Understanding timbre: Western sounds
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Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can identify common instruments and timbres from different Western musical traditions.
Key learning points
- The orchestra is home to a diverse range of instruments which use different effects to create different timbres.
- Some common effects include: arco, pizzicato, muted, and double-stopping.
- Styles of popular music often use different timbres.
- The synthesiser creates a wide range of different sounds, including different synth leads, pads and basses.
Keywords
Arco - when strings are played with a bow
Pizzicato - when strings are plucked with a finger
Mute - a device that dampens and reduces the sound produced by an instrument
Synth lead - a type of synthesised sound that is suited to playing melodies
Synth pad - a type of synthesised sound that is suited to playing sustained sounds
Common misconception
Instrumental timbres in families can be identified with pitch.
This isn't always the case. Instruments such as the trombone and French horn have a similiar pitch and the oboe and cor anglais pitch ranges cross over, so it's important that pupils think about the timbres to identify instruments correctly.
Teacher tip
Allow pupils plenty of opportunity to practise identifying different instruments and timbres, encouraging them to think about the capabilites of the instruments to help. Consider creating further listening opportunities (including informal instrument identification tasks) to support them with this.
Licence
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