Stringed Instruments

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

In the previous Related Lesson in our Sound and Music series, found in the right-hand sidebar, you learned that all musical instruments are categorized into one of four families.

• Do you remember how instruments are categorized?

Instruments are categorized by the sound they make and how they produce that sound.

Think about your answer to this lesson's opening question to figure out what family of musical instruments you will learn about next.

• Are you able to identify what the three instruments have in common?

The guitar, banjo, and violin are all stringed instruments because their sound is created by rubbing or plucking their strings.

To discover the sounds created by stringed instruments, you will watch a video twice.

The first time, turn away from your screen and just listen to the music. No peeking! As you listen, write down what you hear.

Be sure to include the following observations.

• Describe the sounds being produced.
• What do you think the soundwaves for each instrument look like?
• Do the instruments have a high or low frequency?
• What instruments do you think you are hearing?
• What do the sounds have in common?

Okay, remember to just listen to the video first!

• Did you write down everything you heard?

Great! Now, watch the video and see the musicians as they play.

• Were your predictions about the types of instruments being played correct?

Make connections between the instruments you see and the sounds you hear.

Stringed instruments create sounds when their strings are rubbed or plucked. This movement causes the strings to vibrate, producing a unique sound. A few stringed instruments include the guitar, banjo, violin, cello, harp, and bass.

• Can you think of any other stringed instruments?

Next, explore different String Instruments. Be sure to listen to all the provided examples of the sounds created by the instruments.

• So, what type of pitch (frequency) and amplitude (volume) does a stringed instrument have?

Notes played by stringed instruments have a high pitch because the sound waves have a high frequency. For the most part, the waves do not travel too high above their resting position, indicating a low amplitude.

Often, stringed instruments will have a high pitch and low amplitude, although this can vary depending on the notes being played.

If you are interested in learning more about pitch and amplitude, be sure to check out our All About Sound series, found in Additional Resources in the right-hand sidebar.

• Do you want to investigate a stringed instrument controversy?

Move on to the Got It? section to find out what this controversy is, and develop your opinions about the great debate!