musical instrument orchestration

7/18/2019 Musical Instrument Orchestration

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Standard Orchestral Instruments

If youve ever taken an ABRSM music theory exam, youve probably come across the expression standard

orchestral instrument! a fe" times# $ave you ever "ondered "hy some musical instruments fit into this

cate%ory but others dont& 'ho decides "hich instruments are standard!&

(he term standard orchestral instruments! is actually only used for convenience, so that "e can easily refer

to the most common, most "idely played and reco%nised instruments "ith one phrase# (here are thousands

of instruments "orld"ide, but its useful to be able to %roup them to%ether in various "ays, to make it easier

to talk about them#

'hen "e use the term standard orchestral instruments!,

"e are often referrin% to "hat is kno"n as the Classical Orchestra! ) the %roupin%s of instruments most

often used in a symphony orchestrafrom the be%innin% of the *+th century# (he classical orchestra "as

ori%inally composed of

- flutes, - oboes, - clarinets and - bassoons ."ood"ind instruments/

- or 0 1rench horns, - trumpets .brass instruments/

- timpani or kettle drums! .percussion instruments/

*- violins, 0 violas, 2 cellos and - double basses .strin% instruments/

(his "as 3uite a small %roup of musicians# (o"ards the end of the *+th century, most composers "ere

choosin% to use a bi%%er orchestra

- flutes, - oboes, - clarinets and - bassoons

- or 0 1rench horns, - trumpets and up to 3 trombones, sometimes a tuba

3timpani .kettle drums/ and various other drums, triangles, xylophone or tambourines


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26violins, 10violas, 8cellos and 6double basses

4iolin

5p to ABRSM %rade five music theory, these are the only instruments you need to kno" about# $o"ever, if

you %o on to take %rade six, or in fact if you 6ust like listenin% to music, youll be a"are that orchestras oftenhave lots of other instruments in them# As a rule of thumb, the later the orchestra, the lar%er it is7

By the end of the *+th century8be%innin% of the -9th century, it became fashionable for composers to add in

smaller or lar%er versions of some "ood"ind instruments, in order to increase the sound produced by these

sections or for their individual special sound effects# .(he strin% section had already been expanded by

increasin% the number of players#/ Some of these instruments became so commonly used, that they "ere

accepted into the standard orchestral instruments! club# 'e can usefully call this %roup the extended

standard orchestral instruments# (he instruments "hich "ere added are

piccolo .small flute/

cor An%lais .modified oboe/

bass clarinet .bi% clarinet/

contrabassoon .bi% bassoon/

:on;Standard Orchestral Instruments


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Ba%pipes

he "ilitary !andis similar to the brass band, but also can also include clarinets, flutes, piccolo or even

ba%pipes# Military bands tend mainly to play military style marches#

he #a$$ !andusually includes saxophones, trumpets, clarinets, percussion, double basses or bass

%uitars, and may also include a keyboard instrument#

Other Instruments

Some other instruments are very common, but are not normal members of lar%e mixed instrumental %roups#

he pianois a %reat solo instrument# It sometimes features with a lar%e band, but is not usually a

re%ular member of it# (he main reason is probably partly due to the fact that pianos are very difficult

to move# Modern bands like 6a?? bands and pop bands %et round this by usin% di%ital pianos or

keyboards#

he recorder .fipple flute/ is often the first instrument learnt by children# It "as more popular in

Medieval and Baro3ue times for serious music ) these days its often considered to be a childs toy#

$avin% said that, there are some professional recorder players around# Cisten to this performance of(ellemans 1antasie! played on the treble recorder

he %uitaris possibly the most popular instrument in the "orld# (he acoustic .i#e# not electric/

%uitar is a very 3uiet instrument and its difficult to hear it a%ainst a back%round of many other

instruments "ithout special microphones# (here is plenty of classical music "ritten for solo acoustic

