Music Glossary: orchestration-and-notation category [Page 2]

Explicit BPM indication attached to a note value (e.g., ♩=76). more

Instruments that sound an octave above/below written (e.g., piccolo, double bass). more

Chord spacing with wider intervals between adjacent voices; enhances clarity and breadth. more

Percussion shorthand (o for open, + for closed) indicating pedal state in drum-set parts. more

The craft of assigning musical material to instruments/sections for color, balance, and clarity. more

Preparing individual instrumental parts from a full score with correct cues, layout, and page turns. more

Conventions for staff placement, clefs, instrument labels, and beater indications. more

Long slur-like bracket indicating a musical phrase or breath/bow plan. more

Plucked vs bowed string indications; pizz. short decay, arco sustained tone. more

Polymeter: different bar lengths align over time; polyrhythm: conflicting subdivisions over a shared bar. more

Expressive, light slide between notes (voice/strings); subtler than full glissando. more

Lowest to highest usable pitch of an instrument/voice, including comfortable vs extreme zones. more

A pitch region of an instrument/voice with characteristic timbre, projection, and technical limits. more

Conventions for notating long rests, multimeasure rests, and clear re-entries. more

Expressive, elastic timing that borrows time and gives it back; localized tempo freedom. more

Standard vertical order of instruments in orchestral scores: woodwinds, brass, percussion, keyboards/harp, voices, strings. more

Without/with mute indications; alters color and dynamics especially on strings/brass. more

Curved line indicating legato connection of notes; for winds/strings indicates single bow/breath gesture. more

Short, detached notes marked with dots; degree of separation is stylistic/contextual. more

String bowing near bridge (bright, glassy) or fingerboard (soft, fluty) for color contrast. more

Indication of speed via Italian terms and/or metronome marks (e.g., Allegro ♩=120). more

Held to full value or slightly emphasized; marked with a short horizontal line. more

Stepwise dynamic changes rather than gradual swells; common in Baroque style. more

Curved line joining identical pitches to extend duration across beats/bars. more

Tone color or quality that distinguishes instruments/voices even at the same pitch and loudness. more

Fraction-like symbol denoting beats per bar and beat value (e.g., 4/4, 6/8). more

Notational convention where an instrument reads in a different key than concert pitch (e.g., B♭ clarinet). more