Instrument Ranges Timbral Characteristics Dynamic Curves Additional Comments Shrill © 2007 D. J. Prescott Bright + clear Weak, but Piccolo soft + mellow -More agile than flute Sounds 1 Octave Higher Flutes -Faster articulations Piccolo -Dynamic curve similar to flute but with exaggerated contrast -Solo piccolo in mid+low registers - valuable voice D4 — C7 Quiet, easily covered, Shrill + -High piano (p) - still shines through orchestral tutti hauntingly hollow Clear + brilliant penetrating sound Sweet, but with Flute Only use B6 upwards at the little carrying -Agile -2+ = Increased mass, not volume end of an upward-rushing f-fff scale. power -Fast articulations -Double, triple+flutter tonguing Flute -Rapid scales -Wide leaps -Intonation good except from G6 upwards: Also at this register, 2 flutes produce obvious B3 — D7 beats which are more obvious with 4ths+5ths, less These trills and tremolos are Cold + weak, Pinched + unplayable on the flute. ineffective so with 3rds+6ths -Easily masked below C5 (above mid C) but luscious Warm, prominent, Thin, but clear reedy, + poignant Oboe Oboes -Agile -Vibrato - standard element -Expressive -Trills+ornaments sound clear Oboe -Precise staccatos -All trills+tremolos possible (trems wider -Rapid scales than perfect 4th are awkward) -Smooth legato - even with wide leaps These notes are hard to play at Bb3 — A6 dynamics less than mf. Thick, heavy, wild -Double, triple tonguing. Flutter tonguing rare but possible + hard to subdue Thin, pinched English Horn Sounds Written Mellow, reedy, (perfect 5th -As agile as oboe sonorous lower) -More delicate and slightly quieter than oboe English Horn -Precise attack -Pointed staccatos E3 — B5 B3 — F#6 -Rich in upper partials Piercing, shrill, A Clarinet Bb Clarinet Eb Clarinet Deep, rich Sounds Sounds Sounds All written Written flute-like (minor 3rd (major 2nd (minor 3rd + intense 'Throat tones': lower) lower) higher) Clarinet -'Eb' more shrill without much chalumeau rather pale, fuzzy Clarinets -Agile -All major+minor 2nd trills possible + lifeless (written) (Written) -Smooth legatos (tricky ones listed opposite) Clarinet -Tremolos - good -No problem crossing break from Bb4-B4 -Staccato not as pointed as double reeds, so should be Clarino register: compensated for when used with oboes and/or bassoons bright, incisive, G3 — C7 Chalumeau register: -Dynamic range greater than other woodwinds - all dynamics E3 — A6 expressive D3 — G6 Avoid major 2nd trills are available in all registers (attacks can be almost inaudible) C#3 — F#6 on these notes, when the deep, rich + dark part is solo, or exposed. Clarino register: Bass Clarinet Sounds Written Thin, but clear (major 9th OK when used in tutti. diffused + windy -Agile - almost as much as clarinet lower) -Fluid Bass Clarinet in Bb -Useful ensemble voice - gives clarity to cellos + d. basses -Solo - distinguished + strikingly individual tone Chalumeau register: Db2 — G5 deep, rich, very dark + E 3 — A6 mellow - goblinesque b Thin + often pinched Sweet, more subdued, Thin, but intense but expressive, horn-like, Bassoon ( , or ) transparent + Bassoons -Often doubles string melodies in unison, or in 8va below blends well -Agile - except lowest 5th and above G4: Bassoon -Rapid tonguing - single usual, but double + triple also possible -Wide leaps Avoid trills (major or minor 2nd) Very focused, nasal, bright + unique -Rapid loud or low passages need lots of breath from low Gb downwards, or on -Excellent as solo voice in upper range Bb1 — E5 all Db's, Eb's, Gb's or on A4. Sonorous, brittle, Poor quality, -Divide tricky rapid passages below F2 between 2 bassoons dark, vibrant, sinister Rough, but focused easily masked + expressive Double Bassoon + dry (soft attacks -Expressive -Well-focused and true 's impossible) pp -Slightly less agile than bassoon, so make parts simpler Double Bassoon -Good bass to p-mf brass or woodwind ensemble -Reedy and growly Sounds 1 Octave Lower -Adds unobtrusive pitch centre to low double basses -Often doubles double basses in unison and doubles Bb1 — C5 Growly, brittle, Hard to play cellos in 8va below dark + full Brilliant, loud ppp-p Horn -Stopped notes:Soft=Delicate, Loud=Ominous bite! Sounds written Sounds + exciting Horns (perfect 5th Deep + solid Bright + heroic above -Not very agile - leaps over 1 8ve should be used sparingly lower) written A4. (written) -Tonguing is less incisive than other brasses, but pro players Horn in F can perform double, triple and flutter tonguing -Trills: i)Lip-commonest+smoothest type. Most