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Musical Instruments

A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. In principle, anything that produces sound, and can somehow be controlled by a musician, can serve as a musical instrument. more...

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The expression, however, is reserved generally to items that have a specific musical purpose. The academic study of musical instruments is called organology.

Types of musical instruments

Instruments are often divided by the way in which they generate sound:

  • Wind instruments generate a sound when a column of air is made to vibrate inside them. The frequency of the wave generated is related to the length of the column of air and the shape of the instrument, while the tone quality of the sound generated is affected by the construction of the instrument and method of tone production. The group is typically subdivided into Brass and Woodwind instruments.
  • Percussion instruments create sound, with or without pitch, when struck. The shape and material of the part of the instrument to be struck and the shape of the resonating cavity, if any, determine the sound of the instrument.
  • String instruments generate a sound when the string is plucked, strummed, slapped, etc. The frequency of the wave generated (and therefore the note produced) usually depends on the length of the vibrating portion of the string, its mass, the tension of each string and the point at which the string is excited; the tone quality varies with the construction of the resonating cavity.
  • Voice, that is, the human voice, is an instrument in its own right. A singer generates sounds when airflow from the lungs sets the vocal cords into oscillation. The fundamental frequency is controlled by the tension of the vocal cords and the tone quality by the formation of the vocal tract; a wide range of sounds can be created.
  • Electronic instruments generate sound through electronic means. They often mimic other instruments in their design, particularly keyboards.
  • Keyboard instruments are any instruments that are played with a musical keyboard. Every key generates one or more sounds; most keyboard instruments have extra means (pedals for a piano, stops for an organ) to manipulate these sounds. They may produce sound by wind (organ), vibrating strings either hammered (piano) or plucked (harpsichord), by electronic means (synthesizer) or in some other way. Sometimes, instruments that do not usually have a keyboard, such as the Glockenspiel, are fitted with one. This term is also used to refer to the family of percussion instruments who resemble a piano keyboard. Though they have no moving parts and are struck by mallets held in the player's hands, they possess the same physical arrangement of keys and produce soundwaves in a similar manner.

Many alternate divisions and further subdivisions of instruments exist. To learn about specific instruments, consult the list of musical instruments or list of archaic musical instruments.

Read more at Wikipedia.org


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		Vintage Musical Harp - Arpa Musical
		Vintage Musical Harp - Arpa Musical 
		Antique Vintage M.Hohner Accordion Squeeze Box Made in Germany with Original Box
		Antique Vintage M.Hohner Accordion Squeeze Box Made in Germany with Original Box

		Old German Violin Bow Needs Work
		Old German Violin Bow Needs Work 
		Collectable: Antique Banjo; Paramount "B", circa 1921 - 22 With Case and Stand
		Collectable: Antique Banjo; Paramount "B", circa 1921 - 22 With Case and Stand

		Antique Oscar Schmidt No*2* Menzenhauers Guitar Zither
		Antique Oscar Schmidt No*2* Menzenhauers Guitar Zither 
		Rare Clement & Son Old Antique Model Violin Bow for Concert! 4/4. Bogen, arco
		Rare Clement & Son Old Antique Model Violin Bow for Concert! 4/4. Bogen, arco

		A-1916 Rock-A-Billy Rock + Roll Jazzy Bunny Band Poster Restaurant Wall Decor
		A-1916 Rock-A-Billy Rock + Roll Jazzy Bunny Band Poster Restaurant Wall Decor 
		Old Violin Bow Stamped: "G.Cone Et Fils A Lyon" 
		Old Violin Bow Stamped: "G.Cone Et Fils A Lyon"

		Antique Made In Germany Horn Harmonica Type Wind Instrument Tin & Wood Box Nr
		Antique Made In Germany Horn Harmonica Type Wind Instrument Tin & Wood Box Nr 
		Vintage Hohner Accordion 120 bass Accordian Made in Germany ? Accordeon w/case
		Vintage Hohner Accordion 120 bass Accordian Made in Germany ? Accordeon w/case

		Vintage Player Piano Rolls Per Unit(Pick What You Want)
		Vintage Player Piano Rolls Per Unit(Pick What You Want) 
		Dwdrum WorkshopComple​te Deadhead Pad Set with Bass Drum, Cymbal, and Head Pads
		Dwdrum WorkshopComple​te Deadhead Pad Set with Bass Drum, Cymbal, and Head Pads

		The Gibson Mandolin made in 1910 vintage - Free shipping -
		The Gibson Mandolin made in 1910 vintage - Free shipping - 
		A-1928 Music Art Poster Man Tree Spirit Wood Band Concert Cello Violin Flute Drr
		A-1928 Music Art Poster Man Tree Spirit Wood Band Concert Cello Violin Flute Drr

		26th Regiment In Company B ? Civil War ? Wood Harmonica
		26th Regiment In Company B ? Civil War ? Wood Harmonica 
		Old Violin Bow Stamped: "Louis Gillet" Strong & straight, no any cracks
		Old Violin Bow Stamped: "Louis Gillet" Strong & straight, no any cracks

