What does this shorthand mean?
16
I was reading an article on the Internet and saw this notation:
3*3*3*3* – 4331 – tmp+3 – hp – cel/pno – cds (14/12/10/8/6)
Then, searching on Google, I could see that this is a shorthand for orchestra instrumentation. But even reading this Wikipedia article, I could not understand all the parts of this statement.
What do all of these things mean? Mainly the final parts...
notation orchestra instrumentation
edited Mar 28 at 19:50
Richard
44.3k7104190
asked Mar 28 at 18:02
João PauloJoão Paulo
29219
add a comment |
16
I was reading an article on the Internet and saw this notation:
3*3*3*3* – 4331 – tmp+3 – hp – cel/pno – cds (14/12/10/8/6)
Then, searching on Google, I could see that this is a shorthand for orchestra instrumentation. But even reading this Wikipedia article, I could not understand all the parts of this statement.
What do all of these things mean? Mainly the final parts...
notation orchestra instrumentation
edited Mar 28 at 19:50
Richard
44.3k7104190
asked Mar 28 at 18:02
João PauloJoão Paulo
29219
add a comment |
16
16
16
1
I was reading an article on the Internet and saw this notation:
3*3*3*3* – 4331 – tmp+3 – hp – cel/pno – cds (14/12/10/8/6)
Then, searching on Google, I could see that this is a shorthand for orchestra instrumentation. But even reading this Wikipedia article, I could not understand all the parts of this statement.
What do all of these things mean? Mainly the final parts...
notation orchestra instrumentation
edited Mar 28 at 19:50
Richard
44.3k7104190
asked Mar 28 at 18:02
João PauloJoão Paulo
29219
I was reading an article on the Internet and saw this notation:
3*3*3*3* – 4331 – tmp+3 – hp – cel/pno – cds (14/12/10/8/6)
Then, searching on Google, I could see that this is a shorthand for orchestra instrumentation. But even reading this Wikipedia article, I could not understand all the parts of this statement.
What do all of these things mean? Mainly the final parts...
notation orchestra instrumentation
notation orchestra instrumentation
edited Mar 28 at 19:50
Richard
44.3k7104190
asked Mar 28 at 18:02
João PauloJoão Paulo
29219
edited Mar 28 at 19:50
Richard
44.3k7104190
asked Mar 28 at 18:02
João PauloJoão Paulo
29219
edited Mar 28 at 19:50
Richard
44.3k7104190
edited Mar 28 at 19:50
Richard
44.3k7104190
edited Mar 28 at 19:50
Richard
44.3k7104190
44.3k7104190
asked Mar 28 at 18:02
João PauloJoão Paulo
29219
asked Mar 28 at 18:02
João PauloJoão Paulo
29219
asked Mar 28 at 18:02
João PauloJoão Paulo
29219
29219
add a comment |
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
21
I would recommend consulting the source where you found this. If it was a publishing company, they may have their own system of shorthand that will clarify this.
Otherwise, this all seems relatively standard:
3*3*3*3* indicates the wind grouping with three performers each: three flutes, three oboes, three clarinets, three bassoons. The asterisks indicate that one of the players is playing another instrument of that family; one flute is also playing piccolo, one bassoon is also playing contrabassoon, etc. Contrast this with 3d, where the third player is doubling on that instrument.
4331 indicates a standard brass grouping of four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, and a tuba.
tmp+3 indicates a timpanist and three other percussionists.
hp indicates harp.
cel/pno indicates a score for celesta/piano.
(14/12/10/8/6) indicates the number of strings: 14 first violins, 12 second violins, 10 violas, 8 celli, and 6 double basses.
My only confusion is with the designation cds before the last entry. My guess is that this indication is in another language—perhaps French?—and this tells us that the following numbers pertain to "strings" (cordes in French).
answered Mar 28 at 18:10
RichardRichard
44.3k7104190
7
I believe the asterisks mean that the third player isn't playing the "normal" instrument, so probably one piccolo, one English horn, one alto or bass clarinet, and one contrabassoon. I think you're right about cds being French cordes.
