The modern music has radically evolved from the narration of spoken words to the extensive use of the instruments that enhance musicality. However, in as much as music plays a significant role in our midst, different cultures have treasured their devices, making it easier to improve their cultural value of musicality. As Estrella, (2017 ) points out, music has an enormous impact in our society, apart from its basic fundamental functionality of entertainment, music is a uniting and educating factor that helps us to understand the importance of enhancing our musical culture.
Perez, (2016) points out that the western orchestral classifies the music system into percussion, brass, woodwinds, and strings. However, the S-H system insulates non-western regarded instruments to be included in the classification as well. As a result, the system has been adopted by many as well as in the music museums and other projects. In as much as some of the instruments are easily classified, there is a higher degree of the hindrance due to the performance of some devices, producing different notes of vibrations, making it difficult to make their exact classification. With the first adoption of the H-S system, musical instruments can be classified into aerophones, chordophones, electrophones, idiophones, and membranophones.
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This paper seeks to investigate on the three classifications: aerophones, chordophones, and electrophones. Furthermore, the article will also feature different examples from the various classification to ensure that the true meaning and functionality of the instruments under that class are well explored. In addition to the above statement, the paper will also be seeking the historical grounds and future developments of the mentioned instruments under their classes. On the same token, the article will also have the initiative of reveling if the instrument is used by both genders in various communities that used the devices.
1. Aerophones
Aerophones have become one of the most and widely used instruments in the music fraternity. This is a classification of instruments that produce their magnificent sound by vibrating the air blown in them. Its length determines the sound of this instrument. On the contrary, the shorter the instrument's length, the better it produces a more definitive tone. On the other hand, the more extended the period, the poorer or vivid it produces its sound. The class is further divided into different two significant categories, Blowers, and whistle. An example includes a flute.
History of the instrument:
The flute is regarded as one of the oldest instruments in the music fraternity. This modern instrument was first introduced by the Samarians and the Egyptians with the drilling of four holes in bamboo, which enabled it to produce a variety of sounds. The instrument later extended to Europe before the Romans extensively used it in their military context in the 11 th century ( Estrella, 2017 ).
The musical context for the use of the instrument.
The instrument works by blowing air inside it to produce a sound, the variation of tone makes it provide a more rhythmic sound that initiates musicality in it.
Status of the instrument
The instrument was traditionally regarded as an entertainment asset, which was played by men in the early days in Egypt. However, the instrument finally became an instrument played by men in association with the military context that made it be regarded as a useful tool in early days.
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2.Chordophones
Examples of the instruments
The classification of chordophones features other five subclasses of instruments, which are determined by the resonating and the string relationship which includes: harps, lyres, musical bows, lutes, and zithers. In this case, I would like to focus my attention on harps instrument.
History of the instrument
Harps' history can be dated way back from 3000 B.C, where ancient tombs of the Egyptians depicts the relation of the modern and the ancient instrument. The instrument was first developed from the hunter's bows, containing only limited strings, since the instrument lacked a column to support multiple strings.
By the end of the 17 th century, Diatonic Harps had revolutionized the shape, as well as the supported number of string in the instrument. The inclusion of a column in the instrument transformed all the functionality of the instrument ( Estrella, 2017 ).
Status of the instrument
Traditionally, the instrument was meant for entertainment, with both men and women using the instrument. However, the instrument is more associated with the men gender more than the women.
The musical context for the use of the instrument
Instruments featured in this classification involves the production of sound by interrupting a string in a perpendicular manner that is tied in from one end to the other.
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3. Electrophones
Electrophones is regarded as a regime of modernity in this classification especially regarding that this is instruments that extensively depends on electricity to convey their signals which in return produce a musical rhythm. These instruments include Mellotron, Drum machine, Hammond organ, Keyboard bass, Denis d'Or and MalletKAT. In this class, I would like to feature the use of Keyboard bass.
History of the instrument
The pipe keyboard is the ancient tool that is well regarded as the forefather of the keyboard that was developed with a variety of different vital levels, in the 13 th century. However, in the 1960s, the earliest development of integrating the instrument into an electric form was developed ( Estrella, 2017 ).
The musical context for the use of the instrument
The instrument is made with a different key that different relay signals, when pressed, producing different sounds from different keys.
Status of the instrument
Men in the traditional era extensively used the instrument. However, civilization has permitted the use of the instrument by both genders.
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References
Estrella, E. (2017). Classification of Musical Instruments: Sachs-Hornbostel. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/classification-of-musical-instruments-2456710
Perez, M. W. (2016). Period instruments, material objects, and the making of the 20th–century early music revival (Doctoral dissertation).
