The Instruments

These four instruments are all members of the string family of instruments. Furthermore, they are all considered a part of the "violin" family of instruments given that they share similarities in both look and construction.


There are four instruments that are included in a string orchestra and that your student may choose from when selecting what to play. They are:

  • Violin

  • Viola

  • Cello

  • Bass

Let's meet each instrument in the orchestra!

The Violin

  • The violin is the smallest instrument and the highest "voice" within the string orchestra.

    • It is one of the two "high string" instruments in the orchestra.

  • The violin is played off the shoulder and, like all orchestral string instruments, is usually played with a bow.

  • Most orchestra music includes two different violin parts, splitting the violins into two different sections. For this reason, it is common to have more violins in the orchestra than any other instrument.

How it sounds:

The Viola

  • The viola is the second highest "voice" within the string orchestra.

    • It is the second "high string" instrument within the orchestra.

  • While played off the shoulder like the violin, the viola is a little bit larger and has a deeper and more mellow tone than the violin.

How it sounds:


The Cello

  • The cello is the second lowest "voice" within the string orchestra.

    • It is one of the two "low string" instruments found in the orchestra.

  • The cello is much larger than the violin/viola and is therefore played positioned between the knees while the player is seated.

  • The cello and the viola share the same string names, however, the cello is tuned an octave lower than the viola.

How it sounds:

The Bass

  • Sometimes called the "double bass" or the "upright bass," the bass is the largest instrument within the orchestra and has the lowest "voice."

    • It is the second "low string" instrument within the orchestra.

  • The bass looks similar to the cello, but is so large that it is most often played while standing. Occasionally, bassists may be seen sitting on a stool while playing, but almost never in a normal chair.

  • While all of the orchestral instruments may be played by either plucking or bowing the strings, because of the bass's big sound, it is not uncommon to see the bass being played by primarily plucking the string in musical genres such as jazz, bluegrass, or folk.

Playing Together!

Twinkle You Big Star.mp4

  • "Dragon Hunter" is an example of a tune that you might play when you reach the advanced orchestra in 6th grade!

  • Here is an example of a tune that you might recognize!