Recent reading – Ancient musical instruments were constructed of available materials: wood, bone, animal skin and intestines, plant fiber and metal. Some of the first instruments mentioned in the oldest writings known to mankind are the flute, the drum and the bagpipes. Strings were made of plant fiber and animal intestines.Wind instruments: the horn, the shofar, the trumpet, the flute, the pipe, bagpipes.
The Shofar was the Jewish horn, a hollowed-out ram’s horn, used many times to assemble troops for battle and to call the people to attention. The flute could be made of metal or wood. Trumpets were made of silver.
The Shofar was the Jewish horn, a hollowed-out ram’s horn, used many times to assemble troops for battle and to call the people to attention. The flute could be made of metal or wood. Trumpets were made of silver.
Stringed instruments: the harp/lyre, the lute. The lute was similar to the harp but a different shape. It had a few strings stretched over a frame and sounding board, also similar to a modern guitar.
The lyre was a type of harp seen in some photos of ancient harp players, such as, King David of Bible times.
The lyre was a type of harp seen in some photos of ancient harp players, such as, King David of Bible times.
Percussion instruments: tambourine, drum, cymbals, bells, bones and the sistrum. The Sistrum was an oval-shaped metal frame and handle with crossbars that held loose metal disks. This was shaken to make a jingling sound.
Tambourines and drums were a wood frame in a circular shape with an animal skin stretched over the top. They were played with the hand, fingers or a wood beater. Small disks were attached to the perimeter of the tambourine for a jingling sound when shaken.
Cymbals were in varying sizes, large for a sharper sound and small to be played as finger cymbals.
Cymbals were in varying sizes, large for a sharper sound and small to be played as finger cymbals.
