What Are The Orchestral Instruments?

For centuries, people have reflected their feelings, memories, and many other emotions to music and explain them through music. Orchestras are instrument ensembles formed by many instruments making music together. The existence of orchestras goes back centuries and has continued to deliver melodies that have fascinated people ever since.

What Does Orchestra Mean?

The orchestra consists of four types of instrument groups. It is a group of instruments that many people playing instruments make music together, the size of which can vary according to the piece being played. Orchestra elements increased rapidly in the 18th and 19th centuries. This was done according to the works written at that time, according to the new instruments. However, there was no serious change in composition in the 20th century. There are different types of orchestras. Chamber orchestra for small orchestras of fifty or fewer musicians. Orchestras consisting of about 100 people are called symphony orchestras or philharmonic orchestras. Orchestras may accompany the soloist in some works or be present with the choir. Each instrument in the orchestra has different importance, timbre, and technical features. The composer uses the emotions he/she wants to reflect within a certain logic that is closest to him/her, according to the timbre of these works or the playing techniques.

What Are The Instruments Of The Orchestra?

Orchestral instruments are divided into four main classes according to the method of obtaining the sound, tone color, and structure. These are four types in the orchestra: woodwinds, brass, percussion, and string section.

Woodwinds

Flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon are included in this group. Sound is produced as a result of the vibration of the air inside the pipe. The loudness of the sound depends on the length of the pipe, the longer the pipe gets, the thicker it gets, and the shorter it gets, the thinner it gets.

Brass

French horn, trumpet, trombone, and tuba are in this group. This family takes its name from the material it is made of, brass. This group of instruments can be played much louder than other instruments in the orchestra and can be heard from far away.

Percussion

Timpani, triangle, drum, xylophone, and piano are included in this group. The largest family of the orchestra is the percussion family. It is difficult to be part of the percussion family in the orchestra because it takes a lot of experience and professionalism to hit the instrument in the right amount, time, and in the right place. They make a sound when percussion instruments are hit or shaken.

String Section

Violin, viola, cello, double bass, and harp are included in this group. String instruments are slid on the bow, creating sound through vibration. They have their special place in the orchestra. String instruments have been used since the 17th century and all classical music composers used strings.

Orchestras have always had an important place in the world of music. Listening to the popular orchestras live, as in the past, will calm your soul.