Show Notes
Musicians who use the power of air breathe life into the music they play. They create beautiful and ear-catching melodies. The instruments they play are called aerophones. In this episode, we talk about aerophones and the musicians like Astor Piazzolla, Harry Styles and Francis Bebey who use these instruments to create gorgeous notes and melodies.
Stuff to think about after you’ve listened:
Which aerophone do you want to play? What aerophone sound appealed to you?
What aerophone would you use to write a melody?
Ready to explore more melodious aerophones? Check out our playlists on Spotify or Apple Music.
This is one of six Music Blocks episodes exploring your favorite sounds and the instrument families that create them. You can listen in any order. Find more episodes, discussion questions and playlists at MusicBlocksPodcast.org.
Tell us how you're using Music Blocks in the classroom or at home, or share your playlists and music creations inspired by the podcast! Email us: [email protected]
Music Blocks is a production of Colorado Public Radio's Audio Innovations Studio.
Hosts: Rebekah Romberg and Luis Antonio Perez
Lead producer: Rebekah Romberg
Education Advisor: Carla Aguilar, Ph.D.
Additional editorial support: Emily Williams, Jo Erickson, Erin Jones, Kibwe Cooper
Editor & Executive Producer: Brad Turner
Thank you: Monika Vischer and Scott Clemens at CPR Classical, Willobee Carlan at Indie 102.3, Jodi Gersh, Clara Shelton, María Juliana Pinzón, Arielle Wilson, Kim Nguyen, Mia Rincón, Hart Van Denburg, Jon Pinnow, Doug Clifton and all the teachers, parents and students who listened and helped us develop this podcast.
More from Music Blocks
Electronic instruments like synthesizers and computer software use electricity to make sound. They've also changed music. The electrophone instrument family expands the range of musical colors in a composer's toolkit. In this episode, check out how musicians like Dua Lipa, T La Rock and Yellow Magic Orchestra infuse their pieces with all kinds of electrophone tones and color.
People can make amazing music using their voice. In this episode, it’s all about the power and range of the human voice. Get ready to hear all kinds of vocal techniques – from beatboxing to scatting to yodeling. You’ll hear how musicians like Bobby McFerrin, Sarah Vaughan and the Baka people use these techniques to connect with their cultures and add meaning to their songs.
In this episode, we check out instruments that musicians use to deliver some amazing rhythmic impact. Idiophones make sound from the vibrations of an instrument's body. A lot of the time, musicians whack them or shake them rhythmically. Let’s talk about how musicians like Ruth Brown, Los Angeles Azules and Queens of the Stone Age use idiophones to give us exciting percussion parts full of accents and syncopation.
In this episode, the spotlight is on membranophones! Membranophones make sound from the vibration of a tightly stretched material. Think of drums that you strike to make a sound. But there are other cool membranophones. Let’s get to know more about these instruments and the musicians who bring us the beats, like The White Stripes, Bomba Con Buya and Ciara.
All around the world, musicians use stringed instruments to make music. The way musicians play these instruments creates beautiful and distinctive sounds. In this episode, say hello to chordophones! Chordophones are instruments that make sound from the vibration of strings. Checkout how musicians like John Legend, Michiyo Yagi and Johann Strauss II have made chordophones sing with different articulations.