NON-TRANSPOSING INSTRUMENT

Non-transposing Instruments: These are instruments which sound the notated pitch they are playing, though sometimes displaced by an octave (higher or lower). Non-transposing (concert pitch) instruments include: piccolo (sounds 8va–octave higher); flute; oboe; bassoon; trombone; euphonium; tuba; xylophone (sounds 8va); marimba; orchestra bells (sounds two octaves higher); vibraphone; celesta (sounds 8va); violin; viola; cello; string bass (sounds octave lower); harp; guitar (sounds octave lower); piano.

Ranges and transpositions for common instruments:

Musical Instrument Ranges and Names :

Bowed Strings (1) |

Violin | more ...sounds at written pitch

Violino piccolo | more...the small violininformation about tuning

Viola | more ...sounds at written pitch

Viola d'amore | more...instrument with six bowed strings and six steel strings, the latter neither bowed nor plucked(tuning, from eighteenth century: A, d, a, d', f#', a', d'')

Tenor Violin | more ...tuned an octave below the standard violin

Violoncello piccolo | more...a small cello with an extra e'-string above the normal strings (C, G, d & a)

Violoncello (Cello) | more ...sounds at written pitch

Double Bass | more ...sounds an octave below written pitch

with four stringssometimes fitted with a fifth string tuned to low C

Rebec | more...

Renaissance Violin |

more...

Baroque Violin | more...

Twentieth-century Violin Octet | more ...

2 Bowed Strings (2) |

Pardessus de Viol | more ...sounds at written pitch

Treble Viol | more ...sounds at written pitch

Alto Viol | more ...sounds at written pitch

Tenor Viol | more ...sounds at written pitch

Lyra Viola small bass viol popular in England during the seventeenth century. It differed otherwise little from the standard bass viol. Its repertory, notated in tablature, is pre-dominantly polyphonic and played mainly with the bow. The sources include pieces for one

lyra viol or more, and lyra viol accompaniment for songs, by composers such as Coprario, Jenkins, William Lawes and Tobias Hume. At least 60 different tunings have been noted.

Division Violan English form of bass viola da gamba, used in the seventeenth century for performing free ornamentation by varying given melodies. It was the equivalent of the European viola bastarda, and was smaller than a consort bass viol but larger than a lyra viol.

Bass Viol | more ...sometimes a seventh string added tuned to A below bass clefsounds at

written pitch

also sometimes called the 'Viola da Gamba' although strictly all viols are 'da gamba', that is they are played down on the lap or between the player's legs (gamba being the Italian for 'leg'

Consort of Viols | more... the viol consort was introduced to England in the early sixteenth century and was mainstay of domestic music until the middle of the seventeenth century. After the Restoration of Charles II to the throne in 1660, things rapidly changed with the rise in popularity of the violin amongst court musical lfe and amateurs.Composers soon ceased to contribute to the viol consort

repertory, with some of Purcell's contemporaries such as Roger North regretting the change. North acknowledged that the violin was 'very excellent in it's kind', but thought that the 'noble Base Viol' embodied all its 'sublimitys'.As North recognised, the viol was not entirely supplanted by the violin in the Restoration period. The bass viol remained in use as a continuo instrument in chamber music until the early eighteenth century, and the instrument acquired a new repertory of solos, duet and trios with continuo.

Violone | more...(Italian, literally 'large viol')in modern terminology,

the double bass viol, the direct ancestor of the double bass. Historically, the term has embraced a variety of meanings: any viol, a large viol (in particular a low-pitched viola da gamba), and even (in some Italian sources) the cello. The term is known as early as 1520.

Electric Viola da Gamba | more...one of the most exciting extensions of this remarkable family of bowed stringed instruments, the Ruby Electric Viola da Gamba is a seven-string bass viol.

3 Plucked Strings |

Guitar | more ...sounds an octave below written pitch.

the guitar is a musical instrument, used in a wide variety of musical styles, and is also widely known as a solo classical instrument. It is most recognized in popular culture as the primary instrument in blues, country, flamenco, pop, and rock music. The guitar usually has six strings, but guitars with four, seven, eight, ten, and twelve strings also exist. Guitars are made and repaired by luthiers.

Lute | more ...the name lute refers both to any plucked string instrument with a fretted neck and a deep round back and specifically to an instrument from the family of European lutes. Lute and oud both descend from a common ancestor, with diverging evolutionary paths. The words 'lute' and 'oud' may have derived from Arabic al‘ud, "the wood", though recent research by Eckhard Neubauer suggests that ‘ud may simply be an Arabized version of the Persian name rud, which meant string, stringed instrument, or lute. Gianfranco Lotti suggests that the "wood" appellation originally carried derogatory connotations, because of proscriptions of all

instrumental music in early Islam. The player of a lute is called a lutenist, lutanist or lutist, and a maker of lutes (or any string instrument) is called a luthier.

