Thesaurus

of Orchestral Instruments 1

Thesaurus of Orchestral
Instruments
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 2

Table of Contents

• Introduction- 3

• Scope and Principles- 4

• Usage Guides- 5
o Hierarchical Usage Guide- 6
o Alphabetical Usage Guide- 7

• Hierarchical List- 8-11

• Alphabetical List- 12-25

• Bibliography- 26
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 3

Introduction

The classical orchestra has been at the heart of the musical development in
the western world for over 500 hundred years now, and has been the main
means of expression for some of the greatest artists who have ever lived.
Musicologists define the orchestra as a musical ensemble whose core
components consist of string instruments with more than one player playing
each part (Burkholder, 2010). However, since the orchestra’s inception as we now
know it in the late 15th century, it has consisted of a legion of distinct
instruments, used to express the ever-changing styles of music throughout
history (Burkholder, 2010). As time has progressed to the modern era however,
some instruments—like the violin—have changed only minutely, and still
remain a major component of any orchestra. However, others—such as the Oboe
d’ amore—are all but extinct, or have otherwise evolved into their modern
predecessors with the advent of novel technologies.
With such a plethora of different instruments having existed throughout
the life of the orchestra, musicians at all levels are presented with a tremendous
task when attempting to identify certain instruments, in order to understand
their uses, histories, and capabilities. Therefore, musicians will find the Thesaurus
of Orchestral Instruments extremely helpful in easily identifying the major
instruments of the orchestra for the purposes of composing, arranging,
transcribing, and historical study.
However, before proceeding to the thesaurus itself, it should be strongly
noted that this thesaurus has been constructed for the purposes of university-
level students studying music. Individuals who are only beginning their studies
in music, and therefore may not have a firm understanding of basic musical
terminology or principles, may find this thesaurus to be unhelpful or confusing.
Finally, only those more obscure instruments, which one may not commonly
encounter, will include detailed descriptions within the Scope Notes, as it would
be unnecessary for more common instruments to be defined.
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 4

Scope and Principles

It is important to note why certain instruments were included, and others
not, for the Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments. In order to avoid a thesaurus
containing far too many instruments, which will only further convolute an
already difficult task, the compiler of the following thesaurus has only chosen
instruments that are standard in the orchestral repertoire of western art music.
Simply put, a user of this thesaurus will only find instruments that hold, or have
held, a significant role within the orchestra. What users will not find though, are
instruments rarely found in the orchestra, or have no connection with western art
music. For example, African/American folk instruments such as the Banjo will
be absent from this thesaurus.
Instruments that exist in a variety of keys (e.g., B♭, A, etc.) will be
presented with the key before the instrument name to simplify alphabetical
searching, for example: B♭ Clarinet, not Clarinet in B♭. If an instrument is
available in multiple keys, then each will be listed separately. If a key is not
explicitly provided beside the instrument name or within the Scope Notes
(SN)—definition of a term—then the user can assume that the instrument is in
concert pitch.
Finally, in order to deal with the seemingly infinite number of percussion
instruments, the orchestral percussion section has been limited solely to those
that are only commonly used within the orchestra. Percussion instruments will
also be sorted by means of sound production (i.e., Idiophones,
Membranophones, and Other) within the Hierarchical Structure, unlike the
other instrument families. Finally, as stated earlier in the introduction, every
single percussion instrument will not be thoroughly defined within the Scope
Notes. Such excessiveness will only muddle the clarity of the searching and
identification process; take the drum set for example. This instrument is so
widely known that it would be redundant to offer a detailed description.
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 5

Usage Guides:
Two separate displays, Hierarchical and Alphabetical, will be used in the
Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments in order to clearly represent all standard
instruments of the orchestra in the most effective means possible. A breakdown
of each and its proper use can be found below with examples. Non-preferred
terms, or terms one should avoid when searching, will only be provided within
the alphabetical display in italics. Preferred Terms, or those whose use are
encouraged when searching, will be provided in both.
The instruments contained within this thesaurus are divided into five
separate categories of instrument families: Brass, Electric, Percussion, Strings,
and Woodwinds. Within each family, instruments are further classified in score
order—or from highest pitched to lowest—within the hierarchical display where
applicable. In instances where score order is irrelevant, such is the case with
unpitched instruments like the snare drum, instruments will simply be listed
alphabetically. For example, unpitched percussion instruments will obviously be
presented alphabetically; brass instruments on the other hand will begin with
trumpets and end with tubas as one would find in a musical score.
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 6

