Symphony Orchestra

Symphony Orchestra or violin is the most popular instruments among the various musical instruments. It is therefore a small part of a large group of instruments that produces great effects while one hears such orchestra. The violin is the smallest of the string instruments but has the highest sound and it is almost three times as many as there are violas or cellos.

The lower string includes the viola that is a bit larger than the violin and very often used in harmony. Sometimes it gets melody but sounds very similar to violin and is tuned one fifth lower. The cello is an octave less than the viola and is played between the knees of the instrumentalist. It is having a mellow sound but doubles the violin's melody very often. The bass is the lowest of the strings and is played standing upright. It has the same strings as the violin but it is in reverse order and several octaves lower.

Except the string instruments, very few people know that what exactly is an orchestra. Woodwind includes the flute, the clarinet, the piccolo, the bassoon, and the oboe. Piccolo is the highest of the woodwinds and is used for solos that are high enough to soar above the orchestra at many times. The flute and clarinet doubles the strings and in the recent times they have more melody. The bassoon is the lowest and is used to add color to the strings at the same time it has a lot of harmony and sometimes double the string parts. Oboe used to be an important part of the orchestra but now it is used very less.

Brass is also an important part of an orchestra and these instruments project quite a bit and are used more often in melodies. French horn is one of the most useful brasses because it easily doubles the rest of the brasses. Trumpet is also well known instrument that is rather high to soar above the orchestra to be heard.

Percussion is also important whereas tympani drum is the most important of all percussion as it provides beat as well as different tones. Snare drums, bass drums, gongs, xylophones, bells, triangles, etc. are also used.