Brainlag PlusThe four families of the orchestra with the instruments Grade 5 adds, harp, piccolo, cor anglais, piano and new percussion, their clefs and pitch.
The four families
| Family | Instruments | How they sound |
|---|---|---|
| Strings | violin, viola, cello, double bass, harp | bowed or plucked (the harp is plucked) |
| Woodwind | piccolo, flute, oboe, cor anglais, clarinet, bassoon | blown across a hole, or through a reed |
| Brass | trumpet, horn, trombone, tuba | the player's lips buzzing into a mouthpiece |
| Percussion | timpani, drums, cymbals, triangle, tuned bars and bells | struck, shaken or clashed |
- Woodwind: flute and piccolo are blown across a hole; the clarinet has a single reed; oboe, cor anglais and bassoon a double reed.
- Percussion: timpani, side drum, bass drum, cymbals, triangle, tambourine, castanets, tam-tam, xylophone, marimba, glockenspiel, vibraphone, celesta, tubular bells.
- The piano is a keyboard instrument: its keys work hammers that strike strings.
Grade 5 adds the harp, piccolo, cor anglais and piano, and more percussion.
Quick check
Which of these uses a double reed?
The rest of this lesson and its 4 practice questions are in Plus.
Screen 1 of 4, free to read.
- 4 exam-style questions, marked as you go, each with a worked solution
- Anything you get wrong is saved to your flashcards