Instruments of the
Orchestra
Revision
There are 4 families of instruments
in the orchestra:
Strings
Brass
Woodwind
Percussion
Strings – MAIN
INSTRUMENTS
 Violin
 Viola
 Cello
 Double Bass
 Harp
Strings – MAIN CONCEPTS
 Arco
 Pizzicato
 Col Legno
 Vibrato
 Double Stopping
 Tremolo/Tremolando
 Arco – to play using the bow
 Pizzicato – to pluck the strings with the fingers
 Col legno – to play using the back
(wooden side) of the bow
 Double stopping – a bowing method where two
strings are bowed at the same time producing
two different notes
 Tremolo/Tremolando – the rapid up and down
movement of a bow on a stringed instrument
creating a restless effect
 Vibrato – rock the hand back and forth on the
string to create a warmer sound
Brass – MAIN INSTRUMENTS
 Trumpet
 French Horn
 Trombone
 Tuba
Brass – MAIN CONCEPTS
 Blowing
 Mute
 Flutter Tonguing
 Vibrato
 Glissando
 Blowing – to blow into the mouthpiece
of an instrument to create the sound
 Mute – a cone shaped device which
alters the sound of the instrument,
making it quieter
 Flutter Tonguing – the player rolls the
letter ‘r’
 Glissando – where as many notes as
possible are played by sliding between
the notes
 Vibrato – a slight wavering in pitch to
bring warmth to the tone
Woodwind – MAIN
INSTRUMENTS
 Piccolo
 Flute
 Oboe
 Cor Anglais
 Clarinet
 Bassoon
 Saxophone –
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Baritone
Woodwind – MAIN
CONCEPTS
 Blowing
 Flutter Tonguing
 Vibrato
 Reed
 Reed – a small piece of wood placed
on the mouthpiece of woodwind
instruments to help create their
sound
Percussion – MAIN
INSTRUMENTS
Tuned
Piano
Tubular bells
Xylophone
Glockenspiel
Timpani
Un-tuned
Drum kit
Woodblock
Castanets
Triangle
Tambourine
Cymbals
Percussion– MAIN CONCEPTS
 Striking
Keyboard Instruments
 Organ – found in churches, usually have
foot pedals & pipes
 Harpsicord – used in Baroque period
performing ornaments and bass lines
(continuo). Strings are plucked rather than
hammered.
 Piano (pianoforte) – used from the Classical
period onwards. Can perform/accompany
sonatas.
 Synthesizer – an electronic keyboard found
in modern music.
Types of Guitar
 Acoustic – non-electric with 6 strings which
can be strummed or plucked
(fingers/plectrum)
 Electric – as acoustic but uses an amplifier
to produce sound
 Slide – a method of guitar playing using a
metal tube or bottle neck to slide across
the frets. Found in country and western
music.
 Bass – and electric 4 stringed guitar which
produces low pitched notes. Performs
riffs/bass lines.
Electronic Concepts
 Distortion – an electronic effect used to
alter the sound of an electric guitar, making
it sound harsh
 Delay – an electronic effect used to repeat
the sound over and over like an echo
 Reverb – an electronic effect which gives
the impression of different hall
atmospheres
 Slapping – a method of playing the bass
guitar where the thumb is used to hit the
side of the strings
 ORNAMENTS – a decoration of the melody
to add melodic and rhythmic interest:
 Trill – the rapid alteration of two adjacent
notes
 Grace note -a short note played before
the main note of the melody
 Drum fill – a rhythmic decoration played on
the drum kit
Bands & Groups
 String Quartet – 2 x violins, viola & cello
 Chamber Music – music composed for a
small group of instruments & performed in a
small venue
 Pipe Band – Bagpipes, bass drum & snare
drum, performs Scottish music to march to
 Scottish Dance Band – fiddle, accordion,
keyboard, bass & drums, performs
Scottish dances at Ceilidhs
Bands & Groups
 Orchestra – all 4 sections of the
orchestra performing orchestral music
 Wind/Military Band – woodwind, brass
& percussion, often performs marching
music
 Brass Band – brass & percussion only
 Steel Band – steel drums & drum kit,
from the Caribbean
 Folk Group – singers & instrumentalists
performing traditional music
Bands & Groups
 Pop Group – guitars, vocals, keyboards &
drum kit, performs popular ‘chart’ music
 Rock Band – as above but with a heavy,
driving beat
 Jazz Group – instruments include:
saxophone, drums, piano, brass (trumpet),
improvisation is a feature
 Big Band – instruments include: trumpets,
trombones, saxophones & a rhythm section
of guitars, bass & piano, performs jazz/
swing
Jazz Styles
 Blues – African/American folk music, slow in
tempo, 4 beats in a bar & strophic. Used
blues scale – C Eb F Gb G Bb C - & 12 bar
blues chord progression:
I
I
I
I
IV
IV
I
I
V
IV
I
I
 Ragtime – used vamped left hand (oom-cha)
& syncopated melody, e.g. The Entertainer.
Jazz Styles
 Dixieland – written for a small
ensemble consisting of rhythm section
– piano, banjo, drums, tuba/bass
(pizzicato walking bass) - & front line
– trumpet, clarinet, trumpet &
saxophone – performing improvises
passages
 Scat singing – nonsense words,
syllables and sounds improvised by a
singer,
e.g. do-wap-a-doobie-doobie
Jazz Styles
 Boogie-Woogie – a jazz style for
the piano with the left hand playing
an ostinato in broken octaves while
the right hand improvises:
 Swing – big band style using the
following rhythm:
Jazz Styles
 Walking bass – a bass line where
each note has the same value, usually
crotchets, & moves mainly in step,
performed by piano, tuba or double
bass (pizzicato)
Orchestral Styles
 Symphony – a large work for orchestra,
usually in 4 movements – fast, slow, minuet
& trio, & fast (classical period)
 Concerto – work for solo instrument +
orchestra (piano concerto, violin concerto,
etc), normally 3 movements. The soloist
can ‘show off’ their technical ability in a
cadenza, performing scales, fast running
passages and ornaments, often ending in a
trill.