| Different combinations of musicians are given | | | | Forever and The Washington Post March. Some |
| different names, based mostly on personnel, | | | | bands play both in a concert setting and perform |
| instrumentation, and the style of music played. | | | | as a marching band (such as in parades or as part |
| An orchestra, traditionally, is made up of the | | | | of the entertainment at a football game). |
| following: strings (violins, violas, cellos, bass), brass | | | | The word band, of course, can also be used to |
| (trumpets, trombones, french horns), woodwinds | | | | describe a rock band, Dixieland band, or hip hop |
| (clarinet, oboe, bassoon, flutes, piccolos), and | | | | band. Personnel and instrumentation varies widely |
| percussion (snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, | | | | in these kind of groups as well as does the music |
| misc. percussion instruments). Although there are | | | | being played. |
| exceptions, an orchestra plays mostly symphonic | | | | A choir is made up entirely of singers (and often |
| music (Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, etc.) and most | | | | a piano accompanist) and most often takes the |
| often performs in a concert setting. Most | | | | form of male and female vocalists divided into |
| orchestras are seated the same way with the | | | | five voices (vocal ranges): soprano and alto |
| violins and violas on the conductor's left, cellos to | | | | (women) and tenor, baritone, and bass (men). |
| his right, woodwinds behind the strings, brass in | | | | Music written for choirs utilizes the five voices to |
| back to the conductor's right, and percussion, | | | | create the parts that might otherwise be played |
| back center. Its quite common that a piano is | | | | by musical instruments. Choirs can be all male or |
| included to the conductor's immediate left. A | | | | female and there are many specialty choirs such |
| soloist usually takes this position as well. The | | | | as singers that perform only certain styles of |
| average size of an orchestra is 75 to 100 players. | | | | music. Jazz choirs are quite common as are |
| Smaller groups of 50 or less are often called | | | | barbershop quartets. |
| chamber orchestras. | | | | An ensemble is a "catch all" phrase for a group of |
| The word orchestra is sometimes used in a less | | | | musicians. The term is mostly used to describe |
| informal way such as the Ukulele Orchestra of | | | | string ensembles. The term is sometimes used |
| Great Britain. The Boston Pops orchestra is | | | | when describing a group of singers (e.g., a vocal |
| known for playing popular songs of the day. | | | | ensemble). Typically, an ensemble contains four to |
| A concert band, unlike an orchestra, has no | | | | twenty members. It is derived from the word |
| stringed instruments such as violin or cello. And | | | | "assembly." |
| where an orchestra usually has three trumpets, a | | | | The word combo (from the word "combination") |
| band can have as many as twelve (as well as | | | | is sometimes used when describing an ensemble, |
| that many trombones and clarinets). Although | | | | but for the most part, it means a four-or |
| concert band music can range from symphonic to | | | | five-piece group, typically with guitar, bass and |
| popular to Jazz, many bands are known for | | | | drums. You'll see the term most often when |
| playing marches such as The Stars and Stripes | | | | describing jazz musicians (i.e., a jazz combo). |