MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS - Playing For Change Foundation

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VIOLIN

Family: Strings

Origin: Italy, 16th century

Violins are most prominent in the Western classical tradition, but also also important in many varieties of folk music, including country music, bluegrass music and in jazz. The violin in its present form emerged in early 16th-century northern Italy. The violin proved very popular, both among street musicians and the nobility. In Europe, it served as the basis for the development of other stringed instruments used in Western classical music, such as the viola. A violin is tuned in fifths, in the notes G3, D4, A4, E5. The lowest note of a violin, tuned normally, is G3, or G below middle C (C4)

Violin Videos

CAVAQUINHO

Family: Strings

Origin: Spain, 19th century

The guitar as we know it today has evolved during centuries from medieval string instruments such as the lute and the vihuela. Standard E–A–D–G–B–E tuning was established in the 18th century and the classical guitar, with three gut and three metal-spun silk strings was elaborated in Spain during the 19th century. The steel-string acoustic guitar descends from the classical guitar but uses steel strings for a brighter and louder sound and the electric guitar was born in the 1930’s.

Classical/Spanish Essentials Playlist:

>Learn Guitar
>Access educational resources to learn and teach guitar.

BASS GUITAR

Family: Strings

Origin: USA, 1930’s

The bass guitar or electric bass was invented during the 1930s by musician and inventor Paul Tutmarc of Seattle, USA. It is the lowest-pitched member of the guitar family. It is similar in appearance to an electric guitar, but with a longer neck and scale length, and has typically four to six strings. The standard tyuuning of a 4 string bass is E-A-D-G). They started to be manufactured on a wide scale during the 50’s as they were much easier to transport that the traditional upright double bass, used in jazz and early rock bands.

Bass guitar videos:

BENDIR

Family: Percussion – Membranophones

Origin: North Africa – South West Asia

The bendir (Arabic: بندير‎ ) is a wooden frame drum of North Africa and Southwest Asia. Names and sizes can vary across the many countries where this percussion is used. The bendir often has a snare (usually made of gut) stretched across the head, which creates a buzz when the drum is struck. It is played in a vertical position. The drum is held by looping the thumb of the non-dominant hand through a hole in the frame. Similar frame drums include the tar of Egypt and the bodhrán of Ireland. Unlike the bendir, the tar does not have a snare on the back of the frame, and the bodhrán is played with a beater.

Bendir video:

SAXOPHONE

Family: Winds/Woodwinds – Aerophones

Origin: Belgium, 1840

Invented in 1840 by Adolphe Sax, the saxophone used in classical music, jazz, and occasionally in rock, pop, and other styles. There are many types of saxophones with different picthes but the most common ones are soprano, alto, tenor and baritone. The saxophone has been particularly used in big bands of the 1940s and 1950s as well as in be-bop groups. Among famous jazz saxophone players were John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Dexter Gordon or Steve Coleman.

Saxophone Essentials Playlist:

>Learn Saxophone

CLASSICAL GUITAR

Family: Strings

Origin: Spain, 19th century

The guitar as we know it today has evolved during centuries from medieval string instruments such as the lute and the vihuela. Standard E–A–D–G–B–E tuning was established in the 18th century and the classical guitar, with three gut and three metal-spun silk strings was elaborated in Spain during the 19th century. The steel-string acoustic guitar descends from the classical guitar but uses steel strings for a brighter and louder sound and the electric guitar was born in the 1930’s.

Classical/Spanish Essentials Playlist:

>Learn Guitar
>Access educational resources to learn and teach guitar.

DOUBLE BASS

Family: Strings

Origin: 15th century

The double bass is considered as a descendant of the string instruments that originated in Europe in the 15th century. It is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed (or plucked) string instrument. And, it is the only modern bowed string instrument that is tuned in fourths (like the lower strings of a guitar), rather than fifths, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2. In jazz, blues, rockabilly and other genres outside of classical music, this instrument is commonly called the upright bass. It is usually played with a bow in classical music and with fingers in jazz or other styles.

