- Pipe Organ
- Clavichord & Harpsichord
- Piano
- Guitar
- Slide Guitar & Bass Guitar
- Banjo
- Mandolin
- Dulcimer
- Harp
- Accordian and Harmonica
- Bagpipes
Pipe Organ
Classical Examples:
You may remember this piece from the Swingin’ Bach DVD lesson.
Modern Examples:
This is a good example of the many different sounds an organ can make.
How it’s made:
This actually takes a camera into a pipe organ.
Curious facts for further research:
Clavichord & Harpsichord
Clavichord:
Harpsichord:
Clavichord and Harpsichord versus Piano and How They Work:
This is a two part video showing the progression of clavichords to harpsichords to modern pianos. The link to part two will be at the top of the list to the right of the video.
Piano
Classical Examples:
- Beethoven “Moonlight” Sonata, III “Presto Agitato” Valentina Lisitsa
- Olga Jegunova – W.A. Mozart: Piano Sonata No 11 in A – Major, K.331 (300i)
- Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto no.2 op.18 – Anna Fedorova – Complete Live Concert – HD
This is a concerto and thus has orchestral accompaniment, but the sound and camera work are excellent.
Modern Examples:
Here is a fun video with Christmas music. The piano is played inside and out. All the sounds in this video (except the vocals) were created with a piano, as shown.
Check out other Piano Guys videos. They are all excellent.
Humor:
It is always fun to see good music paired with humor. Victor Borge was a Dutch pianist that also loved comedy and combined excellent piano playing with stand up comedy. His accent can make understanding him a little difficult, but if you have older students that will understand the humor, search Youtube for Victor Borge videos. There are many of them.
How it’s made:
- Inside an upright piano
- How the hammer works (1)
- How the hammer works(2)
- Building a Steinway piano (considered the best pianos made)
Guitar
Acoustic Examples:
This is a classical guitar. Listen carefully to this and the next link. Can you hear a difference between the nylon string of this guitar and the steel strings of the next?
- Stevie Ray Vaughan Acoustic Guitar Solo- RARE Video Footage
- Phil Keaggy:”Shades of Green”
- Amazing Acoustic Guitar Musician
This guitar is being played in a very unusual way. The sound is difficult because of all the background noise. Just keep watching and listening carefully.
Electric Examples:
How it’s made:
Slide Guitar & Bass Guitar
Bass Guitar Examples:
This video is a good example of a bass playing WITH an band, although you should be able to hear the bass over the band well since the band is just a recording. The beginning is just bass and drums, so you will be able to learn the sound of the bass before needing to distinguish it from the rest of the instruments.
This is NOT what normal bass playing is like. It’s much more skilled. The melody of “Amazing Grace” is being played with “harmonics” or “overtones.” (The definition and explanation of these in is the glossary. Older students can use learning about harmonics to launch into a study of the physics of sound.) Listen for the contrast between the high pitched melody notes and the very low bass notes.
Slide Guitar Examples:
This is a lesson on the basics of how do play slide guitar. You and your student will probably not want to watch the entire video. But it will show you the basics and you will understand better what you are seeing in the following video or others you choose.
Banjo
Examples:
This is a very famous banjo piece called “Dueling Banjos” played by two very famous players. They start the piece normally, then play around adding other music for about two minutes. By 2:45 they are back into the original music.
Although it’s called “Dueling Banjos” it is often played with one guitar and one banjo. This is a more straight forward version without all the extras added into the first.
Steve Martin & Earl Scruggs – Foggy Mountain Breakdown
How it’s made:
Mandolin
Examples:
- Peter Ostroushko – Heart of the Heartland
- Francesco Mammola – “Tu vuò fà l’americano” (mandolino) (1)
- Francesco Mammola – “Tu vuò fà l’americano” (mandolino) (2)
Dulcimer
Mountain Dulcimer Examples:
- Mountain Dulcimer – Whiskey Before Breakfast – Stephen Seifert
- Dulcimers in the Heartland – America’s Heartland
Hammered Dulcimer Examples:
- “Dizzi Jig” Folk Medieval hammered dulcimer music by dizzi
- Scarborough Fair on Hammered Dulcimer
- Rakes of Kildare Hammered Dulcimer
Harp
Classical Examples:
- Fantaisie for Solo Harp Op.95 – Camille Saint-Saëns (Maia Darme)
- J.S. Bach – Toccata and Fugue in D Minor BWV 565 // Amy Turk, Harp
This is the famous organ piece that has been in several other lessons. If you use this selection, have your student compare to the other ways he/she has heard it (on organ and with other instruments). You may need to go back and find them in the organ lesson and the Swingin’ Bach lesson.
Folk music Examples on a Lever Harp:
- Glenlivet (live) – Traditional Scottish Music – Harp Duygu Aydogan
- Carolan’s Dream – played on celtic harp
Home made harp:
- How It’s Made • Harps
- What’s the difference between a celtic lever harp and a concert harp? – Teifi Harps FAQs
Accordian and Harmonica
Accordion Examples:
- Beer Barrel Polka – Rosamunde Accordion Akordeon Accordeon Acordeon Akkordeon
- Fun. – We Are Young – Crazy Accordion Trio cover
Harmonica Examples:
- Buddy Greene – Classical Harmonica Medley (Live)
- Buddy Greene – Orange Blossom Special 1994 !!!
- Blues harmonica solo
How it’s made:
Bagpipes
Examples:
- Amazing Grace – Bagpipe Master
- The Massed Pipes and Drums | Edinburgh Military Tattoo – BBC
This one also has a drum corps with some fancy moves to watch.
If you listen closely in this one, you will hear just a little of the tune from dueling banjos.
How it’s made:
