List of instruments played in an orchestra: introduced by category.
Have you ever actually gone to hear an orchestra perform?
I’m sure many people have listened to recordings, but perhaps not as many have heard a live performance in a concert hall.
That said, hasn’t everyone at least seen footage of an orchestra playing?
Rows of string and wind instruments make for an impressive sight, don’t they?
In this article, I’ll introduce all the instruments you’ll find in an orchestra.
I’ll go section by section—strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion, and other auxiliary instruments—so if there’s a particular instrument you’re curious about, please take your time and have a close look.
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- Recommended Practice Pieces for Beginner Violinists
- [Fight songs and marches included] Moving songs you want to hear at the Spring High School Baseball Tournament
- A classic brass band medley
Brass instruments (1–10)
trombone
The trombone is said to share the same origin as the trumpet.
Unlike the trumpet’s valves, it changes pitch by extending and contracting a tube called a slide.
This can sometimes make the pitch less precise, but it also allows for unique nuances through glissando.
Known as the instrument of God and commonly used in churches, the trombone began to be used in orchestras after Beethoven first incorporated it into a symphony.
Percussion (1–10)
timpani
When it comes to the timpani, it’s arguably one of the star instruments among the percussion section in an orchestra.
A membrane is stretched over a hemispherical shell, and the pitch can be changed by adjusting the tension of the head with a pedal.
Compared to the snare drum or bass drum, it is a pitched percussion instrument with a clearly defined pitch.
The modern timpani is said to trace its roots to an instrument called the “lilis” used in Mesopotamian civilization, dating back to around 2000 BCE.
Later, through use in Turkish military bands, it evolved into the form used in orchestras today.
cymbal
When it comes to cymbals in the orchestra, many people imagine long rests punctuated by a single, decisive strike—but they are an indispensable instrument in the orchestral setting.
Instruments similar to cymbals are found widely across the Eurasian continent and are known by various names.
There are suspended cymbals, played singly while hung, and crash cymbals, which have handles and are used as a pair.
Crash cymbals are heavy, so in wind ensembles and the like, they may require some getting used to.
bass drum
A bass drum with skins stretched over both sides of a cylindrical shell, struck on one side.
It’s also commonly known as the “o-daiko” (large drum), and outside of the orchestra you might picture it being played by baseball cheering squads.
It produces such a low sound that the pitch can be hard to discern, and that low end gives the orchestral sound a strong sense of beat.
As in the video, you can create a variety of tones by changing mallets or striking the rim.
The bass drum is deeper than you might think—people who like it could really get hooked.
Transfer Instruments (1–10)
Harp
When you think of the harp, it feels like the epitome of an elegant instrument, but its origins are said to go back to Egypt around 4000 BCE and Mesopotamia around 3000 BCE, and instruments with similar mechanisms can be found all over the world.
The type most commonly used in orchestras is the double-action pedal harp, and as you can see, transporting it is quite a task—handling it alone seems nearly impossible without some serious ingenuity.
Still, that indescribable tone is unique to this instrument, and it’s truly wonderful, isn’t it?
piano
Many people might wonder whether there’s even a piano part in an orchestra.
In the past, instruments like the piano and harpsichord were included in orchestras, but as more wind instruments were added, the need to play chords diminished, and orchestras without pianos became more common.
In the 20th century, however, more pieces began to use the piano in different ways, and works featuring the piano in the orchestra increased again.
Listening to pieces like the piano concerto in the video, one can’t help but feel the allure of the piano as an instrument in collaboration with the orchestra.
In conclusion
We introduced all the instruments played in an orchestra at once.
Grouped by sections—string instruments, woodwinds, brass, percussion, and other instruments—we presented them together, so I believe you now have a better understanding of each instrument.
I’d be delighted if you found the instrument that had caught your attention when watching or listening to orchestral performances.