– phoog
Mar 28 at 19:24
2
I think specifically "cel/pno" means "celesta or piano". It would be a little unusual to have both, though I imagine it's not unheard-of.
– Darrel Hoffman
Mar 28 at 21:01
I don't agree about cel/pno. I think it would normally be celesta and piano, but with one player taking both instruments (perfectly feasible if the instruments are never playing together and there is a little time to change seats).
– David
Mar 29 at 4:59
1
@Richard phoog is definitely right about the asterisks - I think it would be helpful if you included this in your answer. Also another remark: you will sometimes see something like3d3*3d3*wheredstands for doubling. So for the flutes,3*means the third is playing piccolo, whereas3dmeans the third is playing both flute and piccolo.
– David
Mar 29 at 5:01
2
Wouldn't the second 3* refer to oboes, and the third to clarinets? (Does it not follow standard score order?)
– Ben I.
Mar 29 at 13:00
|
show 1 more comment
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "240"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
draft saved
draft discarded
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fmusic.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f82084%2fwhat-does-this-shorthand-mean%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
21
I would recommend consulting the source where you found this. If it was a publishing company, they may have their own system of shorthand that will clarify this.
Otherwise, this all seems relatively standard:
3*3*3*3* indicates the wind grouping with three performers each: three flutes, three oboes, three clarinets, three bassoons. The asterisks indicate that one of the players is playing another instrument of that family; one flute is also playing piccolo, one bassoon is also playing contrabassoon, etc. Contrast this with 3d, where the third player is doubling on that instrument.
4331 indicates a standard brass grouping of four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, and a tuba.
tmp+3 indicates a timpanist and three other percussionists.
hp indicates harp.
cel/pno indicates a score for celesta/piano.
(14/12/10/8/6) indicates the number of strings: 14 first violins, 12 second violins, 10 violas, 8 celli, and 6 double basses.
My only confusion is with the designation cds before the last entry. My guess is that this indication is in another language—perhaps French?—and this tells us that the following numbers pertain to "strings" (cordes in French).
answered Mar 28 at 18:10
RichardRichard
44.3k7104190
7
I believe the asterisks mean that the third player isn't playing the "normal" instrument, so probably one piccolo, one English horn, one alto or bass clarinet, and one contrabassoon. I think you're right about cds being French cordes.
– phoog
Mar 28 at 19:24
2
I think specifically "cel/pno" means "celesta or piano". It would be a little unusual to have both, though I imagine it's not unheard-of.
– Darrel Hoffman
Mar 28 at 21:01
I don't agree about cel/pno. I think it would normally be celesta and piano, but with one player taking both instruments (perfectly feasible if the instruments are never playing together and there is a little time to change seats).
– David
Mar 29 at 4:59
1
@Richard phoog is definitely right about the asterisks - I think it would be helpful if you included this in your answer. Also another remark: you will sometimes see something like3d3*3d3*wheredstands for doubling. So for the flutes,3*means the third is playing piccolo, whereas3dmeans the third is playing both flute and piccolo.
– David
Mar 29 at 5:01
2
Wouldn't the second 3* refer to oboes, and the third to clarinets? (Does it not follow standard score order?)
– Ben I.
Mar 29 at 13:00
|
show 1 more comment
21
I would recommend consulting the source where you found this. If it was a publishing company, they may have their own system of shorthand that will clarify this.
Otherwise, this all seems relatively standard:
3*3*3*3* indicates the wind grouping with three performers each: three flutes, three oboes, three clarinets, three bassoons. The asterisks indicate that one of the players is playing another instrument of that family; one flute is also playing piccolo, one bassoon is also playing contrabassoon, etc. Contrast this with 3d, where the third player is doubling on that instrument.
4331 indicates a standard brass grouping of four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, and a tuba.
tmp+3 indicates a timpanist and three other percussionists.
hp indicates harp.
cel/pno indicates a score for celesta/piano.
(14/12/10/8/6) indicates the number of strings: 14 first violins, 12 second violins, 10 violas, 8 celli, and 6 double basses.
