March 3, 2021 | Instruments, Resources
The harpsichord falls into the family of so-called “quilled keyboards” such as virginals, spinets, and similar. The instrument’s earliest references date back to the 15th century. In Italy, harpsichord makers were producing lightweight designs...
February 15, 2021 | Instruments, Resources
The name “celesta” derives from the French term céleste, meaning “heavenly”. After multiple experiments, the celesta appeared by the end of the 19th century and quickly found its place in the orchestra. It’s an interesting instrument with a dual...
February 4, 2021 | Instruments, Resources
In addition to the bass drum and timpani, the tam-tam adds an additional member to the orchestra bass percussion section. Even though it boasts similarities to the gong, one should not confuse both instruments since there is a range of important variations in their...
January 7, 2021 | Instruments, Resources
The most recent addition to the repertoire of orchestral percussion instruments is the vibraphone (also known as the vibraharp or vibes), with its early origins dating back to the vaudeville era of the 1920s. The onomatopoeic name vibraphone refers to the vibrating...
January 21, 2021 | Instruments, Resources
The name glockenspiel means “bell play” in German. It refers to the sound of small bells. Indeed, the very first instruments to bear this name consisted of a set of exactly that. They were either played by a group of musicians, a style which is called...