%uitar# (he electric %uitar is suited to pop, rock and 6a?? music#

'ood"ind Instruments

'hat are the standard orchestral "ood"ind instruments&


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1lute, Oboe, ach of the "ood"ind instruments has a very distinct

sound#

In addition to the main instruments, most lar%e orchestras also have some other "ood"ind# (he piccolo is a

small flute and plays an octave hi%her# (he piccolo can be very shrill, and althou%h its the smallestinstrument in the orchestra it can al"ays be heard7 (he cor An%lais is similar to the oboe, but has a more

mello" sound# (he clarinet has a little sister, the >b clarinet, "hich has a bri%ht chirpy sound, and a bi%

brother, the bass clarinet "hich is deep and reedy# (he bassoon also has a bi% brother, the contrabassoon,

"hich provides solid bass notes "hen needed#

(he flute, oboe and bassoon have been around for many hundreds of years, althou%h in a simpler form# (hey

have been used in classical music since at least the *Eth century# (he clarinet, on the other hand, is a relative

ne"comer, and "as first introduced into the orchestra by Mo?art in the middle of the *Fth century#

Other "ood"ind instruments "hich are not normally found in orchestras are the recorder, saxophone andba%pipes#

'hy are some metal and plastic instruments called 'ood"ind!&


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A Baro3ue flute player

In Bachs time .around *E99 A/, "ood"ind instruments "ere very simple compared to the vast selection of

technolo%ical "onders "e have today, but the instruments used back then "ere the prototypes of our modern

"ood"ind family# In Bachs time, all "ood"ind instruments "ere made out of "ood ) hence the name7

.Sometimes ivory instruments "ere also produced/# (oday, "ood"ind instruments can be manufactured out

of "ood, metal or plastic# (he choice of material has an effect on the 3uality of sound made by the

instrument, its "ei%ht and its cost#

'hats the difference bet"een "ind! and "ood"ind!&

(he term "ind! instrument includes the "ood"ind family and the brass family, because they all use the

players breath to produce sound# Brass instruments are a different family thou%h, because they are8"ere

never made of "ood, and sound is produced "ith a metal funnel mouthpiece#

$o" do "ood"ind instruments "ork&

'ood"ind instruments all produce sound in more or less the same "ay ) the instrument is a hollo"ed out

tube "ith a hole at the top# (he player makes the column of air inside the instrument vibrate, and these

vibrations create musical notes#

(he pitch of the note depends on ho" lon% the tube is# $oles drilled alon% the len%th of the tube can be

covered or uncovered by the players fin%ers, "hich has the effect of len%thenin% or shortenin% the tube# If

all the holes are covered, the instrument "ill play its lo"est note# As each hole is uncovered, the notes "ill

rise in pitch# Once all the holes have been opened, hi%her notes can be reached if the player chan%es the air

pressure as they play the fin%erin% of lo"er notes# 1or example, on many "ood"ind instruments a note "illchan%e to the note one octave hi%her, if the air pressure is increased# On the clarinet, the note 6umps up an

octave and a fifth if the air pressure is increased#

Bi%%er instruments, like the bassoon, produce lo"er notes#

$o" do reed instruments "ork&


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On a sin%le reed instrument, the reed is attached to the mouthpiece so that it is 6oined firmly at the bottom,

but a sli%ht %ap remains ri%ht at the tip, "hich %oes into the players mouth# 'hen the player breaths into the

instrument, the tip of the reed is forced a%ainst the mouthpiece, momentarily closin% the tube completely#

Bassoon Reed

$o"ever, as soon as it touches the mouthpiece, it bounces back a%ain# (his motion is repeated at breakneck

speed, all the time that the player is breathin% into the instrument# (he constant openin%8closin% of the tube

sets up the vibration of air "hich produces the musical notes "e hear#

On a double reed instrument, t"o thin reeds are ti%htly bound to%ether at their bases, "ith a small %ap

bet"een them#

(he air column is set in motion in more or less the same "ay as "ith sin%le reed instruments, except that

instead of one reed bouncin% a%ainst the mouthpiece, the t"o reeds bounce a%ainst each other#

