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Woodwind Quintet CLASSROOM CONCERT GUIDE FOR THE PHOENIX SYMPHONY WOODWIND QUINTET Written and developed by: Jordan Drum, Education Assistant The Phoenix Symphony 2 Table of Contents Introducon to Woodwinds.…………………………………………………………………………...3 Meet the Instruments………………………………………………………………………………..…...3 Sound Science: Woodwinds.................................................................................4 Instrument Vibraons...............….………………………………………………………….……….5 Guide Assessment………………………………………………………………………………….………..6 Lesson Plans………………………………………………………………………………………….………….7 Lesson: Straw Panpipes (Music/Math)……………………..………………….……..7 Lesson: Tube Experiments (Music/Science)..……………………………….……...8 Lesson: Peter and the Wolf (Music/Language Arts)…………………….……...9 Teacher’s Answer Guide………………………………………………………………………………...11 Academic Standards Alignment The lessons in this guide align with the following Arizona Academic Content Standards and Common Core Standards: ARIZONA MUSIC STANDARDS: ST‐C1‐PO2: Describe the effect of an instrument’s physical properes on its sound ST1‐CO3‐PO1 (K‐2): Improvise simple rhythmic accompaniments ST1‐CO4‐PO1 (3‐4): Create a short song within specified guidelines choosing from a variety of sound sources ST2‐CO1‐PO4 (K‐5): Explore and analyze the relaonship of music to language arts ST3‐CO1‐PO2 (K‐3): Name, idenfy and classify the sound of a variety of […] instruments ST3‐CO2‐PO1 (K‐5): Discuss, explain or express personal reacons to a performance; disnguish music preferences from music judgments COMMON CORE MATH STANDARDS: 3.NF.1: Understand a fracon 1/b […]; understand a fracon a/b 5.MD.1: Convert among different‐sized standard measurements units ARIZONA SCIENCE STANDARDS: ST1‐CO2‐PO2 (K‐5): Parcipate in guided invesgaons in physical sciences COMMON CORE READING AND LITERATURE STANDARDS: RL‐Key Ideas and Details (1‐5): Describe [and compare] characters in a story 3 Woodwinds: An Introduction Woodwinds, despite their name, are not always made of wood. They can also be made of ivory, various metals like silver or gold, or even plasc. Like every other instrument family, the woodwind family is grouped mainly by how they make sound (but more on that later). First, let’s get to know some instruments. Though there are many woodwind instruments, in this guide, we’ll focus on the members of the woodwind quintet, a popular ensemble including the four most common woodwind instruments in the orchestra. Here they are from highest‐pitched to lowest (plus one unique friend): Flute Oboe Clarinet Bassoon Horn (a member of the brass family) Meet the Instruments The flute (le) is a perfect example of a woodwind instrument that is not made of wood, but rather various metals. It is one of the oldest musical instruments and was originally made from wood or bone. The flute is the highest‐pitched of the woodwinds (except for its cousin, the piccolo). The oboe belongs to a sub‐category of the woodwind family, the double reeds. These very unique instruments make use of two very thin pieces of wood (called reeds) that vibrate against each other to make their sound. The oboe’s sound has been described as “that of a duck if a duck were a songbird.” Instrument Design: Key and Tone Holes Woodwind instruments use metal keys to open and close various tone holes, which allow the woodwind player to change the pitch of their instrument by changing the length of the vibrang air column inside their instrument (see page 4). Because there are so many holes to cover, a key system can be very complicated; if you ever get a chance, take an up‐close look at woodwind keys for yourself. 4 Clarinets (le) are part of a sub‐category of woodwind instruments called single reed instruments. They get their name from a single piece of thin wood (a reed) that vibrates against the instrument’s mouth‐ piece. The clarinet is actually part of the largest woodwind family, the clarinet family, which consists of more than a dozen members. The instrument is very popular as both a solo and ensemble instrument. The bassoon is the lowest member of the woodwind quintet. Like the oboe, it too is a member of the double reed family. The bassoon, which is also the largest in the quintet, is usually played sing down. Like other woodwinds, it is not a solid piece of wood, but rather several pieces that fit together. In fact, the air that travels through the bassoon has to travel all the way down to the boom before it can go out the top, which is about 9 feet! Remember the “one unique friend” in the woodwind quintet? It is the horn (le), somemes called the French horn in the United States. The horn is actually not a woodwind at all, but a member of the brass family. It is in‐ cluded in the woodwind quintet because, of all the brass instruments, the horn’s warm and mellow sound blends the best with woodwinds. Science of Sound: Woodwinds All sound, whether from a clarinet, a drum or the human voice, comes from vibraon. If you’ve ever plucked a rubber band, then you have already seen this concept in pracce. The vibraon of an object back and forth