by Krystal Waldron

Created on: August 16, 2011

It is non-debatable, instrumental music has universal appeal. The diverse tones, the hauntingly beautiful elements of others, the soothing qualities, richness and vibrancy can all be appreciated irrespective of language barriers and cultural differences. Instrumental music brings people together, has been documented throughout history and has played a major role in so many people’s lives.

German musicologist Curt Sachs (1881-19-59) was well known for his extensive analysis and knowledge of musical instruments history. He’d worked together with Erich Moritz von Hornbostel, an Austrian musicologist. Their combined work is now known as ‘The Sachs-Hornbostel system’. This system is a technique pertaining to musical instrument classification according to the kind of vibrating material that is used to create the sound.

Music instruments come under certain classifications and these groups contain comparable instruments that belong to the same instrument family. Read on to learn about musical instrument classification.

Idiophones:

Idiophones are defined as musical instruments which have a vibrating solid material which helps produce the sound. The entire body of the instrument vibrates. Idiophones are made from materials which give off their own unique sounds. They are made from materials such as glass, ceramics, wood, metal or stone. Examples of idiophones include chimes, cowbells, crash cymbals, chimes, bock-a-da-bock, cajon, high-hats, orchestra bells, slit drums, crotales, lummi sticks, singing bowls, xylophone, triangle suspended cymbal and vibraslaps.

At times idiophones are hit, other times moved (as with cow bells and clapper) or shaken. These instruments are generally considered to be a part of the percussion section either in a band or an orchestra. It is said that the earliest idiophones were stones which were slapped together to make music. Concussion idiophones are those such as a cymbals or castanets, thus instruments struck together or against each other to create a sound. Frictions are that that produce sounds when rubbed; these include singing bowls and musical glasses. Percussion includes triangles, bells, steel drums, gongs and xylophones.

Membranophones:

Membranophones are musical instruments which have vibrating stretched membranes or skins that produce sounds. Membranophones are classified depending on their shape. Vessel drums (otherwise known as kettle drums, are rounded at the bottom and are either tuneable or non-tuneable.

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