'hy do "ood"ind instruments have metal keys&

In order for the notes to sound in tune, the holes in a "ood"ind instrument need to be placed "ith %reat

accuracy# In some cases, this means that a hole has to be drilled in a place "here the fin%ers could not

possibly reach# eys are added to the instrument in the place "here the players fin%ers "ould naturally fall,

then a mechanism is attached from the key to the hole# In this "ay, holes can be opened up any"here on the

instrument#

Old 1lute "ith only - eys

In the past, keys "ere not used on "ood"ind instruments at all# If you have a descant recorder, you have a

specimen of the historical desi%n of "ood"ind instruments7 'ith a recorder .and old flutes/, the players had

to use intricate cross fin%erin%s! to be able to play in tune, and some notes "ere not possible to play at all#

Gradually, musical instrument makers be%an to add keys, so that more notes "ould become available to use#


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Over time, the entire flute and oboe became covered in keys, makin% their tunin%s perfect and all notes

possible# Instrument makers in different countries developed different patterns of keys, so if you buy a

German clarinet you mi%ht need to learn a different set of fin%erin%s than you need for an >n%lish one7

Car%e keys on modern flute

'ith very lar%e instruments like the bassoon or bass clarinet, keys are needed over every hole because the

holes are too far apart for anyone "ith normal si?ed hands to reach#

(he flute has keys over every hole because the holes themselves are a lot bi%%er than a fin%ertip# (he lar%e

holes improve the sound of the instrument, but can only be closed by lar%e si?ed key# Older flutes have fe"er

keys on them, and tend to have a narro"er! sound than modern flutes#

'hy do "ood"ind instruments come apart&

1or practical reasons, most "ood"ind instruments are made in at least t"o parts# A flute, for example, has a

mouthpiece, "hich slots into the left;hand 6oint, "hich slots into the ri%ht;hand 6oint# (he clarinet usually

comes split into five parts# (his has several benefits


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the individual parts of the instrument can be easily cleaned# 'ood"ind instruments have a nasty

habit of harbourin% bacteria from the players mouth, so easy access to clean inside them is essential#

'hy are clarinets transposin%! instruments&

As "e mentioned above, the len%th of the tube effects the pitch of the notes# 'hen a standard flute or oboe ismade, its 6ust the ri%ht si?e for an adult to hold and play, and the lo"est note also happens to be middle


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(he recorder is by far the easiest instrument for children to %et started on# Its cheap, li%ht"ei%ht and not

complicated to play# Droducin% a note is easy, althou%h producin% a note which sounds niceis more of a

challen%e7

(he clarinet and flute are the next easiest to learn# (he fin%erin%s learnt on the recorder can be easily

transferred to these instruments "ith some small ad6ustments# $o"ever, they are much bi%%er, heavier

instruments and producin% the note takes more effort and techni3ue# (he flute or clarinet are best started

after the a%e or + or *9#

Bassoon

(he oboe is 3uite a difficult instrument to play# Droducin% a note usually takes some time to achieve, and a

ne" player can feel a bit disheartened "hen they have o"ned their instrument for some days and still not

mana%ed to %et a note out of it7

(he bassoon is also difficult to %et a note out of, and is also very heavy to transport#

Brass Instruments

'hat are the standard orchestral brass instruments&

In a modern orchestra, you can expect to find the trumpet, )rench horn, trombone and tuba# In earlier

times, for example "hen Mo?art "as composin% .*E99s/, only t"o trumpets and t"o horns "ere used# As

the decades passed, composers "anted bi%%er, bolder sounds from their orchestras, and more brass

instruments "ere added# In Beethovens later "orks .around *F99/ its normal to find an additional t"o or

three trombones, and three or four horns# By 'a%ners time .mid *F99s/ "e find three trumpets and perhaps

a bass trumpet, four to ei%ht horns, three trombones and perhaps a contrabass trombone and four tubas7

