The Importance of Maintenance

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of maintenance, let’s talk about why it’s so crucial. Imagine your guitar as a car; without regular maintenance, it’s like driving with bald tires and a sputtering engine. Regular tune-ups not only ensure your gear sounds its best but also prolong its lifespan.

The Guitar: Your Six-Stringed Love

Let’s kick off by diving into the core of numerous musical expeditions: the guitar. Whether it’s the mellowness of an acoustic or the electrifying allure of an electric one, your cherished six-stringed companion unquestionably warrants a considerable amount of care and attention to keep it in its prime condition.

• String Care: Strings are the vocal cords of your guitar. Keep them clean, change them regularly, and ensure they’re properly tuned. This simple step can make a world of difference in your sound quality.

• Cleaning and Polishing: Just like you’d clean your car’s exterior, your guitar’s finish needs some love too. Invest in quality guitar polish and a soft cloth to keep it shiny and protected.

The Drum Kit: The Beat Machine

For drummers, the drum kit serves as the rhythmic heartbeat of the band, pulsating with energy and groove. Maintaining this vital piece of musical machinery in impeccable condition is crucial. Here’s how to keep it in top-notch shape.

• Tuning and Tightening: Check the tension of your drumheads regularly. If they’re too loose or too tight, it can affect the sound. Keep an eye on those lugs!

• Cleaning Cymbals: Cymbals can accumulate grime and tarnish over time, affecting their sound. Clean them with a gentle cymbal cleaner to maintain their brilliance.

Keyboards: The Piano Man’s Companion

Keyboards, synthesizers, and pianos are the instrumental virtuosos that breathe enchanting melodies into existence. These musical maestros warrant not just care but an abundance of it.

• Dusting and Cleaning Keys: Dust and debris can work their way into the keys, causing issues with key response. Regularly clean and dust your keyboard keys with a soft brush.

• Calibration and Tuning: If you have an electric keyboard, make sure it’s calibrated and tuned correctly. This ensures accurate pitch and sound.

Amplifiers and Sound Equipment

Your musical gear isn’t complete without amplifiers and sound equipment. Let’s explore how to maintain these audio wizards.

Cable Check

Prior to cranking up the volume on your audio setup, it’s crucial to meticulously inspect your cables for signs of wear and tear. Neglecting this precautionary measure can have dire consequences, as malfunctioning cables have the potential to generate not only unwelcome auditory disturbances but also inflict harm upon your valuable audio equipment.

Ventilation and Dust

Amplifiers, those indispensable components of your sound setup, can indeed heat up considerably, particularly following an energetic jam session that pushes them to their limits. To safeguard these musical workhorses from the perils of overheating, it’s imperative to pay heed to their environmental conditions. Adequate ventilation is a fundamental prerequisite; make certain that your amplifiers can breathe freely.

Speaker Maintenance

For musicians who rely on external speakers, maintaining the integrity of their sound system is paramount. This entails not only regular cleaning of the speaker cones but also meticulous attention to ensuring all connections are secure. By adopting these practices, you can safeguard the pristine quality of your sound output, guaranteeing an optimal auditory experience for both performer and audience alike.

Storage and Transportation

Taking care of your gear doesn’t stop at home. How you store and transport it matters too.

Cases and Gig Bags

When it comes to safeguarding your musical instruments during travel, it’s imperative to make an investment in high-quality cases or gig bags. These protective enclosures serve as a crucial line of defense against potential damage. Additionally, prioritize padding and insulation, as they play a pivotal role in providing extra layers of security. By adhering to these precautions, you’ll ensure that your instruments remain in optimal condition throughout your journeys.

Humidity Control

Excessively high or low humidity levels can have a detrimental impact on your equipment. It’s essential to employ the appropriate measures to create and uphold an environment conducive to the well-being of your gear. In situations of extreme humidity, both excessively wet or dry, the prudent course of action is to deploy humidifiers or dehumidifiers. These devices serve as invaluable allies in regulating the atmospheric conditions surrounding your equipment, thereby safeguarding it from potential harm and ensuring its longevity.

