Orchestral instrument abbreviations and score order

Abbreviations

A, a: alto (voice); alto (prefix)
acn: accordion
acc: accompanied; accompaniment
acl: alto clarinet
afl: alto flute
amp: amplified
arr: arranged; arranger
asx: alto saxophone
B, b: bass (voice); bass (instrument),; born
bandurria: bandurria
Bar, bar: baritone (voice); baritone (instrument)
barsx: baritone saxophone
bcl: bass clarinet
bgtr: bass guitar
bjo: banjo
bn: bassoon
br: brass
btbn: bass trombone
bthn: basset horn
C, c: contralto (voice),; contra (prefix)
ca: circa,; cor Anglais (English horn)
cbcl: contrabass clarinet
cbn: contrabassoon
cel: celesta
cga: conga
ch: chamber
chm: chimes
chor: chorus or choir (SATB unless otherwise noted)
cimb: cimbalom
cl: clarinet
col: coloratura
conc: concertante
cong: congregation (audience)
cont: continuo
cnt: cornet
cond: conductor
Ct: countertenor
Ctpt: trumpet in C
cym: cymbals
d: descant; double (prefix)
db: doublebass
Dbpicc: piccolo in D-flat
div: divisi; divided
dm: drum
dmkit: drum kit, trap
set dms: drums, trap set
drec: descant recorder
Ebcl: clarinet in E-flat
Ebtpt: trumpet in E-flat
e: electric
eb: electric bass
egtr: electric guitar
epf: electric piano
ed: editor; edited
edn: edition
ens: ensemble
euph: euphonium
eve: evening
evn: electric violin
fl: flute
flg: flugelhorn
glock: glockenspiel
gtr: guitar
heck: heckelphone
hca: harmonica
hmn: harmonium
hn: horn
Horg: Hammond organ
hp: harp
hpd: harpsichord
inst: instrument(s); instrumentation
kbd: keyboard
lu: lute
man: mandolin
mba: marimba
med: medium
met: metallophone
min: minimum
mrc: maracas
Ms, Mz: Mezzo Soprano
Narr: Narrator
ob: oboe
obda: oboe d'amore
obdc: oboe da caccia
obbl: obbligato
om: Ondes Martenot
opt: optional
orch: orchestra; orchestration
org: organ
perc: percussion
perf: performance
pf: pianoforte (piano)
pf 4hnd: piano 4-hand
pic: piccolo
pr: prepared
pt: part
real: realised; realiser
rec: recorder
reconstr: reconstruction
red: reduced; reduction
rev: revised,; reviser
S, s: soprano (voice); soprano (instrument)
sarrus: sarrusophone
SATB: soprano, alto, tenor, bass (chorus or choir)
sc: score
sous: sousaphone
ssx: soprano saxophone
str: strings
str4t: string quartet
str5t: string quintet
syn: synthesizer
sx: saxophone
T, t: tenor (voice); tenor (prefix)
tam: tam-tam
tamb: tambourine
tba: tuba
tbells: tubular bells
tbn: trombone
timp: timpani
theorbo: theorbo
tp: tape
tpt: trumpet
Tr, tr: treble (voice); treble (prefix)
transc: transcribed
trec: tenor recorder
tsx: tenor saxophone
uke: ukelele
va: viola
vadg: viola da gamba
var: varying (duration); various
vc: violoncello
vib: vibraphone
vn: violin
Wtba: Wagner tuba
ww: woodwind
xba: xylorhimba
xyl: xylophone
Ykbd: Yamaha keyboard
5t: quintet
4t: quartet
( ): doubling
[ ]: alternative or optional

Score Order

Orchestral and ensemble instrumentations appear in score order as follows:

any solo instruments
flute.oboe.clarinet.saxophone.bassoon/
horn.trumpet.trombone.tuba/
percussion/
harp.keyboard/
other plucked strings/
first violin.second violin.viola.cello.doublebass;
continuo;
electronic tape;
voice(s) treated as an instrument.

Within the woodwind and brass groups, the primary instruments are indicated by numbers with a full stop in-between, unless an abbreviation is clearer. Saxophones and second violins are not indicated by a number unless present. Instrument groups are seperated by forward slashes. Soloists are listed seperately, before the orchestral line-up.

For example:

2.2.3.2/4.3.3.1/str indicates 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 3 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, 1 tuba, string section ("str" without additional information puts no demands on the precise make-up of the string section)
0 pc.0 ca.1.2.1/3.2.2.1/pf/str(4.4.2.1.1) indicates 1 piccolo, 1 cor Anglais, 1 clarinet, 2 saxaphones, 1 bassoon, 3 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, 1 tuba, 1 piano, and a string section made up of 4 first violins, 4 second violins, 2 violas, 1 cello and one double bass
violin, 2 flute fl.cl/hn/str(2.2.1.0) indicates a solo violin, 2 solo flutes, 1 flute, 1 clarinet, 1 horn, string section made up of 2 violins, 2 violas and a cello

Other situations are indicated as follows:

Doubling: 1(pic) indicates one flute player who also plays piccolo
Optional: cel[pf] indicates one player playing a celesta and an optional piano
Alternative: pf[=org] indicates one player playing piano or, alternatively, an organ
Additonal: 1+pic.1+ca.1+bcl.1+cbn indicates one flute and one piccolo, one oboe and one English horn, one clarinet and one bass clarinet, one bassoon and one contrabassoon

Below is an example of a complicated scoring and its meaning:

2(pic:afl).2+ca.3(Ebcl,bcl).asx+tsx.2/4.3[=3cnt].2+btbn.1.euph/timp.perc.bells.glock/hp.pf[=org]/str(min 6.6.4.2.2); tp; SA chorus ad lib

2 flutes (1 player doubling piccolo, the other doubling alto flute)
2 oboes and cor Anglais (English horn)
3 clarinets (1 player doubling both E-flat clarinet and bass clarinet)
1 alto sax and 1 tenor sax
2 bassoons
4 horns
3 trumpets (or, alternatively, 3 cornets)
2 trombones and 1 bass trombone
1 tuba
1 euphonium
1 timpanist
1 percussionist
1 percussionist on bells
1 percussionist on glockenspiel
1 harp
1 piano (or organ)
strings: at least 6 first violins, 6 second violins, 4 violas, 2 cellos, 2 double basses (players, not desks)
1 electronic tape
soprano and alto chorus with voices used as instruments