A la època barroca trobem que per primer cop predomina la música instrumental sobre la vocal. Això porta als instruments a tenir una gran importancia, especialment els instruments de corda. Aquest fet porta al perfeccionament i al virtuosisme dels executants. En aquesta època s'especifica per primer cop en una partitura quins instruments han de tocar cada veu. Els instruments més importants de l'època, i per tant els que es feien servir més sovint eren el clavecí, el violí, la flauta i l'orgue.
L'orquestra barroca era més petita que l'actual. Tenia com a base els instruments de corda i s'afegien alguns de vent. El clavicèmbal i l'orgue tenien dues opcions, participar com a solistes o com acompanyament polifònic.
Two violas and two violins with harpsichord.
The Concert (detail) by Antonio Domenico Gabbiani. Berlin, Archiv für Kunst und Geschichte.
Soprano recorder player. The Music Party (detail, 1663) by Pieter de Hooch (1629-84). Cleveland Museum of Art 1951.355.
Unfretted German clavichord (Hamburg, 1744) by Hieronymus Albrecht Hass. Brussels, Musée Instrumental 2518.
Tangents in an unfretted clavichord.
Six-string viol (Hamburg, 1701) by Joachim Tielke (1641-1719). Brussels, Musée Instrumental 229.
Flute player. Portrait of Ferdinand Semberger (detail, 1710) by Jan Kupetzky (1667-1740)
English organ on a rood screen, by various builders from 1605-88, beginning with Thomas Dallam. Cambridge, King’s College Chapel.
Cello player. The Music Party (detail, 1733) by Philip Mercier. London, National Portrait Gallery.
French oboeby Dupuis (1692). Berlin, Staatliche Musikinstrumen tensammlung.
Flemish harpsichord (1612) by Hans Ruckers the Elder (ca.1550-ca.1620). Brussels, Musée Instrumental 3848.
Large single harp. Adoration of the Shepherds (detail, 1638-39) by Francisco de Zurburan (ca. 1598-1664). Grenoble, Musée.
Bassoonist about to place the reed on the bocal. A musical party: the Mathias family (detail) by William Hogarth (1697-1764). Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Museum.
Timpani player. Imperial kettledrummer (ca.1700), engraving by Johann Christoph Weigel.
Man with a lute (17th century). Anonymous Flemish. Troyes, Musée des Beaux-Arts.
Three Nuremberg trumpets. In F or G by Johann Wilhelm Haas, in D by Johann Leonhard Ehe (1638-1707) and in D (1693) by Johann Karl Lodisch (1654-1721). Brussels, Musée Instrumental 1176, 1177, & 1180.
Portrait of the castrato Farinelli (detail, ca.1755) by Corrado Giaquinto (1703-65). Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.
The Guitar Player (detail) by Jan Vermeer (1632-75). London.
Alto, tenor, and bass trombones. Court Musicians of Christian IV (detail, ca.1620) by (?) Reinhold Timm. Copenhagen, Rosenborg Castle.
Horn (Nuremberg, early 18th century) by Johann Leonhard Ehe (1638-1707). Brussels, Musée Instrumental 3152.
Cornetto player. Un Concert (detail, ca.1630) by Valentin de Boulogne (1594-1632). Paris, Louvre, 8252.