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Music Instrumentation Codes
Musical Instrument codes are used in much music cataloging to identify the forces used in a musical work or on a recording.
They consist of a four place code--the first two places are an alphabetical code for type of instrument or voice; the second two places show the number of performers. For example ba is the code for horn, thus ba01 is the code for one horn and ba02 indicates a work with two horns.
To specify a work which includes a soprano, a clarinet and a piano set the keyword to musical instrument code, and enter va01 ka01 wc01
The codes are classed by families
- Brass
- Choruses
- Electronic music
- Keyboard
- Large Ensembles (Orchestras, etc.)
- Percussion
- Strings, bowed
- Strings, plucked
- Voices
- Woodwinds
- b Brass
- ba horn
- bb trumpet
- bc cornet
- bd trombone
- be tuba
- bf baritone
- c Choruses
- ca Mixed voices
- cb Women's
- cc Men's
- cd children's
- e Electronic
- ea Synthesizer
- eb Tape
- ec Computer
- ed Ondes Martinot
- k Keyboard
- ka Piano
- kb Organ
- kc Harpsichord
- kd Clavichord
- ke Continuo
- kf Celeste
- o Large Ensembles
- oa Full orchestra
- ob Chamber orchestra
- oc String orchestra
- od Band
- of brass band
- p Percussion
- pa Timpani
- pb Xylophone
- pc Marimba
- pd Drum
- s Strings, bowed
- sa Violin
- sb Viola
- sc Violoncello
- sd Double bass
- se Viol
- sf Viola d'amore
- sg Viola da gamba
- t Strings, plucked
- ta Harp
- tb Guitar
- tc Lute
- td Mandolin
- v Voices
- va Soprano
- vb Mezzo soprano
- vc Alto
- vd Tenor
- ve Baritone
- vf Bass
- vg Counter tenor
- vh High voice
- vi Medium voice
- vj Low voice
- vn Narrator or unspecified
- w Woodwinds
- wa flute
- wb oboe
- wc clarinet
- wd Bassoon
- we Piccolo
- wf English horn
- wg Bass clarinet
- wh Recorder
- wi Saxophone
