In 1939, a rare silver trumpet with a long, straight tube was blown for the first time in 3,000 years. It was a tense and exciting moment. The effect was shattering. The trumpet broke into several pieces! The trumpet was one of two discovered in the tomb of the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun. (More…)

dodoEntertainment, Music, Music Equipments, Musical Instruments, Trumpet13 Nov, 20082 Comments

There is a children’s story from Russia about a boy called Peter, his grandfather, a cat, a bird, a duck, a wolf and some hunters. The story is special because it is told not just in words but in music, too. Each character is matched to an instrument of the orchestra. Whenever you hear the instrument, you picture the character it represents. Three of the characters are played by reed instruments — the clarinet, the oboe and the bassoon. These are the three main reed instruments in the orchestra. (More…)

dodoBrass, Music Box, Music Equipments, Music Genres, Music Software, Musical Instruments, Woodwinds5 Nov, 20082 Comments

Look at this painting of people noisily enjoying themselves. It was painted 400 years ago by a Flemish artist named Pieter Breughel. A man and woman are running to join in the dancing at a village festival. Around a table sit three men arguing. Children play. And what is the instrument that is playing music to accompany the lively dancing? It’s an instrument called the bagpipes. (More…)

dodoMusic Equipments1 Nov, 20082 Comments

Just like the mouth organ, a squeeze box makes music using free reeds. The largest squeeze boxes are the accordion and the melodeon. Musicians usually carry these instruments on a strap around their shoulder to support the weight. Squeeze boxes have three important parts. They are the reeds, the keys or buttons and the bellows. (More…)

dodoMusic Equipments, Musical Instruments, Piano24 Oct, 20082 Comments

Electric organ

The American inventor Laurens Hammond invented the electric organ in the 1930s. The electric organ looks just like an ordinary pipe organ, but doesn’t work unless it’s switched on. When the keys are pressed, electric signals are made. The signals go to a pre-amplifier, where they are made stronger, then to an amplifier and then come out of the loudspeaker as musical notes. It sounds just like the real thing! (More…)

dodoAmplifier, Jazz, Music Box, Piano, Woodwinds21 Oct, 20082 Comments

Serpent

It is obvious how this instrument got its name! It looks like a snake, but it is not used by snake charmers. The serpent was first made about 400 years ago in France but is seldom played today. If the serpent were straightened out, it would be about 2.5 metres long. Remember the brass instruments whose tubing was so long it had to be folded up? (More…)

dodoBrass, Music Equipments, Musical Instruments21 Oct, 20082 Comments

Every performer needs a few simple pieces of equipment, if nothing else, to give a successful performance. It is well worth spending a little time beforehand to make sure of a worthwhile result.

The metronome

First make sure you play your music at the right speed. A machine called a metronome tells you what the speed should be. But how fast is fast? (More…)

dodoMusic Box, Music Equipments, Sheet Music16 Oct, 20082 Comments

Going to any kind of musical concert is exciting. But concerts vary according to the type of music that will be played. So when you buy your ticket, how will you know what to expect?

A classical concert

If you are lucky enough to be able to listen to a well-known orchestra playing in a large concert hall, your ticket might be expensive. You might even have to dress up for the occasion! It’s a good idea to listen to a recording of the music beforehand. Then you will know about the music and be able to appreciate it. (More…)

dodoFolk Music, Jazz, Microphone16 Oct, 20082 Comments

The Human Voice-How it Works, how it used?

Man’s oldest means of musical expression is the human voice. Many people consider it the most beautiful and sensitive of all musical instruments. This instrument is so personal that it is with you wherever you go, lets you make music whenever you want, can be used to make music without taking music lessons, and identifies you even when you can’t be seen.

Just as no two people look exactly alike, no two voices sound exactly the same. Try calling one of your best friends on the telephone and don’t identify yourself. It won’t take long for him to recognize you by the sound of your voice. Although we all use the same kind of instrument to produce vocal sounds, the instrument is a part of our body and is very special. (More…)

dodoHip Hop Music, Music Box, Music Equipments, Music Software, Musical Instruments12 Oct, 20082 Comments

Even though the tone of the trumpet is very brilliant, it is capable of playing beautiful melodies. When its sound is blended with that of other instruments, new and exciting sounds are created. As with all brass instruments, the tone of the trumpet can be altered by placing a mute in the bell. This is a cone-shaped device usually made of metal or fibreboard. A muted trumpet has a soft, faraway sound and is often used to represent an echo of the sounds of other instruments. (More…)

dodoBrass, Jazz, Music Equipments, Trumpet3 Oct, 20082 Comments