Page 177 - DK Children's Encyclopedia

Musical instruments SEE ALSO

▸ ▸ Dance p.76
▸ ▸ Hearing p.127
An object used to make musical sounds is called a musical ▸ ▸ Music
instrument. Musical instruments make sounds in different pp.176–177
ways—some have strings that vibrate, others a hole to ▸ ▸ Orchestra p.188

blow into or a surface to beat. We put musical instruments ▸ ▸ Radio p.203
into four groups based on how they make sound. ▸ ▸ Sound p.235

Strings Wind
The sound of stringed instruments Wind instruments such as the trumpet
comes from their vibrating strings. or flute are made of tubes of wood or
Players pluck the strings with their metal, which might be straight or
fingers or move a bow across them. looped. Musicians play wind instruments
by blowing into them.

Drawing a
horsehair bow
over the violin’s
strings makes
them vibrate.

Pressing valves on
a trumpet changes
the tube’s length
to make a higher
or lower sound.

Keyboard Percussion
Musicians play instruments such as Percussion instruments such as
pianos and synthesizers by pressing drums make a sound when they
keys on a keyboard. Piano keys are hit. Some, such as bells and
cause a tiny hammer to hit a string, xylophones, can make different
which produces a particular notes (sounds). Others, such
sound called a note. as rattles, produce a noise
when shaken.
A modern
grand piano
has 88 keys.

Traditional
drum heads
are made from
animal skin.

175

US_175_Musical_instruments.indd 175 16/05/2017 09:49