The mbira is a wooden and metal musical instrument which comes from the culture of the Shona people of the southern African nations of Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The Shona have played mbiras for at least 1,000 years. Erica Azim, mbira player, teacher, and founder of The Mbira Organization (mbira.org), explained that in Shona culture the […]
The Saraswati veena is a plucked, stringed musical instrument from India whose origins date back to around 1700 BCE. This veena (also spelled vina), a member of the lute family, as are the chitra, vichitra, and rudra veenas. Dr. Tara Rajendran is a classically trained veena player (as well as a medical doctor – please […]
Neunaber Audio of Orange, Ca. has released Illumine, the company’s latest reverb pedal. In a press release, the company said its new “reverb machine” includes “17 studio-quality reverbs, 50 presets, MIDI and powerful expression control, [and] comes in a low-power, pedalboard-friendly package with top jacks.” The Illumine reverb pedal is available online at https://neunaber.net/illumine. Gibson […]
Band & Orchestra School band and orchestra instruments are divided into four categories: brass, woodwinds, strings, and percussion. Following is a brief look at each one. Brass: Brass instruments make their sounds through the lip vibrations of the player, combined with the movements of a slide, in the case of trombones, or the opening and […]
As the calendar turns to August, we begin to hear the words “back to school,” much to the chagrin of many students. This is a chance, however, for students to explore participation in their schools’ music programs, be it by playing an instrument in the band or orchestra, or by singing in the choir. MakingMusicMag.com […]
The sitar is a member of the lute family of stringed instruments; it is popular in northern India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, and is used to play classical music in the Hindustani tradition. The word sitar is derived from the Persian word sehtar, meaning “three strings.” Origin and Construction The precise origin of the sitar is […]
A serious, dedicated musician often possesses a passion for music which a non-musician may not fully comprehend. Indeed, this enthusiasm can continue to drive said musician, even though he or she may be forced to turn to non-musical endeavors simply to earn a living. The rare musician who can live a fully musical life, at […]
The oud is one of the oldest stringed instruments still in play today. Arabic tradition traces the oud back to Lamech, a descendant of the Biblical figures Adam and Cain. Indeed, oud-like instruments have been discovered at archaeological sites in Egypt and Mesopotamia (located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in what is today Iraq). […]
Bluegrass traces its roots to British folk music and African American gospel and blues…
Trumpeter/hornist Jeff Stockham recently came to the Making Music offices for what turned out to be a rather lengthy interview about his passion for historic brass instruments — both playing them and collecting them. One of the many ensembles in which Stockham plays, in fact, is The Excelsior Cornet Band, New York State’s only authentic […]