What is the order of instruments in a musical score?

Answer 1

The order of instruments in an orchestral score is traditionally arranged in four groups: woodwind, brass, percussion and strings, in that order, downwards. The woodwind instruments are arranged by the length of the instrument, beginning with the shortest (piccolo) at the top, followed by flutes, oboes, clarinets and bassoons. The brass section traditionally begins with the horns, followed by trumpets and trombones. The percussion usually includes two or more kettledrums (timpani), and perhaps a side-drum, cymbals, etc. in no specific order. The strings, like the woodwind, are arranged by size, startiing with the violins (the smallest) in two groups, first and second (normally 16 first and 14 second violins) followed by violas, cellos and basses.

Answer 2

glass, metals, and most hanging objects

woods, nonpitched

pitched instruments in keyboard arrangement

membranophones, nonpitched

effects and auxiliary instruments

timpani

SOURCE - Kurt Stone. 1980. Music Notation in the Twentieth Century: A Practical Guidebook. W. W. Norton & Company, New York, p. 216.

Answer 3

Score order for Orchestra is:

Flutes (Fl or Fls)

Oboes (Ob or Obs)

Clarinets (Cl or Cls)

Bassoons (Bsn or Bsns)

Horns (Hn or Hns)

Trumpets (Tpt or Tpts)

Trombones (Trb or Trbs)

Tuba (Tuba)

Timpani (Timp)

Percussion (Perc)

Other Instruments

Violins I (Vlns)

Violins II

Viola (Vla)

Violoncellos (Vcl)

Double Bass (DB)

Score order for band is:

Flutes (Fl or Fls)

Oboes (Ob or Obs)

Bassoons (Bsn or Bsns)

Clarinets (Cl or Cls)

Saxophones (AS, or TS, or BS)

Cornets (Cor)

Trumpets (Tpt or Tpts)

Horns (Hn or Hns)

Trombones (Trb or Trbs)

Euphoniums (Euph)

Tubas (Tubas)

Timpani (Timp)

Percussion (Perc)