Instrumental Bloviations and Falderol - 02/21/02 01:26 PM
There are some pretty interesting terms associated with instruments. I only play a few instruments, but I like coming across terms that trip off the lips--terms associated with their structure .
I list a few here and wonder whether those of you who either play or like learning about instruments may have some to add?
Bee sting or bee's sting: If you look at a fine violin--at its purfling (which is another great term: the little black line that traces the edges of the body), sometimes at the places that come to points, the purfling or the black inlaid lines jot out a bit like a tail. That's called the bee sting.
swell pedal OK. You're sitting at big organ and you want the sound to swell up and get louder! So, right under your feet you'll see these rectangle shaped pedals sticking right up at an angle, kind of like gas pedals, only larger. Those are swell pedals, usually two on big organs, but sometimes just one. They're swell!
shell This is pretty cool, too. You know those kettle drums that are just so grand? Well, the kettle part is called the shell.
There's a lot of cool terms associated with instruments, but I'll wait and see whether you all have any that you know that you like, too.
Best regards,
WordWacky
bell just the place where the sound comes out in a wind instrument--but I like thinking about that bell's being there.
I list a few here and wonder whether those of you who either play or like learning about instruments may have some to add?
Bee sting or bee's sting: If you look at a fine violin--at its purfling (which is another great term: the little black line that traces the edges of the body), sometimes at the places that come to points, the purfling or the black inlaid lines jot out a bit like a tail. That's called the bee sting.
swell pedal OK. You're sitting at big organ and you want the sound to swell up and get louder! So, right under your feet you'll see these rectangle shaped pedals sticking right up at an angle, kind of like gas pedals, only larger. Those are swell pedals, usually two on big organs, but sometimes just one. They're swell!
shell This is pretty cool, too. You know those kettle drums that are just so grand? Well, the kettle part is called the shell.
There's a lot of cool terms associated with instruments, but I'll wait and see whether you all have any that you know that you like, too.
Best regards,
WordWacky
bell just the place where the sound comes out in a wind instrument--but I like thinking about that bell's being there.
Well, considering what politicians do, I'm not too far off the mark, am I?
, and point out that the guitars pass through two European countries in production: "Finnish [sic] sanding" and "Polish-ing". 
But only if i'm feeling funky. 