My only confusion is with the designation cds before the last entry. My guess is that this indication is in another language—perhaps French?—and this tells us that the following numbers pertain to "strings" (cordes in French).
answered Mar 28 at 18:10
RichardRichard
44.3k7104190
7
I believe the asterisks mean that the third player isn't playing the "normal" instrument, so probably one piccolo, one English horn, one alto or bass clarinet, and one contrabassoon. I think you're right about cds being French cordes.
– phoog
Mar 28 at 19:24
2
I think specifically "cel/pno" means "celesta or piano". It would be a little unusual to have both, though I imagine it's not unheard-of.
– Darrel Hoffman
Mar 28 at 21:01
I don't agree about cel/pno. I think it would normally be celesta and piano, but with one player taking both instruments (perfectly feasible if the instruments are never playing together and there is a little time to change seats).
– David
Mar 29 at 4:59
1
@Richard phoog is definitely right about the asterisks - I think it would be helpful if you included this in your answer. Also another remark: you will sometimes see something like3d3*3d3*wheredstands for doubling. So for the flutes,3*means the third is playing piccolo, whereas3dmeans the third is playing both flute and piccolo.
– David
Mar 29 at 5:01
2
Wouldn't the second 3* refer to oboes, and the third to clarinets? (Does it not follow standard score order?)
– Ben I.
Mar 29 at 13:00
|
show 1 more comment
21
21
21
I would recommend consulting the source where you found this. If it was a publishing company, they may have their own system of shorthand that will clarify this.
Otherwise, this all seems relatively standard:
3*3*3*3* indicates the wind grouping with three performers each: three flutes, three oboes, three clarinets, three bassoons. The asterisks indicate that one of the players is playing another instrument of that family; one flute is also playing piccolo, one bassoon is also playing contrabassoon, etc. Contrast this with 3d, where the third player is doubling on that instrument.
4331 indicates a standard brass grouping of four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, and a tuba.
tmp+3 indicates a timpanist and three other percussionists.
hp indicates harp.
cel/pno indicates a score for celesta/piano.
(14/12/10/8/6) indicates the number of strings: 14 first violins, 12 second violins, 10 violas, 8 celli, and 6 double basses.
My only confusion is with the designation cds before the last entry. My guess is that this indication is in another language—perhaps French?—and this tells us that the following numbers pertain to "strings" (cordes in French).
answered Mar 28 at 18:10
RichardRichard
44.3k7104190
I would recommend consulting the source where you found this. If it was a publishing company, they may have their own system of shorthand that will clarify this.
Otherwise, this all seems relatively standard:
3*3*3*3* indicates the wind grouping with three performers each: three flutes, three oboes, three clarinets, three bassoons. The asterisks indicate that one of the players is playing another instrument of that family; one flute is also playing piccolo, one bassoon is also playing contrabassoon, etc. Contrast this with 3d, where the third player is doubling on that instrument.
4331 indicates a standard brass grouping of four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, and a tuba.
tmp+3 indicates a timpanist and three other percussionists.
hp indicates harp.
cel/pno indicates a score for celesta/piano.
(14/12/10/8/6) indicates the number of strings: 14 first violins, 12 second violins, 10 violas, 8 celli, and 6 double basses.
My only confusion is with the designation cds before the last entry. My guess is that this indication is in another language—perhaps French?—and this tells us that the following numbers pertain to "strings" (cordes in French).
answered Mar 28 at 18:10
RichardRichard
44.3k7104190
edited Mar 29 at 16:49
answered Mar 28 at 18:10
RichardRichard
44.3k7104190
answered Mar 28 at 18:10
RichardRichard
44.3k7104190
answered Mar 28 at 18:10
RichardRichard
44.3k7104190
44.3k7104190
7
I believe the asterisks mean that the third player isn't playing the "normal" instrument, so probably one piccolo, one English horn, one alto or bass clarinet, and one contrabassoon. I think you're right about cds being French cordes.
– phoog
Mar 28 at 19:24
2
I think specifically "cel/pno" means "celesta or piano". It would be a little unusual to have both, though I imagine it's not unheard-of.
– Darrel Hoffman
Mar 28 at 21:01
I don't agree about cel/pno. I think it would normally be celesta and piano, but with one player taking both instruments (perfectly feasible if the instruments are never playing together and there is a little time to change seats).