Hierarchical Display Usage Guide:

The hierarchical display illustrates the relationships of terms (i.e.,
orchestral instruments) by the use of a hyphen (-) to indicate either their
broadness or narrowness in comparison to terms around them. Thus, the more
hyphens a term has, the narrower it will be. Please refer to the example below for
further help. Non-preferred terms will not be contained within this list.
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 7

Alphabetical Display Usage Guide

As the name suggests, the Alphabetical Display lists all terms, both non-
preferred (in italics) and preferred, alphabetically from A-Z. This display also
contains important terminology that is used to label and describe the term for the
user. Related Terms (RT), which indicates a semantic relationship between two
terms that is not hierarchical, will generally be avoided in the thesaurus to avoid
redundancy of terms. It is important to note that not every entry in the thesaurus
will contain all terminologies; they are only utilized when it is necessary to do so.
Please refer to the list of terminology below for a description and example of
each. A sample entry of an instrument from the thesaurus will also be included
to exemplify the use of the alphabetical display.
• Scope Note (SN)- a symbol used to define and/or describe a term.
• USE- a symbol used to indicate a non-preferred term (i.e., terms that
should not be used when searching), and provide a more appropriate
preferred term to be used instead.
• UF- symbol used to indicate a preferred term (i.e., term that should be
used when searching) and its associated non-preferred term.
• Broader Term (BT)- a symbol indicating a more general term.
• Narrower Term (NT)- a symbol indicating a more specific term.
• Related Term (RT)- a symbol denoting terms associated with a preferred
term. This does not indicate a hierarchical relationship, but rather a
semantic one.

Double Reeded Woodwind Instruments

-SN: Instruments whose sound is produced when two reeds set against one
another vibrate as an air stream is blown through them.
-BT: Reeded Woodwind Instruments
-NT: Oboe; English Horn; Bassoon; Contrabassoon
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 8

Hierarchical List

- Brass Instruments
- - Slide Brass Instruments
- - - Trombones
- - - - Soprano Trombone
- - - - Alto Trombone
- - - - Tenor Trombone
- - - - Bass Trombone
- - - - Contrabass Trombone
- - Valved Brass Instruments
- - - Horns
- - - - E♭ Alto Horn
- - - - F Alto Horn
- - - - F Horn
- - - - E♭ Mellophone
- - - - F Mellophone
- - - - B♭ Wagner Tuba
- - - - F Wagner Tuba
- - - Trumpets
- - - - A Piccolo Trumpet
- - - - B♭ Piccolo Trumpet
- - - - E♭ Trumpet
- - - - D Trumpet
- - - - C Trumpet
- - - - B♭ Trumpet
- - - - E♭ Cornet
- - - - B♭ Cornet
- - - - Flugelhorn
- - - - E♭ Bass Trumpet
- - - - B♭ Bass Trumpet
- - - Tubas
- - - - B♭ Euphonium
- - - - F Tuba (Bass)
- - - - C Tuba (Contrabass)
- - - - B♭ Tuba (Contrabass)

- Electric Instruments
- - Electric String Instruments
- - - Electric Bass Guitar
- - - Electric Guitar
- - Electronic Keyboard Instruments
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 9

- - - Electronic Organ
- - - Electric Piano

- Percussion Instruments
- - Idiophones
- - - Pitched Idiophones
- - - - Almglocken
- - - - Anvil
- - - - Crotales
- - - - Felxatone
- - - - Gong
- - - - Handbells
- - - - Tubular Chimes
- - - Unpitched Idiophones
- - - - Woodblock
- - - - Claves
- - - - Castanets
- - - - Maracas
- - - - Vibra Slap
- - - - Cabasa
- - - - Guiro
- - - - Cymbals
- - - - Triangle
- - - - Cowbell
- - - - Sleigh Bells
- - - - Bell Plate
- - - - Wind Machine
- - - - Thunder Sheet
- - - - Wind Chimes
- - Keyboard Instruments
- - - Celesta
- - - Glockenspiel
- - - Harpsichord
- - - Marimba
- - - Piano
- - - Vibraphone
- - - Xylophone
- - Membranophones
- - - Pitched Membranophones
- - - - Timpani
- - - Unpitched Membranophones
- - - - Bass Drum
- - - - Drum Set
- - - - Snare Drum
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 10