Final Notes

In the world of music, maintaining your gear is as important as practicing your craft. Regular tune-ups and care ensure that your instruments and equipment continue to shine, allowing you to create beautiful music without any hiccups.

So, the next time you pick up your guitar, sit down at your keyboard, or start banging the drums, remember the importance of keeping your musical gear in pristine condition. It’s not just about taking care of your tools; it’s about preserving the magic they bring to your music. Happy playing!

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Rhythm is the lifeblood of music because it transcends barriers of culture, time, and genre. In the vast field of musical expression, percussion instruments—which are commonly referred to as percussion — are regularly used to build and maintain this rhythmic heartbeat. These instruments have been instrumental in defining the vast landscape of musical genres, from the simple beats of tribal drums to the intricate arrangements found in a jazz drummer’s set. As we embark on this rhythmic voyage, we will learn about the usually overlooked contributions that percussion instruments have made to a range of musical genres.

Percussion in Traditional Music

The Role of Percussion in Traditional Music Genres

In these musical traditions, percussion instruments have long held a major place and are intricately woven into the rich tapestry of culture and history. In African, Asian, and Native American societies, drums and various percussive tools have served as storytellers, vehicles for celebrating life’s vibrant moments with the iBet789 bookie, and conduits for connecting with the spiritual realms.

Cultural Significance of Percussion Instruments

Percussion instruments typically have great cultural significance in the world of traditional music. Consider the taiko drums in Japanese culture, which are more than just musical instruments; they represent emblems of strength, solidarity, and a close relationship with ancestral spirits.

Percussion in Contemporary Music

Percussion’s Evolution in Modern Music

Percussion has evolved in tandem with the ever-changing landscape of music. In the 20th century, groundbreaking innovations, such as the introduction of the drum set, brought about a transformation in the sound of popular music. Genres like jazz, rock, and funk owe much of their captivating allure to the progressive evolution of percussion instruments.

Percussion’s Influence on Popular Music Genres

Without the distinctive percussion components they have, funk, salsa, and reggae would not exist. Percussion drives both the ferocious salsa rhythms and the syncopated grooves of funk basslines.

Types of Percussion Instruments

Different Categories of Percussion Instruments

Percussion instruments encompass a wide variety, from drums and tambourines to maracas and xylophones. Each category brings a unique flavor to the musical table, adding depth and diversity to the sound.

Unique Sounds and Characteristics of Each Category

The resonant boom of a bass drum, the crisp snap of a snare, and the delicate chimes of a triangle all contribute distinct elements to the musical palette.

Percussion and Global Fusion

How Percussion Instruments Have Traveled the World

The history of the global movement of percussion instruments is intriguing. The introduction of Latin percussion instruments like the congas and the spread of African drums to the Americas irreversibly changed the direction of global music.

Fusion of Different Percussion Styles

Musicians today are continuously experimenting with many traditions and styles as a result of globalization. The intriguing new genres that result from the blending of percussion techniques demonstrate how interconnected our planet is.

Percussion Techniques and Styles

Various Percussion Techniques and Playing Styles

Percussionists use a myriad of techniques to create their rhythmic magic – from mallets to brushes and everything in between. These techniques shape the character of the music.

Impact on Music Genres

The choice of percussion techniques can be the defining factor in a genre’s sound. The thunderous drum solos of rock music differ vastly from the delicate fingerwork of classical percussionists.

Iconic Percussionists

There are percussionists who have achieved legendary status in the music industry. Let’s look at a couple of them and what they have to say about rhythm.

The Beat of Latin Percussion

The Heartbeat of Latin Music

Latin music thrives on its rhythmic foundation, with percussion instruments like congas, bongos, and timbales at its core. These instruments infuse the music with energy, creating distinctive Latin rhythms that captivate listeners and inspire dancing. In essence, congas, bongos, and timbales are the heartbeat of Latin music, igniting its passionate and infectious groove, transcending borders, and evoking an irresistible urge to dance.

