the vibrations from the strings go on the inside of
the guitar and bounce around, this then amplifies the sound
which mean the guitar can be heard more.
The guitar has a neck which you press on at certain points to create a note, to judge where certain
notes are on the neck of the guitar threats where added. This is so you know where exactly you are
applying pressure on the string which will then tell you what note you are playing. An example of
this is when you are on the E string and apply pressure on the third threat you are playing a G note.
Having this is helpful as you will always know which note you will be playing at that time, without
this if you try and play the same note it would be the same as you wouldnt be applying pressure at
the same point.
How is it played?:
The guitar can be played in many different ways, and each way
would make the guitar sound differently. Its good to have different
sounds from one instrument as you can make the most of the
instrument and make your audience intrigued.
One way that you can play a guitar is
plucking it, this is done by you holding a
string between you index finger and your
thumb. You then pull the sting and release
your fingers, this well then cause the
string to vibrate and then create a sound.
By playing a guitar this way will cause the

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note to have a short attack but with a longer sustain, this is could for fast parts in a song if you want
to have loads of varied notes. Using the plucking methods can allow you to be creative in things such
as guitar solos.
Another way of playing a guitar is strumming, this method is usually used when playing
chords. A chord is playing three notes and the same time. In order to play this method
you have your chord pattern ready, then with the other hand you move it downwards
across all the strings and striking them making sure they all make a sound. This can be
done with using just your fingers or using a guitar pick.
Musical attributes:
The frequency range of a guitar is from 31Hz to 440Hz. An acoustic guitar is quite low on the
frequency spectrum of instruments which means this instrument puts out low frequencies.
This is the envelope of a guitar;
As you can see the envelope of a guitar has a very high
attack as it hits the highest volume of the note straight
away. The sustain of this note is quite long as it takes a while
for it to finish making a sound.
The timbre of a guitar is that it sounds deep thick bass
sound with a warm woody feel.

Violin
The violin is a classical instrument that is used in things such as live orchestral pieces. The violin is an
iconic instruments that takes a lot of practice to master.
Physical construction:
A violin has 4 nylon stings which are connect up the
same as a guitar. The strings can be adjusted by
changing the knobs at the head of the violin. The
violin can be played with playing a things called a
bow and also plucking the strings.
A violin is also wooden as it allows the air particles
to bounce off is easier which will then amplify it. If
the violin was not amplified it will not be able to be
heard.
The violin also has a chin rest on it, this is so you
can play the instrument comfortably without
straining you neck when it is up against it.

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How is it played?:
In order to play the violin youll need to use another piece of equipment, this
piece of equipment is a bow. The bow has horse hairs on it which are connected
to each end of a wooden stick. Using a bow is like strumming a guitar, all you do
is move the bow up and down the strings, while changing your other hand to
make notes.
The violin can also be played by being plucked, this is the same as the guitar.
Musical attributes:
The frequency range of a violin is from 196Hz to 3136Hz. A violin has a high frequency range which
means this instrument when it is played loud, can be quite piercing to the ear as high frequencies
can be irritating.
The envelope of a violin is similar as the guitar as it has a
quick attack and a long sustain, however this has a shorter
decay.
The timbre of a violin is sharp and a very high frequency.
Wind instruments
Within the musical world there are many wind instruments that get used in things such as live
concerts and records. I believe that wind instruments are not as common as stringed instruments, as
most songs on the chart, for example, have at least one stringed instrument within them. However
not many chart songs have a wind instrument within them. In the wind instrument section we are
going to be talking about the Trumpet and Clarinet.
Trumpet
Within the wood instruments section the trumpet is seen as a popular instrument, this is because it
is easy to play and it also creates sound that no other instrument in this category can make.
Like the majority of wind instruments this mainly features in orchestral pieces as that what kind of
sounding environment it fits into.
Physical construction:
The trumpet is made of a metal named brass this is because it is an
easy metal to shape in the complicated twists and turns the passages
of the trumpet is. It is important for it to be made out of a piece of
meatal that is easy to mould, this is so the instrument can easily be made
but also it can be made accurately to ensure it has the perfect sound.
The trumpet has buttons on the top which are called trumpet keys, these allow you to change the
note which is being generated. This is done by the buttons causing tubes to move and block off the
certain air passages that would create a different note.