- - - - Tambourine
- - - - Tom-tom
- - Other Pitched Percussion Instruments
- - - Slide Whistle
- - Other Unpitched Percussion Instruments:
- - - Whip
- - - Ratchet
- - - Sandpaper Blocks

- String Instruments
- - Bowed String Instruments
- - - Violin
- - - Viola
- - - Cello
- - - Contrabass
- - Fretted String Instruments
- - - Acoustic Guitar
- - - Classical Guitar
- - - Lute
- - Harps
- - - Double Action Harp
- - - Troubadour Harp

- Woodwind Instruments
- - Reedless Woodwind Instruments
- - - Flutes
- - - - Piccolo
- - - - Concert Flute
- - - - G Alto Flute
- - - - E♭ Flute
- - - - Bass Flute
- - Reeded Woodwind Instruments
- - - Double Reed Woodwind Instruments
- - - - Oboe
- - - - English Horn
- - - - Bassoon
- - - - Contrabassoon
- - Single Reed Woodwind Instruments
- - - Clarinets
- - - - E♭ Clarinet
- - - - D Clarinet
- - - - C Clarinet
- - - - B♭ Clarinet
- - - - A Clarinet
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 11

- - - - E♭ Alto Clarinet
- - - - Basset Horn
- - - - Bass Clarinet
- - - - E♭ Contra Alto Clarinet
- - - - B♭ Contrabass Clarinet
- - - Saxophones
- - - - B♭ Soprano Saxophone
- - - - E♭ Alto Saxophone
- - - - B♭ Tenor Saxophone
- - - - E♭ Baritone Saxophone
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 12

Alphabetical List

B♭ Bass Trumpet
A Clarinet -SN: Lowest of the trumpets and
-SN: Darker tone than the B♭ possessing a duller sound than them
Clarinet as well, this instrument is only called
-BT: Clarinets for in certain pieces such as
Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring.
A Piccolo Trumpet
-BT: Trumpets
-SN: This instrument is actually the
B♭ Piccolo Trumpet with the lead
pipe extended. Retracting the lead B♭ Clarinet
pipe will place the Piccolo Trumpet -SN: Most commonly used of the
back into the key of B♭. clarinets, the soprano voice. Also
-BT: Trumpets available in varying sizes and keys.
-BT: Clarinets
Acoustic Bass Guitar
-SN: This is not to be confused with B♭ Contrabass Clarinet
the Electric Bass Guitar. -SN: Although it is a woodwind
-BT: Fretted String Instruments instrument, it is made of metal
tubing turned in on itself much like a
Acoustic Guitar brass instrument.
-UF: Folk Guitar -BT: Clarinets
-BT: Fretted String Instruments
B♭ Cornet
Almglocken -SN: Smaller than the traditional
-SN: Tuned cowbells.
trumpet, the cornet is constructed
-BT: Pitched Idiophones
with both a cylindrical (first third of
-RT: Cowbell tubing) and conical bore (last two-
thirds of tubing), giving the
Anvil
instrument a more mellow tone.
-BT: Pitched Idiophones -BT: Trumpets

Alto Trombone B♭ Euphonium

-BT: Trombones -SN: Highest pitched of the Tuba
Instruments that can call upon its
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 13

