Instruments of the orchestra

Instruments of the Orchestra

The orchestra consists of a systematic (mostly) combination of instruments divided into four main families: the stringed instruments, woodwind, brasswind and percussion.

The strings form the main basis of the orchestra (and why not? The violins alone outnumber all the winds put together), and are divided into four groups: the violins, violas, violoncellos (cellos, which is really much easier to pronounce after a good night out) and double basses. These are structurally similar varying mainly in size. The pitch of each group is inversely related to size, and hence the squeakiest note/noise is produced by the violin.

The violin

The back is parallel to the soundboard, and its sides are called ribs. Take note, like ribs in the body, they can "accidentally" broken - say after "accidentally" dropping, sorry, falling out of a 10th storey window..... Inside the body are the bass bar and the sound-post and there are reinforcing blocks glued to the cornets (thought those were icecreams) and the back. (I never knew that before. No wonder it take so much effort to really destroy one.) The violin has 4 strings tuned in fifths: g, d', a', e'', when it is actually in tune that is. A vioin is generally tuned in a series of intervals, ranging from diminished fourths to minor sixths, especially during a performance, and ESPECIALLY when you have a solo. The violin is the most important of the string instruments because of its appealing tone colour (who fooled you?), extreme expressiveness, dynamic flexibility, subtlety unsurpassed by any other instrument (how could squalling cats ever be subtle?), ability to blend well in any ensemble, variety of special colouristic effects, such as many types of bowing (scraping, sawing, hacking), pizzicato (either too soon or too late) and the use of harmonics. These are really figments of your imagination, and they don't exist in performances.

The viola

is one-seventh larger than the violin (apparently someone had nothing better to do than to figure this out) with a somewhat veiled and nasal tone ie. it is less likely to make annoying high pitched squeaks during performances - hey! Who's strangling the parrot!!! It tunes one-fifth (or thereabouts) lower than the violin c,g,d' and a'.

The violoncello

is generally known as the 'cello. It has four strings tuned one octave lower than the viola- C, G, d, a. It has a rich mellow tone. It is a lovely instrument, and no I don't play it myself, but tends to produce cowboy stances.

The double bass

is the largest member of the violin family. It originally had three strings, but now has four or five, depending on if the player feels like showing off how much bass clef he/she can read. with four strings it is tuned in fourths E, A, D, G. the fifth string is added below- C,. It sounds nicest playing the bass-line of some jazz piece.

Woodwind Instruments

In a symphony orchestra, these consist of flutes(3), piccolo(1), oboes(3), cor anglais(1), clarinets(3), bass clarinet(variable), bassons(3) and double bassoon(1). That is if all the players are there - ie. not drunk, ill, otherwised engaged with members of the opposite sex, drunk.... Some composers, the sods, didn't think to include some of the wind in a few of their pieces. Oh well, another reason to hit the pub.
The term "wind instrument" applies to all instruments in which the sound generating medium is a column of air enclosed in a pipe. (That could include your own voice). These are divided into 2 groups: woodwind and brasswind. The brasswind instruments are all made from grass, but some of the woodwind instrument are actually made from brass eg. flute and saxophone. The classification, just to confuse things, as woodwind or brass is determined by the mouthpiece. Are you still with me on this? It's about to get better.....
There are 3 types of mouthpiece in the woodwind family. Why so many? To keep the manufacturers in business - can't have a monopoly you know! Two use reeds which consist of a tapered piece of cane. The single reed which is used by the clarinets and saxophones, and the double reed used in the oboe family. The flutes use a mouth hole. Here the sound is produced byholding the lips so as to direct a thin stream of air against the sharp lower edge of the hole. In the instruments with reeds the vibrations are produced by the vibration of the reed which is loosely enclosed by the lips. All in all, the number of reeds is proportional to the amount of pain required to play the instrument. However, at first, the flute is an exception with 5 minutes of blowing being equal to one hour's headache.

The sound of a wind instrument depends on the shape of the instrument, whether straight (flute, clarinet), circular (french horn), dented (dropped too many times) etc. The tone depends on the mouthpiece, and the actual size of the tube - whether narrow or wide, cylindrical (clarinet, trumpet) or conical (oboe, horn, tuba). Come to think of it, both these qualities also depend on the state of the player, whether beginner, intermediate or advanced.
The pitch depends on the length of the pipe. An 8" length of pipe produces C, a 4" produces c. By a technique known as overblowing the harmonics are also produced (as are all screeches, squeaks and squawks). The tones in between are produced by lengthening or shortening the pipe, using valves on the trumpet etc.; a slide on the trombone; and fingerholes on all woodwinds.

The flute
This is a horizontally held woodwind instrument with a mouth hole at one end. Towards the other end are fingerholes, covered by keys. It has a compass of 3 octaves from middle c up. The lowest tones are thick and mellow, and the higher ones increasingly thin and bright. The flute can be played very quickly, and it is therefore given rapid scale passages and trills, much to the flautist's (and audiences') dismay. Flutes are now generally made of silver, but not worth much melted down. The natural key is D and it is not treated as a transposing instrument.
The piccolo is a small flute pitched one octave higher than the flute. It is one of the brightest and most penetrating instruments of the orchestra. Trust me - you can't miss it when it starts up. Kind of like a pneumatic drill plus a hangover.

