[Orchestra] A List of Instruments Played in an Orchestra: Introduced by Category
Have you ever actually gone to listen to an orchestra perform? I’m sure many people have heard recordings, but there may not be that many who have actually listened in a concert hall.
However, surely everyone has at least seen videos of an orchestra performance, right? Rows of string, woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments are truly overwhelming to behold.
In this article, we’ll introduce all the instruments played in an orchestra at once! We’ll go through each section—strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion, and other auxiliary instruments—so if there’s a particular instrument you want to learn more about, please take your time and have a close look.
- A comprehensive list of instruments that shine in wind bands, introduced by category
- [Orchestra] Introducing famous and popular pieces
- [Masterpiece Classics] A special showcase of gem-like masterpieces so beautiful they’ll move you to tears
- Cool classical masterpieces. Recommended classical music.
- [For Instrument Beginners] Recommended Instruments for the School Concert Band: Flute, Trombone, and Trumpet Edition
- [Quartet] Masterpieces and Popular Pieces for String Quartet
- Classical Masterpieces: Recommended Works You Should Hear at Least Once
- Recommended pieces for a wind band contest
- Masterpieces of Ballet Music: Introducing Classic Favorites
- To you who are thinking about quitting the brass band club: You shouldn’t quit for reasons like these.
- [Violin] Recommended practice pieces for violin beginners. Famous pieces you’ll want to try playing.
- [Fight songs and marches included] Moving songs you want to hear at the Spring High School Baseball Tournament
- A classic brass band medley
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 an orchestra, many people picture long rests and a single crucial strike at the decisive moment, but they’re truly indispensable instruments.
Instruments similar to cymbals are found widely across the Eurasian continent under various names.
There are suspended cymbals, which are played with a single cymbal hung up, and crash cymbals, which have handles and are used as a pair.
Crash cymbals are heavy, so in wind ensembles—where march pieces are common—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)
celestaNEW!
One of the keyboard instruments that can join an orchestra.
While not a permanent member, thanks to its charming yet slightly mysterious timbre, it shines in pieces like the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” from Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker and “Hedwig’s Theme” from the Harry Potter films by the master of movie music, John Williams.
It is played similarly to the piano, but it has fewer keys and a characteristically higher pitch range.
Nowadays, instruments with a range of five octaves or five and a half octaves have become the clear standard.
Harp
When you think of the harp, it feels like the epitome of an elegant instrument, but the prototype of this instrument is said to date 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 often used in orchestras is the double-action pedal harp and, as you can see, it’s difficult to transport—moving it alone seems nearly impossible without considerable ingenuity.
Still, its beautiful timbre is unique to this instrument, and you can savor that sound in pieces like the “Waltz of the Flowers” from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker and the “Prelude” from the game Final Fantasy.