Double bass solo:

ELECTRIC GUITAR

Family: Strings

Origin: USA, 1930’s

The electric guitar was developed and manufactured during the 1930’s in the USA by companies such as Rickenbacker, Gibson, Dobro among others. The jazz players quickly adopted the electric guitar and during the 1950s and 1960s, the electric guitar became the most important instrument in popular music. With solid or hollowed body, the electric guitar uses 6 strings, tuned in EADGBE, like the classical guitar…

Electric guitar videos:

>Learn Guitar
>Access educational resources to learn and teach guitar.

CELLO

Family: Strings

Origin: Italy, 17th century

The cello or violoncello is a bowed (and occasionally plucked) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually tuned in perfect fifths: from low to high, C2, G2, D3 and A3. The direct ancestor to the violoncello is the bass violin.

Cello Essentials Playlist:

KORA

Family: Strings

Origin: West Africa, 14th century

The kora is a traditional West African harp made from a large calabash. It is the king of the instruments in the Griot culture. Traditionally, it has 21 strings, and according to a legend, it was given to the Griots by the Devil in Guinea Bissau. Learning to play the kora requires tremendous discipline and passion. Some of the most renowned kora players include Toumani Diabaté, Balaké Cissoko, Sidiki Diabaté, Mori Kanté, Mamadou Diabaté, and Madou Sidiki Diabaté.

Kora videos:

HARP

Family: Strings

Origin: Asia, Africa, Europe : 3000 BCE

The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has a number of individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps have been known since antiquity in Asia, Africa and Europe, dating back at least as early as 3000 BCE. The instrument had great popularity in Europe during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, where it evolved into a wide range of variants with new technologies, and was disseminated to Europe’s colonies, finding particular popularity in Latin America.

Harp videos:

UKULELE

Family: Strings

Origin: Hawaï, 1900’s

The ukulele was born in Hawaï as an evolution of the machete, an instrument from the portuguese island of Madeira brought by imigrants during the 19th century.
It gained great popularity elsewhere in the United States during the early 20th century and from there spread internationally. The ukulele usually has 4 nylon strings and is tuned in C (C6 tuning: G4–C4–E4–A4)

Ukulele Essentials Playlist:

HARPSICHORD

Family: Keyboards – Chordophones

Origin: Italy, 15th century

The harpsichord is an ancestor of the piano, where the strings are plucked in order to produces notes, that was widely used in Renaissance and Baroque music. Also know as clavicembalo or clavecin, it was created in Italy at the end of the Middle Age.

Harpsichord videos:

BONGO

Family: Percussions

Origin: Cuba

Bongos (or “bongó” in Spanish) are an Afro-Cuban percussion instrument consisting of a pair of small open bottomed drums of different sizes. Together with the conga or tumbadora, and to a lesser extent the batá drum, bongos are the most widespread Cuban hand drums, being commonly played in genres such as son cubano, salsa and Latin Jazz.
Most sources on Afro-Cuban cultural history argue that the bongo derives from Central African (Congo/Bantu) drum models, noticeable in the open bottoms. The strong historical presence of Africans from the Congo/Angola region in Eastern Cuba, where the bongo first appeared makes such an influence possible.

Bongo Video:

PIANO

Family: Keyboards – Chordophones

Origin: Italy, 1700’s

The piano is an acoustic, stringed musical instrument invented in Italy by Bartolomeo Cristofori at the begining of the 18th century. The piano has the particularity to be classified in 3 different instrument families: in the keyboards family, stringed instruments but also among percussion instruments as the strings are struck by a hammer…
The piano has 88 keys and spans 7 octaves, which is the widest range of tones of all acoustic instruments. The name Piano means soft in Italian and the original name of the instrument was Piano-Forte, which literally means soft and strong.

Piano videos:

>Learn Piano
Access educational resources and videos to learn and teach piano.

ORGAN

Family: Keyboards – Aerophones

Origin: Greece – 300 BCE

The organ is a keyboard instrument that produces sounds through presurized air pipes and played with both hands and feets. The organ originates in Ancient Greece, around 300 BCE and the instrument evolved during the middle Age in Europe, as it was widely used in churchs. Organs can have several keyboards as well as a foot pedal keyboard, that is is being played simultanously. Mechanical organs have been widely used to play sacred, classical and popular music across centuries.