– David
Mar 29 at 4:59
1
@Richard phoog is definitely right about the asterisks - I think it would be helpful if you included this in your answer. Also another remark: you will sometimes see something like3d3*3d3*wheredstands for doubling. So for the flutes,3*means the third is playing piccolo, whereas3dmeans the third is playing both flute and piccolo.
– David
Mar 29 at 5:01
2
Wouldn't the second 3* refer to oboes, and the third to clarinets? (Does it not follow standard score order?)
– Ben I.
Mar 29 at 13:00
|
show 1 more comment
7
I believe the asterisks mean that the third player isn't playing the "normal" instrument, so probably one piccolo, one English horn, one alto or bass clarinet, and one contrabassoon. I think you're right about cds being French cordes.
– phoog
Mar 28 at 19:24
2
I think specifically "cel/pno" means "celesta or piano". It would be a little unusual to have both, though I imagine it's not unheard-of.
– Darrel Hoffman
Mar 28 at 21:01
I don't agree about cel/pno. I think it would normally be celesta and piano, but with one player taking both instruments (perfectly feasible if the instruments are never playing together and there is a little time to change seats).
– David
Mar 29 at 4:59
1
@Richard phoog is definitely right about the asterisks - I think it would be helpful if you included this in your answer. Also another remark: you will sometimes see something like3d3*3d3*wheredstands for doubling. So for the flutes,3*means the third is playing piccolo, whereas3dmeans the third is playing both flute and piccolo.
– David
Mar 29 at 5:01
2
Wouldn't the second 3* refer to oboes, and the third to clarinets? (Does it not follow standard score order?)
– Ben I.
Mar 29 at 13:00
7
7
I believe the asterisks mean that the third player isn't playing the "normal" instrument, so probably one piccolo, one English horn, one alto or bass clarinet, and one contrabassoon. I think you're right about cds being French cordes.
– phoog
Mar 28 at 19:24
I believe the asterisks mean that the third player isn't playing the "normal" instrument, so probably one piccolo, one English horn, one alto or bass clarinet, and one contrabassoon. I think you're right about cds being French cordes.
– phoog
Mar 28 at 19:24
2
2
I think specifically "cel/pno" means "celesta or piano". It would be a little unusual to have both, though I imagine it's not unheard-of.
– Darrel Hoffman
Mar 28 at 21:01
I think specifically "cel/pno" means "celesta or piano". It would be a little unusual to have both, though I imagine it's not unheard-of.
– Darrel Hoffman
Mar 28 at 21:01
I don't agree about cel/pno. I think it would normally be celesta and piano, but with one player taking both instruments (perfectly feasible if the instruments are never playing together and there is a little time to change seats).
– David
Mar 29 at 4:59
I don't agree about cel/pno. I think it would normally be celesta and piano, but with one player taking both instruments (perfectly feasible if the instruments are never playing together and there is a little time to change seats).
– David
Mar 29 at 4:59
1
1
@Richard phoog is definitely right about the asterisks - I think it would be helpful if you included this in your answer. Also another remark: you will sometimes see something like
3d3*3d3* where d stands for doubling. So for the flutes, 3* means the third is playing piccolo, whereas 3d means the third is playing both flute and piccolo.– David
Mar 29 at 5:01
@Richard phoog is definitely right about the asterisks - I think it would be helpful if you included this in your answer. Also another remark: you will sometimes see something like
3d3*3d3* where d stands for doubling. So for the flutes, 3* means the third is playing piccolo, whereas 3d means the third is playing both flute and piccolo.– David
Mar 29 at 5:01
2
2
Wouldn't the second 3* refer to oboes, and the third to clarinets? (Does it not follow standard score order?)
– Ben I.
Mar 29 at 13:00
Wouldn't the second 3* refer to oboes, and the third to clarinets? (Does it not follow standard score order?)
– Ben I.
Mar 29 at 13:00
|
show 1 more comment
draft saved
draft discarded
Thanks for contributing an answer to Music: Practice & Theory Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
draft saved
draft discarded
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fmusic.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f82084%2fwhat-does-this-shorthand-mean%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