For tuning information on the lute please refer here

The archlute is a lute with two pegboxes, the first being used for the main courses of strings (6 to 8 in number) that were played with the fingers of the left hand, and the second holding the longer strings, either courses or single strings, that were only played as open strings in the bass register. The archlute was particularly well adapted to continuo work, but nevertheless had a repertoire of solo pieces written for it. The archlute was the Italian baroque lute by definition.The theorbo was apparently an extension of the archlute, its body being larger and the neck containing the second pegbox for the lower strings being even longer. The theorbo could reach a total of two metres in length. There were, however, various other differences, the theorbo often being strung with single strings and not in courses. Its tuning was also individual in that the first two strings were tuned an octave lower, this occurring because the main

neckpiece was approximately 20 centimetres longer than that of the archlute. The third string was therefore the highest. Even though the instrument seems to have been almost specifically used for continuo work, there are some instances of its use as a solo instrument.

Mandolin | more ...sounds at written pitch

a mandolin is a small, stringed musical instrument which is plucked, strummed or a combination of both. It is descended from the mandora. It is characterized by:

Eight metal strings in four pairs (courses) that are plucked with a plectrum,

A body with a teardrop-shaped soundtable (i.e. face), or one that is essentially oval in shape,

A neck with a flat (or slightly radiused) fretted fingerboard, and a nut and floating bridge,

A tailpiece or pinblock at the edge of the face to which the strings are attached

Mechanical tuning

machines, rather than friction pegs,

A soundtable with a soundhole, or soundholes, of varying shapes that are open and not latticed.

Although the most common tuning for the mandolin is in fifths, the same as for the violin (G-D-A-E, lowest to highest), guitarists may occasionally tune a mandolin to mimic a portion of the intervals on a standard guitar tuning to achieve familiar fretting patterns

Ukelele/Ukulele | more ...sounds at written pitch

Five String Banjo | more ...sounds an octave below written pitch

Early Plucked & Fretted Instruments | more...

4 Harp | Orchestral Harp | more ...written on two stavessounds at written pitch

the pedal harp, or concert harp, is large and technically modern, designed for classical music and played solo, as part of chamber ensembles, and in symphony orchestras. It typically has six and a half octaves (46 or 47 strings), weighs about 80lb (36 kg), is approximately 6 ft (1.8 m) high, has a depth of 4 ft

(1.2 m), and is 21.5 in (55 cm) wide at the bass end of the soundboard. The notes range from three octaves below middle C (or the D above) to three and a half octaves above, usually ending on G. The tension of the strings on the sound board is roughly equal to a ton (10 kilonewtons). The lowest strings are made of copper or steel-wound nylon, the middle strings of gut, and the highest of nylon.

Celtic Harp | more...

Baroque Harp | more...A History of the Harp

5 Flutes | Piccolo in C | more ...sounds an octave above written pitch

Piccolo in Db | more ... sounds a minor 9th above written pitch

in band music, the Db piccolo, rather than the larger orchestral C piccolo, was the mainstay until the early twentieth century, when the Db parts were gradually transposed for the C piccolo because of its stronger tone. The Db piccolo however, retains the distinction of being the first woodwind instrument to be added to the American brass bands of the mid-nineteenth century

Flute in C | more ...sounds at written pitch

Flute in Eb | more ... the Eb soprano flute or Terzflöte is somewhat smaller and sounds a minor third higher than the C flute. This less well known member of the flute family was originally used in U.S. public school bands as a substitute for the more expensive Eb clarinet from approximately the 1940s through the early 1970s as well as a beginner flute for students with very small hands. Since its tone color and range was unlike that of the Eb clarinet, and since most beginners were either able to handle the C flute without problems or else buy one with a curved headjoint, manufacturers stopped making them around 1980. However, due to the popularity of flute choirs, one U.S. manufacturer (Emerson) began to make them again in 1991, as there are more and more pieces of flute choir music that require the instrument. Its distinctive tone color, sounding sweeter than the C flute and more mellow than the piccolo, makes the Eb flute a unique member of the flute family whose potential is yet to be fully explored

Alto Flute in G | more ...sounds a perfect fourth below written pitch

Flûte d'amour in Bb | more ... the modern tenor flute, also

known in the nineteenth century as the flûte d'amour or alto flute in Bb, is pitched one step below the C flute. It has the same fingering range as the C flute but sounds its best in the middle and low registers. It has a much stronger sound in the low register than the C flute and is, therfore, useful for transposing extremely low C flute parts to provide a better balance in orchestral or ensemble playing. Tenor flutes are currently made by Emerson and Altus and come in both closed and open hole models; however, with its somewhat larger tubing and wider-spaced keys, the closed-hole model is probably easier to play. Tenor flutes today are extremely rare and generally are only used for jazz as they are in the same key as tenor saxophones and clarinets, making it easier for the jazz musician to double on all three instruments

Bass Flute | more ...sounds an octave below written pitch

Renaissance Flute | more...

Baroque Flute | more ...

Classical Flute | more ...

Historical Flutes: general informationRick Wilson's Historical

Flute Page

6 Clarinets |

Piccolo, Octave and Sopranino Clarinets | more ...

