These are some of the instruments we play in our children’s music classes at TLB Music in NYC.
The printable cards below are perfect for learning the names of the instruments and their families!

Click on pictures to enlarge.

The String Family:  We pluck, pick, strum, and bow on our string instruments.  For our Guitars and Banjo, we can use a pick or our fingertips.  For our Violin, Viola, Cello, and Double Bass, we use a bow and can play pizzicato (plucking the string) with our fingers.

The Percussion Family: We make sounds on our percussion instruments by striking them or shaking them! We use mallets to tap on our Snare Drum, Marimba, Triangle, and Xylophone and we use our bare hands to tap the Djembe and Tambourine.

The Woodwind Family: To make a sound on a woodwind instrument we blow through a mouthpiece or reed. The Saxophone and Clarinets use a mouthpiece with a single reed  (a flat thin piece of material) that vibrates and produce the sound! The Bassoon and Oboe use double reeds, which are made of two reeds attached together at the base.  Flutes are the exception to the reed rule and are played by blowing across an opening at the end of the flute.

The Brass Family: To play a brass instrument, you need to blow and vibrate your lips through a metal mouthpiece. To change the pitch on the Trombone, we move the slide in and out. On the Trumpet and French Horn, we use a combination of fingerings and embouchure (lip tension) to alter the pitch!

We also use a set (pictured below) of sturdy individual instrument posters by Hal Leonard at our music studio. Each 9″ x 12″ card features a different instrument of the orchestra and includes history of the instrument, fun facts, and pieces of music that showcase it! These are perfect for all ages and are a must-have item for music educators.  This company also makes composer posters! Click here to view on Amazon