Study Guides

Unit Summary

This unit develops knowledge and understanding of the instruments of the orchestra. Pupils also learn to play a famous orchestral melody on the keyboard, learning to play and move out of position and they learn to identify from C to octave C on the stave through performance.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to identify the characteristics of the percussion family and can perform the full melody for Going Home.

Key Notes

• The percussion family has the most varied instruments in the orchestra.
• The instruments are either tuned, which can play pitched sounds, or untuned, which play notes without clear pitch.
• To perform the melody of Going Home, you have to move hand positions from C to F on the keyboard with your right hand.
• The piece is in an ABA structure.
• It's important to play with a steady pulse.

Vocabulary To Learn

• percussion: a family of instruments in the orchestra which are hit or shaken to make the sound
• tuned: instruments that can play pitched sounds
• untuned: instruments that only play sounds without clear pitch
• pulse: the steady underlying beat
• ABA structure: a structure with three sections where the first and last are the same and the middle section is different

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• Mistaking another note for F when changing position quickly. The timpani are untuned percussion because they are drums.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

More Lessons In This Unit

• Performing the accompaniment for Going Home Study Guide
• Performing the melody and accompaniment for Going Home Study Guide
• Playing an orchestral melody in the C position Study Guide
• The brass family and playing in the F position Study Guide
• The string family and the woodwind family Study Guide