Clarinet in E flat | more ...sounds a minor third higher than written pitch

Clarinet in B flat | more ...sounds a major second below written pitch

Clarinet in A | more ...sounds a minor third lower than written pitch

Alto Clarinet in E flat | more ...sounds a major sixth lower than written pitch

Bass Clarinet in B flat | more ...sounds one octave below the Clarinet in B flat

Contra Alto Clarinet in E flat | more ...sounds one octave below the Alto Clarinet in E flat

Contra Bass Clarinet in B flat | more ...sounds one octave below the Bass Clarinet in B flat

Clarinet Family | more ...the clarinet has a distinctive timbre, resulting from the shape of the cylindrical bore, whose characteristics vary between its three main registers: the chalumeau (low), clarion or clarino

(middle), and altissimo (high). It has a very wide compass, which is showcased in chamber, orchestral, and wind band writing. The tone quality varies greatly with the musician, the music, the style of clarinet, the reed, and humidity. The German (Oehler) clarinet generally has a darker tone quality than the French (Boehm) system. In contrast, the French clarinet typically has a lighter, brighter tone quality. The differences in instruments and geographical isolation of players in different nations led to the development, from the last part of the eighteenth century on, of several different schools of clarinet playing. The most prominent of these schools were the German/Viennese traditions and the French school, centred around the clarinettists of the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris. Increasingly, through the proliferation of recording technology and the internet, examples of many different styles of clarinet playing are available to developing clarinettists today. This has led to decreased homogeneity of styles of clarinet playing. The modern clarinetist has an eclectic palette of "acceptable" tone qualities to choose from, especially when working with an open-minded teacher

7 Saxophones |

Sopranissimo Saxophone in B flatconstruction difficulties mean that only recently has a true sopranissimo saxophone been produced. Nicknamed the "soprillo," this piccolo-sized saxophone is an octave above the soprano, and its diminutive size necessitates an octave key on the mouthpiece

Sopranino Saxophone in E flatsounds a minor third above written pitch

Soprano Saxophone in B flatsounds a major second below written pitch

Alto Saxophone in E flatsounds a major sixth below written pitch

Tenor Saxophone in B flatsounds a major ninth below written pitch

Baritone Saxophone in E flatsounds one octave plus a major sixth below written pitch

Bass Saxophone in B flatsounds one octave plus a major ninth below written pitch

Saxophone Family | more ... the saxophone was originally patented as two families, each of seven instruments. The "orchestral" family consisted of instruments in the keys of C and F, and the "band" family in Eb and Bb. Each family consisted of Sopranino, Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass and Contrabass although some of these were never made (Sax also planned - but never made - a subcontra). Of these the orchestral family are now rarely found, and of the band family only the soprano, alto, tenor and baritone are in common use (these form the typical saxophone sections of both military and big bands). The C-melody saxophone, a non-transposing instrument, was popular in the 1920s and could be played from sheet music for guitar and piano. The soprano has regained a degree of popularity over recent decades, and the bass, sopranino and even contrabass are still manufactured. Sopranino, bass and contrabass are rarely used except in large saxophone ensembles and saxophone orchestras. The wide bore of the saxophone means that the larger saxes are

extremely large and heavy, and recently (1999) an alternative contrabass, the "tubax," has been developed with a narrower bore. Although not a true saxophone, its bore leads to a more reasonable size and weight.

8 Double Reeds |

Oboe | more ... sounds at written pitch

the baroque oboe as it was used at the end of the seventeenth century had its origin in such Renaissance instruments as the bombards, the shawms and the pifferi. Originally one of a family of instruments, the soprano oboe was the principal oboe that was still in use at the end of the seventeenth century. As was also the case with practically every other woodwind instrument at that time, its conical bore became narrower and its exterior became increasingly elaborate (cf. the recorder) with decorative mouldings and circlets. It was at first an orchestral instrument, particularly so in France but it soon went on to establish its own repertory in chamber music and sacred music. The oboe was also very popular in Italy, while J.S. Bach was to make it one of the instruments he used most frequently for obbligato lines in his cantata arias. The two keys are used to

overcome a limitation of fingering (for the low C) and to improve the quality of a note in the lower register (for the E flat)

Oboe d'amore in A | more ...sounds a minor third below written pitch

this is a typically German instrument that dates from the first half of the eighteenth century, it being an oboe in A that sounds a third lower than the normal oboe. It also possesses a bell shaped bulge at its lower end that gives the instrument its characteristically warm timbre. It was mainly used as a solo instrument in chamber music although J.S. Bach also used it as an obbligato instrument in cantata arias.

