Types of Musical Instruments

Category: Music —

Three summer vacations and one Christmas break is what it took for me to understand that music is a deep and bottomless sea, devoid of any boundaries. Every single musical instrument, right from the African djembe to the Indonesian gamelan angklung, and the Arabic shababa to the Indian sitar, is a testament to the fact that music is a universal language having multiple dialects. The tongue twisters that some of these musical instrument names are, it took me a while just to get their names right! Anyway, the sheer magnitude of the different musical instruments that I was exposed to from all over the world was mesmerizing and it left me spellbound. It awakened an inner desire which soon manifested into a deep curiosity about the different types of musical instruments existing in the world. I set out on a melodic journey of discovery and here is what I unearthed in the process:

Different Types of Musical Instruments
Musical instruments from all over the world can broadly be categorized as follows:

  • wind instruments
  • percussion instruments
  • brass instruments
  • string instruments
  • electronic instruments.

Wind Instruments: Wind instruments require a person to blow into the instrument in order to produce the desired sound. They work on the principle of sound waves, frequencies, harmonics, resonance and acoustics. When you blow into the instrument, the pitch of the sound note produced, varies depending on the length of the internal air column in which the sound waves vibrate. The shorter the air column, the higher is the pitch of the note produced, and vice-versa. Some of the popular wind instruments are:

  • flute
  • piccolo
  • shakuhachi
  • clarinet
  • bassoon
  • english horn
  • oboe
  • accordion
  • saxophone
  • shehnai
  • bagpipe
  • pianica
  • harmonica.

Percussion Instruments: Percussion instruments require a person to strike or beat the instrument surface in order to generate vibrations, which then produce the desired sound note. Depending on the type of surface, one can use one’s hands, sticks, or other similar objects for striking the instrument surface. A characteristic feature of percussion instruments is that the type of sound produced varies depending on the spot that is struck on the instrument surface. For example, in case of the djembe, striking it at the center produces a deep and muffled sort of thump, whereas striking it at the edges produces a sharp and crisp sound which is totally different from the earlier one. Some of the well-known percussion instruments are:

  • drum
  • congo
  • djembe
  • tabla
  • duff
  • dhol
  • nagara
  • cymbals
  • bells
  • xylophone
  • marimba.

Brass Instruments: All those shiny trumpets and trombones that feature so prominently in jazz and blues music are classic examples of brass instruments. Brass instruments are named so, not because all of them are made from brass, but because of the nature and texture of the sound that they produce. They work on pretty much the same principle as wind instruments, with a few modifications here and there. In case of brass instruments, the length of the air column can be changed using press-valves or through a slide mechanism. Some of the popular brass instruments are:

  • trumpet
  • trombone
  • bugle
  • conch
  • tuba
  • french horn.

String Instruments: All your guitars, violins and pianos fall under the category of string instruments. String instruments work on the basis of sound wave vibrations that are created with the help of strings. The pitch of the sound note produced depends on the length of the air column as well as the type and thickness of the string involved. Some of the famous string instruments are:

  • guitar
  • piano
  • violin
  • viola
  • sitar
  • cello
  • double bass
  • mandolin
  • banjo
  • harp
  • sarod
  • santoor.

Electronic Instruments: These are some of the newer musical instruments that have been produced in recent years with the advent of technology. Most of them are designed to reproduce the sounds of existing musical instruments in a simple and user-friendly way. Some of the common electronic instruments include:

  • piano keyboards
  • octopads
  • rhythm machines
  • samplers
  • synthesizers.

It is quite heartwarming to see that despite different countries being associated with different musical instruments, all of them ultimately unite in contributing towards the common language of music. Therefore, one can safely say that music’s universal appeal is clearly visible in the different types of musical instruments that one gets to see all over the world.

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Music Effects for Our Mind and Brain

Category: Music —

The study of the effects of music on the mind and brain has been a subject of interest for many. The interconnection between music and the physical and mental health of human beings has been researched since long. The research has concluded that music does have positive effects on the mind and brain of human beings. Music has the power of healing certain ailments. Indian classical music has been found to have the strongest healing powers. Be it about fighting anxiety, be it about speeding the healing process, music is the answer to all the queries.

Effects of Music on the Mind

There are times when one feels depressed. Feelings of gloom and inadequacy fill one’s mind and carrying out even the daily activities becomes difficult. Depression reduces brain activity and hampers the mind’s ability to plan and execute tasks. Lack of the neurotransmitter, Serotonin, leads to a depressed state of mind. Soothing musical notes help increase the Serotonin levels of the brain, thus alleviating mental depression.

Anxiety is associated with an upcoming event that may have an unknown outcome. It may lead to sleeplessness and other anxiety disorders. Music plays a vital role in calming the nerves and soothing one’s mind. Flat musical notes induce sleep, while natural notes provide the mind with alertness.

Music is found to affect the process of learning and thinking. If work is accompanied by quiet and soothing music, it helps the listener think, analyze and work faster in a more efficient manner. Music develops a positive attitude in the listeners and provides them with motivation. Surveys have shown that music brings about remarkable improvements in the academic skills of students, who are made to listen to certain kinds of music while studying or working in the lab. Listening to pleasant music, while doing a difficult task, can make it seem easier.

Music has a positive effect on the interpersonal skills of an individual. Failures that we face in life are often the result of lack of confidence and lack of desire to learn. Students obtaining poor school grades do not necessarily lack intelligence. Their poor academic results are often an outcome of their lack of motivation and their disinterest. Music lessons during school can help the students fight their mental block. Music proves helpful in encouraging young children to venture new fields. It helps them develop the confidence needed to achieve success in life.

Effects of Music on the Brain

Music has a positive effect on the concentration level of the listeners. It is also found to improve one’s memory. Research has found that the silence between two musical notes triggers the brain cells and neurons, which are responsible for the development of sharp memory. Flute music, and instruments like santoor and sarod are recommended for the enhancement of concentration and memory. Strong beats cause the brain waves to resonate in synch with the beat bringing about higher levels of concentration and alertness.

Music plays a vital role in enhancing creativity. Music has a positive impact on the right side of the brain. Music triggers the brain center, which deal with the development of creativity. Certain ragas are known to activate all the chakras of the listener’s body, thus benefiting him/her in the performance of other creative tasks.

Music is found to give students the capacity to trust themselves. It provides them with an internal discipline. Rhythm is known to help the students learn math. Music stimulates the brain centers that deal with thinking, analyzing and planning, thus enhancing one’s organizational skills.

Music helps secrete endorphins that help in speeding the process of healing. It acts as an effective distraction from pain and suffering. While diverting one’s mind away from pain, it also helps bring about certain chemical processes in the brain that aid healing. After undergoing surgery, patients may be advised to undergo a music therapy. Listening to melodious, comforting music is sure to have a positive effect on the physical and mental well-being of patients.

How does Music affect your Mood?

Some look at music as a hobby; for some music is their passion, while some pursue music as their career. Music has a direct influence on your mood. Book stores, restaurants and shopping malls often keep some music playing in the background. The kind of music they choose to play depends on the kind of audiences they target. Music is found to enhance customer experience. Music being played in malls and restaurants peps up the mood of customers. People tend to spend more time in malls or hotels that play pleasant music. Music brightens up the atmosphere around you and is definite to cheer you up. Sad tunes often bring tears to the eyes. Cheerful songs brighten up your mood. Different types of tunes are seen to create different kinds of moods and arouse different kinds of emotions.

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