The Orchestra

What this unit covers

The unit is about The Orchestra in the Instruments and Voice strand of Music. Most of the resources focus on the four families: strings, woodwind, brass and percussion. The mind maps break each family into its instruments, from violin, viola, cello and double bass to flute, piccolo, oboe, clarinet and bassoon, then trumpet, french horn, trombone and tuba. Some maps also split percussion into tuned and untuned.

Where to start

Begin with a mind map to see the whole picture. The map called instruments of the orchestra lays out the four families and their instruments in one view. The map Orchestral Family adds extras such as the contrabassoon, bass clarinet and English horn.

Then move to a quiz. The Instruments of the Orchestra quiz asks you to name the four families and spot the odd one out, for example that the flute is woodwind, not brass. Another quiz with the same title goes deeper, asking about double stopping, the clef used for the double bass and what changes the pitch of a brass instrument.

Using quizzes and maps together

1. Read a map and cover the instrument names.
2. Take a quiz and note what you missed.
3. Go back to the map for those families only.
4. Try a flashcard deck such as Identify Instruments, which pairs instruments with their families.

Beyond the families

A few flashcard decks stretch into chamber music, texture, structure and form, and the development of instrumentation. Some resources mention GCSE Music and A-level Music, so older students can use them as extra practice alongside their course. Teachers can pick a map or quiz to use with a class as it is.

Where it sits

This unit belongs to the Instruments and Voice strand of the Music subject. Pick a resource that suits you, and when you are ready, make your own maps and flashcards to match your lessons.