Band Instruments
A band may consist of several instruments, but will likely be made up of three main groupings:
- Woodwinds
- Brass instruments
- Percussion instruments
Woodwinds are considered a non-directional type of instrument. This means sound coming from a woodwind instrument permeates in all direction equally in volume, whereas brass instruments are directional. Woodwinds are generally made of wood, and have a vibrating reed in the mouthpiece. When breath is forced between the reed and the mouthpiece, the vibration created makes a sound. Pitches are then varied by opening or covering holes in the body of the instrument. Woodwinds may be double reed instruments as well, and may be defined as either exposed double reed or capped double reed.
Exposed double reed instruments, like the English horn and the oboe, have a reed that goes between the player's lips. Capped double reed instruments have a cap covering the reed and the hole in the cap is blown through in order to create sound, as in bagpipes. Flutes are also considered woodwind instruments, although in this case the sound is created by blowing against an edge, rather than directly into, the instrument.
Brass instruments within a band are “lip vibrating instruments” meaning the sound is produced by the vibration of the lips of the player. Brass instruments are generally categorized as being valved or slide. A valved brass instrument has several valves depressed and released by the player's fingertips to change the pitch. These instruments include the trumpet, sousaphone, and tuba. Slide brass instruments, like the trombone, incorporate the use of a slide to change the length of the tubing when adjusted and therefore the pitch of the note.
The third primary group of instruments that make up a band are the percussion instruments. Percussionists play their instruments by striking, shaking, scraping or rubbing them, and may oftentimes be very versatile in playing several different types of percussive instruments. Drums sets, including bass drums, snares, and cymbals may keep the beat while cowbells, tambourines and whistles will add to the rhythm, melody, and harmony. Percussion instruments are oftentimes called “the heartbeat” of the music, and it is rare not to have a solid percussive backing to any band.
Band Members
A band may have as few as three people, or as many as 40 or 50. In the average rock and roll band, there are usually four people: a drummer or percussionist, a lead guitar, a bass guitar, and a lead singer, sometimes referred to as the “front man.” In many marching bands, many types of woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments are played; each is integral in producing the total sound.
