Final answer:
A whole consort consists of instruments from the same family, while a mixed consort includes instruments from different families, offering a broader tonal range. The piccolo produces higher pitches due to its smaller size and shorter air column, compared to the lower pitches from the larger tuba. A guitar is a stringed instrument, and the pitch of an instrument can often be deduced from its size and shape.
Step-by-step explanation:
The difference between a whole consort and a mixed consort of musical instruments is in the composition of the ensemble. A whole consort consists of instruments from the same family, which means they have similar timbres and sound production methods. An example would be a group made entirely of string instruments like violins, violas, cellos, and basses.
In contrast, a mixed consort includes instruments from different families, resulting in a more varied range of timbres and sounds. This might feature a combination of woodwind, brass, string, and percussion instruments. Both consorts can harmoniously blend their sounds, but the mixed consort offers a broader palette of tonal colors due to the diverse instrument types.
Examples of Musical Instruments
- Wind Instrument: Flute
- Woodwind Instrument: Clarinet
- Brass Instrument: Trumpet
- Stringed Instrument: Violin
- Percussion Instrument: Drum
A guitar would be classified as a stringed instrument because it produces sound through the vibration of strings. Regarding the pitch of instruments like piccolos and tubas, the size and the way the instrument is modeled, like a tube closed at one end and open at the other, or symmetrical boundary conditions, play a role in the pitch of the sounds produced. Smaller instruments typically produce higher-pitched sounds because they have shorter wavelengths and higher frequencies compared to larger instruments with longer wavelengths and lower frequencies.