whole-step lip trills above written Bb4, above mid C, are possible D2 — C6 Warm, expressive ii)Valve-Best are minor 2nds throughout whole range Pedal tones (black notes) - = Haunting + dark -High notes lack accuracy+security, more so in soft passages G1 — F5 Dark, unfocused, ppp mp Brilliant, and lower range: write only mf-fff = Heroic + brilliant but strident as long holding notes. weak, + easily Trumpet covered Trumpets -Very agile - rapid passages, wide leaps -Rapid tonguing easy - double, triple or flutter Trumpet in C -Trills: All major + minor 2nds possible -Tremolos: minor 3rds+up are hard to play fast, but possible Clear, bright, + if both pitches require little or no change of fingering most articulate -Slurs: All possible, but bigger than 1 8ve ascending and F#3 — D6 bigger than a 6th descending are difficult Rather dull Firm, powerful, Very intense Tenor Trombone -Glissandi rich + Trombones -Responsive and flexible -Legato tonguing used frequently sonorous -Agile from Bb3 upwards (less so below that): Tenor Trombone -Rapid tonguing easy - double, triple or flutter -Good balance with orchestra in any voicing All Trombones:- -Chords in open or close voicing - good -Fast-moving passages E2 — D5 - = Soft cushion of sound are unidiomatic ppp pp -Unison or 8ve doubling - good Dark, less strong, p-mp = Horn-like + mellow -Sustained chords good, but not for too long above mf Pedal tones: Bb1 is easily playable. Below that + tubby, but mf-fff = Assertive, massive + powerful Bass Trombone the notes become increasingly insecure. G1 is good pitch focus Very usually the bottom limit for most players. Deep + solid powerful -Darker, more somber tone -More secure lower range + pedal tones Bass Trombone -Requires more breathing spaces in music passages -Glissandi C2 — D5 Heavy + quite strong Getting weaker Pedal tones: Full sound with great carrying power. More secure than Tenor Trombone's but quite intense, Tuba pedal tones. Do not make them very rapid. Very strong, + strained Tubas -Agile smooth, + mellow -Rapid tonguing - double, triple or flutter Tuba -Requires lots of air, especially in lower register + at f-fff -Always use ledger lines for lower notes Lower notes: Pedal tones: Hard to play, -Uniform expressiveness throughout range Always use but possible. Best approached ppp-mp = Smooth, horn-like, but more ledger lines, step-wise, or, if by leaping, -Usually used as bass line, or doubles bass line 8ve lower not 8ve sign. use tempo 'rubato ad lib' . able to cut through orchestra than horn -Solo: Mellow + smooth D1 — F4 Deep, heavy, mf-fff = Rich + powerful flabby, blurred + Timpani 32" 28" 25" 23" 20" (Piccolo) less agility -5 Ranges:The best tone is in the centre of each drum's range -Each drum's lower range=Dull+thumpy, Upper=Hard+pingy Timpani -Can be muffled with cloth -Struck dead centre = Darker, more ominous - less ring Bb2 — F3 D3 — A3 F3 — C4 F2 — C3 C2 — A2 The centre range of each drum produces the best tone. -Soft sticks = Warm, more resonant Light + clear, but Hard sticks = Louder + greater clarity -Glissandi with small dynamic range, Harp -Harmonics: Left hand-up to 3 close harmonics (not over a 5th apart), Normal Harmonic little carrying power right hand-only 1 harmonic. Must be all b, § , or # per hand. Range Range Harp + quick decay -47 strings, 7 pedals for each pitch class. Only 1 b, § , or # tuning per string. -All 8ves affected by changing 1 pitch class pedal, except the lowest 2 strings which have to be tuned manually -Allow approximately 0.5-1 second per pedal change, which can be done while playing as long as that pitch is not played -Only the left hand can reach lowest 8ve -Flat b strings resonate more than Harp Sounds 1 Octave Very rich + warm -Chords of 4 or less notes per hand are possible natural § or sharp # strings. Higher: write this -Thumb+3 fingers used: So favour large intervals between upper pitches, and information avoid large intervals between lower pitches into the score -Average hand span interval of 10th from thumb > ring finger -Tremolos: Fast and loud tremolos possible, using 2 strings tuned to same note -Bisbigliando: Delicate rustling trems at ppp - mp only + less clear articulation A2 — F5 Cb1 — G#7 -Glissandi: 1-handed, 2-handed, up, down or both, single notes or chord gliss. Somber, dark + sonorous Can change the tuning in mid gliss. -Sons Étouffés: Dampen notes-dry stacc. -Prés de la table: Guitar-like, plucked near soundboard Normal solo Harmonic Pizzicato solo Violin Range group Range Range group -Most agile, responsive