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1. QUICK REFERENCE TO RANGES OF MOST

FREQUENTLY-USED ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTS

Instrument

Written Range
(Professional) ..

Strings

Sounding

Written Range
(Nonprofessional)" ..

8va-,
-eo

Violin

I
I
I

Viola

/-

:u 7 /

l!
I

Double Bass

I'

Mandolin

-r0-

as written

-..i Zir-"

as written
'1:
,

"

"

1f _ -

octave lower

as written

U'

I
"

0>
C1

11..

.--

.It.

/_01=

as written

Cello

Comments

*The uppermost notes for professional players are "limitless" on many instruments. The ones given here are those
usually called for in orchestral playing.
**The filled-in middle-range notes are for beginning orchestras; the others are for amateur groups.
tNot found on every instrument.

-e
CO

0t--'

><

>

0'
0'

Instrument

Banjo

Sounding

Written Range
(Professional)
!):

;t.,

II

Written Range
(N onprofessional)

Comments

;f

et>

.....

as written, but Tenor Banjo

sounds octave lower

0'<:

S,

Guitar

II

o
ri

octave lower

:::r-

et>

en

.....

U"

a.....-.

8VQl

Harp
(with pedals
up)

{! -=

::s

as written

8 bassoJ

Woodwinds
Piccolo

811G_,

8vo

eo

7'

octave higher

7' z "

8IJG _,

&0.,

.0.

/-

_eo

as written

Flute
Alto Flute

t=o

/-

7'

-&>z

-,

_-eo

L-

8vo_,
eo
/-

perfect 4th
lower

v-

Usually not available in

amateur groups

Oboe

0-

-e-

as written

&0"'/

----"7

/=

/eEnglish Horn

22

perfect 5th
lower

\ ;.. /7

8va,

All Clarinets
except Bass

Bass Clarinet

I'
('
t;
"

Bassoon

4j

,.

=7

II

Contrabassoon ,.

-&

"U"

-&

/=
z

i;po//

Bb: major 2nd lower

A: minor 3rd lower
D: major 2nd higher
Eb: minor 3rd higher

0-7

=7

z L=

/=

0-

major 9th lower; if

written in bass clef,
major 2nd lower

-ez .c=

..

as written

zz

Very seldom available in

amateur OT school
orchestras
.n.

/-

II1'1

II
I'

/07

z
z z

octave lower

zz

z .%

Usually no D or Eb
clarinets in
nonprofessional
orchestras
Usually
unavailable in
amateur or school
groups
Watch lowest and
highest notes for
amateurs
Usually not available
in nonprofessional
groups

'>
'0
'0

co

_.

::l

CL.

><

>

i:

I
'iii

Ol
'-l

0)

I-lo
Q:)

Instrument

Written Range
(Professional)

Written Range
(Nonprofessional)

Sounding

Comments
CI.l
.....
t:

0..

All
saxophones

-e-

&u.7

z
zz

Brass

If available in
amateur groups,
the saxophones
should not be
scored very low or
very high

Bb Soprano: major 2nd lower

Eb Alto: major sth lower
Bb Tenor: major 9th lower
Eb Baritone: octave and major
6th lower
Bb Bass: 2 octaves and a major
2nd lower

'<:

0""S
o

::r
Ctl

<:n
.....
""S

I gO
I

Horn
(plus pedal
notes)

All Trumpets
except Eb Bass

In Eb

fuzzzf

-&

zz

zz

/-

F/

* /-/

::;...

perfect 5th lower

C: as written
Bb: major 2nd lower
D: major 2nd higher
z
Eb: minor 3rd higher
Cornet in Bb: major 2nd lower
Bass in C: octave lower
Bass in Bb: major 9th lower
Flugelhorn: major 2nd lower

z z

""

Use only Bb and

C trumpets

major 6th lower

- r

- -<'-

Tenor
Trombone

as written

.f,.e.
.0.

Bass
Trombone

/-

i):--

7/

,
I

I
!

Tuba

".-,

-e-

/=
./

;;>. /

8 basso.J

II!I

as written

-/

_e

as written

--::;?"

8 basso---.J

III

Baritone

--.y.=--,

..7

as written; if notated in
treble clef, major 9th lower

-3==%
I7u:

as written; if notated in
treble clef, major 9th lower

./

:1

!I

'I

I'

Ii
(

Euphonium

Rarely available in
amateur orchestras,
but always found
in bands

>

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CL
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>

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c..(

620

The Study of Orchestration

Percussion
Timpani

Sounding

Written Range
(Professional)

Instrument

,:

f1

h </<>
f

fi

l
as written

Sca ;

Xylophone

- f <>7

octave higher

se;

Marimba
Glockenspiel

Vibraphone

'1:

I'>

tT
tJ'

as written

n 2

-7

zz

9-

2 octaves highe:

U"

..0.
-

..

81'1

1/-1
--I

--

as written

-\
I

-\

(w)

Chimes

z z

0
;;>

as written

<

Keyboard

as written

Piano
9-

B bassos

octave higher.

Celesta

Harpsichord

,
-

as written

9-

Harmonium

Organ

,:

..0.

as written

as written