Instrument Atlas
Every instrument, mapped
Ranges, transpositions, clefs and practical writing notes, grouped by family so you can see how instruments relate. We start with the symphony orchestra; early, world, folk and electronic instruments follow.
- 21 instruments
- 5 orchestral families
- More families in preparation
Every range on one keyboard
Click a family name to see how its instruments are related, or an instrument to open its page.
Sound comes from a vibrating air column, started by an edge (flutes) or a reed. Pitch changes by opening and closing tone holes.
Flutes · edge-blown
FluteC4 – C7Single reeds
Clarinet in B♭D3 – B♭6The player's lips buzz into a cup-shaped mouthpiece. Valves or a slide change the tube length, and the lips select notes of the harmonic series.
Instruments that are struck, shaken or scraped. Timpani and mallet instruments play definite pitches; drums and cymbals add rhythm and colour.
Timpani
TimpaniD2 – C4Drums & cymbals · unpitched
Snare Drumno definite pitchBass Drumno definite pitchCymbalsno definite pitchInstruments that play chords and several lines at once. In the orchestra they add colour, sparkle and definition rather than sustained tone.
Harp
HarpC♭1 – G♯7Bowed or plucked strings over a hollow body. The violin family is tuned in fifths; the double bass keeps the fourths of the older viol family.