St.

Theresa’s School of Novaliches

MODULE 6
Music: Hornbostel-Sachs classification
TO THE LEARNERS
Welcome to WEEK-7&8Module 6 of MAPEH 7 This module will allow you to walk
through the Hornbostel-Sachs classification,
Before you start answering, please bear in mind the following reminders:
1. Find a well-lit and well-ventilated place where you can answer this module without
distraction.
2. Focus on the specific content and concepts that will help you better understand the
lesson.
3. Ask your teacher if you have questions.
And now that you are ready, you may begin.
I. OBJECTIVES:
After completing the activities in this module, you should be able to:

 Identify the instruments based on Hornbostel-Sachs classification

 Find or create an improvised instrument that can find at home
 Perform a song with the accompaniment of your improvised instrument

II. PRIOR KNOWLEDGE CHECK:

Direction: Identify the following instruments according to Hornbostel-Sachs System.

1. Which of the following Hornbostel-Sachs classification played such as being struck,

scraped, rubbed, shaken and plucked?
A. Aerophones D. Idiophones

B. Chordophones E. Membranophones
2. What sound is produced primarily by causing a body of air to vibrate by blowing inside?
A. Aerophones C. Electrophones

B. Chordophones D. Idiophones

3. Which of the following Pangkat Kawayan instrument plays the melody?

A. Angklung C. Kalatok

B. Bumbong D. Talunggating
 4. Which of the Pangkat Kawayan serves as the percussion?
A. Kalagong C. Pan Pipes

B. Kiskis D. Tulali

5. Which of the following is NOT classified as woodwind instrument?

A. Clarinet C. Piccolo

B. Flute D. Trumpet

III. LET US LEARN MORE!

INTRODUCTION:

Classification of Musical Instruments: the Sachs-Hornbostel System

The Sachs-Hornbostel system (or H-S System) is a comprehensive, global method of
classifying acoustic musical instruments. 

A Sound Classification
Musical instruments can be classified by the Western orchestral system into brass, percussion,
strings, and woodwinds; but the S-H system allows non-western instruments to be classified as
well. Over 100 years after its development, the H-S system is still in use in most museums and
in large inventory projects. The method's limitations were recognized by Sachs and Hornbostel:
there are many instruments that have multiple vibration sources at different times during a
performance, making them difficult to classify.
The H-S system divides all musical instruments into five categories: idiophones,
membranophones, chordophones, aerophones, and electrophones.

Idiophones
Idiophones are musical instruments in which a vibrating solid material is used to produce sound.
Examples of solid materials used in such instruments are stone, wood, and metal. Idiophones
are differentiated according to the method used to make it vibrate.

 Concussion—A pair of similar instruments are struck together or struck against each
other to create sounds, such as cymbals and castanets
 Friction—Instruments that produce sound when rubbed. An example of these is musical
glasses in which the musician rubs his moistened fingers on the rim of the glasses to
produce sound.
 Percussion—Musical instruments that produce sound by striking or using a striker, such
as xylophones, triangles, bells, gongs, and steel drums
 Plucked—Also known as linguaphones, these are musical instruments that need to be
plucked to create sound, such as the Jew's harp in which the player plucks the "tongue"
of the instrument.
 Scraped—Instruments that are scraped to produce sound. Examples of these are cog
rattles and washboards.
 Shaken—Musical instruments that need to be shaken to create sound, such
as maracas , thought to have been invented by native Indians of Puerto Rico.
 Stamping—Instruments that produce sound when stamped on a hard surface, such as
the shoes used by tap dancers or Irish clogs.
 Stamped—When sound is produced by the material itself that's being stamped on.

Membranophones

Membranophones are musical instruments that use vibrating stretched membranes or skin to
produce sound. Membranophones are classified according to the shape of the instrument.

 Kettle Drums—Also known as vessel drums, these are rounded at the bottom and may
be tunable or non-tunable. The vibrating membrane is either laced, nailed, or glued to
the body and the player uses his hands, a beater, or both to strike it.
 Tubular Drums—Are further classified into shapes including barrel, cylindrical, conical,
double conical, goblet, hourglass and shallow. Tubular drums may either be tunable and
non-tunable. Like the kettle drums, tubular drums may be played by using both the
hands or a striker and the vibrating membrane is either laced, nailed, or glued to the
body.
  Friction Drums—Instead of striking, the stretched membrane vibrates when there is
friction across the membrane. These are non-tunable and the player uses a cord or stick
to create sound.
 Mirlitons—Unlike other musical instruments belonging to the membranophones,
mirlitons are not drums. The membranes produce sound with the vibration of a player's
voice or instrument. Mirlitons are non-tunable, and a good example of this type is
a kazoo.
 Other membranophones are called frame drums in which the skin or membrane is
stretched over a frame such as tambourines. Also, pot drums and ground drums fall
under the membranophone category.