Cor Anglais in F (English Horn) | more ... sounds a perfect fifth lower than written pitch

the baroque equivalent of the cor anglais was the alto oboe known in France as the taille de hautbois. It was first used in the second half of the seventeenth century in the French ensembles known as the bandes de hautbois, in which it played the inner lines of polyphonic compositions. J.S. Bach was also to make use of it when a low pitched oboe

was needed to double the viola parts in the cantatas.The oboe da caccia, always referred to by its Italian name, appears frequently in works by J.S. Bach. It is also quite probable that Bach himself caused this particular type of oboe to be built. Several years ago various pieces of an instrument were discovered in the collections of the Copenhagen Instrumental Museum; these were carefully assembled and this enigmatic instrument was the result. It had a double reed, it was bigger than the normal oboe and had a curved body whose separate components were held together by a strip of leather, the whole ending in a metallic bell. What was more, it was noted with great surprise that the instrument had been first made by Eichentopf, the most well-known instrument maker of Leipzig of Bach's time. The puzzle over exactly what type of instrument Bach's oboe da caccia was had finally been solved. The oboe da caccia sounds a fifth lower than the normal oboe and can thus be linked with the alto oboe in F

Heckelphone in C | more ...sounds one octave below written pitch

the Heckelphone was a musical instrument invented by Wilhelm Heckel and introduced in the late nineteenth century. It is similar to a oboe but with a wider bore and a deeper sound. Richard Strauss's 1905 opera Salome calls for a Heckelphone

Piccolo Heckelphone in F

the piccolo Heckelphone is a very rare woodwind instrument. It is a variant of the Heckelphone, that is pitched in F, a fourth above the oboe. It was developed and produced by the Wilhelm Heckel GmbH in Biebrich, Germany

Bassoon | more ... sounds at written pitch

the precursor of the modern bassoon, the dulcian (meaning soft and sweet in Latin) was invented about 500 years ago. It was built in one piece and had a double reed made from cane. In England the dulcian was called the curtal. In the period 1643 to 1715, French instrument makers developed a new curtal that had four separate pieces and between 4 and 8 keys. It is remarkably similar to the modern instrument. During the 1700s, more keys were added as the range was extended. The most important change

came in 1820 when Carl Almenader and his partner, Adam Heckel, developed a bassoon with a better sound. Their design, the German bassoon, is the model most often used today

Contrabassoonsounds one octave below written pitch

9 Trumpets |

Piccolo Trumpet in Asounds a major sixth above written pitch

Trumpet in Fsounds a perfect fourth above written pitch

Trumpet in Esounds a major third above written pitch

Trumpet in E flatsounds a minor third above written pitch

Trumpet in Dsounds a major second above written pitch

Trumpet in Csounds at written pitch

Trumpet in B (rare)sounds a minor second below written pitch

Trumpet in B flat (Cornet)sounds a major second below written pitch

Trumpet in Asounds a minor third below written pitch

Bass Trumpet in E flatsounds a major sixth below written pitch

Bass Trumpet in Csounds one octave below written pitch

Bass Trumpet in B flatsounds a major ninth below written pitch

Trumpet Family | more ... the first trumpets reputedly came from Egypt, and were primarily used for military purposes (Joshua's shofar, blown at the battle of Jericho, came from this tradition) like the bugle as we still know it, with different tunes corresponding to different instructions. In medieval times, trumpet playing was a guarded craft, its instruction occurring only within highly selective guilds. The trumpet players were often among the most heavily guarded members of a troop, as they were relied upon to relay instructions to other sections of the army. Eventually the trumpet's value for musical production was seen, particularly after the addition of valves around the mid 1830s, and its use and

instruction became much more widespread. The Arabic word for trumpet was naffir. The Spanish used the Arabic name al naffir and changed it into anafil, while the French gave the trumpet its own name, buisine, derived from the Latin word buccina

10 Trombones |

Alto Trombone in E flatsounds at written pitch

Tenor Trombone in B flatsounds at written pitch

Bass Trombone in B flatsounds at written pitch

Trombone Family | more ... until the early eighteenth century, the trombone was called the sackbut in English, a word with various different spellings ranging from sackbut to shagbolt and derived from the Spanish sacabuche or French sacqueboute. This was not a distinct instrument from the trombone, but rather a different name used for an earlier form. Other countries used the same name throughout the instrument's history, viz. Italian trombone and German Posaune. The sackbut was built

in slightly smaller dimensions than modern trombones, and had a bell that was more conical and less flared. Today, sackbut is generally used to refer to the earlier form of the instrument, commonly used in early music ensembles. Sackbuts were (and still are) made in every size from alto to contrabass, though then as now the contrabass is very rare. Older, now obsolete versions of the bass trombone were of smaller bore than the modern bass trombone described above. They were pitched in G (range: Db2-D5, without attachments), F (range: B2-C5), E (Renaissance, Baroque instruments) , E flat (range: A2-Bb5), D (Renaissance, Baroque instruments) or C (Renaissance, Baroque instruments) and had a longer slide and a handle attached to the outer slide stay to allow for full extension of the slide. These older types of bass trombone were used in Europe and the British Empire[some information taken from: Types of Trombone]

