Hello, I am currently transcribing this (quite clear and simple) theme here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK7OvkrPqZ0
..but I need someone to listen into it and help me figuring out which instruments are playing exactly.

Transcribing pitch and syntax isn't really a problem, but I have near to no experience in differentiating the various orchestra instruments (or even synths). I am usually just transcribing clear piano, guitar, or some piano+violin pieces (I also submitted some to Ichigo's allready), but this project is something totally new for me. I can hold them apart by ear, but I have no idea of the naming.
Looking into Sibelius' instrument choice just confused me further, because of all the options, but no ability to testhear them in advance.

I have these instruments so far:
- 2 Piano staves of course
- 1 high and 1 lower violin (I mean the one best heard around 0:40-0:45) --- I know there are likely more higher violins, but as they are playing the very same thing, it really doesn't matter for the sole transcription purpose
(I presume though that the "lower violin" is another instrument instead)
- 1 violoncello for the bass-string-instrument that switches in at 0:23 -- I am not sure about this one either

With this I allready transcribed up to 0:54 where this kind of plucked bass is triggered. I really have no idea what it is exactly or how to put it into Sibelius. (I have Finale too by the way, if someone maybe wants to refer to instruments there.)
At some random points later I think I hear quite silent orchestra hits sometimes, but I am not sure if it is just a side effect of this plucked bass instrument or maybe forshadowing of the percussions later.

Another two instruments come with minute 2, where one is clearly a synth I need a name to. The other will get served by a simple xylophone definitly.

The last things are the percussions around 2:50 where I don't know the exact term for what to choose in Sibelius. Especially the clingy gong thing (I don't know the english word for this part of a drum kit).

Ok, that's it. Thanks for any help in advance.

At a guess, you'll need the full string group (violin, viola, cello, bass). I don't know how Sibelius works, but for the plucked bass you probably need to search an articulation/expression function for pizzicato. Returning from it use arco.

As for percussion, I'm not much help. You mentioned gong, but I couldn't hear one. Might you mean the cymbal?

That's all I could hear. I don't think anything other than the xylophone pops up at 2:00. Just a poor violin/viola synth doing pizzicato.

EDIT: Sorry, I missed on the first read-through that part of the problem is finding the terms. For bass it's likely written "contrabass" or "double bass." (If you knew that already and I am just stating the audience then I feel foolish. OTL)

Thank you for the tipps, I will try it with a full string group and the pizzicato expression. So a Viola is the low type violin, interesting. I am curious if the cello or the contra/double-bass make the lowest voice in the start.

As for percussion, I'm not much help. You mentioned gong, but I couldn't hear one. Might you mean the cymbal?

Yes, cymbal, that's it. I didn't know the word for it.

Yeah, I'd go for bass with the lowest voice in the beginning.

Hello again, I've just discovered another unidentified instrument in this piece. I made it up to 2:50 where the percussion part starts, but I overheared that the bass part from this point is taken over by some sort of vibrating string I think - likely a bass guitar? But I am not sure. Direct link to the position: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK7OvkrPqZ0&t=2m50s
You can hear it when listening for the percussions specifically, because they serve as some sort of escort for the bass. There is a percussion free eight at the last position of the first beat (after three consecutive hits of the drum set), thats where you can recognize it pretty easy I think. It is like a deep and slightly delayed echo of the piano's bass notes.
But what is it exactly? The guitar instruments I tried out in Sibelius so far all sound quite different, but that could be due to natural variance.


Status on the other things: The lowest instrument in the beginning was really the Cello, so I am only using the Bass in the parts where it is plucked. The Viola is right and also the Synth Strings later, just the Xylophone had to be replaced by some sort of Music Box FX (but that is because the Sibelius' Xylophone is made of wood and doesn't come with a metal option).