LIST OF INSTRUMENTS.
The following list is printed here for convenience of reference. The names of the more commonly used instruments are shown in heavy black type. Obsolete instruments are starred thus- *.
The two semibreve-notes after each instrument give its upward-and downward-compass in actual sounds. Extreme notes are shown in crotchet-heads.
The square note that follows the two compass-notes is the note which we should have to write if we wished for the instrument to produce the sound middle-C—
It therefore indicates at a glance whether the instrument is a “transposing” or a “non-transposing instrument and, in the former case, what the transposition is. Thus the square note
appears opposite BASSOON, and shows that if we want the Bassoon to sound middle-C we must actually write that note. In other words, it is a non-transposing instrument. On the other hand, the square note
appears opposite DOUBLE-BASSOON, and shows that if we want that instrument to sound middle-C we must write a note one octave above that sound. In other words it is a transposing instrument, and it sounds an octave lower than its written part.
It is important to notice that the square note is only a symbol which gives the student a ready means of seeing the transposition, that is to say, the method of writing for each instrument. It has nothing to do with the instrument's compass The actual sound, middle-C, may or may not exist on the instrument. That can be found out from the two compass-notes.
In the right-hand column the clefs proper to each instrument are given. For fuller information as to their use and as to the extreme compass-notes the student is referred to the technical details under each instrumental heading.
1 Only recently-obsolete instruments, such as the student may possibly come upon in Full Scores, are marshalled above. Schalmeys, Pommers, Bombards, Curtals, Dulcians, Rebecs, Fipple-flutes, Cromornes, and all the rest of the mediaeval musical brigade are held in reserve.
2This method of denning the compass of transposing instruments in actual sounds is strictly confined to this preliminary list. Throughout the rest of the hook the method of mentioning only the written, notes of the transposing-instruments is adopted. The transposition into actual sound is always understood. This is the plan customary with all orchestral and military-band musicians.