Student FAQ

There are five main instrument families: woodwind, strings, brass, keyboards and percussion.  

• Woodwind instruments are played by blowing into or across holes in a tube. They can also be played by blowing on a single or double reed attached to a mouthpiece. Depending on the number of open holes and the length of the tube, the pitch varies. Some examples of wind instruments include Flute, Oboe, Clarinet and Saxophone.
• String instruments make sounds by vibrating strings. The strings can be played by plucking with fingers, with a bow or by striking with hammers. These instruments also have a hollow part, called a resonator, that vibrates with the strings to enhance the sound. Examples of string instruments include guitars, violins, cellos, harps and double bass.
• Brass instruments are hollow tubes that are blown into using a mouthpiece and pressing the lips together. The air is then blown through the middle of the lips to make them vibrate. The pitch of the note changes based on the pressure of the lips. Brass players also use something called a mute placed inside the bell of the instrument to change the sound their instrument makes. Examples of brass instruments include trumpets, trombones, french horns and tubas.
• Keyboards can produce a wide range of notes and varieties of sound. They are played using a row of levers pressed by fingers. The piano is the most widely known and most influential of the keyboard instruments. Other examples include organs and harpsichords.
• Percussion instruments are instruments that are stuck, shaken or scraped. These, like many other types of music instruments, have been around since ancient times. Examples include drums, cymbals and xylophones.

There are several reasons why learning music can be beneficial to young minds.

• According to many studies, music contributes significantly to a child’s intellectual development.
• The US department of education recognizes that participation in arts and music “broadens students’ understanding and appreciation of the world around them.”
• There are even academic benefits to learning music:
  • According to The College Board in 2006, students with coursework or experience in music performance and music appreciation scored higher on the SAT.
  • An analysis of US department of education data shows students who consistently involve themselves in instrumental music show “significantly higher levels of mathematics proficiency by grade 12.”
• Music keeps children out of trouble, gives them a “good distraction” and allows them to develop a hobby that they can take well into their adulthood.
• In an 11-year study (1987-1998) on the effects of involvement in youth organizations (arts, athletics, or community- based), students involved in arts based groups (including music) were more likely to read for pleasure, be elected to a class office or win academic achievement awards.

While there are thousands of styles of music all around the world, the following are the top genres:

• Pop – Pop music is any type of music that gains massive popularity. As time and people evolve, so does pop music. In the eighties, pop music used more electronic sounds while more recently, pop music borrows from hip-hop and Latin sounds. 
• Hip-hop and Rap – While this genre originated in the eighties, it also has some ancient roots from the Blues and the Gospel. Because this genre involved spoken words and electronic sounds, it did not require a perfect singing voice or ability to play an instrument.
• Rock – Rock evolved from the Blues and first became popular in the Fifties. Over the years Rock music evolved into more complex styles but has recently lost its appeal as newer genres became popular.
• Electronic music – The rise of computers meant you could create music without music instruments and that’s what makers of electronic music did. They used computers. Electronic music became popular in the eighties and the nineties.
• Latin music – This genre gained more popularity in the last forty years. It ranges from the modern Reggaeton to Samba and other dance styles. 
• Indie and alternative rock – Indie rock started with D.I.Y bands derived from the Punk wave and now has evolved to music that is played in the underground scene.
• Classical music – Classical music is the music played as part of symphonies, operas and concertos. The most popular ones are the older compositions from the likes of Beethoven and Bach but newer, younger composers are also contributing to the creation of classical music.  
• K-pop – Korean pop has gained popularity recently in the US and Europe. It is teen oriented and very vibrant, and K-pop stars have large social media followers. 
• Country – This very much American brand of music is also popular in Europe. Acoustic guitars and banjos are the instruments most often used in this type of music. 
• Metal – This type of music uses loud guitars, and fast drum fills and is the type of music that appealed to people who wanted to rebel.