ORCHESTRAL ARRANGEMENT
How the instruments of an orchestra are arranged in tandem with our brain functions
WORDS SCOTT DUTFIELD
Why are the brass in the back and strings at the front of an orchestra? The reasons for the positioning of an orchestra all relate to how the brain ‘hears’ different sounds. A modern symphony orchestra typically consists of around a hundred different players performing with a wide variety of instruments, including those in the woodwind, string and bass families.
All of these produce different pitches that work together to create a harmonious sound. In music, pitch refers to the length of a sound wavelength produced by an instrument, which correlates with the size of the instrument. For example, deep long sound waves emanate from larger instruments such as tubas and cellos, whereas higher pitches come from the short sound waves of a viola or flute.