Instrument Families & Ranges

To be a master, you must know the limits of your tools. You cannot ask a Tuba to play as fast as a Violin.

27.1 The Strings (Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass)

• Character: The engine of the orchestra. Can play forever without breathing.
• Techniques:
  • Arco: With the bow (smooth, singing).
  • Pizzicato: Plucking the string (short, percussive).
  • Tremolo: Moving the bow back and forth rapidly (tension/shimmer).

27.2 The Woodwinds (Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon)

• Character: The colorists. Each has a very distinct “voice.”
• Limit: They need to breathe! You cannot write a 2-minute phrase with no rests, or the player will pass out.
• The Break: The Clarinet has a difficult spot between low and high registers where the fingering is awkward.

27.3 The Brass (Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone, Tuba)

• Character: The power. Heroic, loud, and majestic.
• Limit: Endurance. Brass players’ lips (embouchure) get tired quickly. Do not make them play high notes for too long.

27.4 Percussion

• Unpitched: Snare Drum, Bass Drum, Cymbals. (Rhythm only).

Pitched: Timpani, Xylophone, Marimba, Glockenspiel. (Can play melodies).