Organ videos:

ACCORDION

Family: Keyboards – Aerophones

Origin: Austria, 19th century

The accordion is both a keyboard instrument and a wind instrument. The air is blown through the reeds with the help of a bellow or “ squeeze box”. The first accordion was patented in Vienna, Austria in 1829. It is used in various music styles of popular, traditional and classical music in Europe and Latin America.

Accordion videos:

DRUMSET

Family: Percussions (membranophones and idiophones)

Origin: USA, early 20th century

The drumset or drumkit combines different drums destined to be played by a single player. Most of these drums were used in military and marching bands in Europe and USA. The drumset starts its evolution with the appearance of the foot pedal in the early 1900’s for the bass drum that will become a central element of the instrument, along with the snare drum, hi hat, cymbals and toms.

Drumset videos:

DJEMBÉ

Family: Percussions – Membranophones

Origin: West Africa, around the 13th century

The Djembé is a West African percussion instrument made of wood, rope and goat or cow skin. The djembé originated from the Mandinka people of Mali and Guinea probably around the 13th Century but descends from ancient drums. The Djembé is widely used in the west African society during marriages and all sorts of ceremonies, rituals and celebrations. A typical djembe ensemble contains one soloist, one or two accompanying djembes and one to three dundun (bass drums) players. It is usually always accompanied by dancers, clapping and chants. A djembe player is called “djembefola”.

Djembé videos:

TABLAS

Family: Percussions – Membranophones

Origin: India, 18th century

The tablas are double hand drums from the Indian subcontinent. Since the 18th century, tablas have been the principal percussion instrument in Hindustani classical music, accompanying other instruments and vocals in traditional ensembles or as a solo instrument. Tabla is also frequently played in popular and folk music performances in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. The smaller drum (daya) is used for creating treble and tonal sounds, while the the larger drum (bayan) produces low sounds.

Tabla video:

TIMBALES

Family: Percussion

Origin: Cuba

The timbal or timbales is a Cuban percussion instrument made of 2 metal drums, and mounted cowbells. It is played with sticks and descends from the timpani used in classical music orchestras. The timbales are an important element of the Cuban and salsa sound but has been used in many other styles of music.

Timbales video

CONGAS

Family: Strings

Origin: Spain, 19th century

The conga, (or tumbadora), is a tall, narrow, single-headed drum from Cuba. Congas are staved like barrels derivated from African drums, that have been poplarized in the USA and around the world since the 1930’s. Generally played with 2 or 3 drums the congas have been used in a variety of music styles from jazz, to mambo, salsa rock, soul, etcetera…

Conga videos:

CAJÓN

Family: Percussion – membranophones

Origin: Perú

A cajón is a box-shaped percussion instrument originally from Peru, played by slapping the front or rear faces (generally thin plywood) with the hands, fingers, or brushes. Cajones are primarily played in Afro-Peruvian music, but has made its way into flamenco music as well. The term cajón is also applied to other box drums used in Latin American music, such as the Cuban cajón de rumba and the Mexican cajón de tapeo.

Cajón Essentials Playlist:

TRUMPET

Family: Winds/Brass – Aerophones

Origin: 1500 BCE – North Africa, Europe, Asia…

The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. There are many distinct types of trumpet, with the most common being pitched in B♭. Modern trumpets usually have 3 piston valves. Trumpet-like instruments have historically been used as signalling devices in battle or hunting, with examples dating back to at least 1500 BCE. The ancient Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun’s bronze and silver trumpets date back to this period.

Trumpet video

TROMBON

Family: Winds/ Brass – Aerophones

Origin: Europe, 15th century

The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family originated in the mid 15th century. It was used in outdoor events, in concert, and in liturgical settings. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips (embouchure) cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate. Unlike most other brass instruments, which have valves that, when pressed, alter the pitch of the instrument, trombones instead have a telescoping slide mechanism that varies the length of the instrument to change the pitch. Today, the trombone can be found in symphony orchestras, concert bands, marching bands, military bands, brass bands and choirs.

