Classification of Musical Instruments and Sounds – Basic 4 Cultural & Creative Arts Lesson Note (Third Term)

What is Classification?

Classification means putting musical instruments into groups based on how they make sounds.

4 Main Groups of Musical Instruments

1. String Instruments

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Make sound when strings vibrate (shake)

Examples:

• Guitar – “Strum-strum”
• Piano – “Ting-ting”
• Violin – “Eee-eee”
• Harp – “Pluck-pluck”

Nigerian Examples:

• Molo (traditional guitar)
• Goje (one-string fiddle)

2. Wind Instruments

Make sound when you blow air into them

Examples:

• Flute – “Toot-toot”
• Trumpet – “Ta-ta-ta”
• Recorder – “Peep-peep”
• Saxophone – “Honk-honk”

Nigerian Examples:

• Oja (traditional flute)
• Algaita (horn instrument)

3. Percussion Instruments

Make sound when you hit, shake, or strike them

Examples:

• Drums – “Boom-boom”
• Tambourine – “Jingle-jingle”
• Triangle – “Ring-ring”
• Cymbals – “Crash-crash”

Nigerian Examples:

• Talking drum – “Dun-dun”
• Shekere – “Shake-shake”
• Ogene – “Gong-gong”

4. Electronic Instruments

Make sound using electricity and technology

Examples:

• Keyboard – “Beep-beep”
• Electric guitar – “Buzz-buzz”
• Synthesizer – “Whoosh-whoosh”

How Sounds are Made

Vibration

All instruments make sound through vibration (shaking)

• Strings vibrate
• Air vibrates
• Objects vibrate

Volume

• Loud sounds: FORTE (strong)
• Soft sounds: PIANO (gentle)

Pitch

• High sounds: Like a bird singing
• Low sounds: Like a lion roaring

EXERCISES

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

1. ________ instruments make sound when strings vibrate
2. ________ instruments make sound when you blow air
3. ________ instruments make sound when you hit them
4. All instruments make sound through ________

Exercise 2: True or False

1. Guitar is a string instrument ____
2. Flute is a percussion instrument ____
3. Drums are hit to make sound ____
4. Electronic instruments need electricity ____

Exercise 3: Match the Instrument

Draw lines to connect each instrument to its group:

• Piano → Wind instruments
• Trumpet → String instruments
• Drums → Percussion instruments
• Keyboard → Electronic instruments

Exercise 4: Sound Match

Write which instrument makes these sounds:

1. “Strum-strum”: ________
2. “Boom-boom”: ________
3. “Toot-toot”: ________
4. “Beep-beep”: ________

Exercise 5: Nigerian Instruments

Put these Nigerian instruments in the right group: 

Instruments: Talking drum, Oja, Molo, Shekere

• String: ________
• Wind: ________
• Percussion: ________, ________

Exercise 6: Choose the Right Group

Circle the correct classification:

1. Violin: String / Wind / Percussion
2. Recorder: String / Wind / Electronic
3. Triangle: Wind / Percussion / String
4. Electric guitar: String / Electronic / Wind