Trumpet

The trumpet is among the oldest musical instruments. Its first known uses was in 1500 BCE. It was made of bronze and silver and found in Egypt. The trumpet is commonly used to play classical music and jazz music. It can also be used in ska, classical, jazz, rock, blues, pop, rap, Cuban music, mariachi, Eastern European folk music and funk.

FAMOUS TRUMPETERS

Louis Armstrong

Miles Davis

Tuba Family Pictures

A Tubachristmas at Rockefeller Center in NYC

Serpent--the ancestor of the Tuba

Euphonium

Sousaphone

Tuba

Wagner Tuba

Tuba

WHAT IS IT?

The tuba is the lowest member of the brass family. The first version was patented by Wilhelm Friedrich Wieprecht and Carl Moritz in 1835. It has since evolved with help from many other instrument designers including Adolphe Sax.

It has 3-6 valves (usually 4), and its tubing is coiled and ends in a wide, upward pointing bell.

WHERE IS IT USED?

--orchestras, bands, jazz, marching bands

--often would fill the role usually played by a string bass, especially in jazz

WHAT OTHER INSTRUMENTS ARE RELATED TO THE TUBA?

Serpent--precursor to the tuba; mouthpiece like a brass instrument but tone holes and keys like a woodwind; conical tubing curved into a serpent-like shape

Euphonium--a sort of tenor tuba; plays more in the trombone range; sometimes referred to as a baritone

Wagner Tuba--"a cross between horns, trumpets, trombones, and bass tubas"; designed to be played by horn players (The Encyclopedia of Music, Max Wade-Matthews and Wendy Thompson, 2006)

Sousaphone--see below

THE SOUSAPHONE

--named after John Philip Sousa, famous composer and bandmaster who popularized the instrument

--tubing circles the player, making it easier to carry and play standing up or marching

--the bell extends above the player's head and points forwards

--supported by the left shoulder

--variations exist in other countries

FAMOUS TUBA PLAYERS

John Fletcher, William Bell, Howard Johnson, Philip Catelinet, Roger Bobo

WELL KNOWN TUBA MUSIC

John Fletcher playing "Flight of the Tuba Bee"

Tuba solo in "Bydlo", Pictures at an Expedition by Mussorgsky

Also:

Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring"

Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries"

Gershwin's "An American in Paris"

TUBACHRISTMAS

An yearly concert held in cities around the world celebrating "those who play, teach, and compose music for instruments in the tuba family," according to the Wikipedia article on the event.

TUBA JOKE

"How do you clean a tuba? with a tub-a toothpaste!"

Piano Timeline

1700--Bartolomeo Cristofori invents the “piano e forte”

1732--First published piano music, Ludovico Giustini

1739--First known upright piano built by Domenico del Mela in Italy

1771--Robert Stodart takes out a patent using the name "Grand" to describe his instrument

1773--First public piano performance in New York

1781--Mozart and Clementi 'duel' in Vienna

1803--Erard Brothers of Paris present Beethoven with a piano

1842--First patented design for player piano, Claude Seytre

1924--Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue premiered

1929--Great Depression seriously limits piano manufacture everywhere

1939-45--World War II effectively halts piano manufacture everywhere

Early 1950s--Wurlitzer released their first electric piano

1953--Liberace wins 2 Emmy Awards for network television programs

2000--Piano300 exhibition opens at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., celebrating the 300th anniversary of the piano\

http://www.concertpitchpiano.com/TimeLine.html

http://hem.passagen.se/daveo/Wurlitzer_english.htm

A Brief History of the Piano

What came before the PIANO?

CLAVICHORD

-strings hammered

-notes could be sustained

-vibrato created by wiggling keys

-quieter sound

-could control volume

-used in homes, small rooms

HARPSICHORD

-strings plucked

-notes could not be sustained

-no vibrato

-second keyboard on the single instrument could be added for more sound

-no volume control

-used in chamber ensembles

When and How did it become the PIANO?

