Shorthand for orchestra instrumentation
The shorthand for the orchestration of a classical 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, read from top to bottom.
The orchestra is divided into four groups and specified as follows:




Woodwind instruments: flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons
Brass instruments: horns, trumpets, trombones, Tuba
Timpani, percussion, piano, harp etc.
String section: violins, violas, celli, basses
Examples
Shorthand
Meaning
Comments
2, 2, 2, 2 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2
4, 2, 3, 1, timp, bassoons - 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3
str
trombones, 1 tuba, timpani, strings
A standard large orchestra.
0, 2, 0, 2 2 oboes, 2 bassoons - 2 horns, 2
2, 2, 0, 0, timp,
trumpets, timpani, strings
str
A typical orchestra of the classical
period. Omitted instruments are specified
by using the numeral "0" (in this
instance, flutes and clarinets).
3 flutes, 3 oboes, 3 clarinets, 3
3, 3, 3, 3 bassoons - 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3
4, 2, 3, 1, timp, trombones, 1 tuba, 1 timpani - 14
14/12/10/8/6
first violins, 12 second violins, 10
violas, 8 celli, 6 basses
A specified number of string parts may
be given. This is an orchestra of the late
romantic period with a very large string
section. The relations of the individual
sections has been kept since the classical
period for acoustical reasons, so a small
string section could be 8/6/4/3/2.
2 flautists, one of which doubles on
piccolo; 2 oboists plus cor anglais
(not doubling); two clarinettists, one
2d1, 2+1,
2d1es+bass, 3d1 of which doubles on E♭ clarinet,
- ...
plus bass clarinet (not doubling);
three bassoonists, one of which
doubles on contrabassoon.
Non-standard instruments related to
"core" instruments (for example piccolo,
cor anglais, E♭- and bass clarinet,
contrabassoon) are given after the
number for the "core" instrument, using a
"+" if an extra player is needed and a "d"
if one player may double.
2, 2d1, 2, 2, alto 2 flutes, 2 oboes (one doubling on
Non-"core" instruments not closely
sax - 4, 4, 3, 0,
timp, perc, hp,
str
cor anglais), 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons,
alto saxophone - 4 horns, 4 trumpets,
3 trombones, timpani, percussion,
harp, strings
related to any "core" instrument (for
example the saxophone) are given after
the group in question, here from Georges
Bizet's Arlésienne-Suite No. 1.
If any soloists or a choir are called for, their parts are usually printed between the
percussion/keyboards and the strings in the score. In shorthand however, they are usually
omitted.