Discover Instruments of the Orchestra

The string section, which contains violins, violas, cellos and double basses, is the largest section of the orchestra. 

The violin is the smallest instrument in the string section and is the highest in pitch. There are two different violin sections in the symphony orchestra - First Violins, which usually play the melody, and Second Violins, which play a mixture of melody and harmony. The violinist who sits at the very front, on the conductor’s left hand side, is called the Leader, or Concertmaster. The other musicians watch the Leader to match the way they play. 

The viola is larger than a violin, and lower in pitch. The viola section usually plays the "inner parts" - the harmony that glues the string section together. 

The double bass is the largest and lowest sounding instrument in the string family, and is the foundation of the orchestra. 

The concert harp has 47 strings which are plucked using the thumb and first three fingers of each hand. It also has 7 pedals which raise and lower the pitch of the strings, allowing the harp to play chromatic notes. The harp was not really used in orchestral music until the 19th century when the pedalling system was developed. Certain effects characterise the harp’s sound, such as glissandos, arpeggios and repeated figures. Watch out for harpists tuning on stage before a concert starts - with 47 strings it takes a while to tune them all! 

The oboe is a double reed instrument in the woodwind family. It is made of wood and has metal keys and a flared bell. Sound is produced by blowing into the reed, causing it to vibrate with the air column. The oboe has a rich, distinctive tone due to having a conical bore, as opposed to the cylindrical  bore of flutes and clarinets.  Most professional oboists make their own reeds, so that they can control the tone, intonation and responsiveness. The oboe is the instrument which tunes the orchestra before a rehearsal or concert, playing the distinctive 'A'. 

The flute is the highest pitched instrument in the woodwind family, and the only one which does not use a reed. Sound is created by blowing across an embouchure hole in the lip plate, and pitch is changed by pressing down on different keys. There are several flutes commonly used in the orchestra: the C flute, piccolo, alto flute and sometimes the bass flute.

The trumpet is the highest pitched instrument in the brass family. Sound is produced by vibrating the lips into a mouthpiece, causing vibrations to flow through the long brass tubing and out of the bell. Pressing down on the three valves with the right hand changes the pitch. Trumpets and other brass instruments commonly play fanfares.