What is the difference between woodwind instruments and brass instruments?
Wind music instruments are divided into woodwinds and brass instruments, but this classification is only historically linked to the materials of manufacture of the instruments. Today, this distinction is based on the way the tone is produced: the woodwinds are given a signal by blocking the holes in the woodwind body and the brass ones by changing the air intake or by changing the position of their lips. Thus, the woodwinds include the flute, which nowadays almost nobody makes of wood, and the saxophone, which throughout its history was made only of metal. And in addition to the usual trumpet and trombone, the brass group includes, for example, the serpent, which several centuries ago was made of wood.
Is the price of a Stradivarius violin proportional to the quality of its sound relative to modern instruments?
The most expensive violins in the world are Stradivari instruments from the late 17th and early 18th centuries, supposedly sounding better than all other violins thanks to a hitherto unsolved master’s secret. In 2010, however, this prejudice was disproved in an experiment in which 21 professional violinists tested three modern violins and three older instruments – two by Stradivari and one by Guarneri – in a double-blind test. Most of the musicians participating in the experiment could not tell the difference between old and new violins. Moreover, the best sound quality, as it turned out as a result of the test, belonged to the instruments of the living masters, while more than a hundred times more expensive Stradivarius violins took the last two places.
What world-famous percussionist plays while losing his left hand?
In 1984, hard rock band Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen was in a car accident and lost his left hand. It did not affect his desire to be a musician, and he began practicing on a hybrid machine specially designed for him. It recorded samples of the beats he used to make with his left hand, and played them back with different movements of his left foot. Since then Allen has been involved in the recording of many successful Def Leppard albums, as well as several side projects.
What physical effect has been proven in practice by musicians playing the same note two days in a row?
Austrian physicist Christian Doppler theorized in 1842 that the frequency of oscillations perceived by an observer depends on the speed and direction of the wave source and the observer relative to each other. Three years later, the Dutch meteorologist Christopher Beis-Ballot set out to prove this statement in practice, for which he hired a steam train with a platform, put two trumpeters on it, and on the platform he placed several musicians with absolute hearing. The platform with the trumpeters, who, in turn, held a G note at all times, rode past the platform for two days. All the while, observers noted that they heard different notes, and as a result, the truth of the Doppler effect was confirmed.
Where does the regular World Guitar Simulation Championship take place?
Finland hosts the Air Guitar World Championships every year. This means that participants do not play a real instrument, but only pretend to play, imitating the rock stars. The jury evaluates them on several components: technique, charisma and artistry. Competitions are usually held in two stages: the first round participants perform a pre-prepared number, and then improvise to the tune selected by the organizers.
What was the original name of the saxophone its inventor?
The Belgian craftsman Adolphe Sachs, who invented the saxophone, originally called it something completely different – the mouthpiece ophicleide. Only two years later, his friend the composer Berlioz called the new instrument a saxophone in a magazine article, and this name caught on much more readily.
What was called a bazooka even before the advent of anti-tank grenade launchers?
Originally, the term “bazooka” referred to a musical wind instrument similar to a trombone. During World War II, the U.S. Army adopted the M9 anti-tank grenade launcher, which was also called a bazooka because of its resemblance to the instrument and, according to another version, because of the similar sound of the escaping projectile.
What was the surprise of Muse, when it was forced to play with the soundtrack?
Once Muse was invited to play on Italian TV, but they were forced to do it with backing tracks. The musicians didn’t boycott the performance, but switched roles. The soloist and guitarist Matthew Bellamy took the drums, the drummer Dominic Howard stood behind the microphone with his bass guitar, and the bassist Chris Walstenholm took the guitar and stood behind the keyboards. And after playing the song, the drummer also answered questions as the frontman.
Who called Einstein a great violinist and when?
Einstein loved to play the violin and once participated in a benefit concert in Germany. A local journalist, fascinated by his playing, recognized the name of the “artist” and the next day published a note in the newspaper about the performance of the great musician, the incomparable virtuoso violinist Albert Einstein. He kept the note and proudly showed it to his acquaintances, saying that he was actually a famous violinist, not a scientist.
What musical instrument extracts sounds from the stalactites of an American cave?
The U.S. state of Virginia is home to the Luray Caves, which houses a unique musical instrument: an organ made of stalactites. The 37 different-tone stalactites are connected to the pipe system of a traditional organ and are controlled from a conventional organ keyboard.
What Russian musical instrument do we call Gypsy?
The seven-string guitar is called the Russian guitar all over the world, and we also have a common name for the Gypsy guitar.
Why did 19th century England put covers on the legs of pianos?
In puritan England of the 19-th century everything that could seem even any erotic was carefully expelled from the social life. Thus, during concerts, piano legs were covered so that no one looking at these naked legs would think of anything indecent.