Instrument Register tone and quality chart
I have been looking for some time now, for a chart of all the different register tone qualities of all the instruments played in an orchestra. If you have a hard time understanding what I mean by that, I am sorry that I do not know the proper term. I was watching an Orchestration Tutorial online, and the tutor shows part of such a chart in one of his videos:
namely at 2:05.
If anyone has such a chart and knows where to get it, or can find one online it would be much appreciated.
Thank you!
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Here is my feeble attempt at combining the individual instruments Register tone quality into one chart.
Note: Samuel Adler's Orchestration book did not have any of this for the Strings but that is not what I was looking for so I am satisfied. Also, I had a hard time getting everything in the image, so some instruments are placed rather randomly...
The chart is from Principles of Orchestration, by Rimsky-Korsakov.
Here's a response from the video author:
OrchestrationOnline 5 years ago
Hi Anji! That is an excerpt from
Rimsky-Korsakov's "Principles of Orchestration." Many orchestration
manuals have indexes of instrument ranges, but since there are so many
instruments that might be used, these charts cover far more than one
page.
Online Source
Here's the full chart: Chapter I Table B
Normally questions concerning material solicitation are shut down, but I think in this case, since it applies to orchestration, which is musical practice related to composition pedagogy, it is pertinent to this forum.
First, there are two great texts concerning orchestration: Alfred Blatter's "Orchestration" and Samuel Adler's "The Study of Orchestration." Adler's comes with a CD and DVD so you can listen to scoring techniques and see performers playing the instruments. Both texts contain registral characteristics within each chapter for each individual instrument. Blatter's text also include dynamic curves as well, which is extraordinarily helpful.
That said, there is no substitute for getting the sound in your ears and for talking with real musicians. Some musicians I have talked to disagree or laugh at some of Adler's registral descriptions. One of the wonderful things about orchestration is that it is equal parts technique and personal aesthetic.
So, books are helpful, but asking friends to play through sketches is exponentially more beneficial for the composer / orchestrator.
Good luck.
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