Instruments in the Classroom
...ther popular rhythm and percussion instruments is the cowbell. The cowbell is played by being struck with a metal bar. The cowbell gives off a ringing tone. The tambourine is also an important rhythm instrument. The tambourine is round with a rim made of wood with metal disks attached to it. It can be hit against the body or shaken. A very popular melody instrument is the soprano recorder. The recorder is easy to play and can be very helpful in teaching a child to read music and develop performance skills. There are holes on the top and back of the recorder. Different pitches are produced by covering the holes and changing the length of the air column. Another good instrument for the elementary classroom is the autoharp. The autoharp is great for children because it is easy to play. To play an autoharp, it can be placed in the lap of the player or held upright. Playing the autoharp in a upright position is also known as Appalachian style. The guitar is becoming a commonly used in the upper elementary grades. The guitar most widely used in the classroom is the acoustic guitar. In the classroom, the guitar is usually used to accompany other songs. Students may also enjoy playing keyboard instruments. The most popular keyboard instrument is most definitely the piano. The keys are named for the alphabet letters A through G. According to the National Standards for Arts Education, Cont...