Orchestral Instrument Range Chart

A single-glance map of the orchestra by register — every standard instrument's ambitus at concert pitch, on one piano-keyboard axis.

Pitch names Language

Practical range Extended / virtuoso Woodwinds Brass Strings Keyboards Pitched percussion Concert (sounding) pitch · middle C = C4

Woodwinds

Piccolo sounds an octave higher

D5–C8

Flute

C4–D7

Alto Flute (in G) sounds a perfect 4th lower

G3–G6

Oboe

B♭3–G6

English Horn (in F) sounds a perfect 5th lower

E3–C6

Clarinet in E♭ sounds a minor 3rd higher

G3–C7

Clarinet in B♭ sounds a major 2nd lower

D3–B♭6

Clarinet in A sounds a minor 3rd lower

C♯3–A6

Bass Clarinet (in B♭) sounds a major 9th lower

B♭1–F5

Bassoon

B♭1–E♭5

Contrabassoon sounds an octave lower

B♭0–E♭4

Soprano Sax (in B♭) sounds a major 2nd lower

A♭3–E♭6

Alto Sax (in E♭) sounds a major 6th lower

D♭3–A♭5

Tenor Sax (in B♭) sounds a major 9th lower

A♭2–E♭5

Baritone Sax (in E♭) sounds an octave and a sixth lower

D♭2–A♭4

Brass

Horn in F sounds a perfect 5th lower

B1–F5

Trumpet in B♭ sounds a major 2nd lower

E3–C6

Trombone (tenor)

E2–F5

Bass Trombone

B♭1–B♭4

Tuba

D1–F4

Strings

Violin

G3–E7

Viola

C3–E6

Cello

C2–C6

Double Bass sounds an octave lower

E1–D4

Harp

C♭1–G♯7

Keyboards

Piano

A0–C8

Celesta sounds an octave higher

C4–C8

Pitched percussion

Timpani

D2–A3

Glockenspiel sounds two octaves higher

G5–C8

Xylophone sounds an octave higher

F4–C8

Vibraphone

F3–F6

Marimba

C2–C7

Tubular Bells

C4–F5

Crotales sounds two octaves higher

C6–C8

Ranges cross-checked across standard references — Adler, The Study of Orchestration; Kennan & Grantham, The Technique of Orchestration; Andrew Hugill, The Orchestra: A User's Manual; the Vienna Symphonic Library and Philharmonia instrument guides; and the consolidated charts at Dolmetsch Online and F. G. J. Absil. Practical ranges are the consensus an advanced player can rely on; extended bars show virtuoso or instrument-with-extension extremes, which vary by player and instrument.