Iconic Latin Percussion Instruments

The enchanting tones of Latin percussion instruments transport us to the vibrant Brazilian carnival and the rhythmic streets of Havana, Cuba. Whether it’s the pulsating congas, lively bongos, or hypnotic timbales, these instruments serve as passports to explore Latin America’s rich musical traditions, connecting us to its heart and soul. They are the backbone of Latin rhythms, adding infectious energy and captivating melodies to the air. These instruments hold the magic to immerse us in colorful festivities and the lively ambiance of Latin music, making them an essential part of the global musical landscape.

Percussion’s Role in Rock and Roll

The Driving Force Behind Rock Music

When you delve into the realm of rock and roll, you’re immediately struck by the powerful resonance of electric guitars and the resounding impact of thunderous drums. At the very core of this musical genre, it’s the beats emanating from the heart of the drum kit that form the sturdy backbone, providing the driving force that propels rock music into its exhilarating journey through sound and rhythm.

Famous Rock Drummers and Their Impact

Iconic figures such as John Bonham, Keith Moon, and Neil Peart have left an enduring legacy in the realm of rock music, highlighting the remarkable versatility of percussion within this genre.

Jazz Grooves and Percussion

Jazz’s Unique Use of Percussion

Jazz thrives on spontaneity and the relentless pursuit of rhythmic innovation. Within this genre, jazz percussionists assume a pivotal role in crafting the distinctive sonic landscape that defines jazz music.

Jazz Legends and Their Percussionists

Jazz has given the world some of the most inventive and accomplished percussionists, from the legendary Buddy Rich to modern greats like Brian Blade.

The Pulse of Electronic Music

Percussion in the Digital Age

With the advent of electronic music, percussion has taken on new forms and possibilities. Drum machines and synthesizers have expanded the sonic palette of percussion.

Electronic Music Pioneers and Their Percussion Experimentation

Artists like Aphex Twin and Daft Punk have blurred the lines between traditional and electronic percussion, giving birth to entirely new subgenres.

Percussion’s Cross-Cultural Appeal

In our ever more interconnected global community, percussion has evolved into a universal language that effortlessly traverses cultural frontiers. Musicians hailing from diverse backgrounds harmoniously collaborate, discovering shared rhythms that bridge cultural divides. These collaborations produce musical fusions that not only break new ground but also captivate listeners with their mesmerizing allure.

Conclusion

Percussion instruments are the rhythmic builders in the grand symphony of music, creating the framework on which melodies and harmonies can flourish. Percussion has a profound impact on every genre it touches, from the thunderous beats of rock to the nuanced rhythms of jazz and the worldwide fusion of world music. As we commemorate the long history of rhythm, we eagerly anticipate the fascinating breakthroughs and innovative partnerships that will continue to influence music in the future. So, the next time you hum along to a piece of music or get swept away in a captivating beat, think of the unsung heroes — percussion instruments — who enable it all.

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History of stringed instruments
The ancient Greek ciphara is considered to be the ancestor of modern stringed musical instruments. It was based on a bow used for hunting and made a slow, fading sound when the bowstring was pulled. Over time, several strings of different thickness and length were used instead of a single string. The next stage was the replacement of the bowstring by a hollow box, which produced a more beautiful sound. As the result of experiments with the shape and size of the box new string instruments of different timbre have appeared: lute, mandolin, psaltery, cymbals, theorba, monochord, guitar…
The way of extracting sound from them also differed. Guitar was played with fingers, while mandolin was played on a special plate, plectrum. Later appeared different sticks and hammers, causing the strings to vibrate. It was this principle that formed the basis of the piano.

And soon the bow was invented: if the strike caused a short sound, then an ordinary stick with a bundle of horsehair caused the string to give a long, long sound. The construction of string and bowed instruments was based on this principle.