Bartolomeo Cristofori invented the pianoforte (what we know as the piano) in 1700. This date is confirmed by “an inscription made by…a court musician in Florence…in a copy of Gioseffo Zarlino’s Le istitutioni harmoniche,” a major musical text of the time.

Cristofori improved upon the shortcomings of the harpsichord and clavichord. His piano was shaped like a harpsichord. Inside was system where the strings of the piano were struck by hammers that would immediately bounce back so as not to dampen the vibrations of the strings. This and thicker strings caused bigger and unhampered vibrations, making the piano a much more versatile instrument than its ancestors, especially in terms of dynamic control.

Why was it called the PIANOFORTE?

Cristofori’s new instrument allowed for both loud and soft dynamics, so its name reflected this ability.

Edwin M. Ripin, et al. "Pianoforte." Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. 1 Apr. 2010. http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/21631

Piano Genres

Piano can be found in many types of music.

Some examples are:

Classical





Jazz

Piano: Basic Techniques

Basic Piano Techniques










The video below shows how one must keep their hands while playing.








He remains relaxed and he never makes a great effort to reach the notes.

• Fingers should be naturally curved, playing on the tips of the fingers or fleshy part next to your .


• You should form a "paw". Knuckles should not be caved in or too high. Knuckles could be fairly flat, but just slightly up, like a bridge. The same with the wrists and elbows.


• Wrists should be even with the white keys, never too high or low.


• Elbows should be out from the body, allowing the weight of your arm to travel freely to your wrists and allowing for horizontal movement across the keys.


• Always sit up straight, shoulders back, create a small arch in the middle of your back.


• Imagine a string going up through the center of your body, out of your head.


• You should sit far enough from the piano so that your elbows are slightly towards the front of your chest.


• Sit no more than one half to three quarters on the bench. Both feet flat on the floor or pedals.

I think the best way to start is to learn to read basic music. Learn the notes and some basic chords. There are websites that can help you learn.

http://www.notationmachine.com/how_to_read_sheetmusic/readingmusic.htm

http://www.tutorials.com/09/0917/09171.asp

Doluble Bass

History

• Dates back to 1493
• First relative was the viol
• Used a tuning of 4ths or combination of 3rds and 4ths
• Oldest surviving bass is the contrabasso di viola with 6 strings
• Was able to play in the cello and bass range
• Were originally called a violone
• Converted into 3 or 4 strings in late 16th or early 17th century
• The 5 string bass was most commonly used in Austria and Germany in the early 17th century
• The instruments may have been tuned 40 to 50 different ways

contrabasso di viola

Modern Bass

Ethnic and Ancestral Violins

ERHU

Chinese bowed instrument, the "Chinese violin"

Has two strings tuned a perfect fifth apart

Most popular instrument of the huqin (Chinese stringed instrument) family

Played with solos as well as varying sizes of ensembles

First made over 1000 years ago

Used in the Cirque du Soleil show "O"

VIELLE

A medieval stringed instrument played with a bow

Has 5 strings instead of 4 like the modern violin

Used by troubadours and jongluers during the 13th through 15th centuries

By the mid to late 1400s, called the hurdy-gurdy

LYRA/LIRA

A medieval bowed instrument with 3-5 strings

From the Byzantine Empire

Ancestor of many European bowed stringed instruments

Played by holding it upright and "stopping the strings from the side with fingernails"

Some lyras are still played today in Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey

Violin

BASIC INFORMATION

The violin is the soprano instrument of the string family.

What we know as the modern violin was first developed in Italy around 1550. One of the most famous makers of violins was Antonio Stradivari; Stradivarius violins are known across the world for their incredibly high quality sound.

Sound is made by pulling the bow across the strings, causing the strings to vibrate. The vibrations then resonate in the cavity in the body of the instrument and exit through the f-holes. Different pitches can be produced by pressing fingers on strings in certain positions.

The violin itself is held on the left side between the shoulder and the left jaw and assisted by the left hand. The bow is held in the right hand.

