Chances are composers started using "Orchestral music" as a description for any type of common classical ensemble for one reason only: Film makers, video game designers, Directors of all sorts, and programmers often don't know much of anything about music other than "what they like."

For this reason, it can be hard to discuss musical scoring (for film, games, tv shows, or even theater) with the director or other people who you are working with to create the music. We, as musicians and composers who live within music for extended periods of our lives, are so used to describing music with "musical terms" that we have learned (either from school or self-taught/talking to other musicians) that its often hard for us to "translate" this music speak for others. One of the unfortunate side-effects that this has caused is that the translated version (or "dumbed down" version if you choose to see it that way) has become the normal way to represent your work. It is sad, but this has spilled over from the working world into the world of the amateur composer who does not know any better, and they assume that anything within a classical genre or written for an ensemble common in classical should be called "Orchestral."

I've had the good fortune to play in Wind Ensembles, Rock Bands, Orchestras, and Jazz combos...so I've gotten to know the lingo pretty well...and its certainly hard to remember sometimes that not everyone knows what you are talking about when you bring up "the changes" or "the score." Many amateur composers don't know what counterpoint is or how to jazz is often interpreted. This is not necessarily a bad thing...I am NOT against being self-taught or working without classical training, and I don't expect every composer to be able to get up and blow a solo over a Charlie Parker tune...but its a strange thing when you realize some COMPOSERS don't know common things about music, and somehow your job is to get a Programmer, or a Director to understand.

And thus "orchestral music" has become a shorthand.

Now, this can be fixed in a simple way: stop using "orchestral music" when you are describing anything that isn't orchestral music. Hopefully you can inspire others and educate on proper labeling of ensembles and genres.

Just realize when a person who is running a project ASKS for "orchestral music," don't just assume they want an orchestra...often it could mean anything from a string quartet + piano, to a wind ensemble. Poke around a little more and figure out exactly what they want

I think that I found the "reason" I've been hunting for. It's not for ignorance, but an attempt at attention, that attracts using the "orchestra" word - call it smart wording. Sort of like the usage of "pro sounding" when something is often not

I think maybe most people dont know what else to call it. When I only played rock instruments, i referred to anything with strings or winds as 'orchestra' or 'classical' music, not knowing how far off that was.

I agree though I dont like a lot of the 'marching' tunes in most games, especially in old games, synth trumpets are not nice to hear.

I stopped calling mine orchestral music because I use all synths, no orchestra. I've started calling it instrumental music or video game music. But I think if you only used a piano, then it becomes classical music. If I'm wrong, then I'm wrong lol.

I'm no real musician but when I usually calling something "Orchestral", the tracks I mean usually have strings and brass as most or all of the instruments. Stuff like Lost Planet 2, Warhawk, parts of MGS2 and MGS3 theme, and
Medal of Honor which seem to have "Live" instruments and not synths, I would pretty much call Ochestral. I have also been playing games old enough to remember when "synthetic music" just used the term "MIDI" since they weren't live instruments and very crude and simple.

Now if you were like me in my opinion of stuff like the "Lost Planet 1" theme, I would more describe it as "Techno-orchestra" since it combines Synthetic and Live instruments from what I can tell.

Anything that is rocking out in a game I would pretty much just call rock.

Anything that is just Synthetic without rock or orchestra-like instruments I pretty much call Techno.

Battlefield 1943 is pretty much Orchestra to me.