Stringed bowed instruments
Violas were one of the first stringed instruments. They emerged as a separate family in the 15th century. Violas are characterized by a gentle matte tone of weak power. They are represented by several varieties: viola, discant, double bass, tenor. Each subgroup is characterized by its own size and, accordingly, the height of the sound. Violas are commonly held upright, on their knees or between them.Having appeared in the 15th century, the violin quickly gained popularity throughout Europe, thanks to its strong sound and virtuoso capabilities. In the Italian city of Cremona, an entire family of violin makers emerged whose violins are still considered to be the standard. These are the well-known families of Stradivari, Amati and Guarneri, who formed the so-called Cremona school. Even today, playing a Stradivarius violin is a great honor for the most famous musicians of the world.

Violin was followed by other bowed instruments – viola, contrabass and cello. They are similar in timbre and form but differ in size. The pitch of the sound will depend on the length of the strings and the size of the body: the contrabass gives a low note, while the violin sounds at least two octaves higher.

Stringed bowed instruments resemble the violet, only with a more elegant shape and round “shoulders”. The double bass is the most distinctive instrument that has sloping shoulders to let the musician reach the strings.

Different bowed instruments can be positioned differently: the compact viola and the violin are easy to hold on the shoulder, but the cumbersome double bass and the cello are placed vertically on the floor or on a special stand.

And one more important fact is that it is the string-and-bow instruments that are usually given the main role in an orchestra.

String plucked instruments
The second subspecies of stringed musical instruments, plucked instruments are solo, often amateur, instruments. The most common among them is the guitar, used in various musical genres from the 15th century to the present day, the balalaika, gusli, domra, and their variants from piccolo to contrabass are also of this type of instruments. They are especially popular in folklore orchestras, less frequently used in symphony orchestras.

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In the broadest sense any guitar is a chordophone, the sound is produced by the vibrations of a string stretched between two points. Such products have been known since ancient times. They were already in the ancient Egyptian civilization and even earlier – in the agricultural Mediterranean cultures of the copper and bronze age. Guitar historians of musical instruments refer to the lute family, because it has not only a body, but also a fingerboard, on which the strings are clamped by the fingers.

History of the musical instrument
Forerunners of guitar are considered plucked instruments, which at that time didn’t have a neck: kifara and zither. They were played in Ancient Egypt and Greece and a little later in Rome. With the advent of the long narrow neck came the need for a solid resonator. It was originally made of hollow vessels and other three-dimensional objects such as turtle shells, dried pumpkin fruits or hollowed-out wooden sections of a trunk. The wooden body, composed of upper and lower decks and sides (shells) was invented in ancient China at the beginning of the first millennium AD.

From there this idea was carried over to the Arabian countries and embodied in the Moorish guitar and in the VIII-IX centuries it came to Europe.

The name origin
The guitar owes its name to the Latin language as a common name during the Middle Ages. The Greek word “cithara,” which few people in Europe could read anymore after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, was transliterated into Latin cithara as a result. Latin also underwent a change over time – the word had the form of quitaire, and in the Romano-Germanic languages it became known as guitar.

Spanish guitar
During the late Middle Ages and the beginning of the New Age the center of music development was Spain. In the times of Cordoba Caliphate Moorish guitar was spread there, and after the Reconquista the Spaniards modernized it giving it a shape close to the modern one. The instruments of the XV century had five paired strings, stretched by pins, placed on the long head.

At the end of the XVIII century there appeared a modern guitar: the guitar has six single strings, a convenient body with holes for a better holding, and also a round hole in the top soundboard.

Acoustic guitar
In the 19th century the musician and guitar maker Antonio Torres invented the guitar of modern design and proportions. Today it is called the classical guitar and is used in academic music as well as by amateur musicians for recreational purposes.

The acoustic guitar has come down to us almost unchanged. It consists of a solid body, which serves as a resonator, a neck, which is attached to the body with a special screw, and the head, on which the tuning knobs for string tension are located.

