The folk orchestra includes various national Russian instruments, such as domras or balalaikas, various gusli, zhaleyki, button accordions and others. It also contains some symphonic instruments designed to enhance the fullness of the orchestra's sound. All instruments in the folk orchestra are divided into groups.
Instructions
Step 1
Three-stringed domras are one of the main groups of instruments in the folk orchestra. It includes domras piccolos (not present in every orchestra), small ones (usually there are from 6 to 20), alto (from 4 to 12) and bass (rarely more than 3-6). Domra is a stringed plucked instrument that came to Russia during its conquest by the Mongol-Tatars. Domras were especially popular with buffoons. A modern instrument has 3-4 strings, and the sound is produced with the help of a pick.
Step 2
Wind instruments - here in the folk orchestra there is a whole "brood" of various, very interesting instruments, dissimilar to each other. These are various pity, capable of creating a mood in any hall with their piercing sound, flutes, whose subtle and gentle sounding brings them closer to recorders and Vladimir horns, which have an interesting sound, but are currently, unfortunately, almost never used. The group of Russian wind instruments also includes bagpipes.
Step 3
European brass are also used to diversify the sound of a folk orchestra. These are flutes, oboes (their timbre is very similar to Russian wind instruments, therefore they are especially common), sometimes you can find brass instruments.
Step 4
Harmonics are one of the most important groups of instruments in a folk orchestra. Usually it includes from two to five button accordions, half of which is engaged in the melody, half - in the bass part. You can also find various unusual versions of accordions, regional varieties.
Step 5
Percussion instruments, like wind instruments, are divided into Russian and European. The Russians include bells, rattles, spoons, tambourine and others. Among the European percussion instruments in the orchestra are timpani, bells and so on. Timpani are several round bowls, from two to seven, a membrane is stretched on top of them, and sometimes there is a hole below.
Step 6
Gusli is the most ancient stringed plucked folk musical instrument known in Russia, the first mention of it dates back to the 6th century. There are several types of gusli, they differ in the number of strings and the shape of the resonator. In modern orchestras, rectangular harp is usually used.
Step 7
Balalaikas are the most important plucked string group in a folk instrument. The balalaika has a triangular or oval wooden resonator body, as well as a neck with strings stretched on it. The orchestra uses several types of balalaikas: prims (from 3 to 6 pieces), seconds (usually 3-4 instruments), violas (2-4 per orchestra), bass (1-2 balalaikas) and contrabass (from 2 to 5). Probably, balalaikas differ in size more than all other instruments: if the prima is about 60-70 cm long, then the contrabass balalaika reaches 1.7 m.