lower octaves more gracefully than B♭ Trumpet
the lower tubas. Can sometimes be -SN: Standard trumpet used in most
found as the tenor and bass voices settings, although the performer may
due to flexibility between ranges. choose to use the C Trumpet instead
-UF: Baritone Horn to facilitate easier fingerings and
-BT: Tubas transpositions, or create a different
tone color.
B♭ Flugelhorn -BT: Trumpets
-SN: A valved instrument with a
completely conical-bore, giving the B♭ Wagner Tuba
instrument a much darker tone than -SN: This instrument is the exact
the standard B♭ Trumpet. Used same as the F Wagner Tuba, expect it
heavily in Jazz and Classical-Jazz is in the key of B♭.
Fusion genres. -BT: Horns
-UF: Soprano Saxhorn
-BT: Trumpets Baritone Horn
-USE: B♭ Euphonium
B♭ Piccolo Trumpet
-SN: Highest pitched trumpet, and Bass Clarinet
brass instrument within the brass -SN: Bass of the clarinet family and
choir. The lead pipe can be extended woodwind choir.
turning the instrument into an A
-BT: Clarinets
Piccolo Trumpet. Used
predominately for executing
extremely high passagework (e.g., Bass Drum
Bach’s second Brandenburg -BT: Unpitched Membranophones
Concerto).
-BT: Trumpets Bass Flute
-SN: Lowest of the flutes
B♭ Soprano Saxophone -BT: Reedless Woodwind
-SN: Highest pitched of the Instruments
saxophones.
-BT: Saxophones Bass Trombone
-BT: Trombones
B♭ Tenor Saxophone
-BT: Saxophones Basset Horn
-SN. Resembles the E♭ Alto Clarinet,
B♭ Tuba (Contrabass) however, it sounds more similar to
-BT: Tubas the A Clarinet; a modern
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 14

construction of the clarinet Mozart -SN: Brighter tone than the B♭
would have used in his music. Clarinet, rarely used.
-BT: Clarinets -BT: Clarinets

Bassoon C Flute
-SN: Bass of the woodwind choir. USE: Concert Flute
-BT: Double Reeded Woodwind
Instruments C Trumpet
-SN: Counterpart to the B♭ Trumpet,
Bell Plate yet it possess a more brilliant sound
-SN: Steel slab that is suspended than its counterpart.
from a rope and struck with metal -BT: Trumpets
mallets.
-BT: Unpitched Idiophones C Tuba (Contrabass)
-BT: Tubas
Bowed String Instruments
-SN: Instruments that predominately Cabasa
require a bow for sound production. -SN: A wooden cylinder wrapped in
-BT: String Instruments metal chains of balls and shaken to
-NT: Violin; Viola; Cello; Contrabass produce sound.
-BT: Unpitched Idiophones
Brass Instruments
-SN: Instruments that are Castanets
constructed from brass. Sound is -SN: Hollow pieces of wood or
produced by the vibration of the plastic that are mounted together
players’ lips into a mouthpiece, and attached to handle so that when
causing the air to vibrate within the shaken they click against one
metal tubing. Pitch is manipulated another.
by valves, keys, or slides, which alter -BT: Unpitched Idiophones
the length of the metal tubing.
-NT: Slide Brass Instruments; Valved Celesta
Brass Instruments; Horns; Trumpets; -SN: Resembling a miniature piano,
Tubas this instrument produces sound
when a key is pushed and the
connected hammer strikes a metal
bar mounted above wooden
resonators.
-BT: Keyboard Instruments
C Clarinet
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 15

Cello Concert Flute

-SN: The tenor/bass, or lowest -SN: Reedless soprano of the
pitched instrument within the string woodwind choir. Constructed of
quartet. metal in most cases.
-UF: Violoncello UF: C Flute
-BT: Bowed String Instruments -BT: Reedless Woodwind
Instruments
Clarinets
-SN: Open holed, single reed Contrabass
woodwind instruments. Due to such -SN: The bass, or lowest string
variances of pitch and size, these instrument.
instruments can be considered the -BT: Bowed String Instruments
soprano, alto, tenor, and/or bass
voices of the woodwind choir. Contrabass Trombone:
-BT: Single Reed Woodwind -SN: Least commonly used within
Instruments the trombone family as well as the
-NT: E♭ Clarinet; B♭ Clarinet; A lowest.
Clarinet; C Clarinet; D Clarinet; E♭ -BT: Trombones
Alto Clarinet; Basset Horn; Bass
Clarinet; E♭ Contra Alto Clarinet; B♭ Contrabassoon
Contrabass Clarinet -SN: Lowest voice of the woodwind
choir; sounds an octave lower than
Classical Guitar the Bassoon.
-SN: Unlike the acoustic guitar, this -BT: Double Reeded Woodwind
instrument uses nylon strings Instruments
instead of steel, and has 15 frets
instead of 12. As a result the Cowbell
instrument has a very distinct -BT: Unpitched Idiophones
timbre. -RT: Almglocken
-UF: Spanish Guitar
-BT: Fretted String Instruments Crotales
-SN: Tuned symbols.
Claves -BT: Pitched Idiophones
-SN: Two cylinders of wood, each -RT: Cymbals
approximately 6 inches in length that
are struck against one another. Cymbals
-BT: Unpitched Idiophones -BT: Unpitched Idiophones
-RT: Crotales
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 16