moves the air around it. The air begins to form sound waves, which move through the air and eventually get to your ear and then your brain, which translates those waves into sound. With woodwinds, things work the same way. Inside of woodwind instruments are long columns of air. Depending on the length of these air columns, different notes come out. Check out this diagram: The tube on the le has longer air columns. This means that the sound will be lower (much like a long‐ er rubber band has a lower sound). The tube on the right has shorter air columns. This means that its sound will be higher. Now, in order to change the length of these columns, woodwind players push down different keys (see the Instrument Design box on the previous page), which open up different holes for air to pass through. It is as simple as that! Instrument Design: Reeds Reeds are very thin pieces of a special wood from the plant Arundo donax, or “Giant Cane,” of which those from the South of France are the most popular. They can also be made of plasc, though this is less common. They come in two variees: single and double. Single reeds (furthest le) vibrate against a mouthpiece while double reeds vibrate against themselves; these vibraons are what give woodwind instruments their sound. 5 Instrument Vibrations So, we understand how woodwinds change pitch. We even understand that we need vibraon to get sound. But how do woodwind instruments make vibraons? Because they’re so diverse, woodwind instruments make their sounds in three different ways, depend‐ ing on if they are a flute, a single reed instrument, or a double reed instrument. First, let’s look at the flute, which is quite unique in the woodwind family. Flutes Have you ever blown air over the top of a bole or jug? When you play a flute, or even a whistle, it’s basically the same premise. What happens is this: air blown over a hole at the correct angle alternates between (1) missing the hole or (2) entering the hole (see diagram on right). The alternaon between in and out is simply a back‐and‐forth vibraon of the air. This sends vibrang air into the flute, where the keys and tone holes can open and close to control the pitch. Single Reed Instruments Single reed instruments include the clarinet and, though it is not a member of the woodwind quintet, the saxophone. These instruments ulize a single reed which is held against a mouthpiece by a ligature. When blown on correctly, air travels (1) on top of the reed, then (1) below it (2) (sound familiar?). This back‐and‐forth movement of the (2) reed causes air to vibrate inside the mouthpiece. It then travels in side the body of the clarinet where it forms an air column which the player can manipulate using keys and tone holes. Double Reed Instruments Double reed instruments include the oboe, its cousin the English horn (which is not a member of the woodwind quintet), and the bassoon. As their name indicates, these instruments ulize two reeds that vi‐ brate against each other in order to produce vibraon. In fact, it is possible to remove a prepared double reed from the instrument and play it on its own! Vibraons on a double reed happen slightly differently than on a flute or a single reed instrument. When air is pushed into a double reed, the reeds part, allowing air in between them, then hit back together, causing vibraon as they alternate back and forth. Musical Terms: Timbre As you have probably already guessed, all instruments create sound through the vibraon of air. How the create that vibraon is what gives instruments their unique sound (or mbre). An instrument’s mbre is simply its unique musi‐ cal voice; it’s the same as the difference between you and your dad’s voices. Woodwind instruments have very dis‐ nct mbres. It’s rather easy to tell which instrument is playing based on its unique character and sound. 6 Guide Assessment Match the following terms with their definions: Sound waves The highest and oldest woodwind instru‐ ment Keys/tone holes Air moving back and forth quickly; it re‐ sults in sound Clarinet The lowest and largest woodwind; a dou‐ ble reed instrument Single reed A single piece of wood vibrang against a mouthpiece Bassoon A double reed instrument with a duck‐ like sound Flute A single reed instrument; member of the largest family of woodwinds Woodwind Quintet Two pieces of thin wood that vibrate to‐ gether and make sound Double reed System of buons and holes that allow woodwinds to change pitch Vibraon How sound travels through the air and reaches your ear Oboe Four woodwind instruments plus a French horn Timbre An instrument’s unique sound, different from every other instrument 7 Lesson: Straw Panpipes (Music/Math) Suggested Level: 2‐6 Time: One full class period Standards Music: S2‐C1‐PO2 (5‐6): Describe the effect of an instrument’s physical properes on its sound Math: (these are only suggesons; several more are possible) 3.NF.1: Understand a fracon 1/b […]; understand a fracon a/b 5.MD.1: Convert among different‐sized standard measurements units Objecves: TSW engineer a musical instrument.
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