Thursday, 15 May 2014

Classification of Musical Instruments

 
Classification of Instruments according to the Hornbostel - Sachs system




Hornbostel - Sachs is a system of musical instrument classification devised by Erich Moritz von Hornbostel, an Austrian ethonomusicologist, and Curt Sachs, a German but American resident, and published in the Zeitschrift fur Ethonologie in 1914.

1. Idiophone 

Sounds are produced from the substance of the instrument itself (wood or metal) are classified as idiophones. They are further subdivided into those that are scrapped, plucked, shaken, or rubbed. In the Philippines there are metal and wood (bamboo) idiophones.

2. Aerophone


Sounds are produced by blowing the instruments. These are mostly end-blown with the air stream directed into the open end of the tube.

3. Chordophone

Sounds are produced by striking, plucking, or bowing the bamboo or wood stringed  instrument. It includes zithers, lutes, and bowed strings.

4. Membranophone

Sounds are produced by beating or thumping the head/heads of the drum which are made from animal skins (snake, deer or goat). These drums may be beaten with sticks or by the palm portion of bare hands.



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