Acoustic guitar has 19 frets – metal ribs on the fingerboard, which allow you to produce notes at a certain interval. While the classical guitar has 12 fretted pads from the top plate to the beginning of the body, the later acoustic guitar has 14 fretted pads. The latter is sometimes equipped with a cut-out allowing to play high notes.

Electric guitar
When the electricity began its victorious march over the planet in the XXth century the musical instruments’ manufacturers couldn’t avoid the opportunity to strengthen the guitar strings sound with the help of technical devices. In 1936 the first “grandmother” of the electric guitar was created. It had an aluminum body and a pair of electromagnet pickups. Because of its round body shape, more like a banjo, and the material, it was nicknamed “frying pan”.

Due to the conversion of acoustic vibrations into electric and the action of amplifiers, electric guitar does not need a resonator – its body can be a variety of forms, although it is often made similar to the acoustic guitar.

Bass Guitar
This instrument is used to reproduce the low-frequency register when playing music. The bass guitar usually has 4 strings and a longer fingerboard. Acoustic versions are very rare, as low frequencies are heard much worse with the natural resonance of the body.

In the second half of XX century some bass virtuosos began to use fretless bass, which allowed to do without a fixed musical scale.

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Cajón etymologically comes from the word Cajón, which in Spanish means simply – a box or box. In fact, cajón is a box made of wood or other materials. There are five walls: the top, the bottom, the two sides, the back. Historically, the instrument first appears in Peru. By the way, Paco De Lucia was a big fan of using cajones in his flamenco ensembles. The cajón is tapped and clapped with fingers and hands.

The tambourine is an ancient drum, the shape is cylindrical. Historically comes from France (French Tambourine), was known in the XVIII century. The rim of tambourine has metal cymbals or bells. Such instruments can be seen in engravings and paintings of the past. The picture by Albert Durer (1503) shows a musician with a tambourine in his hands. Note that the tambourine may or may not have a membrane. Often the amazing sound of this instrument is used by modern ensembles – for example, Blackmore’s Night and others.

Congo is again a drum, tall and narrow. Refers to a subgroup of membranophones, has a kinship with the djembe. Congas externally resemble barrels of different sizes. Types: tumba (or salidor) – low, kinto – high, tres (conga) – medium. The sounds of these instruments are rich in Afro-Cuban and Latin American music. The congas can be played standing or sitting, with or without a stand.

Bongo is a Cuban double drum of African origin. It is commonly played sitting down, with the instrument wedged between the calves of the legs. The small drum in the pair – reflects the masculine, and the large – the feminine. The male (macho) is Macho, the female (embra) is Hembra. The big drum sounds lower and the small drum sounds higher. Techniques of playing are based on hitting and slapping with hands, fingers.

Cowbell (or cowbell) – element of percussion with a ringing and piercing sound. It is often used in music of different genres – from jazz to metal. Appearance is a quadrangular prism made of metal; the front face is open. The instrument has a fixed pitch. From English cowbell – cowbell. Refers to a group of metal idiophones.

Maracas is probably the most familiar instrument to everyone, because all children’s rattles look like maracas. Homeland of maracas – Cuba; also, Indians from South America used this instrument in their rituals and dances. Maracasas are made of wood or plastic, with a shot or peas poured inside. Some maracas allow you to add or pour out the loose contents – then the sound can be noticeably changed. Maracas are often used by jazz and pop ensembles, especially in Latin American music. How to play the maracas? Shake or rock them!

Shaker – from ang. shake – to shake. And again we recall our childhood rattles! A shaker is a closed container filled with loose material (shot, sand, grains or beads); the shape of a shaker may be anything – it all depends on the designer and his imagination. The play technique is simple – just make back-and-forth or up-and-down motions. Sharp movements will give a pronounced attack, smooth – soft.

Castanets are small wooden slices that look like seashells. The sound is clicking, upbeat and fun. Made of hardwood, historically originating in Spain. Castanets add an expressive rhythmic pattern to dances with a series of clicks. The vibrant and passionate rhythms of Latin American pieces become even spicier.