11 Horns |

French Horn in F | more ... sounds a perfect fifth below written pitch

the two terms, Hunting Horn and Trompe de Chasse are both often used for the same instrument. The trompe de chasse first came to prominence at the end of the seventeenth century in France; the French court's behaviour was much imitated at the time and the instrument thus became part of European hunting tradition. The hunting horn came in various sizes, depending on how many concentric circles were formed by the body of the instrument. This instrument that is so characteristic of the hunt and the countryside began to be used in instrumental music at the beginning of the eighteenth century, as can be seen from French and German works of the period, Bach's 1st Brandenburg Concerto being one of the most famous examples. In this work and in many others for the instrument by Bach's contemporaries, the instrument is called the corno da caccia. Like the trumpet, the horn is limited in its melodic ability because of its reliance on the harmonic series, although a few more notes are nevertheless available; it has the same intonation problems as the trumpet in this respect. This problem

was, however, solved during the eighteenth century around 1750 by one Anton Joseph Hampel, who discovered the stopped note technique. This consists of placing the hand into the bell of the horn, thus changing the length of the column of air and thereby correcting the tuning of certain notes and even obtaining several that do not form part of the natural harmonic scale. There is no mention of this technique in any source prior to this date, either in scores, essays, or paintings which could lead us to believe either that the players of Bach's, Handel's and Telemann's works had a special lip technique or that what appear to us today to be intonation faults were then accepted because they were an unavoidable part of the instrument. This being said, it seems that the instrument that was used for "learned" music then began slowly to differ from the hunting horn proper. The shape of the bell changed, its progressive widening making Hampel's technique possible. A system of crooks was also invented that enabled the instrument to be played in different keys (also sometimes used for the trumpet), these crooks being different lengths of tubing that were inserted between the mouthpiece

and the body of the instrument, thereby varying the fundamental pitch of the instrument (C, D, E, F, G etc.) according to their length and allowing the horn to play many different types of music. It was undoubtedly for reasons of balance with other instruments that the horn's timbre softened and darkened in contrast to the brassy and brilliant colour of the trumpet, which had to keep its bright and loud tone for obvious reasons.

Flugelhorn in B flatB flat Alto Horn (rare)sounds a major second below written pitch

Alto Horn in Asounds a minor third below written pitch

French Horn in Gsounds a perfect fourth below written pitch

French Horn in Esounds a minor sixth below written pitch

French Horn in E flatsounds a major sixth below written pitch

French Horn in Dsounds a minor seventh below written pitch

French Horn in Csounds an octave below written pitch

Baritone Horn

(Euphonium)Treble Clefsounds a major ninth below written pitch

Baritone Horn (Euphonium)Bass Clefsounds at written pitch

12 Tubas |

B flat Tenor Wagner Tubasounds a major second below written pitch

F Bass Wagner Tubasounds a perfect fifth below written pitch

Tuba | more ... sounds at written pitch

tubas are found in various pitches, most commonly in F, Eb, C, or Bb in "brass band" pitching. The main bugle of Bb tubas is approximately 18 feet long, while C tubas are 16 feet, Eb tubas 13 feet, and F tubas 12 feet in tubing length without adding any valve branches. Tubas are considered to be conical in shape as from their tapered bores, they steadily increase in diameter along their lengths. If the tubing is

wrapped for placing the instrument on the player's lap, the instrument is usually called a tuba or concert tuba. It may have a bell pointing forward instead of upward, in which case it is often called a recording tuba because of its popularity in the early days of recorded music. When wrapped to surround the body for marching, it is traditionally known as a helicon. A sousaphone is a helicon with a bell pointed up, or then curved to point forward (really, a recording sousaphone).

13 TunedPercussion |

Timpani | more ...sounds at written pitch

timpani are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl commonly made of copper. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick called a timpani stick or timpani mallet. Unlike most drums, they produce a definite pitch when struck. Timpani evolved from military drums to become a staple of the classical orchestra in the seventeenth century. Today, they are used in many types of musical ensembles including concert, marching, and even rock bands. Timpani is an Italian plural, the singular of which is timpano. However, this is rarely used in informal English speech as a timpano is typically referred to as a drum, a timpani, or simply a timp. Alternative spellings with y in place of either or both is – tympani, tympany, or timpany – are occasionally encountered in older English texts. This substitution is taken from the Latin word tympanum, from which the Italian word descends. A musician who plays the timpani is known as a timpanist.

While the word timpani has been widely adopted in the English language, some English speakers choose to use the native word kettledrums. The German word for timpani is Pauken, and the French is timbales

Glockenspiel | more ... sounds two octaves above written pitch

the Glockenspiel (German, "play of bells", also known as orchestra bells and, in its portable form, bell lira or bell lyre) is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It is similar to the xylophone, in that it has tuned bars laid out in a fashion resembling a piano keyboard. The xylophone's bars are wooden, while the glockenspiel's are metal, thus making it a metallophone. The glockenspiel, moreover, is much smaller and higher in pitch. When used in a marching or military band, the bars are sometimes mounted in a portable case and held vertically. In orchestral use, the bars are mounted horizontally. A pair of hard mallets is generally used to strike the bars, although if laid out horizontally, a keyboard may be attached to the instrument

to allow chords to be more easily played. The glockenspiel's range is limited to the upper register, and usually covers about two and a half to three octaves. In sheet music, the notes to be played by the glockenspiel are written two octaves lower than they will sound when played. When struck, the bars give a very pure, bell-like sound.

