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Article
Arizona State University

Arizona State University: Why Was the Valve Invented?

For Students 9th - 10th
Dr. Ericson holds firm to his beliefs that the valve was not invented as "a mere crook changing device." Dr. Ericson embraces the idea that the "co-inventors of the valve clearly intended to perfect the brass instruments by making them...
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Article
Arizona State University

Arizona State University: What Was the Omnitonic Horn?

For Students 9th - 10th
This Arizona State article suggests that the omnitonic horn and valved horns were invented in the same era and for the same reasons. However, further reading points out the differences between the two. The explanation for their invention...
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Lesson Plan
John F. Kennedy Center

The Kennedy Center: Brass Instruments and Pitch

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Students will enjoy making their own brass instrument with this interesting lesson plan. Objectives include what factors affect the pitch of brass instruments and what determines pitch.
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Article
Arizona State University

Arizona State Univ.: Horn Folklore & "Urban Legends"

For Students 9th - 10th
This Arizona State University article more appropriately falls under the heading of literature, but Dr. Ericson's statement in the first paragraph, "I am amazed by the rather large body of plausible sounding folklore which has been...
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Article
Arizona State University

Arizona State University: Natural Horn & Its Technique

For Students 9th - 10th
Arizona State's descriptions of the horn are broken up by illustrations of the horn, players, and music. There is a big discussion of crooks (not the kind that go to jail), but the kind that are made when you bend metal! The author notes...
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Graphic
Georgia State University

Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Musical Instruments

For Students 9th - 10th
Homepage for a hypertext about the different families of musical instruments. From this page, users can retrieve information on a the acoustics of a variety of specific instruments: stringed instruments, woodwind instruments, brass...
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Handout
Wikimedia

Wikipedia: Woodwind Instrument

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from Wikipedia provides an overview of woodwind instruments and discusses the three types of woodwind instruments and the difference between brass instruments and woodwind instruments.
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Handout
Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: French Horn, Brass Instrument

For Students 3rd - 5th
Visit this resource to find out how the French horn is played. Read more about the brass family. Use RealAudio or Windows Media Player to hear the French horn on its own, or with the orchestra.