Open-String Order Worksheet
Orchestra Worksheets · All Free Music Worksheets
Open-String Order helps beginning orchestra students compare standard four-string tunings for violin, viola, cello, and double bass. A tuning map supports eight questions about string order, shared pitch letters, and the double bass's octave transposition.
Download and print
The student-only PDF is one page and contains no answers. The separate teacher answer key is also one page. Print the student PDF for your class and keep the key for checking.
What students practice
- Read standard open-string tunings from lowest to highest.
- Complete the string-letter sequences for four orchestral instruments.
- Compare the shared letter names of viola and cello strings.
- Recognize that double bass sounds one octave below written pitch.
A short teaching routine
Before distributing the page, ask students to name their own open strings from low to high. Review the tuning map together and distinguish pitch letter names from exact register.
Let students complete the questions individually, then compare answers with a player from another section. Finish by saying the open strings in reverse order; instruments are optional for this extension.
Common questions
Do viola and cello have the same tuning?
They share the letter sequence C-G-D-A, but the cello's corresponding strings sound one octave lower.
Does the worksheet cover alternate or five-string tunings?
No. It uses standard four-string orchestral tunings only.
Related practice
Parts of the Violin and Viola Worksheet pairs string-name practice with instrument-part identification.