(hats a lot of brass7


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Sousaphone

Other brass instruments "hich "e dont normally find in a symphony orchestra are the euphonium,

sousaphone and cornet# (hey "ork in the same "ay as the trumpet etc#, but are more commonly found in

brass bands or military ensembles# Saxophones can be made of brass, but they are not classed as brass

instruments because they use a reed to produce sound# 'hat brass instruments have in common is not the

actual material they are made of, but ho' they produce sound#

$o" do brass instruments "ork&

(rumpet mouthpiece

All brass instruments "ork in the same basic "ay# If you take a len%th of tube and make the air inside it

vibrate, you "ill %et a musical note# Brass players purse their lips a%ainst a cone;shaped mouthpiece to put

pressuri?ed air from their mouth into the tube, in order to make the air vibrate#

(he pitch of the note produced depends on ho" much air there is inside the tube# (he bi%%er the tube, the

lo"er the note# So, a lon%, fat tube "ill make lo"er notes than a short, narro" one# (he tuba is the lo"est of

the orchestral brass instruments, and the len%th of its tube is about *F feet .H#H metres/#

If the player purses his lips a bit ti%hter, the air "ill be pushed into the tube at a hi%her pressure# (he

vibrations inside the tube "ill chan%e, and so "ill the note that is played# 'ith each increase in pressure, the

player can sound the next note available from the len%th of tube# But "hat notes are available&

(he notes "hich can be played on a simple len%th of tube are restricted to those "hich are part of somethin%

called the harmonic series# (he lo"est possible note .i#e# the one "ith the minimum air pressure/ is called

the fundamental# 1or example, the fundamental of a trumpet is < belo" middle


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(he next available note is one octave hi%her ) middle < on the trumpet# (his is called the first overtone!#

(he first overtone is a clean soundin% note and can be used in performance#

(he second overtone is one perfect Hth hi%her than the first overtone ) G on the trumpet#

>ach overtone is closer than the previous one# :ormally a %ood player can produce notes up to the Jth or Ethovertones# (he hi%her the overtone, the more pressure is needed from the players mouth, and it %ets

pro%ressively more difficult .and painful7/ to play as the hi%her overtones are reached# (he follo"in% staff

sho"s the E basic overtones available on the trumpet# (he Bb is in brackets because it is sli%htly out of tune#

Obviously, "ith such a small selection of notes to choose from, its 3uite difficult to play a melody on one

tube# (o %et round this, in%enious musical instrument makers have invented some "ays to increase the ran%e

of each brass instrument# (here are t"o basic methods

pistons or valves

slides

Distons

(he trumpet and tuba use pistons, and the horn uses valves ) but both "ork in the same "ay# (he tube of the

instrument is coiled and looped, then fitted "ith three pistons# 'hen the player presses a piston do"n, an

extra loop of tubin% is opened up# (his has the effect of len%thenin% the entire tube, "hich means that a

ne", lo'er, fundamental note "ith a ne" harmonic series is no" available# By combinin% the three pistons

in different "ays, six additional fundamentals can be achieved ) on the trumpet, the fundamentals produced

by each combination of pistons are

no pistons .fundamental K


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*st, -nd and 2rd pistons to%ether .1L/

In the case of the trumpet, this enables the player to play allnotes .includin% sharps and flats/ from 1L

.belo" middle


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(he1rench horn, as mentioned above, sometimes has a transposin% valve fitted# Basically thismakes life easier for the player, "ho simply presses the valve do"n in order to extend the ran%e of the

instrument# $orns are usually in 1, "hich means that an 1 is produced "hen the player reads a


