There are so many different musical instruments all over the world. These instruments are classified under various musical classification. One of the main types of musical instrument includes the Membranophone musical instruments.
\nBefore learning what Membranophones are, it’s best to first know some facts about musical instruments. There any so many different kinds of musical instruments and they produce sounds differently. All these instruments can be organized and group to different classifications.
\nThe Hornbostel-Sachs Classification of Musical Instrument was created to properly categorize musical instruments. This classification system was created by music theorist, scholars, and enthusiast Erich von Hornbostel and Curt Sachs. The where able to find patterns and commonalities between instruments. With these patterns they were able to figure out how to group these various instruments to different categories and sub-categories.
\nThe Hornbostel-Sachs classification of musical instrument is organized to 4 major categories. These categories are the aerophones, idiophones and chordophones and the membranophones.
\nMembranophones is one for the 4 major musical classification of the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme. What kind of instrument are membranophones? Membranophones are composed of a variety of instruments. These instruments have one thing in common. Sound is generated with a use of vibrating membranes.
\nBy definition, membranophones are any musical instrument which produces sound primarily by a vibrating stretched membrane. This membranophone musical classification got its name because these instruments all contain a Membrane.
\nA membrane is layer of that vibrates in order to produce or transfer sound. Drumheads or drum skins is an example of a membrane. Drumhead is stretched and placed on one or both ends of a drum. It is the portion to strike with a use a drumsticks, mallets or hand and make vibrations which produces sounds resonating from the drum.
\nThere are various materials that can be used in order to create these membranophones. The body of the drum is created using or in combination of metals, plastics and wood.
\nAt the end of the drum’s body is where the membrane or drumhead is attached. The drumheads are traditionally made using animal skins that are dried and stretched. Other materials can be used to make the membrane. This includes plastics, woods and metals.
\nAll membranophones are all part of the family of instruments called Percussions. Percussions are simply instruments that produces sounds by being struck or scraped using a beating material.
\nMembranophones – is any musical instrument which produces sound primarily by a vibrating stretched membrane
\nThere are plenty of different membranophones in the world. Majority of them are in a shape resembling of a drum.
\nTraditionally, drums created using wooden materials. However nowadays, modern drums are now made using metals and plastics. Drums are hollow shaped and at the end of the drum is where the membrane is placed.
\nThe membrane is also commonly known as the drumhead. It is covering the drum. This is the part of the instrument to hit in order to produce sound. When the membrane is struck, it generates vibration which creates sound. Membranes are traditionally made using stretched animal skin. However nowadays, modern drums are now made using stretched rubber or plastic.
\nThere are many wooden membranophones. Some of the most common examples of membranophones made of wood are bongo drums, djembre, taiko, tambol and wooden tambourines. Many of these wooden drum instruments originated from South America, Asia and Africa.
\nMany modern membranophones are now made using metal. Using metal as material in making the drum’s body makes the instrument much stronger, durable and long lasting. Serious professional drummers prefer these drums made in metal. These drums are often seen played in together with other musical instruments or in a band.
\nIn a band or rock band, the drums come with a set of multiple drums and cymbals. Most common drums part of this set includes the snare drum, tom-toms, bass drum and floor tom. The cymbals include hi-hat, crash and ride.
\nIt is fairly common to see Membranophones. These instruments are everywhere. The best thing about them is that they can be played together with other musical instruments. They can create beautiful music when they are played as part of an ensemble.
\nThere are many famous ensembles in the world but the most famous and distinguished is the orchestra. An orchestra is large ensemble that play multiple instruments. There are many orchestras in the world, and they are known for playing western classical music.
\nThere are many instruments included in the orchestra. This includes the instruments that are part of the idiophone classification. These instruments include the congas, bongos, bass drum, snare drum, tambourine and timpani.
\nThe orchestra also includes other instruments from the Hornbostel-Sachs Musical Instrument classification classes including aerophones, idiophones and chordophones.
\nCrafting membranophones requires good material in order to create a good and strong instrument. The traditional material of choice in making membranophones has always been wood. Till to this day, many membranophones have been created out of wood.
\nOne of the best wooden material is Bamboo because it is super strong, and they are very abundant. It’s also very easy to acquire bamboo which makes it ideal wood to craft any instrument or other tools. Bamboo is a notable wooden material to create these membranophone instrument. They are plenty of bamboo membranophones.
\nSeveral of the membranophones can be made using bamboos which include taiko drum, tambourine, bongo drums, djembe and congra drums.
\nOther than the actual membranophones or drums, many of the mallets or drums stick are made of bamboo, because this type of wood is very strong.
\nFor more and other information about bamboos and instruments made of bamboos check out our website bambooinstruments.com.
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