Orchestration Test 1

Piccolo transposition

Written an octave above the sounding pitch

English horn transposition

Sounds a perfect 5th below the written pitch

Bb clarinet transposition

Sounds a major 2nd below the written pitch

A clarinet transposition

Sounds a minor 3rd below the written pitch

Contrabassoon transposition

Sounds an octave below the written pitch

Pizzicato (pizz.)

Plucking the strings

Pizzicato: snap/fingernail

A pizzicato technique using a snap/fingernail

Pizzicato: left-hand

A pizzicato technique performed with the left hand

Arco

Cancels pizzicato; return to bowing

Con sordino (Italian)

Play with mutes

Avec sourdine (French)

Play with mutes

Mit Dämpfer (German)

Play with mutes

Senza (Italian)

Cancels con sordino; without mute

Sans (French)

Cancels con sordino; without mute

Ohne (German)

Cancels con sordino; without mute

Scordatura

Changing the tuning of the open strings

Accord / Accordatura

Cancels scordatura; return to normal tuning

Harmonics

Lightly touching nodes on a string to produce a harmonic sound

Natural harmonics

Lightly touch nodes on an open string

Artificial harmonics

Lightly touch nodes on a pressed string

Vibrato (woodwind)

Rapid pulsation of the air column

Tonguing

A "tuh" syllable created with the tongue

Staccato (woodwind)

Short and separated

Soft tonguing

Performed under one breath

Double tonguing

Used for very fast passages

Dynamic envelopes

sf → p → f; shaping the release of tone

Flutter tongue

Rapid roll of the tongue

Flatterzunge (German)

German term for flutter tongue

Frullato (Italian)

Italian term for flutter tongue

Multiphonics

Sounding more than one note at the same time

Microtones

Shading or altering a pitch by a very small amount

Glissandi

Sliding between pitches; useful for clarinet and saxophone going upwards

Slap tonguing

Over-articulated attack used in jazz

Key clicking

Slapping/clicking the keys with no air blowing

Whistle tones

Blowing across the mouthpiece rather than directly into it

Double stop

Two notes played together

Vibrato (strings)

Pressing a finger against the string and rocking it back and forth

Glissando (gliss.)

Sliding from one pitch to another

Portamento (port.)

A minimal slide between pitches

Up-bow

Playing from the tip to the frog; works against gravity

Down-bow

Playing from the frog to the tip; works with gravity

Non-legato

Every note changes bow direction

Legato

A slurred passage played with one bow direction

Détaché (French)

"Separate bows"; changing bow direction quickly for each note

Louré (French)

Slightly separating legato bowing

Portato (Italian)

Slightly separating legato bowing

Staccato (strings)

Detach or separate the notes

Slurred staccato

Staccato playing performed in one bow

Martelé (French)

"To hammer"; a heavy bow stroke

Marcat(o) (Italian)

"To hammer"; a heavy bow stroke

Spiccato

The bow bounces because of a quick tempo

Jeté (French)

The bow is thrown onto the strings

Ricochet (English)

The bow is thrown onto the strings

Arpeggiando

Slurring an arpeggio across the strings

Trill

Holding one note while rapidly playing and releasing the next higher note

Tremolo (bowed)

Quick up-and-down bow strokes repeated for the length of a note

Tremolo (fingered)

A rapidly repeated interval, such as a 2nd

Sul tasto (Italian)

Playing with the bow on the fingerboard

Sur la touche (French)

Playing with the bow on the fingerboard

Am Griffbrett (German)

Playing with the bow on the fingerboard

Flautando

Playing near, but not directly on, the fingerboard

Col legno (Italian)

Playing with the wood of the bow

Avec le bois (French)

Playing with the wood of the bow

Mit Holz (German)

Playing with the wood of the bow

Violin in French

Violon

Violin in German

Violine

Violin in Italian

Violino

Violin abbreviation

Vln.

Viola in French

Alto

Viola in German

Bratsche

Viola in Italian

Viola

Viola abbreviation

Vla.

Cello in French

Violoncelle

Cello in German

Violoncello

Cello in Italian

Violoncello

Cello abbreviation

Vlc.

Double bass in French

Contrebasse

Double bass in German

Kontrabass

Double bass in Italian

Contrabasso

Double bass abbreviation

D.B.

Flute in French

Flûte

Flute in German

Flöte

Flute in Italian

Flauto

Flute abbreviation

Fl.

Piccolo in French

Petite flûte

Piccolo in German

Kleine Flöte

Piccolo in Italian

Ottavino

Piccolo abbreviation

Picc.

Oboe in French

Hautbois

Oboe in German

Oboe

Oboe in Italian

Oboe

Oboe abbreviation

Ob.

English horn in French

Cor anglais

English horn in German

Englisches Horn

English horn in Italian

Corno inglese

English horn abbreviation

Eng. Hrn.

Clarinet in French

Clarinette

Clarinet in German

Klarinette

Clarinet in Italian

Clarinetto

Clarinet abbreviation

Cl.