The basic tuning of the strings is G D A E (left to right, lowest to highest).

UNIQUENESS AND VERSITILITY

• A wide variety of notes can be produced by the violin; it has a four-octave chromatic range and can play chords, to an extent, by making multiple strings sound at the same time.
• Its popularity is can be attributed to its sound, the closest replication of the human voice that almost any instrument can produce.
• Countless types and styles of music are available for violins, including solos, small ensembles, unaccompanied pieces, concertos, and large orchestral works
• Nearly every class in societies across the globe have used some form of the violin in their music.

HOW VIOLINS ARE MADE

Though they look rather simple, there are about 70 different components that make up a violin.

Instruments are made by a master craftsman called a luthier.

Multiple types of wood are used to make a violin. Maple is common for the neck, pegbox, and scroll. A softwood is used for the belly (the top half of the body), while a hardwood is used for the back and sides.

Bows are made of both a piece of wood (the stick) and horsehair, strung and stretched across the stick and made adjustable by the tightening and loosening the end screw.

Video--How It's Made: Violin

http://www.stringinstrumentworkshop.com/flash.htm -- Green Bay area luthier and repairman

http://www.beardenviolinshop.com/repairs.php -- example repair costs

POPULAR USES AND ARTISTS

Violins are used outside of the traditional classical music. Many musical groups from popular to folk to jazz to bluegrass to contemporary worship bands include this instrument to add a twist to their sound. Traditional wooden acoustic violins are used as well as electric violins which often stray from the typical appearance of a violin.

A Few Famous and Recognizable Violin Pieces: Theme from Schindler's List, Vivaldi's Four Seasons-Summer, Orange Blossom Special, Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik

Videos of Famous Violinists: Itzhak Perlman, Issac Stern, Mark O'Connor, Joshua Bell

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VIOLIN AND FIDDLE

It's all in how you play it. The instrument is the same for either, but when used to play certain styles (i.e. bluegrass, celtic, folk), it is often called a fiddle.

VIOLINS AND WARTBURG

The Wartburg Community Symphony includes violins and has hosted guest violinists as solo artists. Most recently, violinist Jessica Lee was featured in the contemporary Chinese piece "Butterfly Lovers."

Lohe 44 suite member Laura Mackey plays violin in the service trip worship band, Hope Overflow, as pictured below at a food pantry in Madison, WI.

Viola

The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.

Violin Vs. Viola

It is easy to mistake the viola for the violin due to the similarity in size, closeness in pitch range (the viola is a perfect fifth below the violin), and nearly identical playing position. The viola's timbre sets it apart: its rich, dark-toned sonority is more full-bodied than the violin's. Unlike the violin, the viola's mellow voice being frequently used for playing inner harmonies, it is not used for wide solo repertoire.

More information

Sheet music for the viola is primarily read in the alto clef. The alto clef is not used very often and since it is used mostly by the violas it is referred to as the viola clef.

It is used mostly in contemporary pop music, orchestral music, and folk music.

Uses in popular music

Kansas' "Dust in the Wind", as well as other tracks by the band, features a viola melody. Robby Steinhardt played violin, viola, and cello on the song, and he or David Ragsdale plays at least one of these on most Kansas songs.

The Who's "Baba O'Riley" from the album Who's Next features an extended viola solo played by Dave Arbus of East of Eden.

The Goo Goo Dolls featured the viola in "We are the Normal".

Guitar Timeline

Guitar Timeline
1500 BCE-the Persian Tanbur is created.
**the word “guitar” comes from the Persian “Tan”, which means “string” and “char”, which means four
1400 BCE-Hittite Guitar
Beginning of CE-Greek Tanbourand buzuki, the Romanian tamburitza, the Indian sitar and tambura
400 CE-Roman Tanbur
710-711-The lute is brought to the Iberian peninsula as a result of the invasion by the Moors
1400’s-The Vihuela(big guitar with double the strings—popular for 200 years)
1600’s-The Baroque Guitar
1800’s-Fan struts and tuning pegs appear
1850’s-Antonio Torres Jurado makes adjustments that make the modern guitar
1930’s-The electric guitar is invented.