-BT: Unpitched Membranophones

D Clarinet
-SN: Brighter tone than the B♭ E♭ Alto Clarinet
Clarinet, rarely used. -BT: Clarinets
-BT: Clarinets
E♭ Alto Horn
D Trumpet -SN: contralto member of the horn
-SN: A smaller instrument featuring family, this instrument resembles a
a more compact yet very clean tone tuba more so than the traditional
when compared to the B♭ Trumpet horn in shape; the player’s hand is
and C Trumpet. Most commonly not placed in the bell when playing;
used by a performer to give a unique and the sound is more blatant and
quality to a certain passage of music, aggressive than the F Horn’s.
or to more easily play passages in -BT: Horns
the higher register.
-BT: Trumpets E♭ Alto Saxophone
-BT: Saxophones
Double Action Harp
-SN: The modern concert harp E♭ Baritone Saxophone
possessing 47 strings, the selection of -BT: Saxophones
which is controlled by foot pedals
-BT: Harps E♭ Bass Trumpet
-SN: Counterpart to the B♭ Bass
Double Reeded Woodwind Trumpet.
Instruments -BT: Trumpets
-SN: The sound of these types of
instruments is produced when two E♭ Clarinet
reeds set against one another vibrate -SN: Highest pitched of the clarinets.
as an air stream is blown through -BT: Clarinets
them.
-BT: Reeded Woodwind Instruments E♭ Contra Alto Clarinet
-NT: Oboe; English Horn; Bassoon; -SN: Lowest voice of the clarinet
Contrabassoon family.
-BT: Clarinets
Drum Set
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 17

Electric Keyboard Instruments
E♭ Cornet -BT: Electric Instruments
-SN: Smaller version of the B♭ -NT: Electric Organ; Electric Piano
Cornet.
Electric Organ
E♭ Flute -BT: Electric Keyboard Instruments
-SN: Possess attributes of both the
Piccolo and Flute. Electric Piano
-BT: Reedless Woodwind -BT: Electric Keyboard Instruments
Instruments
Electric String Instruments
E♭ Mellophone -BT: Electric Instruments
-SN: This instrument is the same as -NT: Electric Bass Guitar; Electric
the E♭ Alto Horn, except it is coiled Guitar
different upon construction to look
more like the F Horn and not a tuba. Electronic Instruments
Major component of marching band -USE: Electric Instruments
music
-BT: Horns English Horn
-SN: Larger than the Oboe,
E♭ Trumpet producing a darker and mellower
-SN: Counterpart to the D Trumpet. sound.
-BT: Trumpets -BT: Double Reeded Woodwind
Instruments
Electric Bass Guitar
-BT: Electric String Instruments

Electric Guitar
-BT: Electric String Instruments F Alto Horn
-SN: This instrument is the exact
Electric Instruments same as the E♭ Alto Horn, except it is
-SN: musical instruments whose in the key of F.
sounds are produced by electrical, -BT: Horns
rather than acoustical means.
-UF: Electronic Instruments F Horn
-NT: Electric String Instruments; -SN: Most common of the horn
Electric Keyboard Instruments; family; a valved brass instrument in
the key of F.
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 18

-UF: French Horn -NT: Piccolo; Flute; G Alto Flute; E♭
-BT: Horns Flute; Bass Flute

F Tuba (Bass) Folk Guitar

-BT: Tubas -USE: Acoustic Guitar

F Wagner Tuba
French Horn
-SN: Used almost exclusively in
-USE: Horn
performances of Richard Wagner’s
The Ring Cycle and a few other major
works. This instrument’s tone is Fretted String Instruments
similar to the more common F -SN: String instruments that possess
Horn’s, but varies significantly in frets, or raised metal/wooden
physical design. elements that divide the fingerboard
-BT: Horns into intervals of semitones,
indicating where the player’s fingers
Fiddle should be placed. These instruments
-USE: Violin are played by plucking, not bowing.
-BT: String Instruments
Field Drum -NT: Acoustic Guitar; Acoustic Bass
-USE: Snare Drum Guitar, Classical Guitar; Lute

