Shorthand for orchestra instrumentation
The shorthand for the instrumentation of a symphony orchestra is used to outline which and how many instruments, especially wind instruments, are called for in a given piece of music. The shorthand is ordered in the same fashion as the parts of the individual instruments in the score.
General approach
The orchestra is divided into four groups and specified as follows:- Woodwind instruments: flutes, oboes, clarinets, saxophones, bassoons
- Brass instruments: horns, trumpets, trombones, tubas
- Percussion: timpani, snare drum, bass drum, chimes, etc.
- Keyboard instruments: celesta, organ, piano
- String instruments: harp, violins, violas, cellos, basses, frequently abbreviated to 'str', 'strs' or similar.
The basic order of the instruments, as seen above, is common to all of the shorthand systems. However, there is no standardized version of this shorthand; different publishers and librarians use different systems, especially for doubling/alternate/additional instruments. David Daniels, in earlier versions of his influential work that collects in print a catalog of the instrumentations of some 4,000+ pieces, made use of a shorthand for doubling/alternate/additional instruments which was less clear, but in the newer online version Daniels' approach has been refined to something more explicit, akin to the Chester Novello and Boosey & Hawkes notations below.
Examples for different notations :
Examples
| Piece | Chester Novello | Boosey & Hawkes | Meaning |
| Symphony No. 25 (Mozart) | 0202 / 4000 / str | 0.2.0.2 - 4.0.0.0 - strings | 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, strings |
| Symphony No. 5 (Beethoven) | 3223 / 2230 / timp.perc / str | 3.2.2.3 - 2.2.3.0 - timp - strings | 3 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 3 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, strings |
| Pictures at an Exhibition (Ravel orchestration) | 3333 / 4331 / timp.5perc / 2 hp.cel / str | 3.3.3.3 - 4.3.3.1 - timp.perc - cel - 2harps - strings | 3 flutes, 3 oboes, 3 clarinets, 3 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, 1 tuba, timpani, 5 percussionists, celesta, 2 harps, strings |
| Symphony No. 1 (Mahler) | 4443 / 7431 / 2timp.perc / hp / str | 4.4.4.3 - 7.4.3.1 - timp.perc - harp - strings | 4 flutes, 4 oboes, 4 clarinets, 3 bassoons, 7 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, 1 tuba, 2 timpanists, percussion, harp, strings |
| The Rite of Spring (Stravinsky) | 3+pic+afl.4+ca.3+Dcl+bcl.4 / 8.4pictpt.3.2 / 2timp.4perc / str | 3.picc.afl.4.corA.3.Dcl.bcl.4.dbn - 8.4.picctpt.3.2 - timp.perc:crot/cyms/tam - t/tgl/guiro/BD/tamb - strings | 3 flutes, piccolo, alto flute, 4 oboes, English horn, 3 clarinets, D clarinet, bass clarinet, 4 bassoons, contrabassoon, 8 horns, 4 trumpets, piccolo trumpet, 3 trombones, 2 tubas, 2 timpani, 4 percussionists, strings |
An example of another approach, particularly useful where there may be extensive versatility required from doubling players, is given here for The [Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)|The Phantom of the Opera] for a 45-part orchestra, taken from the Chester/Novello Hire Library:
- WW1.WW2.WW3.WW4.WW5.WW6/3hn.3tpt.3tbn.tuba/2perc/hp.2kbd/str