FAQs

Some people tell me that the piano is a percussion instrument, but others call it part of the string family. What kind of instrument is it?

The piano is actually part of both the percussion and the string family. Pianos are made of hammers and strings. When you press down on a key, a hammer hits a string and produces a tone. Because the piano uses these hammers to create sound, people consider it to be a percussion instrument. At the same time, strings are equally important to producing the piano’s sound, so the piano can also be considered part of the string family.

Why are there two different violin groups?

The two groups of violins, the first and second violin sections, are very closely connected to each other in orchestral music. The first violins play the melody in a piece, and the second violins complement the melody by either playing the same music, playing the music in a lower key, or playing different music that goes well with the melody. There were not always two violin sections in the symphony orchestra, but as the size of the orchestra and number of violins increased, the violins were divided to create two different but connected voices.

What is the long tube attached to the trombone, and why do no other brass instruments have it?

That long tube is called the slide, and trombonists move it in and out of the trombone to create different pitches. All other brass instruments have valves to produce their pitches. Trombonists must have incredible pitch in order to know the exact place to stop the slide to get the tone they want.

Whenever I go to a concert there is a person that comes out before the conductor who people applaud for. Who are they?

The violinist who enters before the conductor is the concertmaster. They go to the first chair to the left of the podium, which is a position similar to the head of the class. One of the concertmaster’s main duties is to make sure that the orchestra is correctly tuned before they begin the concert.

I have heard that bow strings are made out of horse hair, but I don’t believe it! What are strings really made out of?

Actually, bow strings are indeed made out of horse hairs! However, you should not worry that horses are hurt to get the strings—hairs are almost never taken from live horses. For horse hairs to become strings, they must be "dressed," which involves cleaning them with soap and cutting them to the same length. The hairs must then be examined for smoothness, straightness and strength. Those that are too brittle, dark or oily will not be used in the bows.

I recently saw something that looked like a flute but had a curved head, sort of like a cane. Is that a real instrument?

Yes, that is most definitely a real instrument! What you saw could have been one of two instruments: an alto flute, or a bass flute. Both are larger versions of the concert flute (the standard flute that you are probably used to seeing). The curved part that you saw was a "J"-shaped head joint. Because alto and bass flutes are so long, the curved head joint makes it possible to reach the embouchure hole. Alto flutes sometimes have them, and bass flutes always have them. Both flutes are tuned to lower pitches than the concert flute, and their tone is quieter and calmer.

During a performance, how do you know if there is another movement in a piece or if the piece is over?

You can tell if a piece is over by where the conductor holds his/her hands. When the music stops and the conductor’s hands are still in the air, there is another movement coming. When the conductor’s hands are down and he/she turns towards the audience, you know that the piece is over and it is time to applaud.

Are there classes to teach you how to compose music?

Yes, there are classes to help kids learn about composition and help them start composing pieces on their own. You may have a melody in your mind, but if you have never written music before, it can be hard to know how to put that music down on music paper. There is also a lot of theory and technique that is important to know when you are starting to write your own compositions. Community music schools are a good place to look for composition classes for all levels.

My hands sometimes hurt when I practice the violin. Does that mean that I am practicing too much?

While it is possible that you are practicing too much, it is more likely that there is something in your technique that is causing you pain. Poor hand positioning on any instrument can lead to injuries. The way to avoid problems on any instrument is by making sure that you always use good technique and by warming up before you begin playing. It will be hard on your fingers and hands if you started practicing one of your harder pieces after not using your hands all day long. Always start out your daily practicing sessions with about 10 minutes of warm-ups. At your next lesson, you also should tell your teacher that you have been having pain so that s/he can look closely at your technique.

I just started a new piece on the violin last week, but I really don’t like it. Is it okay to ask my violin teacher for a new piece?

Not liking a piece that you are playing is something almost every young musician experiences. For each instrument there are certain pieces that are very important for learning the technique and styles of that instrument. When you are at beginning stages of learning an instrument, it is important that you play these pieces even if they are not the most interesting or exciting ones you have heard. Once you are more advanced, it is okay to discuss with your teacher which pieces you want to play.