ZHENGHUA PRIMARY SCHOOL
Music Website
Oceania Musical Instruments
Musical instruments from Oceania and Polynesia in general are not for musical purposes. Most of the instruments are design for communication, imitation of supernatural beings, hunting or toys. Hence some of the instruments lack efficiency in actual music making.
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The instruments in this page are categorized as "strings", "winds" and "percussion"
Strings
These instruments are played by strumming or plucking the strings.
Jaw Harp
Sound is made by the lamella, which can be either a flexible metal, bamboo or reed attached to a frame. The musician plucks the lamella. Different sounds can be made by blowing or breathing air, and changing the position of the tongue.
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The start of the video teaches how to play the jaw harp. Performance at [3:48].
Ukulele
Ukulele mean jumping fleas. It come in four sizes, they are soprano, concert, tenor and baritone. Ukulele is an Hawaiian instrument which originated from the Portuguese machete.
Wind Instruments
These instruments are played by strumming, plucking or bowing the strings.
Nose Flute
This can be made from either bamboo, gourd, whale teeth or wood. Sound is made by blowing into the "mouthpiece", like a recorder. This flute is blown using the nose.
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This video teaches how to play the nose flute.
Panpipe
The panpipe is of Chinese origin. Different pitch is caused by a series of cane pipes of different length. Sound is produced by blowing across the top of the pipes, similar to a western classical flute.
Conch Trumpet
This is made of natural seashells. Sound is made by buzzing into the shell, like how a trumpet is played. The mouthpiece is formed by creating a hole in the shell.
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The notes playable on this instrument are very limited.
Percussion
These instruments are played by tapping the instruments with the hand.
Slit Drums
Also found in africa, the size of slit drums can be as thick as logs, or as thin as bamboos. This is frequently used as ritual instrument. Different sound is created by hitting on different side of the slits.