I am going to be researching the various instrumental characteristics of instruments that I will be using for my video game music how to evoke specific emotions and themes through their instrumental timbres. Below this text is a table that explains the frequency range of each instrument and how they are often emotionally perceived by people when they are played. I am doing this as it will help improve my orchestration skills by helping me decide which instrument would sound best playing specific instrumentals in the orchestra, knowing how each instrument sounds would help me in their different registers will help me orchestrate my music throughout the project.
| Instrument | Frequency Range Characteristics |
| Harp | Low register Cb1 – F#3 (G#3) (Low register gives full sounding and resonant notes. Low harp notes are often used to replace bells, lower strings also have a great amount of reverb and volume to carry arpeggios. Glissandos in low register blur together and create messy sound due to reverb.) Middle Register Gb3 (Ab3) – C#6 (brilliant and warm timbre. Notes in this range resonate for 1-2 seconds. Commonly chords, harmony, arpeggios, glissandos and melody lines are played in this register. If performing in a large orchestra the harps melody must be supported by another instrument to prevent it from being drowned out by the dynamics of other instruments, if it is not supported the arrangement must be no larger than chamber music to stop it from being drowned out.) Upper register Db6 – G#8 (bright hard and short penetrating notes with a short decay time. Genral resonance develops in this register which come out the soundbox, it is a resonance of all the overall strings.) |
| Violin | Open strings on the violin sound much brighter than fingered strings. G string (G3–C5, G5) (sonorous and dark, in musical compositions often played with force. Very emotional and expressive melodies are often played in high register. Sound becomes more intense the high in pitch you go.) D string (D4–G5, D6) (Sounds full and mellow. The pitch of the string relates to human voice and is often used for melodies.) A string (A4–D6, A6) (Sounds more mellow than the D string) E string (E5–A7, D8) (Metallic and Lustful tone and is dominant over lower pithed middle voices. Very bright in upper register, however it has a thinner texture) |
| Cello | C string C2-F3 (sounds dark and powerful) G string G2-C4 (lacks power and sustaining power on bottom string, used to carry bass voice. Softer tonal effect) D string D3-G4 (most musical and soulful sound on the cello, used to play soft, silky, intimate, warm and lyrical instrumentals) A string A3–A5, A7 (bright, shrill and dominant tone) |
| Viola | C string (C3–D4) Has a clear, powerful, rich and dark timbre which conveys a foreboding atmosphere. Can also convey a very gloomy and somber moods. Playing the same notes on the cello however sound even more intense and powerful. G string (G3–A4) (Weaker and less powerful than the same notes on a violin, most suitable for filling in part of configurations.) D string (D4–E5) (Weaker and less powerful than the same notes on a violin, most suitable for filling in part of configurations.) A string (A4–E6, A6) (Stands out from the rest of the strings, has a rough, forceful and distinctive character. Used to evoke sentimental moods such as pain and sadness. Often played at a forte dynamic level.) |
| Trumpet | Lower register – F#3 – F#4 Sounds Metallic, dark, substantial, heroic (notes in this register sound also more rounded and sonorous) Lower Register can only be played at Forte (notes are not as rich on overtones as higher registers) Low notes down around C4 sounds assertive, dark and dominant. This register is often used in cinematic battle music. Middle register – G4 – F#5 This register sounds brilliant, full, rounded and magnificent. The brilliance of the trumpet in this register cannot be matched by any other brass instrument, the ease of playing at this register is great for composing cinematic instrumentals and solos. Trumpet is also clearly audible within the orchestra when played at a Piano level. Upper register – G5 – C6 This register sounds Bright, shrill and piercing. Notes above C6 become thin in texture and less dominant within the music. The piercing tone of this register is often used in Jazz music. |
| Horn in F | Lower register B1 – D3 Notes have a mellow and sonorous tone in this register when played at a Piano level. Can be effectively used as a the bass in horn and woodwind chords. Also very effective for bass solos and thematic tasks. Forte notes in this register sound less powerful than when used in higher registers, also have a rough tone when forced to play forte at this register. Middle register Eb3 – Eb4 Piano notes in this register sound very mellow compared to the upper register. This register also sounds more resounding and full than the lower register. Upper register E4 – F5 This register sounds bright, intense and epic. The character of this register sounds best around C5, higher horn notes have a bright and intense tone with a slight shrill tone. |
| Double Bass | C string (C2-F3) Has a dark and powerful tone which makes it a very effective instrument when trying to compose a sonorous bass passage. B and E strings These two strings on the bass have a very full and dark tone has the capability to stand out in the dynamics of the orchestra. It is very important to remember that the double bass has a long reverb in the lower frequencies of the instrument, however it can be dampened by the hand when needed. A string This string still has a sonorous timbre much like the C string, however due to its higher pitch it has a clearer tone than the lower strings. D and G strings The pitch of this register is shared with the cello, however the notes sound much more powerful and darker than on the cello. This is because the cello has much more harmonics than the double bass which gives it a softer tone. |
| Tenor Trombone | Lower register Sounds threatening dark and somber when played at a forte dynamic level, however takes a more mysterious tone when played piano. Often played as bass note in harmonic sequences. Middle register Sounds heroic and brave when played at a forte dynamic level, however it sounds more mysterious when played at a piano dynamic level. Upper register The upper register of the tenor trombone takes a more metallic tone, however it has a magical and playful tone to it. The trombones highest pitch relates to the trumpet and sounds more mellow than the instrument did in it’s lower register |
| Bass Trombone | Lower register B1 – F2 Effectively used when composing powerful and brilliant passages, this register also has a metallic tone. The section of the low register also has a similar tone and timber to the low register of the tenor trombone. Middle register F#2 – F4 This register sounds a slight bit darker than the middle register of the tenor trombone. Upper register F#4 – F5 Has a similar characteristic to the tenor trombone, however the notes are much harder to play due to the bass trombone naturally lower pitch. |
| Tuba | Lower register D1 – F2 The tuba has a much wider tone due to it’s large valve, however pedal notes on this instrument are also much harder to play and sound very reflective. Due to the low registers difficult playing style the tuba is only composed to play at a piano dynamic level while supported by other instruments. The tone of this register is very delicate and often lies beneath the dynamics of the other orchestral instruments. Middle register F#2 – F3 Due to the tuba’s soft sounding middle register this instrument is often used for soft and delicate legato passages. Upper register F#3 – G4 It is obtainable for the upper register of the tuba to have a powerful and forte tone, the tuba can also come to the foreground of the music in this register. |
Source List
Vsl.info. n.d. Instrumentology | VSL – Academy. [online] Available at: <https://www.vsl.info/en/academy/index> [Accessed 7 April 2022].