(This applies to some styles, but is somewhat 'outdated' in that I now see a slightly different approach due studying some more pieces)
- A personal take on the instruments
- Winds
- Piccolo - Very high pitched and loud… adds a lot of energy and may be used for fast passages not often seen in fantasy (with the piccolo), but may often add trills or something that grabs attention as an interjection
- Flute - Clear, cutting tone and in general seems to serve to add emotion to any music
- Oboe - While more muffled than the flute, it has a clear, penetrating tone. But it used similarly with solos. It brings a more straightforward presentation of music than the flute does. It has been described as “stately” and not far behind the trumpet at that.
- English Horn - Like an Oboe but in a lower register
- Clarinet - Generally dark, but clear tone. Has an arguably smaller presence in fantasy music, but is used for some brighter pieces; it seems most often used for dark themed pieces that hint at some sort of evil or creepiness (like a witch’s hut or something).
- Bassoon - More muffled, less clear tone than an oboe, but is similar and has a great range starting very low. Arguably not often too distinguishable in fantasy music but may bused similar to a clarinet.
- Brass
- Trumpet/(Cornet) - Used for solos to make a clear statement and is great for high jabs and runs to create more energy
- French Horn - full and broad tone brings on a sense of ‘epicness.’ Usually has relatively slow-moving parts allowing each not to build up tone and create that sense of epicness.
- Trombone - Unique instrument arguably not too distinguishable in a great deal of fantasy music but can be used similarly or as a double to the french horn, bassoon, or cellos (Ambiguous uses in fantasy)
- Tuba - adds lower support as a brassy double to the contrabass
- Timpani + Unpitched Percussion
- Timpani - Great for build ups in fantasy music or as a means to keep the energy level high
- Snare Drum - a tool to rise energy level
- Bass Drum - Like the french horn of percussion. It makes something feel epic.
- Crash Cymbal - Used to create a spike in energy level signifying the start or end of a phrase with high energy level or is used as an embellishment to make something feel grand
- [Other Unpitched Percussion] - If you’re using it you probably know why
- Pitched Percussion
- Metallophone - piercing tone similar to flute that uses emotion or adds excitement but in a percussive manner
- Marimba - similar to metallophones but less piercing and more full tone
- Chimes - an embellishment
- [Other Pitched Percussion] ?
- Other Instruments
- Guitar/Lute - May be used in folk music for a not necessarily powerful, but present chord base (functioning as support) while also playing melodic lines at the same time. For this reason it is a great solo instrument for fantasy
- Dulcimer - similar to guitars especially when picked, but also functions similarly when hammered through arpeggiated chords
- Recorder - Used similarly to a flute but adds a touch of a renaissance or medieval feel. (Depending on how it's played it has the ability to approach music in a slightly more aggressive way more similarly to the violin, or switch to the more graceful, mysterious, style of the flute)
- Accordion - Used for ‘Pirate’ music like guitars would be used for other styles
- (Synthesizer keyboard) - Used often for ‘Alien’ music in the [borderline] fantasy genre
- [Even more instruments]
- Keyboards + Harp
- Piano - similar to guitar in function with chords and melody but also adds a seriousness to the music
- Harpsichord - a plucked piano… a distinct more baroque sound that can be used creatively
- Celesta - A piano with metal rods instead of strings... sounds like a metallophone but with a less piercing and fuller sound (Magical)
- Harp - can be used for melody and chords, but in fantasy is commonly used for embellishments like arpeggios or scale runs and glissando into a certain phrase, or throughout a solo. But in more mysterious or mystical settings, it often has the melody.
- Choir
- Soprano - Highest Voice
- Alto - High Voice
- Tenor - Mid to low voice
- Baritone - Low voice
- Bass - Lowest voice
- Choir - Used similarly to using other instrument families as a unit. Used for chords and support mostly and adds a sense of epicness. Higher voices are brighter and lower voices are darker and used accordingly with the music.
- Strings
- Violin - Very similar to flute, but with strings as far as emotion. But in comparison to flute it’s less mysterious and delivers a message though, not necessarily in a stately manner.
- Viola/Low Range Violin - great for darker settings when brought out or used for a solo but usually serves as harmony or support
- Cello - deeper, rich, tone used for solos. Functions like a more stately violin but also like viola as support. In a lower register, of course
- Contrabass - long rich notes for support at the bottom of the range usually providing the tonic or root of a chord. Also used to build energy with moving lines