Flexatone
-SN: A metal triangle mounted to a
frame; when shaken two springs
with wooden blocks attached strike
the metal triangle. G Alto Flute
-BT: Pitched Idiophones -BT: Reedless Woodwind
Instruments
Flutes
SN: Reedless Woodwind Glockenspiel
Instruments that are predominately -SN: Set of metal bars that are struck
made of metal, with the exception of with mallets.
the Piccolo. Air is blown over the -UF: Orchestral Bells
embouchure slit to produce sound. -BT: Keyboard Instruments
Players manipulate the pitch with
either open or closed tone holes. Gong
-BT: Reedless Woodwind -BT: Pitched Idiophones
Instruments
Guiro
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 19

-SN: Hollowed wooden gourd with from the mouthpiece to the bell—a
slits cut into the side that are meant trait absent with nearly all other
to be strummed with a stick. brass instruments.
-BT: Unpitched Idiophones -BT: Valved Brass Instruments
-NT: E♭ Alto Horn; F Alto Horn; F
Horn; E♭ Mellophone; F Mellophone;
B♭ Wagner Tuba; F Wagner Tuba

Handbells
-BT: Pitched Idiophones

Harps Idiophones
-SN: Instruments in existence since -SN: Percussion Instruments whose
antiquity from various cultures (e.g., sound is produced by the entire
Ancient Greece), the strings run at an instrument itself vibrating, usually
from being struck with a mallet, or
angle form the soundboard, and are
shaken.
supported by a frame. These -BT: Percussion Instruments
instruments vary greatly from -NT: Pitched Idiophones; Unpitched
culture to culture in terms of size, idiophones
range, and materials used for
construction.
-BT: String Instruments
-NT: Double Action Hard;
Troubadour Harp
Keyboard Instruments
-SN: Instruments that are
Harpsichord
constructed in a keyboard layout
-SN: The predecessor of the piano
with clearly defined keys. They may
whose sound is produced by quills
be pushed like buttons, or struck
that pluck strings, triggered by
with mallets to produce sound.
pressing a key; incapable of dynamic
-BT: Percussion Instruments
subtly as with the piano.
-NT: Celesta; Glockenspiel;
-BT: Keyboard Instruments.
Harpsichord; Marimba; Piano;
Vibraphone; Xylophone
Horns
SN: Curved brass instruments that
Kettle Drums
use valves to change pitch and
-USE: Timpani
whose bore is conical—the bore of
the instrument gradually increases
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 20

Lute
-SN: Used predominately in Baroque Oboe
and Renaissance music, this fretted -SN: The alto voices of the
string instrument is tear-drop in woodwind choir; a double reeded
shape and has strings running instrument.
parallel to the sound panel, opposed -BT: Double Reeded Woodwind
to the normal construction of these Instruments
sorts of instruments.
-BT: Fretted String Instruments Orchestral Bells
-USE: Glockenspiel

Other Pitched Percussion

Instruments
-SN: Those percussion instruments
Maracas
that cannot be classified as
-SN: Hollow gourds filled with
idiophones or membranophones due
materials that will create noise when
to their unique characteristics of
shaken.
sound production. They still produce
-BT: Unpitched Idiophones
definite tunable pitches.
-BT: Percussion Instruments
Marimba
-NT: Slide Whistle
-SN: Set of wooden bars that are
struck with mallets.
Other Unpitched Percussion
-BT: Keyboard Instruments
Instruments
-SN: Those percussion instruments
Membranophones
that cannot be classified as
-SN: Instruments whose sounds are
idiophones or membranophones due
produced by the vibration of a
to their unique characteristics of
membrane stretched over a hollow
sound production. They do not
cylinder. This is usually caused by
produce definite tunable pitches.
striking the instrument with a mallet
-BT: Percussion Instruments
or stick.
-NT: Whip; Ratchet; Sandpaper
-BT: Percussion Instruments
Blocks
-NT: Pitched Membranophones;
Unpitched Membranophones
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 21

