Orchestra seating basics: American and German string layouts, and where winds and percussion sit
OrchMate Team · · 6 min read
Key takeaways
- There are two main string layouts: the American, with first violins, second violins, violas, and cellos seated in order from the left, and the German (antiphonal), with first and second violins facing each other from opposite sides.
- For woodwinds, the usual setup is in the middle behind the strings, with flutes and oboes in the front row and clarinets and bassoons in the back row.
- Brass sits behind the woodwinds and percussion at the very back; horns are often placed beside or behind the woodwinds.
- For amateur groups, the starting point of the layout is matching the number of stands (two players per stand) to who attends that day.
A seating layout is an agreement for balanced sound and for members to 'hear each other.' There's no single right answer; it varies with the piece, the hall, and the conductor's taste. Still, knowing the basic form makes it easy to adjust for your group.
String layout: American and German
| American (modern) | German (antiphonal) | |
|---|---|---|
| Conductor's left | First violins | First violins |
| Left, inside | Second violins | Cellos (or violas) |
| Right, inside | Violas (or cellos) | Violas (or cellos) |
| Conductor's right | Cellos (or violas) | Second violins |
| Double bass | Behind the cellos, right | Back left or backstage |
| Pros | Violins hear each other well, so it's easy to stay together | The back-and-forth between the two violin sections is heard from both sides |
Since the mid-20th century many orchestras used the American layout, and recently more orchestras have gone back to the German layout for Classical and Romantic repertoire. For amateur groups, the American layout, where violins hear each other well, is generally easier.
Woodwinds, brass, and percussion
- Woodwinds: in the middle behind the strings. Flutes and oboes in front, clarinets and bassoons behind. Each section's principals sit toward the middle.
- Horns: separate, beside the woodwinds (usually back left or right). Their bells point backward, so a reflector behind them helps.
- Trumpets, trombones, tuba: the row behind the woodwinds. They're loud, so they tend to be kept away from the strings.
- Timpani and percussion: at the very back. Timpani in the middle or near the brass; other percussion gathered at one end.
- Harp, piano, celesta: usually front left or at the back edge.
Tips for amateur groups
- Start with who's attending: set each section's number of stands from who comes that day. With 9 violinists, that's 5 stands (the last player alone).
- Set rules for outside (audience side) and inside: usually the outside player is the leader and the inside player turns the pages.
- Make sure everyone can see the conductor: without risers, widen the spacing between chairs in the back rows to keep sightlines.
- Share the seats that change by piece (guests, differences in instrumentation) in advance with a seating chart.
Choir layout
The most common choir layout splits blocks from the conductor's left as soprano, alto, tenor, bass (or soprano, tenor, bass, alto). When you want the sound to blend, you can also use a 'mixed layout' where the four voice parts stand intermingled.
FAQ
- Where do the first violins sit in an orchestra?
- In both the American and German layouts, they sit on the conductor's left, in the seats closest to the audience. The outside seat at the very front is the concertmaster's seat.
- Why use the German layout?
- Because the back-and-forth between first and second violins from opposite sides of the stage comes alive. The effect is strong in pieces with a lot of dialogue between the two violin sections, like Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahms. The trade-off is that violins have a harder time hearing each other, so it takes ensemble experience.
- What's a pult?
- It refers to the two people who share one music stand. In the strings, '1st pult' is the two people at the front stand, and the outside seat is the leading one.