The oboe
A double-reeded woodwind instrument. It is conical and about 2 feet long. The far end is slightly flaring. Its range is b flat to f'''. Its tone is penetrating but not shrill, slightly quaint and nasal. It is most sutiable for passing solo contribution. Its natural scale is D, adn it is not treated as a transposing instrument. Overall, a nice instrument to listen to when played well - beginning oboe sounds like a duck with an attitude. Usually what an orchestra takes it's tuning A (usually 440 Hz) from.

Cor Anglais
This is an alto oboe. (A duck whose voice has broken?) Anyway, it is a transposing instrument in A. Since it is larger than the oboe, the reed is contained in a bent metal tube in order to fit the player's mouth. The far end is pear-shaped (that of the instrument, not the player!!), and its compass is e flat to b flat''', although e is practically the lowest note reached.

The bassoon
This is the bass (not base!) member of the family. It is too long to be handled straight, so it is bent upon itself, first descending then ascending. Its range is the same as the oboe, except it is pitched two octaves lower. Besides supplying the bass line, it is capable of effective melodic passage. It blends well with the horns, and frequently merges with them it chords. Played quickly and staccato, it produces comical effects, and it is sometimes known as the clown of the orchestra. It is not a transposing instrument.

The Double Bassoon is also known as the contrabassoon, and it sounds an octave below the bassoon, but it's music is like that of the double bass, and writtten and octave higher than it is played. It is over 16 feet long, and is doubled on itself four times, with the bell pointing downward. (cf bassoon, in which the bell points upwards).

The Clarinet
This is in the form of a cylindrical pipe, and may be made from wood ebonite or silver(!! Never seen a silver one in my life!!). It has a characteristic mouthpiece called a beak (note that it clarinet that plays the cuckoo in Delius' "Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring"), which has a single reed fixed to the back of it. The clarinet has has a full and creamy timbre, with a distinct variation in tone quality in the various ranges (low rumble to scream). There are two main types of treble clarinet: B flat and A, and they are transposing instruments. Clarinets are capable of very good dynamics (pity they don't go for ppp too often), and have a range of e-g'''.

Bass Clarinet
This is shaped differently to the treble clarinet to accommodate its size: there is a bent mouthpiece, and the lower end is bent upwards ending in a bell. It is a b-flat transposing instrument with pitched an octave below the treble.

Brasswind Instruments

These are usually made from brass (you don't say!), but may also be made from other metal. The distinguishing feature is a cup-shaped mouthpiece.
The Horn Also called the French Horn (but is German in origin) to distinguish it from the English horn (the Cor Anglais), which is French. It consists of a narrow conical tube about 12 feet long and wound twice in a circle with a large flaring bell ans a funnel shaped mouthpiece. Inside the circle are three valves, and the additional length of tubing required for them. Of all the orchestral instruments it is the most difficult to play, and one of the most useful. Played softly it blends beautifully with the strings and woodwinds, played loudly it deafens them instead. Special effects are obtained by stopping the bell, the use of a mute, and a brassy tone is produced by increased tension of the lips.

The trumpet is a narrow cylindrical tube for about 75% of its length, then it widens into a moderately sized bell. It is bent into an oblong shape with curves (figure that out yourself), and has three valves. It is pitched in b-flat, adn is a transposing instrument. Has a brilliant and penetrating tone colour (don't go anywhere near them during a fanfare), and can be played quickly. Range f sharp to c'''.

The trombone has a cylindrical bore, a moderately sized bell and a cup-shaped mouthpiece which is largely than that of the trumpet, and gives asolemn, noble tone. the lips act as a vibratingspeed(?). It uses a sliding system which can be placed in seven different positions, producing various fudamental notes, and providing ample opportunity to bash a fellow player in the noggin just for the hell of it.

Percussion Instruments

These are the instruments that you bash as opposed to scraping or spitting into. Theoretically all instruments whose sounding agent is a stretched membrane or a solid material such as wood or steel. They are divided into two categories: those of definite and indefinite pitch.
Definite pitch: tympani, glockenspiel, xylophone, clelsta and chimes (tubular bells).
Indefinite pitch: snaredrum, tenor drum, bass drum, tambourine, triangle, cymbals, castanets, gong.

Definite Pitch.
The Tympani consists of an inverted bowl of metal with a memberane stretched on the open end. The tension of the membrane can be adjusted by screws around the drum's circumference to produce various pitches. The drum is played with two sticks, the material on the heads of which differ according to the tone desired. The chief effects obtainable are repeated and the roll (and the burst skin), and melodic passages are also possible.

The Glockenspiel has a series of steel bars of varying lengths fixed to a horizontal frame, and arranged somewhat like a keyboard (ie with plates for black keys being set further back than the others). It is played with two hammers.

The Xylophone is somewhat similar to the glockenspiel (no originality at all) except that its bars are made of hard wood rather than steel (rather like the bars in pubs). The keys are mounted on taut cords set on a horizontal frame. Underneath each bar is a cylindrical resonator made from metal. Rnage is c' to c''''. The marimba also belongs to the same family.

The celesta resembles a small uprigth piano. It may be considered a glockenspiel with a keyboard mechanism. Dleightful, clear, bell-like sounds. Range c' to highest A on the piano (which is? Help someone?)

The chimes consist of about 18 metal tubes suspended from a metal frame and tuned chromatically from c' to about f''. They are struck with a hammer, and produce the effect of bells.

Indefinite pitch.
Already mentioned. The things that keep the tempo, more or less, either at too slow or too fast, or a great variation in between. Who to blame (other than the conductor) when you can't get the beat.

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