Musical instruments are used to expand the limited scope of musical sounds such as clapping, stamping, whistling, humming, and singing which can be produced by a person's unaided body. Throughout the world, musical instruments vary greatly in purpose and design, from natural, uncrafted objects to complicated products of industrial technology.
The present book provides a comprehensive and authentic information of various musical instruments used in different parts of the world. Besides narrating the significant characters of each instrument it also covers the history and development of instrumental music. This work will serve as a highly useful reference tool not only for teachers and students of music but also for all general readers who are interested in music.
Padma Iyer a seasoned music teacher and a practising musician is widely know for her teaching and research works in the field of music. She is associated with many national as well as international music organisations and has participated in international seminars, symposia, workshops and congresses on music.
She has participated in many national as well as international musical competitions and is a winner of many prestigious awards. A prolific writer, she has penned a number of research papers on music in professional journals of repute. Her special area of interest is Carnatic Music and she is currently researching a book on Indian Musical Traditions.
Musical instruments are used to expand the limited scope of musical sounds such as clapping. stamping, whistling. humming, and singing which can be produced by a person's unaided body. Throughout the world, musical instruments vary greatly in purpose and design. from natural, uncrafted objects to complicated products of industrial technology Currently a wide range of instruments are used by musicians. ranging from old-age flute to new-age electronic instruments of various kinds.
Musical instruments can be classified in different ways- for example, by their primary materials (metal, wood earthenware, skin, and so forth); their social status and appropriate setting (church, military, parlour): or their musical role (rhythmic, melodic, chordal, drone). The western music tradition classified them into four types. woodwind. brass. stringed and percussion. This exclusive division, however. does not accommodate instruments such as the piano, which employs both strings and a percussion mechanism. or the aeolian harp, a zither the strings of which are vibrated by the wind. A comprehensive classification based on acoustical principles was devised in the 19th century. Instrument families are defined in terms of what vibrates to produce the sound These families are: idiophones (solid, intrinsically sonorous objects); membranophones (taut membranes) aerophones: (enclosed or free masses of air): chordophones (stretched strings) and electrophones (oscillating electronic circuits) originated recently.
Book's Contents and Sample Pages
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