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Musical Instruments

Musical instruments are hugely varied in design, performance and sound. However, most instruments can be classified as belonging to one of four basic families: Strings, Percussion, Woodwinds and Brass. Each of these families contains a wide assortment of different sizes and produced sounds.

Stringed musical instruments produce sound by causing a taunt string to vibrate, which is then amplified in some fashion, internally or externally. These instruments are among the oldest musical instruments created by man. This family includes violins, guitars, harp and piano. A digital piano is less common and can be found at a piano store.

Percussion instruments are struck with either hands or sticks to create their intended sound. Some of these musical instruments are designed to be strictly rhythmic in nature, while others are tuned through various means in order to produce distinct tones. This family is generally considered to be the oldest of musical instruments and includes drums, mallet instruments (vibraphone, marimba, etc.) and shakers.

Woodwinds and Brass generate sound through air movement. Blowing air through a mouthpiece and across a reed, in the case of woodwinds, or between pursed lips in the case of brass instruments, causes sound through vibration and is amplified by the instrument itself. The woodwind family includes saxophones, clarinets, oboes and flutes. The brass family includes trumpets, trombones and tubas.

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