If you want to write for an orchestra, having a reference sheet is helpful regarding the instruments and their order. Remembering the order of the orchestral instruments isn’t so important if you use a template from a music notation program. Still, it’s handy if you are writing the old-fashioned way with pencil and paper or your notation program doesn’t provide a complete list of orchestral instruments. So here is the reference sheet I created if I get in a bind. (I’ll share a more comprehensive list in a later post).
- Piccolo
- Flute 1, 2
- Oboe 1, 2
- English Horn
- Clarinet in Eb
- Clarinet in Bb 1, 2
- Bass Clarinet
- Alto saxophone in Eb
- Bassoon 1, 2
- Contrabassoon
- French Horn I, III in F(modern version is 1, 2,)
- French Horn II, IV in F(modern version is 3, 4)
- Trumpets 1, 2 in C
- Trumpet 3 in C
- Trumpet in Bb 1, 2
- Trumpet in Bb 3
- Trombone 1, 2
- Trombone 3
- Bass Trombone/Tuba
- Timpani
- Percussion
- Xylophone
- Triangle
- Snare
- Harp
- Piano
- Celesta
- Acoustic Guitar
- Bass Guitar
- Solo Voice
- SATB choir on two staves (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass)
- Solo instrument
- Violins I
- Violins II
- Viola
- Violoncello or Cello or Celli
- Double Bass or Basses
Please remember that all of these instruments will not be in the same score, you probably will not have three trumpets in B flat and three in C, but then again, the score is whatever you write. Thanks for reading; I’m just a music teacher having fun, catch ya on the next one.