-BT: Percussion Instruments
-NT: Almglocken; Anvil; Crotales;
Flexatone; Gong; Handbells; Tubular
Chimes
Percussion Instruments
-SN: Instruments whose sounds are
primarily produced by either
striking or shaking the instrument,
causing either a membrane or the
entire instrument itself to vibrate. Ratchet
-NT: Idiophones; Keyboard -SN: A set of wooden gears set upon
Instruments; Membranophones; a handle that allows the player to
Other Pitched Percussion twirl the instrument, creating a
Instruments; Other Unpitched cranking noise as the gears grind by
Percussion Instruments one another.
-BT: Other Unpitched Percussion
Piano Instruments
-BT: Keyboard Instruments
Reeded Woodwind Instruments
Piccolo -SN: Woodwind Instruments that
-SN: Highest pitched of the flutes; produce sound by the vibrations of a
can be either wooden or metal. reed(s) as an air stream is directed
-BT: Reedless Woodwind through them.
Instruments -BT: Woodwind Instruments
-NT: Double Reeded Woodwind
Pitched Membranophones Instruments; Single Reeded
-SN: Instruments whose sound is Woodwind Instruments
produced by a vibrating membrane;
pitches produced are definite and Reedless Woodwind Instruments
defined within an established tuning -SN: Sound is produced without a
scheme. reed by blowing an air stream over
-BT: Membranophones an open embouchure slit, causing
-NT: Timpani vibrations to travel throughout the
instrument.
Pitched Idiophones -BT: Woodwind Instruments
-SN: Percussion instruments that -NT: Flutes
have definite set pitches that are
clearly defined within a tuning
system.
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 22

-SN: Instrument requires player to
both pull mechanism and blow into
the instrument to produce a whistle
sound.
Sandpaper Blocks
-BT: Other Pitched Percussion
-SN: The player rubs the two blocks
Instruments
together for special sound effects.
-BT: Other Unpitched Percussion
-Snare Drum
Instruments
-UF: Field Drum
-BT: Unpitched Membranophones
Saxophones
-SN: Single Reed Woodwind
Soprano Trombone
Instruments that are made entirely of
-SN: Highest pitched instrument of
brass, and much like the clarinets,
the trombone family.
can be considered the soprano, alto,
-BT: Trombones
tenor, and/or bass of the woodwind
choir due to so many varying
Soprano Saxhorn
instruments. These instruments
-USE: B♭ Flugelhorn
prevalent in Jazz, and major
orchestra works.
Spanish Guitar
-BT: Single Reed Woodwind
-USE: Classical Guitar
Instruments
-NT: B♭ Soprano Saxophone; E♭ Alto
String Instruments
Saxophone; B♭ Tenor Saxophone; E♭ -SN: Instruments whose sounds are
Baritone Saxophone produced by either plucking and/or
bowing strings, causing them to
Single Reed Woodwind vibrate.
Instruments -NT: Bowed String Instruments;
SN: Woodwind Instruments that Fretted String Instruments; Harps
only possess a single reed. Sound is
produced as the reed vibrates
against the flat face of a mouthpiece.
-BT: Woodwind Instruments
-NT: Clarinets; Saxophones
Tambourine
Sleigh Bells: -BT: Unpitched Membranophones
-BT: Unpitched Idiophones
Tenor Trombone
Slide Whistle
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 23

-SN: The most commonly used Trumpets
instrument within the trombone -SN: The soprano and alto members
family. of the brass choir. These instruments
are valved and come in a variety of
-BT: Trombones
sizes and keys.
-BT: Valved Brass Instruments
Thunder Sheet -NT: B♭ Piccolo Trumpet; A Piccolo
-SN: A large sheet of thin metal that Trumpet; B♭ Trumpet; C Trumpet; D
is shaken to mimic the sound of
Trumpet; E♭ Trumpet; B♭ Cornet; E♭
thunder.
Cornet; Flugelhorn; B♭ Bass
-BT: Unpitched Idiophones
Trumpet; E♭ Bass Trumpet