A rain stick is a long, hollow container (tube) with loose contents. When you flip the stick – the filler moves inside and creates a beautiful, rain-like noise. The instrument is common in Peru and Chile. A rain stick can have a transparent body – and then you can see the filler moving around inside. Rainstick, another name for a rain stick, belongs to the idiophone group. The filler can be groats, beads, pebbles, seeds or any other solid pellets. There is a spiral inside, i.e. the filler rolls not just in a void, but along a special “track”. The length of the rain stick varies from 25 to 70 cm.

Slowly turn the rain stick over and you will hear an amazing sound similar to the sound of a downpour.

The kabasa is an idiophone that makes a rattling, metallic sound similar to a rattlesnake. It is used in bossa nova, Latin music, and modern movements from jazz to rock. The instrument is of Afro-Brazilian origin. The kabasa should be shaken or rotated; depending on the intensity of such movements, the sound will be different.

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The trombone is a close “relative” of the trumpet, but it has its own unique personality. Its distinguishing feature is a curved mobile tube or rocker arm which resembles the letter U. By changing its position musicians can vary the tone and the power of the sound.

About the origins of the trombone
The instrument was first mentioned in the 15th century. Many art historians believe that it is the result of the evolution of the so-called rocker pipes. To change the pitch of the sound, they had to be moved along a special part that served as an extension of the mouthpiece. Later the craftsmen came up with the idea of moving only the moving part of the instrument. This is how the double rocker appeared.

The forebear of the modern trombone was called the “sakbut” and it looked more compact. In the first half of the 19th century its design underwent some changes. Christian Zatler, a craftsman from Germany, succeeded in inventing an additional detail – the quartwheel. The instrument has the ability to sound a quart lower and produce new sounds that were previously inaccessible. The quartwentile is moved by pulling a chain attached to the phalanx of the thumb.

The trombone’s design has not changed since, apart from an unsuccessful attempt to add another valve, like the trumpet and French horn. The innovation improved usability, but the sound became much worse. As a result, the idea was discarded.

For the first time the instrument was used for concert orchestral music in France. For many decades, the trombone sounded with the other members of the symphony orchestra. But with time, its functions expanded – it began to perform solo parts. As examples, the beautiful trombone solo in Glinka’s Fantasia Waltz (1839) and Maurice Ravel’s famous Bolero (1928).

Over the years, the instrument’s popularity grew steadily. In part because new technology has made the trombone more advanced. At the same time, there has also been interest in the retromodels of years gone by. Those who wish to learn how to play the trombone can take advantage of numerous textbooks and collections of etudes for beginners written by famous composers.

Features of playing the trombone
In order for the instrument to sound, the performer must use the force of the breath and move the wail. When it is moved out, the sound is lowered, becoming louder. When the backstop is retracted, it rises, sounding quieter. This is due to a change in the volume of air inside the instrument.

The rocker must occupy one of 7 defined positions, the difference between them is half a tone. In the seventh position, the rocker is pushed all the way out. The sound is as low and powerful as possible and can be heard in any orchestra. The dreadful sound of the trombone, for example in Mozart’s or Verdi’s Requiem, is traditionally interpreted as a harbinger of sad events.

In the first position with the curtain retracted, the instrument sounds soft and lyrical. By playing the model with the quartwheel, the performer can extend the trombone’s sound range. The unusual effect is achieved by the glissando technique: the rocker arm slides over all positions, smoothly changing the pitch of the sound. Trombones come in different sizes and ranges. It is accepted to distinguish the following varieties of the instrument: tenor, alto, bass and double bass.

Our contemporaries mostly play the tenor trombone. It is the most sonorous and it is usually chosen for solo performance because of its noble sound and large range. It begins with a G in the third octave and ends with a D-sharp in the second octave. But there is a gap in its range: it does not begin with the B note of the check-actave and ends in E-flat in the great octave.

