They are objects that are formed by the fusion of one or more resonant systems together with the means for their vibration, they are made with the aim of producing sounds in different tones, and that can be used by a person to create music. There are those who defend the idea that anything that generates sound can function as a musical instrument, however, the term is reserved specifically for those objects that are created for that specific purpose.
Musical instruments can be divided into three classes, percussion instruments, wind instruments and string instruments. It should be noted that this classification is mainly oriented to the so-called orchestral instruments, which excludes a set of elements that do not fall into this classification, which is why certain experts in the field have expanded the classification with up to 3 extra categories, such as this is the case of keyboards, voice and electronic instruments.
Experts consider that the human body (which produces percussion and vocal sounds), is therefore the first musical instrument of which there is any reference. There is also the theory about the ability that Homo habilis had to incorporate sounds in an idiophone way to the impulses of motor emotional expression, as for example in dance, using different elements such as hollow logs, stones, animal teeth and waterfalls. Throughout history, a large number of musical instruments of different types have been found in archaeological excavations around the world, these findings added to the important pictorial and literary documents establish that music has had great importance in the history of being. human.
As mentioned above, the instruments can be of several types:
Idiophone instruments: according to the Hornbostel-Sachs classification, they are instruments that have their own sound and this is because their own body is used as resonating matter, it has the ability to produce sound primarily through vibrations that your body generates, therefore, it does not need ropes, columns of air or membranes. The body can be made of stone, wood or metal, that is, it has a hard consistency, but it is nevertheless sonorous, it has enough elasticity to be able to sustain the vibratory movement.
Within this classification, the instruments that can be included are very diverse, examples of which are the xylophone, bells, castanets, song and cymbals. Most of those percussion instruments that do not use membranes to generate the sound are classified as hydrophones, while those that make use of membranes are called membranophones, both terms supplant the imprecise finished percussion instruments, especially when a more definition is desired. precise.
Membranophone instruments: known in this way those instruments that are characterized because the sound they produce is created in a tense membrane, there are cases in which they can have two tense membranes, as happens with some cylindrical instruments that have a membrane in each one. from its ends, this membrane is also known as a patch and in most cases it is struck with the hand, drumsticks, sticks or a metal brush. These instruments in turn are classified according to their function in:
- Fricted: they are characterized because the vibration that is generated in the membrane is the product of the rubbing with the hand, although. a stick or rope can also be used.
- Percussed: these instruments have the peculiarity that the sound vibration occurs at the moment when the membrane that covers it is played directly, either with drumsticks, sticks or the hand, such is the case of timpani or the drum.
- Blown: in these instruments the vibrations occur through the voice of the person who plays them, they do not have a sound that characterizes them, but rather they change the sound of the voice.
Aerophone instruments: also known as wind instruments, in them the sound is generated by the action of the vibration of the air mass that is inside them, without the use of membranes or strings since they only need the use of the wind. Those wind instruments made of metal are characterized by generating a ringing sound of great force, when that is the case, what the interpreter does is vibrate the lips in a mouthpiece that is responsible for generating the acoustic frequency, this type of instrument can be composed of one or more tubes, and it is within saidtube where the column of air will be created that the performer must vibrate when blowing through the nozzle mentioned above, which is located at the end of the tube described above. Similarly, wind instruments are subdivided into two types and this is due to the type of timbre they produce.
- Wooden instruments: the timbre generated by these instruments is more melodious and smooth than that produced by brass instruments, the sound is created when it is blown through the bezel mouth, which makes the reed of the tongue.
- Metal Instruments: in this case the timbre is characterized by having a strong, metallic sound and a little brighter, in this case the sound is created thanks to the vibration of the lips in the metal mouthpiece that has a cup shape, and that it is in charge of producing the acoustic frequency.
Chordophone Instruments: also known as string instruments, these musical instruments are characterized because the sound they produce is created thanks to the vibrations of one or more strings, which are usually amplified through a soundboard. These strings are stretched between two points on the instrument and they sound when they are plucked, rubbed or struck. At present, string instruments are the reflection of the evolution of other instruments which even have their origins in cultures that have already been extinguished, such as the culture of the Assyrian, Sumerian and Akkadian empires. They are basically made up of strings, a structure that is responsible for supporting the resonance box, this last element in some cases is responsible for supporting the strings and its importance may vary depending on the instrument.
