What term designates an instrument that produces sound via a vibrating membrane?

Explore essential music terms with the LMS Music Vocabulary Test. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with detailed explanations. Master the language of music!

Multiple Choice

What term designates an instrument that produces sound via a vibrating membrane?

Explanation:
Sound is produced by a stretched membrane that vibrates when struck or excited. That vibrating membrane is what defines a membranophone. Drums like a snare, bass drum, or tambourine use a skin or synthetic membrane stretched over a frame, and the membrane’s vibration creates the instrument’s sound. This distinguishes membranophones from aerophones (sound from vibrating air), idiophones (sound from the instrument’s solid body vibrating), and the vocal (the human voice).

Sound is produced by a stretched membrane that vibrates when struck or excited. That vibrating membrane is what defines a membranophone. Drums like a snare, bass drum, or tambourine use a skin or synthetic membrane stretched over a frame, and the membrane’s vibration creates the instrument’s sound. This distinguishes membranophones from aerophones (sound from vibrating air), idiophones (sound from the instrument’s solid body vibrating), and the vocal (the human voice).

Subscribe

Get the latest from Examzify

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy