any number and kind of percussion (pitched & unpitched), plucked strings (inc. guitars etc), chime bars, toy pianos, home-made instruments
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Explanation of the instrumentation string
Abbreviation
Instrument
Guitar(s) and other plucked instruments
bal
balalaika
bgtr
bass guitar
bjo
banjo
egtr
electric guitar
gtr
guitar
gtr (ampl.)
amplified guitar
hrp
harp
mand
mandolin
uke
ukulele
Woodwinds
afl
alto flute
asax
alto saxophone
barsax
baritone saxophone
bcl
bass clarinet
bsax
bass saxophone
bsthn
basset horn
cl
clarinet
corA
cor anglais
dbcl
contrabass clarinet (or double bass clarinet)
dbn
contrabassoon (or double bassoon)
Ebcl
E-flat clarinet
fl
flute
heck
heckelphone
ob
oboe
obda
oboe d'amore
picc
piccolo
rec
recorder
sarrus
sarrusophone
sax
saxophone
ssax
soprano saxophone
tsax
tenor saxophone
Brass
bgl
bugle
btrbn
bass trombone
crt
cornet
euph
euphonium
flghn
fluegel horn
hn
horn
picctpt
piccolo trumpet
tpt
trumpet
trbn
trombone
tba
tuba
Wtba
Wagner tuba
Percussion
cim
cimbalom
drkit
drum kit
glsp
glockenspiel
mba
marimba
perc
percussion
tamb
tambourine
timp
timpani
vib
vibraphone
xyl
xylophone
Keyboards
cel
celesta
eorg
electric organ
epft
electric piano
harm
harmonium
Horg
Hammond organ
hpsd
harpsichord
kybd
keyboard
org
organ
pft
piano
prep pft
prepared piano
synth
synthesizer
Strings
db
double bass (or contra bass)
evln
electric violin
strgs
strings
vla
viola
vlada
viola d'amore
vlc
violoncello
vln
violin
Vocal
A
(Contr)alto
B
Bass
Bar
baritone
MS
mezzo-soprano
S
soprano
T
tenor
Other
acc
accordion
ocar
ocarina
oM
Ondes Martinot
Explanation
The standard, accepted order of instrumentation for large ensembles: fl.ob.cl.bsn - hn.tpt.trbn.tba - perc - other - vlnI.vlnII.vla.vlc.db - tape, or electronics. Saxophones appear between clarinet and bassoon.
All other scorings (less than 8 instruments) are listed in full.
When an instrument is listed in parentheses, then this instrument is doubled. "guitar (=electric guitar)" means that the guitarist plays an acoustic, as well as an electric guitar. In an orchestral setting, "1(I=picc).2(II=corA).2(II=bcl).1" would resolve to: 1 flute (also playing piccolo), 2 oboes (second oboe also playing cor anglais), 2 clarinets (second clarinet also playing bass clarinet), 1 bassoon. If there is an extra instrument, which is not doubled, then this is expressly written out, e.g. "1(I=picc).2.corA.2.bcl.1.dbn", which unravels to: 1 flute (also playing piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 1 bass clarinet, 1 bassoon, 1 double bassoon.
Solo instruments in a concerto or chamber setting are written out in front of the ensemble instruments: guitar - 1.1.1.1 - 1.0.0.0 - perc - strgs.