Trombon video:

CLARINET

Family: Winds/Woodwinds – Aerophones

Origin: Germany, 1700’s

The clarinet is a family of woodwind instruments. It has a distinctive timbre, which varies between its 3 main registers: chalumeau, clarion, and altissimoIt. The clarinet has its roots in the early single-reed instruments or hornpipes used in Ancient Greece, Ancient Egypt, Middle East, and Europe since the Middle Ages, such as the albogue, alboka, and double clarinet. Johann Christoph Denner is generally believed to have invented the clarinet in Germany around the year 1700 by adding a register key to the earlier chalumeau, usually in the key of C. Mozart (d. 1791) wrote numerous pieces for the instrument. and by the time of Beethoven (c. 1800–1820), the clarinet was a standard fixture in the orchestra.

Watch and listen Clarinet:

Sitar

Family: Strings

Origin: India, 13th Century

The sitar is a plucked stringed instrument, invented in medieval India and used in Hindustani classical music. It was developed from the Veena during the 13th century and can have 18, 19, 20, or 21 strings. The sitar became popularly known around the world through the music of Ravi Shankar, who introduced Indian classical music to Western culture.

Watch sitar videos:

Watch a veena (ancestor of the sitar) performance:

DARBOUKA

Family: Percussion – membranophones

Origin: Northern Africa and Middle East

The darbouka drum is a single head membranophone with a goblet shaped body used mostly in Egypt, Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, as well as Eastern Europe. The origin of the term Darbuka probably lies in the Arabic word “daraba” (“to strike”). These drums have existed for millennials and were originally made of ceramic and covered goat or fish skin. Nowadays most darboukas are made out of metal.

Darbouka video:

MADAL

Family: Percussion – Membranophones

Origin: Nepal

The madal (Nepali: मादल) is a percussion instrument from Nepal widely used in Nepalese folk music. The Madal consists of a cylindrical body with a slight bulge at its center and heads at both ends, one head larger than the other. It is usually played horizontally in a seated position, with both heads played simultaneously.

Madal & bansuri flute:

PANDEIRO

Family: Percussions

Origin: Brazil

The pandeiro is a Brazilian tambourine derived from Arabic and Southern European frame drums. It has become the national instrument in Brazil and is being used in many styles of popular and traditional music across the country. The pandeiro is a quite simple hand drum with a incredible capabilities sound as some players such as Marco Suzano or mestre Pimpa among many others have demonstrated.

Watch and listen Pandeiro:

STEEL DRUM

Family: Percussion – Idiophones

Origin: Trinidad

The steeldrum or ‘steelpan’ is a percussion instrument from Trinidad & Tobago made out of an oil drum. It can be found in different sizes. Each drum includes about 30 different notes depending on the size and pitch of the instrument. Steeldrums are associated with the Carnival in Trinidad, as well as with Calypso music and have been introduced into jazz music since the 1940’s.

Steel drum video:

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Strings

Keyboards

Percussions

Winds

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS PLAYLIST

A video playlist featuring a variety of musical instrument performances from around the world

VIOLIN

CAVAQUINHO

BASS GUITAR

BENDIR

SAXOPHONE

CLASSICAL GUITAR

DOUBLE BASS

ELECTRIC GUITAR

CELLO

KORA

HARP

UKULELE

HARPSICHORD

BONGO

PIANO

ORGAN

ACCORDION

DRUMSET

DJEMBÉ

TABLAS

TIMBALES

CONGAS

CAJÓN

TRUMPET

TROMBON

CLARINET

Sitar

DARBOUKA

MADAL

PANDEIRO

STEEL DRUM

About the PFC Foundation

Search

Strings

Keyboards

Percussions

Winds

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS PLAYLIST

A video playlist featuring a variety of musical instrument performances from around the world

Chopin - Nocturne op.9 No.2

Toccata and Fugue in D Minor (Best Version Ever)

Concierto de Aranjuez - Joaquín Rodrigo II. Adagio / Pablo Sáinz-Villegas - LIVE

Miles Davis - So What (Official Video)

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child (Slight Return) (Live In Maui, 1970)

Paco de Lucia - Rio Ancho

Lenny Kravitz - Always On The Run (Official Music Video)

Yo-Yo Ma - Bach: Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, Prélude (Official Video)

N. Paganini Caprice no. 5 | Sumina Studer

George Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue - Leonard Bernstein, New York Philharmonic (1976)

Bach - Fugue in G minor BWV 578

Trombone Shorty At Age 13 - 2nd Line