Intro to Musical Instruments: Mastering Music 101 Basics for Homeschool Parents Part 3 (E32)
Exploring the Basics: Introduction to Musical Instruments for Homeschool Parents
Hello, fellow homeschool parents! If you’re seeking ways to integrate a vibrant and well-rounded music education into your homeschool curriculum, you’ve come to the right place. Today, we’re excited to share Intro to Musical Instruments insights from the third post of our Mastering Music 101 Basics series. Read them all for a comprehensive introduction to musical instruments. Whether you’re a music novice or an enthusiast, this series aims to empower you with the foundational knowledge needed to nurture your child’s musical journey.
You’ll want to download the Mastering Music 101 printable pack here: https://ichoosejoy.activehosted.com/f/327
The World of Musical Instruments
The world of musical instruments is categorized into several families: percussion, strings, woodwinds, brass, and keyboards. Understanding these families provides a structural way to appreciate the rich variety of sounds and techniques involved in music.
Percussion Family
The percussion family is all about rhythm and can include instruments you strike, rub, or shake. Some familiar percussion instruments are drums, cymbals, tambourines, and maracas, but also includes some instruments that can play a melody like the glockenspiel and xylophone. There is a great deal of diversity within this family. Even the piano can be considered a percussion instrument because its sound is produced by hammers striking strings.
String Family
The string family features instruments like violins, violas, cellos, double basses, and harps. An interesting fact is the size of the instrument often determines its pitch; smaller instruments yield higher pitches, while larger ones produce lower sounds. So, a violin plays higher pitches than the cello. This family’s aesthetic beauty and versatile sound contribute to the compelling symphonies we’ve all come to love.
Woodwind Family
Woodwind instruments, including the flute, piccolo, oboe, and saxophone, require the player to blow into them. The presence of reeds—a small piece of wood within the mouthpiece—is a distinguishing feature of many of the woodwind instruments, but not all of them. Much like the string family, the size of the woodwind instrument affects its pitch, with smaller instruments like the piccolo producing higher notes compared to the deeper tones of bassoons.
Brass Family
Brass instruments like the trumpet, French horn, trombone, and tuba rely on the musician’s embouchure—the shaping of the lips and tongue—to produce a beautiful tone. Even though you blow into both, brass instruments lack reeds found in woodwind instruments and involve much longer tubing. The variety in sizes again plays a role in pitch variation. Trumpets play higher pitches than tubas.
Keyboard Family
The keyboard family includes the piano, clavichord, organ, harpsichord, celesta, electric piano, and piano synthesizer. What unites these diverse instruments is the pattern of black and white keys. This family’s versatility allows for an extensive range of sounds, from the classical grandeur of a grand piano to the tinkling fun sounds of the celesta, to the modern electronic vibes of a synthesizer.
Integrating Music into Your Homeschool Routine
The goal of Music in Our Homeschool is to make music education accessible and enjoyable for all homeschool families. Through essential music theory concepts, historical context, and hands-on instrument learning, parents can cultivate a rich musical environment at home without needing to be experts themselves.
Explore the various music courses available at Learn.MusicinOurHomeschool.com, from lively music appreciation lessons for younger children to more serious music theory courses for teens. The self-paced instrument instruction courses, like Recorder Time with Mister Jerry and Guitar Time with Ben provide practical and enjoyable learning opportunities.
Join the Music in Our Homeschool Community!
We invite you to join Gena and other homeschool parents by subscribing to the Music in Our Homeschool Plus membership—a cost-effective solution that brings quality music education right to your home. You don’t have to go it alone; continue to explore and learn alongside your children, fostering a shared love for music that will enrich your homeschool experience.
Conclusion:
Hopefully, the workshop series Mastering Music 101 Basics for Homeschool Parents has provided you with a comprehensive overview of fundamental music concepts that will empower you to confidently guide your children through their music education. Remember though, you do not need to be an expert to teach these concepts effectively. By understanding the basics of music theory, appreciating the rich history of music, and familiarizing yourself with various instruments and genres, you’ll create a well rounded and engaging musical curriculum for your children. Continue to explore and learn alongside them, fostering a shared love for music and enriching your homeschool experience.
Here are the 3 Posts of the Mastering Music 101 Basics for Homeschool Parents series:
See the YouTube Video “Mastering Music 101 Basics Made EASY for Homeschool Parents: Intro to Musical Instruments” here:
Listen to the Podcast Episode “Introduction to Musical Instruments: Part 3 of the Intro to Musical Instruments: Mastering Music 101 Basics for Homeschool Parents series”:
Listen here or subscribe and follow The Music in Our Homeschool Podcast through your favorite podcast app, such as Apple Podcasts or Spotify!
Read the Podcast Transcript here.
