32 SCORES, PARTS AND NOTATION

Instrument Transposition Guide

Instrument Transposition Clef
Piccolo Down a Perfect Octave Treble
Flute (C Flute) Non-transposing Treble
Alto Flute (in G) Up a Perfect 4th Treble
Bass Flute Up a Perfect Octave Treble
Contra Alto Flute (in G) Up a Perfect 11th Treble
Contrabass Flute Up a Perfect 15th Treble
Oboe Non-transposing Treble
Oboe d’amore Up a minor 3rd Treble
English Horn Up a Perfect 5th Treble
Heckelphone Up a Perfect Octave Bass and Tenor
Bassoon Non-transposing Bass and Tenor
Contrabassoon Up a Perfect Octave Bass
E≤ Clarinet Down a minor 3rd Treble
B≤ Clarinet Up a Major 2nd Treble
Clarinet in A Up a minor 3rd Treble
E≤ Alto Clarinet Up a Major 6th Treble
B≤ Bass Clarinet Up a Major 9th Treble
E≤ Contra Alto Clarinet Up a Major 13th Treble
B≤ Contrabass Clarinet Up a Major 16th Treble
E≤ Sopranino Saxophone Down a minor 3rd Treble
B≤ Soprano Saxophone Up a Major 2nd Treble
E≤ Alto Saxophone Up a Major 6th Treble
B≤ Tenor Saxophone Up a Major 9th Treble
E≤ Baritone Saxophone Up a Major 13th Treble
B≤ Bass Saxophone Up a Major 16th Treble
E≤ Contrabass Saxophone Up a Major 20th Treble
Sopranino Recorder Down a Perfect Octave Treble
Soprano Recorder Down a Perfect Octave Treble
Alto Recorder Non-transposing Treble
Tenor Recorder Non-transposing Treble
Bass Recorder Up a Perfect Octave Bass
Great Bass Recorder Up a Perfect Octave Bass
Contrabass Recorder Non-transposing Bass
B≤ Piccolo Trumpet Down a minor 7th Treble
Piccolo Trumpet in A Down a minor 6th Treble
E≤ Trumpet Down a minor 3rd Treble
D Trumpet Down a Major 2nd Treble
C Trumpet Non-transposing Treble
 SCORES, PARTS AND NOTATION 33

Instrument Transposition Clef

B≤ Trumpet Up a Major 2nd Treble
E≤ Cornet Down a minor 3rd Treble
B≤ Cornet Up a Major 2nd Treble
Flügelhorn Up a Major 2nd Treble
E≤ Bass Trumpet Up a Major 6th Treble
B≤ Bass Trumpet Up a Major 9th Treble
Horn (French Horn) Up a Perfect 5th Treble (occasionally in
Bass Clef)
F Alto Horn, Mellophonium Up a Perfect 5th Treble
E≤ Alto Horn, Mellophonium Up a Major 6th Treble
Baritone (Treble Clef) Up a Major 9th Treble
Baritone (Bass Clef) Non-transposing Bass
Alto Trombone Non-transposing Bass and Alto
Tenor Trombone Non-transposing Bass and Tenor
Bass Trombone Non-transposing Bass
Cimbasso Non-transposing Bass
Euphonium Non-transposing Bass
Tuba Non-transposing Bass
Sousaphone Non-transposing Bass
Serpent Non-transposing Bass
Alto Ophicleide Non-transposing Bass and Treble
Bass Ophicleide Non-transposing Bass
Double Bass Ophicleide Non-transposing Bass
Orchestra Bells Down a Perfect 15th Treble
Chimes (Tubular Bells) Non-transposing Treble
Crotales Down a Perfect 15th Treble
Xylophone Down a Perfect Octave Treble
Marimba Non-transposing Treble and Bass
Timpani Non-transposing Bass
Piano Non-transposing All
Harp Non-transposing All
Guitar Up a Perfect Octave Treble
Bass (Guitar) Up a Perfect Octave Bass
Banjo Non-transposing Treble
Tenor Banjo Up a Perfect Octave Treble
Violin Non-transposing Treble
Viola Non-transposing Alto and Treble
Violoncello Non-transposing Bass, Tenor and Treble
Double Bass Up a Perfect Octave Bass
 34 SCORES, PARTS AND NOTATION

