Mon Prof Augmenté
The four instrument families
Age 9 · Music
An orchestra sorts its instruments into four families: strings, woodwind, brass and percussion. Each family makes its sound in its own way.
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Age 9: open this week
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In the picture
- Strings: violin, viola, cello and double bass, whose strings vibrate when bowed or plucked
- Woodwind: flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon, played by blowing air across a hole or through a reed
- Brass: trumpet, trombone, French horn and tuba, played by buzzing the lips into a metal mouthpiece
- Percussion: kettle drums, snare drum, cymbals and triangle, played by hitting, shaking or scraping
Examples
- A guitar belongs to the string family because you pluck its strings to make a sound.
- The recorder you play at school is a woodwind instrument because you blow air into it.
Key takeaways
- In each family, the bigger instruments play lower notes, like the tuba and the double bass.
- A flute is made of metal but is still a woodwind, because of the way air makes its sound.
Quiz: The four instrument families (Age 9)
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A flute is made of metal. Which family does it belong to?
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In the brass family, which instrument plays the lowest notes?
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How does a trumpet player make a sound?
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