Closet Guitar Players

Samuel Jackson

Johnny Depp

Joaquin Pheonix

Christian Bale

Guitar family

Electric Bass

Acoustic Bass

Mandolin

Banjo

Ukelele

Types of Guitars

Acoustic

Electric

Electro-acoustic

Archtop
Resonator

Pedal Steel

Steel

Double Neck

12 String

42 String

Genres that use Guitars

Guitar seems to be used in almost any type of music, including:

• Acoustic
• Bluegrass
• Metal
• Classical
• Jazz
• Folk
• Flamenco

according to http://www.guitarplayerworld.com/guitar_genres.html

A new genre has been coined "guitarcore," and the Gibson Guitar company website explains the genre's significance.

What’s the difference between guitarcore and instrumental guitar music?

Guitarcore is about the song. It’s for all of those people who love guitar but don’t want to hear someone grunting or growling over the top of it and it’s for those who love guitar but don’t want to hear some self-indulgent, 20-minute guitar solo. Our songs have verses and choruses, bridges and solo sections. When we write we write as if a singer is going to sing over the top of it. Guitarcore is also about the band. Everyone in the band gets creative input. Everyone gets a chance to show their chops live and there are absolutely no egos. LoNero is not about cutting and pasting a solo together or fixing it in the mix. If it can’t be played live it isn’t going to be recorded. For years instrumental guitar has been so self-indulgent. But there are a lot of people who don’t play guitar but love guitar music. Those are the people we want to reach.

http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/guitarcore/

Learning How to Play Guitar

How to Start Playing Guitar

If you’ve ever wanted to play the guitar but just don’t know where to begin, try starting here with these basic tips.

Basic Stuff You Probably Need to Know

· Understanding the guitar itself—parts and how they each function

· Strings and chords—tuning of each string and where to place your fingers to create chords

· Strumming—techniques and patterns

Chords to Start With

One method often used is CAGED. With the finger patterns from these five chords, many other guitar chords can be played. For visuals of the chords, click on the link below.

http://www.guitaralliance.com/guitar_lessons/guitar_chords/caged_guitar_chords.htm

Holding the Guitar

· If you’re sitting, rest the guitar on your leg. If you’re standing, use a strap so your arms can be free to finger and strum without unnecessary strain.

· Be aware of your posture and body tension. Sit up straight or stand, and be sure not to rest your left arm on your left leg.

· Proper thumb placement is typically hidden from anyone who sees you playing. Help website Howtotuneaguitar.com suggests to “keep your thumb in hitchhiking position, pointed away from you with the ball of the thumb in the center of the neck.”

How-To Videos:

Learning to Play Guitar: Folk Styles

Capo

Places to Look for Tips

http://guitaralliance.com/

Great resources for learning guitar at any level: http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Lessons/Search/Default.aspx

For chord visuals, lessons, how to tune, and more: http://www.howtotuneaguitar.org/

Ethnic Guitar

The Cuatro

Meaning: "four"
Family: Guitar
Found: South America, Trinidad & Tobago, other territories of the West Indies
Uses: Ensembles, Accompaniment
Type of music: Secular and religious
Characteristics: Small, 4 strings.

Guitarrón mexicano

Meaning: "Mexican large guitar"
Family: Similar to guitar but not derived from guitar
Found: Mexico
Uses: Mariachi Bands
Type of music: Mexican Mariachi groups
Characteristics: Large, 6 strings, Strings originally made of intestines, Fretless

***This video is of a Mariachi band. A Mariachi band generally consists of violins, trumpets, an acoustic guitar, a vihuela (a high-pitched, five-string guitar), a guitarrón (a large acoustic bass) and, on occasion, a harp. The members of the group dress in silver studded charro outfits with wide-brimmed hats. The original Mariachi were Mexican street musicians or buskers.***