THE ORCHESTRA INSTRUMENTS

THE ORCHESTRA INSTRUMENTS
Orchestra consists of a large group of people playing different musical instruments. All the instruments in this group are western instruments. These instruments are classified under five (5) families namely; strings, woodwind, brass, percussion and keyboard instruments.

• Strings Family: these instruments sound when a bow is drawn across the string to vibrate. These instruments are the backbone of the orchestra because they are always large in number. String instruments include; violin, viola, cello and double bass.
• Woodwind Family: these are generally made of wood, either blown directly or by means of reed. For example, piccolo, flute, oboe, clarinet, recorder, bassoon, double bassoon etc.
• Brass Family: these instruments are made of metals and blown directly through a cup-shaped or funnel shaped mouth piece. E.g trumpet, French horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba etc.
• Percussion: these instruments are struck by the player directly by the hand or stick. They include; kettle drum (timpani), triangle, xylophone, snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, side drum etc.
• Keyboard instruments: these instruments have keyboard e.g paino, organ, spinet, electronic organ etc.