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At the front of the trumpet there is a thing called the bell, this amplifies the sound so that you are
able to hear it.
How is it played?:
In order to be able to play the trumpet is that you have to use the mouthpiece, this
allows you to blow into the trumpet and create a sound, and if you are not able to
blow into the trumpet then no sound is created. You can get different sized
mouthpieces to fit the player of the instrument. Another instrument that uses a
mouthpiece like the trumpet is the trombone, however this is a larger mouthpiece
as it is a more bass focused instrument.
Musical attributes:
The frequency range of the trumpet is 165Hz to 1047Hz, overall this instrument is the middle of the
instrument frequency as this instrument can go low but also can go to high frequencies. However it
cannot go as far in either high or low frequencies which means it just stays at an average.
As you can see from the image the envelope of a trumpet as a medium to
slow attack, this is because it takes slightly longer for the note to reach its
highest volume. The trumpet also has a short sustain as soon after it
reaches that point it goes into decay and begins to end.
The sound of a trumpet can drag on as the notes are all slowly connect
together through a piece of music, however it can also be quick and
punchy.
Clarinet
The clarinet is different to the trumpet as instead of using a mouthpiece and being made of brass it
uses a reed and is made of an assortment of plastic and wood.
Most of the wind instruments such as the clarinet all feature in classical musical pieces, this is
because they make a sound that suits that type of music.
Physical construction:
The body/shell of the clarinet is made out of wood, this is so the
frequencies created can rebound off of the inner instruments. This
will make the sound level increase so it can be heard in things such as
an orchestral performance.
The clarinet also has metal piece upon it, the metal pieces are the
things such as the leavers. They are made out of metal so that they
are stronger as they are constantly moving when being played, if
they were not made out of a stronger material they could possibly
break while you are using it. This will then mean that the instrument
will not be able to create certain notes so it will not sound nice.
The clarinet has many button and leavers on them, this does the same thing as what the buttons on
a trumpet do. They block the air passages so that the air that you blow in it cannot escape, when this
is done it can create a note. When certain air passages are blocked this means that certain notes are
created, this is depending on what holes are blocked up.

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Like the trumpet the clarinet has a bell at the end of it, this is so the sound can be projected to the
audiences ears, however this is smaller as the frequencies of a clarinet are higher than the
frequencies of a trumpet.
How is it played?:
In order to play the clarinet you need to have another piece of equipment,
this piece of equipment is called a reed. The reed is a very thin piece of wood
that gets clamped into the mouthpiece the reason for a reed is so that the
clarinet actually makes a sound. When the instrument is blown into the reed
creates vibrations, like a guitar string, these vibrations create sound waves
that will travel as air particles to your ear so it can be heard.
In order to create different notes using a clarinet you blow on the mouthpiece and you then use
your fingers to cover certain holes to create certain notes.
Musical attributes:
The frequency range of a clarinet is 147Hz to 1760Hz, as you can see the clarinet has a wide
frequency range which means when it plays its low deep notes they emit low frequencies and when
it plays its high notes it emits high frequencies.
As you can see from the image the clarinet has medium length
attack, this is because there is a fast but gradual length of time
for it to reach its highest volume of a single note. Compared to
the trumpet the clarinet has a very long sustain, this means that
the notes stay at the same volume for a very long time before it
begins to decay. The decay of a clarinet is also very short so
when the sustain is over the note is basically finished.
The timbre of a clarinet is very smooth, as the notes are slow and gradual so this means that it
creates a calm sort of sound which is good for a break down in a song or to just do the long sweeping
sounds in the background.