Instruments and Abbreviations

Instrument Abbreviation German French Italian
Piccolo Picc. Kleine Flöte Petite Flûte Ottavino (or)
Flauto piccolo
Flute Flt. (or) Fl. Flöte Flûte Flauto
Oboe Ob. Oboe (or) Hoboe Hautbois Oboe
English Horn Eng. Hn. Englisches Horn Cor anglais Corno inglese
Clarinet Cl. (or) Clar. Klarinette Clarinette Clarinetto
Bass Clarinet Bs. Cl. (or) Bs. Clar. Bassklarinette Clarinette basse Clarinetto basso
Bassoon Bssn. (or) Bsn. Fagott Basson Fagotto
Contrabassoon Cbssn. (or) Cbsn. Kontrafagott Contrebasson Contrafagotto
Saxophone Sax (or) Sx. Saxophon Saxophone Sassofono
Horn (in F) Hn. Horn Cor Corno
Trumpet Trpt. (or) Tpt. Trompete Trompette Tromba
Trombone Trbn. (or) Trb. Posaune Trombone Trombone
Tuba Tba. (or) Tb. Tuba Tuba Tuba
Timpani Timp. Pauken Timbales Timpani
Glockenspiel (or) Glsp. Glockenspiel Carillon Campanelli
Orchestral bells
Xylophone Xylo. (or) Xyl. Xylonphon Xylophone Xilofono
Marimba Mar. Marimbaphon Marimba Marimba
Vibraphone Vib. Vibraphon Vibraphone Vibrafono
Chimes (or) Chm. Röhrenglocken Jeu des claches Capane tubolari
Tubular bells
Crotales Crot. Glocken Zimbeln Cymbales Crotali
antiques
Flex-a-tone Flex. Flexaton Flexatone Flessatono
Crash Cymbals Cymb. (or) Cym. Becken Cymbales Piatti
Suspended Susp. Cymb. Hängendes Cymbale Piatto sospeso
cymbal Becken suspendue
Finger cymbals Fing. Cymb. Fingerzimbeln Cymbales Cimbalini
digitales
Triangle Trgl. Triangel Triangle Triangolo
Tam-Tam Tam-Tam Tamtam Tam-tam Tamtam
Wood blocks W. Bl. Holzblöke Blocs de bois Blocci de legno
cinese
Temple blocks T. Bl. Tempel-Blöcke Tempel-blocs Blocci de leno
coreano
Claves Claves Holzstab Claves Claves
Castanets Cast. Kastagnetten Castagnettes Castagnette
Ratchet Ratch. Ratsche Crécelle Raganella
 SCORES, PARTS AND NOTATION 35

Instrument Abbreviation German French Italian

Snare drum S. Dr. (or) Sn. Dr. Kleine Trommel Caisse claire Tamburo piccolo
Bass drum Bs. Dr. Grosse Trommel Grosse caisse Gran cassa
Tambourine Tamb. Tamburin Tambour de Tamburo basco
basque
Piano Pno. Kavier Piano Pianoforte
Celesta Cel. Celesta Céleste Celesta
Harpsichord Hpschd. Cembalo Clavecin Cembalo
Organ Org. Orgel Orgue Organo
Harp Hp. (or) Hrp. Harfe Harpe Arpa
Violin Vn. (or) Vln. Violine (or) Geige Violon Violino
Viola Va. Bratsche Alto Viola
Violoncello Vc. (or) Vlc. Violoncell Violoncelle Violoncello
Double bass D. B. Kontrabass Contrebasse Contrabasso

General Notation Considerations

There is no “bible” of notation. In other words, there is no definitive reference book that
addresses all of the notation issues one is likely to encounter in the course of a professional or
academic career. However, there are two accepted premises to guide one through the musical
notation labyrinth, namely:

Clarity of part
Ease of reading

Music notation has evolved over many centuries, often in somewhat haphazard ways. Prior to
the age of computer technology, the art of notation was the realm of publishers and copyists.
Each publishing house had its own set of notation rules and these rules varied, sometimes
significantly, from publisher to publisher. The publisher’s master copyist was charged with
codifying these rules and conveying them to apprentice copyists. These apprentices would
eventually become master copyists themselves, and thus perpetuate these rules from generation
to generation. Over the centuries, certain elements of notation became, more or less, standard
practice. However, even today, for any given notation “rule” one can easily find exceptions to
that “rule” in commercially published music. It is for this reason that the above stated premises
(clarity of part and ease of reading) constitute the mantra of all notation specialists.
The music notation guidelines published here are a combination of those notation practices
that are most universally accepted and those practices that the author learned during his own
apprenticeship, though, as previously stated, one will undoubtedly find published exceptions to
virtually every “rule” presented here. However, following these guidelines will result in scores
and parts that are professional competent and internationally viable.