Chordophones

Chordophones produce sound by means of a stretched vibrating string. When a string vibrates,
the resonator picks up that vibration and amplifies it giving it a more appealing sound. There are
five basic types based on the strings' relationship with the resonator. 

 Musical bows—May or may not have resonators; the strings are attached and stretched
over a wooden bow.
 Harps—The strings aren't parallel to the soundboard; harps are plucked or strummed.
 Lyres—The strings run through a crossbar holding it away from the resonator. Lyres
may either be bowed or plucked.
 Lutes—These instruments have necks; the strings are stretched across a resonator and
travel up the neck. Lutes may be bowed or plucked.
 Zithers—These have a board but no necks; strings are stretched from one end of the
board to another end. Zithers may be plucked or struck.

Chordophones also have subcategories depending on how the strings are played. Examples of
chordophones played by bowing are double bass, violin, and viola. Examples of chordophones
that are played by plucking are banjo, guitar, harp, mandolin, and ukulele. The piano, dulcimer,
and the clavichord are examples of chordophones that are struck.

Aerophones

Aerophones produce sound by vibrating a column of air. These are commonly known as wind
instruments and there are four basic types.

 Brasswinds—Made of metal, particularly brass, these instruments create sound through

the vibration of a player's lips on the mouthpiece. The air that passes through the
player's lips goes to the air column of the instrument and thus creates sound. Examples:
trombone, trumpet, tuba
 Woodwinds—These instruments were originally made only of wood but now other
materials are used. On reed instruments like the saxophone and the clarinet, a thin
material is placed on the mouthpiece so that when the player blows into it the air is
forced to go to a reed and sets it to vibrate. In double-reed instruments such as
bassoons and oboes, the material placed on the opening of the mouthpiece is thicker. In
woodwinds such as flutes, the player blows air into the edge of a mouthpiece thus
creating sound.
 Free-reed—Refers to wind instruments that have a freely vibrating reed and the pitch
depends on the size of the reed. A good example of this type of instrument is the
accordion.
 Free—Free aerophones are those in which the sound is produced by a column of air
outside of the instrument itself, such as a bull-roarer or a whip when it's cracked. 

Electrophones

Electrophones are musical instruments that produce sound electronically or produce its initial
sound traditionally and then are electronically amplified. Some examples of instruments that
produce sound electronically are electronic organs, theremins, and synthesizers. Traditional
instruments which are electronically amplified include electric guitars and electric pianos.
THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND:
The Sachs-Hornbostel system is a comprehensive, global method of classifying acoustic
musical instruments.
Musical instruments can be classified by western orchestral system into brass, percussion,
strings, and woodwinds; but the S-H system allows non-western instruments to be classified as
well.

IV. HOW MUCH HAVE YOU LEARNED?

Activity 1

A. Direction: Identify the instruments listed below according to Hornbostel-Sachs

System. Choose your answer inside the box.

. Idiophones Aerophones

Chordophones Membranophones

______________1. Empty Gallons

______________2. Wood
______________3. Table
______________4. Nylon
______________5. Empty bottles filled with sand
______________6. Broom
______________7. Pot’s cover
______________8. Empty box
______________9. Spoon and Fork
______________10. Comb
 PRACTICAL ACTIVITY

B. Improvised Instrument:
Directions:
1. Look for things that can be found inside your house or you can create your own
improvised instrument.
2. Then, select a song that you want to sing. The simple song the better.
3. Practice the song that you choose with the used of your improvised instrument.
4. If you are ready, ask someone to take a video of your performance make sure that
the place is quiet so that your performance is loud and clear.
5. Afterwards, send your video through LMS
6. You will be graded based on a rubric

CRITERIA 5 4 3 2
Quality of sound Student can Student is able to Student is able to Student is unable to
produce an produce a good- produce a basic produce a sound on
excellent quality quality sound on the sound on the the instrument.
sound on the instrument instrument.
instrument.
Use of Material Student created an Student created an Student created an Student brought in
instruments from instrument that had instrument with an actual
materials that were materials mostly materials that were instrument.
all found at home. found at home. not found at home.
Rhythm The beat is secure The beat is secure The beat is The beat is usually
and the rhythms are and the rhythms are somewhat erratic. erratic and rhythms
accurate for the mostly accurate. Some rhythms are are seldom
music being sung. There are a few accurate. Frequent accurate, detracting
duration errors, but or repeated duration significantly from the
these do not detract errors. Rhythm overall performance.
from overall problems
performance. occasionally detract
from the overall
performance.
Tone Quality Tone is consistently Tone is focused, Tone is often The tone is often not
focused, clear and clear, and centered focused, clear, and focused, clear, or
centered throughout through the normal centered, but centered regardless
the range of the singing range. Tone sometimes the tone of the range,
voice. quality does not is uncontrolled in the significantly
detract from the normal singing detracting overall
performance. range. performance.