Xylophone | more ... sounds one octave above written pitch

the xylophone (from the Greek meaning 'wooden sound') is a musical instrument in the percussion family which probably originated in Indonesia (Nettl 1956, p.98). It consists of wooden bars of various lengths that are struck by a plastic, wooden, or rubber mallet. Each bar is tuned to a specific pitch of the scale Xylophones are tuned to different scale systems depending on their origin, including pentatonic, heptatonic, diatonic, or chromatic. The arrangement of the bars is generally from low (longer bars) to high (shorter bars). The xylophone has a brighter tone than its cousin the marimba, and the sustaining power of the notes is dependednt upon

the material the keys are made of. Modern xylophones include resonating tubes below the bars. A xylophone with a range extending downwards into the marimba range is called a xylorimba.

Vibraphone | more ... sounds at written pitch

Tubular Bells | more ... sounds at written pitch

Marimba | more ... sounds at written pitch

14 Voices |

Sopranosounds at written pitch

(see music dictionary for information about different kinds of soprano voice)

Mezzo-sopranowith a range from A below middle C to F an eleventh above middle C, mezzo-sopranos generally have a darker (or lower) vocal tone than sopranos, and their vocal range is between that of a soprano and that of an alto. The terms Dugazon and Galli-Marié are sometimes used to refer to light mezzo-sopranos, after the names of famous singers. A castrato with a mezzo-soprano voice was called a mezzo-soprano castrato

Alto (Contralto)

sounds at written pitch

(see music dictionary for information about different kinds of contralto voice: alto here refers to the lowest female voice)

Castratoa male voice with the same range as a female soprano

(see music dictionary for more information)

Countertenora falsetto male voice with the same range as a female alto (contralto)

(see music dictionary for more information

Tenorsounds one octave below written pitch

(see music dictionary for information about different kinds of tenor voice)

Baritonesounds at written pitch

(see music dictionary for information about different kinds of baritone voice)

Basssounds at written pitch

(see music dictionary for information about different kinds of bass voice)

14 Recorders |

Sopranino in Fsounds one octave above written pitch

Descant (Soprano) in Csounds one octave above written pitch

Treble (Alto) in Fsounds at written pitch

Tenor in Csounds at written pitch

Bass in Fsounds one octave above written pitch

Recorder Family | more ...the recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle and ocarina. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple. It is distinguished from other members of the family by having holes for seven fingers (the lower one or two often doubled to facilitate the production of semitones) and one for the thumb of the uppermost hand. The bore of the recorder is occasionally cylindrical but is

usually tapered slightly, being widest at the mouthpiece end. recorder ranges, clefs and other useful information by Ann Bies

15 KeyboardInstruments |

Organ | more ...the best known member of this family is the pipe organ, so named because it produces its sound through pipes, although many people simply refer to it as the "organ". Other types include the electronic organ, which does not have pipes, is technically not an organ, and propagates its electronically-produced sound through one or more loudspeakers. Mechanical, electro-pneumatic and electro-mechanical actions exist that allow the organist to play any or all of the stops on an organ, giving him the ability to change not only colour, but also pitch level, at will. The pipe organ is the origin of the terms 8', 16', 32', etc.. Originally referencing the length of a pipe in feet, the terms are now commonplace on synthesizer oscillators, referring to relative pitch levels. 8' stops sound pitches where you would expect when played on the piano. 16' stops play an octave lower, 32' two octaves lower, 4' and 2' stop play one and two octaves higher, respectively, in essence making the pipe organ a transposing instrument, as well. While these pitch level indications are familiar to today's synthesizer users, some stops, generally called mutations, are also made that incorporate pitch levels other than octaves, such as 5 1/3' (5th higher), 3 1/5' (10th higher) or 2 2/3' (12th higher). Most pipe organs these days have at least three manuals (keyboards), though some have only two or as many as four or five (a few even six or seven), and of course they have pedals, as well. Manuals usually comprise 61 keys notated C to c4, while the pedals usually encompass 32 notes, notated C to g1.? Notice I said "notated", because as I mentioned before, you might specify 16' or 4' stops, which would change the pitch that actually sounds.[reference: Organ Tutorial from which most of this extract has been taken]

Pianoforte | more ...a piano or pianoforte is a musical instrument classified as a keyboard, percussion, or string instrument, depending on the system of classification used. The piano produces sound by striking steel strings with felt hammers that immediately rebound allowing the string to continue vibrating. These vibrations are transmitted through the bridges to the soundboard, which amplifies them. The piano is widely used in western music for solo performance, chamber music, and accompaniment. It is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal. Although not portable and often expensive, the piano's versatility and ubiquity has made it among the most familiar of musical instruments. The word piano is a shortened form of the word pianoforte, which is seldom used except in formal language and derived from the original Italian name for the instrument, gravicèmbalo col

piano e forte (literally harpsichord with soft and loud). This refers to the ability of the piano to produce notes at different volumes depending on the amount of force used to press the keys

