The Complete Idiot''s Guide to Music Theory

Instrument
Range (Concert Pitch)
Write It …
Strings (bowed)
Violin
Concert pitch
Viola
Concert pitch
Cello
Concert pitch
Double bass
One octave higher
than concert pitch
Strings ( plucked)
Guitar
One octave higher
than concert pitch
Banjo
Concert pitch
Mandolin
Concert pitch
Electric bass
One octave higher 
than concert pitch
233
continues

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Part 6:
Arranging
Instrument Ranges
(continued)
Instrument
Range (Concert Pitch)
Write It …
Harp
Concert pitch
Woodwinds
Piccolo
One octave lower
than concert pitch
Flute
Concert pitch
Oboe
Concert pitch
English horn
Perfect fifth higher
than concert pitch
Clarinet (B
)
Major second higher
than concert pitch
Clarinet (E
)
Minor third lower
than concert pitch
Bass clarinet
Major ninth higher
than concert pitch
(using the treble clef)
234

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Chapter 18:
Composing and Arranging for Voices and Instruments
Instrument
Range (Concert Pitch)
Write It …
Bassoon
Concert pitch
Contrabassoon
One octave higher
than concert pitch
Soprano saxophone
Major second higher
than concert pitch
Alto saxophone
Major sixth higher
than concert pitch
(on treble clef)
Tenor saxophone
Major ninth higher
than concert pitch
(on treble clef)
Baritone saxophone
Octave and a major
sixth higher than
concert pitch (on 
treble clef)
Brass
French horn
Perfect fifth higher
than concert pitch
(on treble clef)
Piccolo trumpet
Major seventh lower
than concert pitch
235
continues

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Part 6:
Arranging
Instrument Ranges
(continued)
Instrument
Range (Concert Pitch)
Write It …
Trumpet (B
)
Major second higher
than concert pitch
Cornet
Major second higher
than concert pitch
Flugelhorn
Major second higher
than concert pitch
Trombone
Concert pitch
Bass trombone
Concert pitch
Baritone horn
Concert pitch
Tuba
Concert pitch
Keyboards
Harpsichord
Concert pitch
236

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Chapter 18:
Composing and Arranging for Voices and Instruments
Instrument
Range (Concert Pitch)
Write It …
Organ
Concert pitch
Piano
Concert pitch
Percussion (Mallets)
Chimes (tubular bells)
Concert pitch
Glockenspiel
Two octaves lower
than concert pitch
Xylophone
One octave lower
than concert pitch
Marimba
Concert pitch
Vibraphone (vibes)
Concert pitch
Timpani
Concert pitch
237

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Part 6:
Arranging
The Least You Need to Know
◆
In descending order, the four main voices in the choir are soprano, alto,
tenor, and bass (SATB).
◆
The main families of instruments are strings (both bowed and plucked),
woodwind, brass, keyboards, and percussion.
◆
Transposing instruments don’t sound in concert pitch; they sound a speci-
fied interval above or below the written note. Their parts must be trans-
posed so that the note they play is the proper note in concert pitch.
◆
B
instruments (trumpet, clarinet, and soprano and tenor saxes) sound a
major second lower than concert pitch; E
instruments (alto and baritone
saxes) sound a major sixth lower than concert pitch; and F instruments
(English horn and French horn) sound a perfect fifth lower than concert
pitch.
238
The topic of orchestration is a big one; if you’re serious about it, there’s a lot you
need to know about all the different instruments and voices. If you’re interested in
learning more, there are two very good books I can recommend. 
Samuel Adler’s 
The Study of Orchestration
(W.W. Norton & Company, 3rd
Edition 2002) is an extremely comprehensive guide to classical and modern
orchestration, one used by many college orchestration classes. And Henry
Mancini’s 
Sounds and Scores: A Practical Guide to Professional Orchestration
(Northridge Music Inc., 1973) is an easy-to-read, extremely practical guide to
jazz and popular music arranging, from the composer of the 
Pink Panther
theme
and tons of other movie scores. Both these books will teach you a lot more about
orchestration than I can in this short chapter.
If you’re interested in arranging for big bands or jazz ensembles, there are two
other books that make my list—and happen to be the two books that I personally
learned from, back in the day. These books are David Baker’s 
Arranging and
Composing for the Small Ensemble
(Alfred Publishing, 1970; revised edition 1988)
and Dick Grove’s 
Arranging Concepts Complete
(Alfred Publishing, 1972; sec-
ond edition 1989). Both books are still in print, and still very useful.
Note

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Chapter 18:
Composing and Arranging for Voices and Instruments
Exercises