Nevertheless, the versatile tenor-trombone can replace the bass or the viola in an orchestra. These types of instrument are used less frequently. Modern symphony orchestras generally use two tenor trombones and one bass. The latter has a powerful sound, but because of its bulky size and heaviness it is often replaced by its tenor counterpart. The double bass trombone is increasingly being used.

The popular wind instrument has come a long way since its inception. Its design has been improved, its sound capabilities and functions in the orchestra have expanded. Its unique timbre and unique expression made it irreplaceable in opera, symphonic and jazz music.

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In Europe harps appeared in the VIII century, but became most widespread in the XV-XVII centuries. Ancient harps were arched or angular and differed in size. History of the harpSmall hand harps were especially popular and loved by the Celts. Five octaves – this was the sound range of the instrument, the strings were arranged so that only diatonic scale sounds could be produced.

In 1660 in Austria a mechanical device in the form of adjustable keys was invented, which made it possible to change the tone of the sound, tightening or lowering the strings. Now it was not necessary to use fingers to shorten the strings, near each of them there were hooks, which helped to increase the tone. True, this mechanism was not convenient, and in 1720 the German master Jacob Hochbrücker invented a pedal mechanism for playing the harp. Seven pedals, later increased to 14, acted on the conductors, allowing the hooks to be closer to the strings and increasing the tone on the canvas.

Later in 1810, French craftsman Sebastien Érard modernized the Hochbrucker mechanism, and patented the harp with two pedals, which is still in use today. History of the harpThe mechanism perfected by Érard provided a sound scale of nearly seven octaves. G. Lyon in Paris in 1897 invented the harp’s non-bedal version. It consisted of cross strings whose number doubled due to the elimination of pedals. The second set of strings gave a new sound. Due to this the instrument became famous, but soon it was used less and less often.

In the twentieth century the harp plays a special role in the music of solo or group performances. It is hard to find a composer today who does not include it in his or her work.

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History of brass instruments
The art of trumpeting into the hollow horn of an animal or into a shell was known already in ancient times. Subsequently, people learned to make special instruments out of metal, similar to horns and designed for military, hunting, and cult purposes.

The ancestors of modern brass instruments were hunting horns, military signal pipes and post horns. These instruments, which had no valve mechanism, produced several natural sounds, extracted only with the help of the performer’s lips. This gave rise to military and hunting fanfares and signals based on the sounds of a natural scale, which became firmly established in musical practice.

With the improvement of metalworking techniques and the production of metal products it became possible to make pipes for wind instruments of certain sizes and the desired degree of finish. With the improvement of brass pipes and the development of the art of extracting a significant number of natural sounds on them, the concept of natural instruments, that is, instruments without a mechanism capable of giving only natural sounds, has appeared.

In the beginning of XIX century the mechanism of valves was invented, which has sharply changed the technique of performance and has increased the possibilities of brass instruments.

Classification of brass instruments

Brass wind instruments are divided into several families:

Valve instruments have several valves (usually three to four) controlled by the performer’s fingers. The principle of the valve is to instantly incorporate an additional crown into the main tube, increasing the length of the instrument and lowering its entire build. Several valves connecting tubes of different lengths allow for a chromatic chord. Most modern brass instruments – French horns, trumpets, tubas, saxhorns, etc. – are valve instruments. There are two valve designs – “turning” and “standing” (piston).
Instruments with a rocker use a special U-shaped retractable tube, the rocker, whose movement changes the length of air in the channel, thereby lowering or raising the sounds being extracted. The main rocker instrument used in music is the trombone.
Natural instruments do not have any additional tubes and can extract only the sounds of the natural scale. In the XVIII century there appeared special orchestras consisting of natural horns. Until the beginning of the XIX century natural instruments were widely used in music, then, with the invention of the mechanism of valves, went out of use. Natural instruments are also sometimes found in the scores of composers of the 19th and 20th centuries (Wagner, R. Strauss, Ligeti) for special sound effects. Natural instruments include antique trumpets and French horns, as well as the alpine horn, fanfare, horn, signal horns (hunting, postal) and similar instruments.
Clavier instruments have holes in their bodies that can be opened and closed by the player’s fingers as on woodwinds. Such instruments were widespread until the 18th century, but because of some discomfort in playing them then also went out of use. The main valve brass instruments are the cornet (zinc), serpent, ophicleide, and valve trumpet.