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Percussion instruments
Within the musical world there are many different percussion instruments. Percussion instruments
are seen as very forceful instruments as the majority of them you can hit with force. I believe the
percussion instruments to be one the most common instruments as they create the beat of many
songs and performances, they also tend to be loudest type of instrument. In the percussion
instrument section we are going to talk about the xylophone and bass drum.
Xylophone
The xylophone is a Greek originated instrument which is not very popular or well known to many
people, it is only really used in orchestral pieces as it creates a basic sound which sounds pleasing to
the ear.
Physical construction:
A xylophone is not made up of any fancy materials, this is made up of
wooden rectangular pieces all at different lengths which create a different
note and tone when they are struck. Each piece of wood is an entirely
different, they basically act as keys on a keyboard.
Modern day xylophones have a metal frame within them this is so it
makes the whole instrument stronger and durable. By having stronger
materials within it will mean that you are able to take it to venues if it is
yours without worrying about if it is going to break or not. Also if it gets
accidently knocked it may still be able to stay connected.
How is it played?:
In order to play the xylophone you have to use another piece of
equipment, this is called a mallet. The mallet is a stick with a rubber ball
on the end, when this is struck upon the wooden rectangular pieces it
will bounce off and create a vibration. The vibration will create air
particles to move and will create a sound. By hitting different keys will
create a different note as the length of them are different.
Musical attributes:
The frequency range of the xylophone is 392Hz to 2093Hz, the frequency range is average to what
other instruments can do however it can emit higher frequencies when those specific notes are
played.
As you can see from the image the envelope of a xylophone is very
quick. The attack is so quick as soon as the instrument is struck with a
mallet it as already peak and is at its highest volume. However the decay
is longer on this as it takes a while for the note to finish creating a noise,
its like it echoes itself.

The xylophone creates a hard wooden sound as the pieces of material that are used are wood
however because it is wood it also creates a hollow sound which is good for solo parts within an
orchestral piece.

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Bass Drum
The bass drum is the large part of a puzzle within the drum kit itself. The drum kit is one of the most
popular instruments as they are used electronically and also in the most of musical performances.
Because the drum kit is popular therefore the bass drum is popular instrument.
Within the drum kit the bass drum creates the large bass kick within a drum piece, this is usually
heard under everything else but it can still easily be heard.
Physical construction:
The bass drum has a wooden shell which is coated in plastic,
the reason that it is wooden as it allows the frequencies to
bounce around on the inside. The reason it is covered in
plastic as it gives it protection when being transported and
even when it is being played as it is sometimes hit very hard.
The skin on the bass drum is a membrane made out of pig
skin which is stretched over both open ends of the drum. You
can tune the skin of the drum as there are knobs on the side
which you twist. When you twist them it can either tighten
the skin or loosen it. By tightening it, it creates a higher pitch
and loosening it creates a lower pitch. More modern drums
have them made of plastic but they still work the same way.
Bass drums also have metal legs on them to allow them to
stand up, the reason they are metal as it give them more
strength.
How is it played?:
In order to play the bass drum you have to use a foot pedal. The foot pedal allows you
to hit the drum without using the sticks. This means you can hit other parts of the
drum kit and still have the bass drum making a noise. Also by having a foot pedal you
can also choose how hard and fierce you want the drum to be. So once you apply
pressure to the pedal it will cause the mechanism to work and hit the drum, which will
create a noise.

Musical attributes:
The frequency range of the bass drum is 60Hz to 80Hz from know this you can see that it emits low
frequencies this is because it is a bass censored instrument. Bass emits very low frequencies that is
why this is low.
As you can see the envelope of a drum it is a very fast attack as, as soon it is
struck it is already at its highest volume. Overall the envelope is small as it is a
very quick sound.
The timbre of a drum is deep as it creates a large thud.