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Photo of a violin.

Musical words

Musical instruments, or concepts closely related to music. While you can use saucepan lids as a musical instrument, you won't find them in this category.

Photo of a boy singing
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Sis forSong

A song is a short piece of musical composition. Most songs have words, and you use your voice to sing them.
Photo of a man strumming a guitar.
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Sis forStrum

Strumming is a way of playing a stringed musical instrument, particularly a guitar. You strum a guitar by moving your fingers or a pick across the strings. You usually strum a guitar in a kind of rhythm.
Photo of a tambourine.
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A tambourine is a percussion instrument. It is usually round or a half-circle, with pairs of small metal jingles called zils around the edge. It usually has a drum surface too. You can play the tambourine by just shaking it to make it jingle, by hitting it against your leg, by tapping it with your hand or many other ways.

Tis forTrombone

The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. It is made from a long tube of brass looped around, and like all brass instruments is played by buzzing your lips into the mouthpiece. Trombones have a slide that you work with one arm. Pulling it out makes the length of brass tubing longer, and changes the note that the trombone plays.
Photo of a man playing a trumpet
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Tis forTrumpet

The trumpet is the smallest brass instrument. It is made from a long tube of brass curled around, and like all brass instruments is played by buzzing your lips into the mouthpiece. Trumpets have three valves that you work with your fingers that changes the length of the brass tube, and with it the note that the trumpet plays.

Tis forTuba

The tuba is the largest brass instrument. It is made from a very long tube of brass curled around, and like all brass instruments is played by buzzing your lips into the mouthpiece. Tubas have four levered valves that you work with your fingers that changes the length of the brass tube, and with it the note that the tuba plays.
A tuning fork is a specially shaped piece of metal that rings with a certain musical note when it is hit. Tuning forks are used to tune musical instruments to.

Uis forUkelele

A ukelele is a small, four-stringed member of the guitar family. Ukuleles come in four sizes: soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone. They can be played by plucking or strumming them.

Vis forViolin

The violin is a bowed string instrument with four strings. It is the smallest of the violin family of string instruments, which also includes the viola (a slightly larger violin) and cello. The violin is sometimes called a fiddle, and someone who plays the violin is called a violinist or a fiddler. You usually play a violin by drawing a bow across the strings, like the woman in the picture.

Wis forWhistle

A whistle is an instrument that makes noise from a stream of air. Whistles can be small like in the picture, or are really big steam operated whistles found on ships and trains. Whistles are often used by umpires or referees of sporting matches to get player's attention.