In our time, with the revival of interest in early music, the performance on natural and valve instruments is back in practice.

Brass instruments can also be classified according to their acoustic properties:

Full – instruments on which the basic tone of the harmonic scale can be extracted.
Half – instruments on which the basic tone cannot be extracted and the harmonic scale begins with the second harmonic consonant.

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In principle, all wind instruments are extremely simple. Let us take the flute as an example to examine their construction. Modern flute can be wooden or metal. Anyway it is a hollow tube with many valves. On the side there is a hole into which the flutist blows to extract the sound from the instrument.Obviously, there is air inside the tube, which the musician forces by the pressure of his breath to move. Hence the sound. And the shorter the tube, the higher the sound. This is the purpose of the holes: by closing or opening them, you can adjust the length of the tube.

For convenience, these holes are closed with special valves. This is especially comfortable for wind instruments with a long windpipe: it is difficult for the musician to reach all the holes with his fingers.

Varieties of Wind Instruments
The oboe has a very rich history and several ancestors among ancient musical instruments (its construction includes features of the Caucasian zurna and the ancient flute).

Oboe
The bassoon has the lowest voice in the family of wind instruments. It has a surprising ability to sound in different ways: now softly and melodiously, now mockingly.

Bassoon
The clarinet, whose name comes from the Latin word for ‘clear’, takes pride of place in symphony orchestras and stands out for its warm, rich sound.One of the most widely known wind instruments is rightly considered a trumpet. But few people know that in Europe it came from distant Asian countries. The first trumpets were characterized by straight or slightly curved shape, much later appeared the trumpets of the modern form, coiled. Trumpets are characterized by a loud, militant sound, and therefore used them most often in military campaigns. In the orchestra the trumpet appeared with the light hand of Italian composer Monteverdi. Moreover, in Europe the trumpet was equipped with valves to adjust the length and obtain different pitches of sound. But the original form of this instrument has survived, only now under the name of trombone.

One more wind instrument – an accordion, created by Peter Sterlyagov to the individual order of the accordionist Yakov Orlandsky. It was a completely new instrument with a rich sound, providing the musician with much more possibilities than the harmonica. The buttons in the bayan are placed on the sides: 100 on the left and 53 on the right.

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During the excavations of the settlement sites of the tribes of Central Africa and the Far East, archaeologists have found more similar to the modern examples of ancient percussion instruments. Obviously, it is they who have served as a model for creating European percussion instruments in their time.

Functional features of percussion instruments
The sound produced by percussion instruments originated from primitive rhythmic melodies. The tinkling and ringing prototypes of modern percussion instruments were used during ritual dances by people of Ancient Greece and Rome and Asian countries.
But representatives of ancient Arab states used percussion instruments, in particular drums, during military campaigns. European nations adopted this tradition much later. Poor in melody, but boisterous and rhythmic, drums have become an invariable accompaniment to military marches and hymns.

And in the orchestra percussion instruments found quite a wide application. At first, they were denied access to European academic music. Gradually percussion instruments found their application in dramatic music within opera and ballet orchestras and only later they found their way into symphony orchestras. But today it is difficult to imagine an orchestra without drums, kettledrums, cymbals, tambourine, tambourine or triangle.

Classification of percussion instruments
The group of percussion musical instruments is not only numerous, but also very unstable. Several different ways of classifying them have been developed, so the same instrument can belong to several subgroups at once.
The most common percussion instruments today are timpani, vibraphone, xylophone; various types of drums, tambourines, African tambourine, as well as triangle, cymbals, castanets and many others.

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