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(impani

One kettle drum produces one tuned note# In an orchestra, there "ill normally be at least - or 2 drums, tuned to different notes# (he timpanist hits

a different drum to play a different note# (he drums themselves can be tuned to different notes too, althou%h this is usually only done before a

piece is played, rather than durin% it# ettle drums have pedals on them, "hich allo" them to be tuned to a note "ithin a ran%e of a fifth# 1or

example, an individual drum mi%ht have the ran%e from astern or exotic feel to it# (he tambourine has a

stretched skin mounted on a round frame, "ith small metal discs attached to %ive an extra bu?? to the sound# It "as first used in the orchestra in

the *Fth century, most often in opera#
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Apart from the timpani, the other types of drum "hich you mi%ht come across in a symphony orchestra are the snare

drumand the bass drum#

(he snare drum .also called a side drum!/ has a snappy sound and is used a lot in pieces "hich have a military theme or "here a steady, dance;

like beat is re3uired# It "as used in Ravels famousBolero! , for example#

(he bi% bass drum has an important role in the orchestra# It often adds a deep feelin% of drama, tension or impendin% doom, usually "hen a drum

roll is performed, or it can be struck to add po"er# 4erdi uses a bass drum in the ies Irae! from his famous Re3uiem!# In this clip, the bass

drum is clearly seen .and heard7/ at about -- seconds in#

(he Strin%s'hat are the main orchestral strin% instruments&

In the strin% section of a symphony orchestra you "ill normally find a number of violins, violas, cellosand a smaller number ofdouble basses#(hese are the standard orchestral strin% instruments#

(here are usually about -F violin players in a symphony orchestra# 1ourteen of them are first violins! and t"elve are second violins!# One ofthe first violins has the 6ob of leader! of the orchestra, "hich is a position of responsibility# 5sually the leader is the one "ho %ets to play any

solos74iolas number about ten# (he viola is sli%htly lar%er than the violin and produces a "armer, mello"er tone# (he viola isnt often %iven solo

melodies to play, but is more likely to be employed fillin% out the harmony#In the follo"in% clip you can "atch the violin and viola performin% to%ether as solo instruments, in Mo?artsSinfonia ast to Italy alon% the old Silk Route#(he 3uestion "hether the double bass is a member of the violin family or the viol family is one "hich is still hotly debated# ouble basses are

different in three main "ays

(heir strin%s are tuned a perfect fourth apart, "hereas all the other strin%s are tuned in fifths#

(he shoulders! of the instrument are slopin%, "hereas the others are rounded#

(he proportions used to construct the instrument are different#

$o" do strin% instruments "ork&

>ach instrument has four strin%s# (he strin%s are practically the same len%th, but they are of different thicknesses# (he thicker the strin%, thelo"er the note# (he violin, for example, has its four strin%s tuned to the notes G belo" middle #
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, and so on# Strin% players have to place their fin%ers "ith %reat precision, or they "ill play out

of tune# 5nlike on the %uitar, there are no frets! .marked places/ sho"in% them "here to press# (his is one reason "hy be%inner violinistssometimes sound rather unpleasant7

So, "hile the left hand is used to shorten the strin% as desired, the ri%ht hand is used to set the strin% in vibration# Most often, this is done "ithabo"#

'hat are bo"in% techni3ues!&Apart from simply dra"in% the bo" back and forth across the strin%s ."hich is kno"n as arco/, the strin% player has a fe" other tricks they

can pull off to create some "onderful effects# Some of these are+i$$icato; pluckin% the strin%s "ith the fin%ers .not strictly a bo"in%! techni3ue7/ 'atch the pi??icato techni3ue in the clip of Bartoks 0th

Strin% uartetpiccato ; bouncin% the bo" on the strin% to make short, detached notes#

Col legno ; usin% the "ood of the bo" .i#e# upside do"n7/ Mahler uses this techni3ue in the third movement of his first symphony# (he clipshould start a fe" seconds beforehand, the you can see the violinist usin% the bo" col le%no at 099

(hat concludes the MyMusic(heory Guide to the Instruments of the Orchestra7 $ope you en6oyed it7
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musical instrument orchestration

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