		Sterling upright concert grand piano
		Sterling upright concert grand piano 
		M. Hohner Trumpet Call No. 220 diatonic Harmonica (1923)
		M. Hohner Trumpet Call No. 220 diatonic Harmonica (1923)

		Professional Old Antique Model Violin Bow by Duval à Paris. 4/4
		Professional Old Antique Model Violin Bow by Duval à Paris. 4/4 
		Antique Guitar Zither or Concert Zither or mail me your best bid
		Antique Guitar Zither or Concert Zither or mail me your best bid

		
					Antique Musical Instrument 'Trench Art' "Maraca"
				
		Antique Musical Instrument 'Trench Art' "Maraca" 
		Rare Find! Restored Antique Couesnon & Co. Cornet
		Rare Find! Restored Antique Couesnon & Co. Cornet

		Vintage Musical Instrument, Primitive American Fair Bass
		Vintage Musical Instrument, Primitive American Fair Bass 
		Vintage Antique "The Royal German Silver Reeds" Wooden Accordian
		Vintage Antique "The Royal German Silver Reeds" Wooden Accordian

		A-1929 Grasshopper Band Music Cello Flute Violin Posterrestaura​Nt Wall Decor
		A-1929 Grasshopper Band Music Cello Flute Violin Posterrestaura​Nt Wall Decor 
		Fine W.E. Hill violin bow for professionals! Old Antique Model for Professionals
		Fine W.E. Hill violin bow for professionals! Old Antique Model for Professionals

		penzel mueller artist clarinet original mouth piece & case reconditioned
		penzel mueller artist clarinet original mouth piece & case reconditioned 
		Vintage Conn Trumpet Engraved w Case As Found for Parts Restoration
		Vintage Conn Trumpet Engraved w Case As Found for Parts Restoration

		4/4 Concert Srad. Model Flamed Rothenburg Violin-German
		4/4 Concert Srad. Model Flamed Rothenburg Violin-German 
		A-1924 Mexican Lute Player Monkey Jester Theater Poster Restaurant Wall Decor
		A-1924 Mexican Lute Player Monkey Jester Theater Poster Restaurant Wall Decor

		s Old Violin labelled: "Chas & Saml Thompson In St.Pauls Churсh, London"
		s Old Violin labelled: "Chas & Saml Thompson In St.Pauls Churсh, London"

		Vintage Cousnon & Cie Clarinet Made In France 1930
		Vintage Cousnon & Cie Clarinet Made In France 1930 
		Art Nouveau Music Stand Antique Vintage Hand Crafted
		Art Nouveau Music Stand Antique Vintage Hand Crafted

		Rare Clement & Son Cello bow for professionals! Old Antique Model! Violoncelo
		Rare Clement & Son Cello bow for professionals! Old Antique Model! Violoncelo 
		Fine W.E. Hill Cello bow for professionals! Old Antique Model! Violoncelo Arco
		Fine W.E. Hill Cello bow for professionals! Old Antique Model! Violoncelo Arco

		Antique Calliope Musical Wooden Instrument - Very Htf! 6" x 3 1/2"
		Antique Calliope Musical Wooden Instrument - Very Htf! 6" x 3 1/2" 
		Vintage Hohner Blues Harp Ms Germany Wooden Detail Antique Wood Silver 
		Vintage Hohner Blues Harp Ms Germany Wooden Detail Antique Wood Silver

		Mendenhall New York Cabinet Grand Player Piano - 1917
		Mendenhall New York Cabinet Grand Player Piano - 1917 
		Musician With Early Double Bass Instrument Antique Print 1889
		Musician With Early Double Bass Instrument Antique Print 1889

		Antique German Concert Zither with Wood Case- Leonhard Zapf - Bayreuth Germany 
		Antique German Concert Zither with Wood Case- Leonhard Zapf - Bayreuth Germany 
		Nippon Antique Violin Size 1/2 and freebies. Probably 1920-1930.
		Nippon Antique Violin Size 1/2 and freebies. Probably 1920-1930.

		Antique German Mouth-Organ Harmonica Jugendfreund rare
		Antique German Mouth-Organ Harmonica Jugendfreund rare 
		A-1945 Cricket Concert Bug Band Dance Violin Cello Poster Restaurant Wall Decor
		A-1945 Cricket Concert Bug Band Dance Violin Cello Poster Restaurant Wall Decor

		Antique Victorian Kimball Pump Organ-Works
		Antique Victorian Kimball Pump Organ-Works 
		Baldwin Piano Co Registered Bond Just Before Bankruptcy
		Baldwin Piano Co Registered Bond Just Before Bankruptcy

		Rare Antique Liberty Chimes 8 America Music Xylophone
		Rare Antique Liberty Chimes 8 America Music Xylophone
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Prices current as of last update, 05/17/12 6:39am.

See also...
Keyboard, Musical Instruments
Percussion, Musical Instruments
String, Musical Instruments
Wind, Musical Instruments

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