Black Spiders Lesson 14

Next week is instrument day! We will have some extra fun sharing instruments with each other. I also have some other fun surprises in store. It will be a lot of fun. I'm excited! This will be the last day of the black spider semester.

The timpani is an important, if lesser known, part of the orchestra. It’s possible you’ve never seen them because the percussion section sits behind other instruments--that's too bad, because they are a fascinating part of the drum family! The timpani is actually a pitched percussion instrument, so if you adjust the tightness of the head, you can control the note the drum will play, which means these drums need to be tuned just as many other instruments do. A timpanist will generally perform with four or five drums tuned to different pitches placed together. Fun fact: Professional timpanists make their own sticks so they can produce the exact quality of sound they desire!

Optional home fun activity:

Do the Instrument Day activity on page 18 in your workbook

(Remember, these activities are optional but can be a great bonding experience to do with your child during the week.)