Harpsichord | more ...a harpsichord is any of a family of European keyboard instruments, including the large instrument currently called a harpsichord, but also the smaller virginals, the muselar virginals and the spinet. All these instruments generate sound by plucking a string rather than striking one, as in a piano or clavichord. The harpsichord family is thought to have originated when a keyboard was affixed to the end of a psaltery, providing a mechanical means to pluck the strings. The type of instrument now usually called a harpsichord in English is generally called a clavicembalo or simply cembalo in Italian, and this last word is generally used in German as well. The typical French word is clavecin. Confusingly, the most commonly used Spanish word for a harpsichord is clavicordio, leading to confusion with the clavichord. Accordingly, in musical circles the Italian or, more commonly, the French word is used by Spanish speakers

Clavichord | more ...the clavichord is a European stringed keyboard instrument known from the late Medieval, through the Renaissance, Baroque and Classical eras. Historically, it was widely used as a practice instrument and as an aid to composition. The clavichord produces sound by striking brass or iron strings with small metal blades called tangents. Vibrations are transmitted through the bridge(s) to the soundboard. The name is derived from the Latin word 'clavis', meaning "key" and 'chordis' meaning string

Instrument Names in Other Languages ::

Key word:instrument names

1 Instrument Names in Other Languages

English Italian German French Spanish

musical instruments

strumenti musicali

Musikinstrumenteinstruments de musique

instrumentos musicales

wind instruments

strumenti a fiato Blasinstrumenteinstruments à vent

instrumentos de viento

woodwind instruments

legni Holzblasinstrumenteinstruments à vent en bois

instrumentos de madera

recorderflauto dolceflauto drittoflauto a becco

Blockflöteflûte à becflûte douceflûte droite

flauta rectaflauta dulceflauta de pico

sopranino flauto dolce Sopraninoblockflöte flûte à bec flauta recta

recorder

sopraninoflauto dritto sopraninoflauto a becco sopranino

sopraninoflûte douce sopraninoflûte droite sopranino

sopraninoflauta dulce sopraninoflauta de pico sopranino

descant recorder (UK)soprano recorder (US)

flauto dolce sopranoflauto dritto sopranoflauto a becco soprano

Sopranblockflöte

flûte à bec sopranoflûte douce sopranoflûte droite soprano

flauta recta sopranoflauta dulce sopranoflauta de pico soprano

treble recorder (UK)alto recorder (US)

flauto dolce contraltoflauto dritto contraltoflauto a becco contralto

Altblockflöteflûte à bec altoflûte douce altoflûte droite alto

flauta recta contralto (or alto)flauta dulce contralto (or alto)flauta de pico contralto (or alto)

tenor recorder

flauto dolce tenoreflauto dritto tenoreflauto a becco tenore

Tenorblockflöte

flûte à bec ténorflûte douce ténorflûte droite ténor

flauta recta tenorflauta dulce tenorflauta de pico tenor

bass recorder

flauto dolce bassoflauto dritto bassoflauto a becco basso

Bassblockflöte

flûte à bec basseflûte douce basseflûte droite basse

flauta recta bajoflauta dulce bajoflauta de pico bajo

piccoloottavinoflauto piccolo

kleine FlötePikkoloflötePiccolo

petite flûteflûte piccolo

ottavinoflautínoctavilloflauta piccolo

flutetransverse flute

flautoflauto traverso

FlöteQuerflöte

flûteflûte traversièregrande flûte

flautaflauta travesera

alto flute flauto contralto Altflöteflûte en solflûte alto

flauta altoflauta contralto

bass flute flauto basso Bassflöteflûte en utflûte basse

flauta bajo

oboe oboe Oboe hautbois oboe

English horn (U.S.)cor anglais (U.K.)

corno inglese Englischhorn cor anglaiscorno ingléscuerno ingléscorneta inglesa

oboe d'amore oboe d'amore Liebesoboehautbois d'amour

oboe de amor

clarinet clarinetto Klarinette clarinette clarinete

soprano clarinetclarinetto piccolo

kleine Klarinette petite clarinetteclarinete soprano

alto clarinetclarinetto contralto

Altklarinette clarinette alto clarinete alto

basset horn corno di bassetto Bassetthorn cor de bassetcuerno bassettrompa de basset

bass clarinet clarinetto basso Bassklarinette clarinette basse clarinete bajo

contra or double bass clarinet

clarinetto contrabbasso

Kontrabassklarinetteclarinette contrebasse

clarinete contrabajo

bassoon fagotto Fagott basson fagot

contrabassoon contrafagotto Kontrafagott contrebasson contrafagot

HeckelphoneHeckelphonHeckelfono

Heckelfon Heckelphone Heckelfón

Sarrusophone Sarrusofono Sarrusofon Sarrusophone Sarrusofón

saxophonesassofonosaxofonosax

Saxophon saxophonesaxofónsaxofóno

sopranino saxophone

sassofono sopranino

Sopraninosaxophonsaxophone sopranino

saxofóno sopranino

soprano saxophone

sassofono soprano

Sopransaxophonsaxophone soprano

saxofóno soprano

alto saxophonesassofono contraltosassofono alto

Altsaxophon saxophone alto saxofóno alto

tenor saxophone

sassofono tenore Tenorsaxophonsaxophone ténor

saxofóno tenor

baritone saxophone

sassofono baritono

Baritonsaxophonsaxophone baryton

saxofóno barítono

bass saxophone sassofono basso Basssaxophonsaxophone basse

saxofóno bajo

contrabass saxophone

sassofono contrabbasso

Kontrabasssaxophonsaxophone contrebasse

saxofóno contrabajo

subcontrabass saxophone

sassofono subcontrabbasso

Subkontrabassaxophonsaxophone sous-contrebasse

saxofóno subcontrabajo

brass instruments

ottone Blechblasinstrumenteinstruments à vent de cuivres(or cuivres)