Timpani
Tubas
-SN: A pitched copper drum covered
SN: The bass instruments of the
by a membrane; a standard set of
brass choir.
timpani includes 4 drums that can
-BT: Valved Brass Instruments
each be tuned to multiple pitches.
-NT: B♭ Euphonium; F Tuba (Bass);
-UF: Kettle Drums
-BT: Pitched Membranophones B♭ Tuba (Contrabass); C Tuba
(Contrabass)
Tom-tom
-SN: A cylindrical drum with no Triangle
snares. -BT: Unpitched Idiophones
-BT: Unpitched Membranophones
Tubular Chimes
-SN: Large pitched tube-shaped
Trombones
-SN: Group of brass instruments chimes that are struck with a mallet
identified by their use of slides to to produce the desired pitch.
-BT: Pitched Idiophones
manipulate pitch.
-BT: Slide Brass Instruments
-NT: Soprano Trombone; Alto
Trombone; Tenor Trombone; Bass
Trombone; Contrabass Trombone
Unpitched Idiophones
Troubadour Harp -SN: Instruments that do not have
-SN: Smaller and simpler version of definite pitch; therefore, pitches that
the Double Action Harp. Does not may be produced do not fit within a
contain foot pedals, and only has 33 tuning scheme.
strings. -BT: Percussion Instruments
-BT: Harps
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 24

-NT: Woodblock; Claves; Castanets; can be further ontrolled and/
Maracas; Vibra Slap; Cabasa; Guiro; sustained with the use of a pedal.
Cymbals; Triangle; Cowbell; -BT: Keyboard Instruments
Tamtam; Sleigh Bells; Bell Plate;
Wind Machine; Thunder Sheet; Viola
Wind Chimes -SN: The alto/tenor, or second
highest pitched instrument in the
Unpitched Membranophones string quartet.
-SN: Instruments whose sounds are -BT: Bowed String Instruments
produced by the vibration of a
membrane stretched over a hollow Violin
cylinder. Resulting pitches are not -SN: The soprano, or highest pitched
defined within a tuning scheme. instrument of the string quartet.
-BT: Membranophones -UF: Fiddle
-NT: Bass Drum; Drum Set; Field -BT: Bowed String Instruments
Drum; Snare Drum; Tambourine;
Tom-tom Violoncello
-USE: Cello

Valved Brass Instruments

-SN: Brass instruments that use Wind Chimes
valves to manipulate the length of -BT: Unpitched Idiophones
the instrument in order to produce
different pitches. Wind Machine
-BT: Brass Instruments -SN: A large wooden cylinder that is
-NT: Horns; Trumpets; Tubas covered with a loose-fitting canvas-
like material. A player cranks a
Vibra Slap handle attached to the cylinder
-SN: Metal rod that strikes a wooden causing the wood to slide across the
box of metal rivets that are free to other material, causing a wind-like
bounce around as the box is struck. sound.
-BT: Unpitched Idiophones -BT: Unpitched Idiophones

Vibraphone Whip
-SB: Metal bars that are struck with -BT: Other Pitched Percussion
mallets to create a sound; the sound Instruments
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 25

Woodblock
-BT: Unpitched Idiophones

Woodwind Instruments
-SN: Instruments whose sounds are
produced by either the vibration of a
reed or reeds, or by blowing a
stream of air over an open slit,
causing vibrations to travel
throughout the instrument.
Instruments do not have to be
constructed from wood to be
classified as woodwind, as is the case
with flutes and saxophones.
-NT: Reedless Woodwind
Instruments; Reeded Woodwind
Instruments; Double Reeded
Woodwind Instruments; Single Reed
Woodwind Instruments

Xylophone
-SN: Metal Bars that are struck with
mallets to produce sound.
-BT: Keyboard Instruments
 Thesaurus of Orchestral Instruments 26

Bibliography

Adler, S. (1982). The study of orchestration. New York, NY: Norton.

Berlioz, H. (1905). Instrumentationslehre von Hector Berlioz. Strauss, R. (Ed.).

Leipzig: C. F. Peters

Blatter, A. (1997). Instrumentation and orchestration. Boston, MA: Schirmer.

Burkholder, P. J., Grout, D. J., & Palisca, C. V. (2010). A history of western music.

New York, NY: W. W. Norton Company, Inc.

Sevsay, E. (2013). The Cambridge guide to orchestration. New York, NY: Cambridge

University Press.