Parts of Musical Instruments: English Vocabulary List

(plural) a mechanical tool that produces a current of air to blow into a fire or produce a sound in a musical instrument

"Bellows blow air for fire."

"The blacksmith used the bellows to stoke the forge, creating a strong current of air."

a type of durable cord that is obtained from animal intestines used in making musical instruments

"Catgut is string material."

"Catgut is a type of cord made from the natural fibers of sheep intestines used for strings on musical instruments."

a small metal bar on the neck of a string instrument pressed with fingers to produce a particular note

"Press the fret firmly."

"The guitarist adjusted his finger placement on the fret to achieve the correct pitch."

a flat bar on a musical instrument such as a piano or an organ that is pushed by the feet to change or control the sound produced

"Press the sustain pedal."

"The organist used the pedal to control the volume and sustain of the notes."

a small flat piece of plastic, wood, etc. that is used in plucking the strings of a musical instrument such as a guitar, harpsichord, etc.

"The plectrum plucked the strings."

"She used a plectrum to pluck the strings of the harpsichord, producing a clear, bright sound."

the hollow part inside a musical instrument or a piece of equipment that resonates a single sound or wave length

"Resonator amplifies sound."

"A resonator is a device or part of an instrument that amplifies sound through sympathetic vibration."

a pedal on a piano that is pressed in order to produce a softer tone

"Soft pedal reduces volume."

"The soft pedal on a piano shifts the action to make the sound quieter and softer."

a wooden, metal or plastic screw that is turned to regulate the strings of a musical instrument

"Turn the tuning peg."

"He carefully turned the tuning peg to adjust the tension of the violin string."

a narrow flat part on the neck of a string instrument where the fingers press the strings to play various notes

"The violinist's fingers moved along the fingerboard."

"The guitarist moved his fingers quickly along the guitar fingerboard during the solo."

the hollow part of a string instrument such as a guitar or violin that produces a resonance

"Soundbox amplifies vibrations."

"The soundbox is the hollow part of a string instrument that amplifies the vibrations of the strings."

the portion at the end of the neck of a stringed musical instrument that holds the tuning pegs or machine heads

"The guitar's headstock is ornate."

"The intricate carving on the violin's headstock was a testament to the luthier's skill."

a rotating spindle used to apply tension, often used in musical instruments and other mechanical devices

"The capstan tightened the string."

"The tension on the harp strings was precisely controlled by the rotating capstan."

the curved upper section of the body of a stringed musical instrument, such as a violin, viola, or cello, that sits above the instrument's waist and is located between the neck and the upper part of the f-holes

"The upper bout is curved."

"The elegant curve of the cello's upper bout contributes significantly to its resonant tone."

the lower curved section of the body of a musical instrument, typically a stringed instrument such as a guitar or violin

"The lower bout is rounded."

"The rounded shape of the guitar's lower bout provides a comfortable resting place for the arm."

an opening in a stringed instrument's body that enhances its sound

"Sound hole projects sound."

"The sound hole is the opening in the body of an acoustic guitar that projects the sound."

a protective plate attached to a stringed instrument to prevent scratches or damage from picking or strumming

"The pickguard protects the guitar."

"A clear pickguard was installed on the acoustic guitar to shield its finish from strumming."

the wooden surface on a stringed instrument that amplifies the vibrations of the strings to produce sound

"Soundboard vibrates to produce tone."

"The soundboard is the top surface of a string instrument that vibrates to amplify the sound of the strings."

a transducer device used to capture the vibrations of a musical instrument's strings and convert them into an electrical signal

"The pickup amplifies the sound."

"The electric guitar's pickup converts the string vibrations into an electrical signal for amplification."

a component on a guitar that allows for the connection of a cable to an amplifier or other audio equipment for amplification or recording purposes

"Output jack connects to amplifier."

"The guitar output jack is the socket where the instrument cable plugs into an electric guitar."

a control on an electric guitar or other electronic instrument that allows the player to adjust the tonal characteristics of the instrument's sound, typically by boosting or cutting certain frequencies

"Tone knob adjusts EQ."

"The tone knob is a potentiometer on an electric guitar that controls the brightness of the sound."

a variable resistor that can be used to control the amount of current flowing through a circuit by adjusting the resistance of the potentiometer

"Potentiometer controls volume resistance."

"A potentiometer is a variable resistor used in electronic instruments to control volume and tone."

a structural component inside the body of a string instrument, such as a violin or cello, that helps support the pressure exerted by the strings on the top (soundboard) of the instrument

"Bass bar supports bass strings."

"The bass bar is a strip of wood glued inside a violin under the bass foot of the bridge."

the part of a string instrument where the tuning pegs are located

"Peg box holds tuning pegs."

"The peg box is the part of a string instrument near the headstock that houses the tuning pegs."

a tailpiece is a component on stringed musical instruments, such as violins, cellos, and guitars, that anchors the strings at the bottom end of the instrument and provides a point of attachment for the strings to the instrument's body

"Tailpiece anchors strings."

"The tailpiece is the part of a string instrument that anchors the strings at the bottom end of the body."

the mechanical assembly inside a piano that translates the depression of keys into the striking of strings, controlling the hammer's movement and allowing for dynamics and expression in playing

"Piano action transfers key to hammer."

"The piano action is the mechanical mechanism inside a piano that transfers the key press to the hammer."

the hinged covering that can be raised to access the keyboard of a piano or lowered to protect it when not in use

"Fallboard covers piano keys."

"The fallboard is the hinged cover that protects the keys of a piano when it is not being played."