instrumentos de viento-metal

French horncornocorno francese

Horncorcor d'harmoniecor français

trompa (de pistones)corno francés

natural horn corno naturale Waldhorn cor simple trompa natural

hunting horn corno da cacciaJagdhornSignalhorn

cor de chassebugle

trompeta de caza

valve horncorno ventilecorno cromatico

Ventilhorncor à pistonscor chromatique

trompa de pistones

trumpet tromba Trompete trompette trompeta

cornet

cornetta(bugle or cornet)cornetta a pistoni(valve cornet)

KornettVentilkornettPiston

cornetcornet à pistons(valve cornet)

cornetín(corneta = bugle)cornetín de pistones(valve cornet)

trombone trombone Posaune trombone trombón

valve trombonetrombone a pistoni

Ventilposaunetrombone à pistons

trombón de pistones

bass trombone trombone basso Bass Posaunebasse-trombone

trombón bajo

tuba tuba Tuba tuba tuba

AlphornAlpenhorn

corno delle Alpi Alphorn cor des Alpestrompa de los Alpes

percussion instruments

batteriastrumenti a percussione

SchlaginstrumentPerkussionsinstrument

instruments à percussion

instrumentos de percusión

drum tamburo Trommel tambour tambor

side drum tamburo kleine Trommel tambour tambor

kettle drumstimpani

timpani Pauken timbales timbales

snare drum cassa chiarakleine TrommelRührtrommel

caisse claire caja clara

MarschtrommelSchnarrtrommel

piccolo snare drum

tamburo piccolotarole

Tarole tambour petit tarol

military snare drum

tamburo militare Militärtrommeltambour militaire

tambor militar

tenor drumcassa rullantetamburinotamburo rullante

RührtrommelWirbeltrommelTenortrommel

caisse roulantetambourin

caja rodantecaja redoblante

bass drumTurkish drum

tamburo grandetamburo grossogran cassa

Grosse Trommel grosse caisse bombo

cymbals piatti Becken cymbales cimbalos

antique cymbalscrotales

crotalicrotalescymbales antiques

Antike Zimbeln

crotalosplatillos antiguos

castanets castagnette Kastagnetten castagnettes castañuelas

triangletriangolo musicale

Triangel triangle triángulo

tambourine tamburello Tamburin tambourin pandereta

glockenspielorchestra bellschimes (US)bell lira (portable)bell lyre (portable)

glockenspielmetallofonocampanelli

GlockenspielLyra (portable)

glockenspieljeu de timbres(jeu de clochettes = clarion)

juego de timbresórgano de campanasliro (portable)

xylophone xilifono Xylophon xylophonexilófonoxilófon

vibraphone vibrafono Vibraphon vibraphone vibráfono

mouth organharmonica

armonica a bocca

Mundharmonika harmonicaarmónica de boca

celestaceleste

celesta Celesta célesta celesta

rattle raganellaRatscheKnarreSchnarre

crécellecarracamatraca

tubular bellschimes (US)

campane tubolaricampane

RohrenglockeGlocken

cloches tubolairescloches

campanas tubularescampanas

bell plates campane in Plattenglocken cloches- platillos

plate bells lastra di metalloplaquescloches en lame de métal

Turkish crescentTurkish jingleChinese pavilionJingling JohnnyMohamed's Banner

mezzaluna crescentturkisch crescentalbero di sonaglicappello cinesepadiglione cinesecappello turco

Schellenbaumtürkischer Halbmond-Stern

chapeau chinoispavillon chinois

pabellón chinopabellón turco

anvil incudineAmbossAmboß

enclume yunque

marimba marimba Marimbaphon marimba marimba

string instruments

strumenti archi Saiteninstrumentinstruments à cordes

instrumentos de cuerda

strings archi Streicher cordes cuerdas

harp arpa Harfe harpe arpa

guitar chitarra Gitarre guitare guitarra

violin violino Violine violon violín

viola viola Bratsche alto viola

violoncellocello

violoncello Violoncello violoncelle

violonchelo (preferred)cellovioloncelo

double bass contrabasso Kontrabass contrebasse contrabajo

bandorchestra di strumenti a fiato

Blasorchesterorchestre d'instruments à vent

orquesta de vientos

orchestra orchestra Orchester orchestre orquesta

chamber orchestra

orchestra da camera

Kammerorchesterorchestre de chambre

orquesta de cámara

string orchestra orchestra d'archi Streichorchesterorchestre à cordes

orquesta de cuerdas