An Ode To Instruments

Everyone needs some color, some excitement, something fulfilling, in their life. Music just seems to bring that to anyone who asks. Sure you could try singing, but not everyone has a knack for that… *coughs and stares at friends* but there is something that everyone can perfect with practice… an instrument. I myself have compiled a list of the entire group of instruments available to Neopia today. Looking upon this list will help your pet to find the perfect instrument.

Woodwinds Group

Flute- A flute is one of the female’s favorites, but like I said, it doesn’t leave out the dudes. It is played by curving your lower lip and blowing. The air travels through the instrument and lets out through the different air holes. Pressing down the pads will change the pitch and note on the instrument.

Clarinet- The clarinet is one of the squeaky woodwinds instrument when first played by beginners. It can become as soothing as a whispering wind with practice. It is used in jazz and blues quite often although it can play any melody quite well. It is played by blowing air through the reed on the mouthpiece and pressing down pads to change the tune.

Oboe- The oboe has a very unique sound to it. It is played the same as a clarinet, by pressing down the pads and blowing through the reed. It is used for classical music, and sadly, isn’t a very popular instrument.

Recorder- The recorder is very popular among aspiring musicians, and is very to learn. They are more a play toy than an actual instrument, and is played by blowing through the hole in the mouthpiece.

Saxophone- Saxophones are jazzy instruments, and range from smooth R&B to the sad, sad blues. They are played similarly to the clarinets and oboes, by blowing through the reed the pressing on the keys.

Harmonica- The harmonica can be classified as a jazz instrument, though it fit the blues a bit more. You can play it by blowing through a combination of the holes and shifting your hands to cover up the exiting part of the holes to change pitch.

Pan Pipes- The pan pipes can create beautiful haunting melodies with practice.

The pan pipes have been called the first actually wind instrument ever made. It dates back to Mystery Island natives hollowing out wood and blowing through them for haunting rituals. The wind from you travels through the pipe you choose to blow it through. The longer the pipe, the deeper the sound it makes. The shorter the pipe, the higher the sound it makes.

Brass Group

Trumpet- Should you wish to be a trumpeter, you will need stamina, endurance, strength… and that’s just for blowing. You’ll need a lot of wind to play the trumpet, oh yes, let me explain how you play it. You must tighten you lips and then blow. Pressing down the valves will change the note. In order to play higher, you must be able to blow even faster and harder.

Trombone- Ah… the trombone… where to start? First off, this instrument rocks, so play it. You can play it similarly to the trumpet, by tightening you lips and blowing. However, you must move the slide around to change you note. To make it easier, there are certain slide positions to follow. Also like the trumpet, you must blow faster to go higher. The slide must be taken care of constantly too.

French Horn- The French horn is played just like all other brass instruments, by tightening you lips and blowing. You can press down on the pads to change the note, and you must blow faster to go higher. Nothing new…

Strings Group

Violin- The violin (aka the fiddle) has a wide variety of tunes to choose from. It can be western, classical, blues, and even rock. It is played by putting the end of it under you chin, on the resting piece. Then you use your fingers to strike down different strings and run a bow (made from the tail hair of a Uni) across the certain strings to strike a note. You can also pluck the strings for a more western like sound.

Cello- Cellos are a regular aspect of classical group. It is like the violin, but is played between the legs and set on the ground. You still use you fingers to press on the chords and a bow to play with though. Like all string instruments, you can pluck it as well.

Blue Moehawk Guitar- This guitar is not only a replica of Moehawk… but it also works as an actual guitar! *faints* Anyways, guitars are played by putting you fingers in a position on the strings, and then strumming on the strings to make a sound.

Limited Edition Guitar- The only difference from the other guitar is that it is in a spiffy star shape. Read about the blue Moehawk guitar to learn how to play.

Gruundo Guitar- This guitar is the same as the above two, except it is from the galactic Kreludan band: Gruundo.

Wock Til You Drop Guitar- This guitar is played the same as the above three making Neopia’s total string guitars a total of four. This guitar is not only from the barely known band: Wock Til You Drop, but it also has two neck/fingerboards! Spiffy!

Harp- The harp is a very elegant instrument, popular among female musicians. (Like the flutes) It is played by strumming your fingers along the strings to make a beautiful sound. I would love to play the harp, but I won’t lie, it is quite difficult.

Percussion

Piano- A piano is an instrument for anyone to play; all you have to do is strike down keys. The white keys are naturals and the colored keys are sharps and flats. It can play any kind of music at all and can be found in almost every band. This piano is for beginners, so it has a limited amount of keys, but you could advance to the…

Grand Piano- This is one of the grand daddies of all instruments, the grand piano. It is elegant, classical, and once you play this instrument you can play the keyboard, a piano in rock and techno version. This piano has to play bass and treble clef, unlike the basic piano. The colored keys also become black keys. It is played the same as the piano described above.

Silver Triangle- The triangle is said to be easy, and to a beginner it is, all you have to do is hit it and let it ring. However, as you progress playing this instrument, you will learn special tricks in holding the triangle to let out a fuller ring, or to make the ring short and sweet. It is an instrument that is kind of hard not to love.

Castanets- The castanets are easy; all you have to do is click them together with a beat. I’m sure there are special tricks to add like the triangle, but I do not know them. Go talk to a music professor.

Cow Bell- You play the cow… no, wait, the Kau bell by hitting it. It lets out an awkward barnyard sound, fun for a while until it gets annoying.

Rainbow Maracas- Shake it! Maracas are played by shaking them and the little beads inside will make a sound. It sounds kind of like a scraping sound.

Hand Bell- Okay, you play the hand bell by letting the little ball on the inside hit the brass sides and it will ring. It isn’t that hard.

Wooden Washboard- Wow, what a weird instrument. It is played by striking the ridges with a stick/your hand. Not that much explaining to do.

Accordion- Rumored to be King Roo’s favorite instrument, and it is played by pushing the spring back and forth. For an added sound, you can learn to use the keys on the side.

Set of Spoons- Some say that the spoons are only for a musical genius, but it isn’t. Hit the spoons on something really fast. If you can’t do it, you’re just hopeless.

Colourful Xylophone- This is a xylophone, a colorful one. Each block is a different note/pitch/sound, and it can sound awfully off key if you play it incorrectly. Practice is important, and I suggest playing piano before playing this instrument, the two are pretty much the same.

Bongo Drums- You can play the bongo by hitting the tops of the drums with your paws to keep the beat or make a melody. It is a beginning stage of playing the…

Drum Kit- The drum kit is fun to play. It is also difficult to play. These drums consist of a set of symbols, a high top, a bass drum, a tom drum, and two snare drums. Drum kits can be found in every rock band and almost every not-classical band.

That’s it! All of the instruments known to Neopia are now known to you, now you have to take your pick. The whole point of this article was to inform you about these instruments so you could enjoy the wonders of music. Sorry if I spazzed a few times, but no harm done… physically.