The Silver Clef Instrument Sequencing Numbering Chart

The Instrument Sequencing Chart

This chart was constructed over a period of two years, between 2004 and 2005, with the collaboration of more than a dozen contributors in the C-M (Community Music) group.

The chart provides a solution to naming individual instrument part filenames such that they sort into proper score order when looking in a directory or an archive of those parts.

If anyone has produced individual instrument parts in Finale or Sibelius, then examined the default filenames produced by these programs, they have probably already seen what a mess it is to try to find an individual instrument’s part. For example, would the first alto sax part be found under “F” or “A” or “S” … or something totally different?

In any case, the parts most people produce from music engraving programs are named such that when you search for a part later, the parts are NOT in score order.

This sequencing chart solves that problem.

Purpose

Using this chart will provide you with a consistent system for naming individual instrument parts, so they always sort in proper score order.

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Considerations

This chart was developed specifically for CONCERT Bands. With many different instrumentations for concert band, you should expand this chart to suit your needs.

Expansion

If you expand this chart to suit additional needs, it would work best if you would select numbers for additional instruments that cause them to sort in proper score order.

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Permissions

INSTRUCTIONS – How To Use The Chart

Here is one method for using these numbers that has proven to be very successful. You are, of course, free to develop your own naming convention, or modify this to suit you own needs.

Each individual instrument part is contained in its own file. The name for that file consists of four parts.

Part 1 – The Tune Title

This will be the same for all files. If you are arranging Sousa’s “Washington Post March” the first segment of the file name could be “WashingtonPost.”

Part 2 – The Sequencing Number

This is the number off of the subject sequencing chart. If you are naming the compressed score for our sample tune, the first and second segments of the file name would look like this: “WashingtonPost 001”

Part 3 – The Cleartext Instrument Name

We include this part so normal humans can read it and see exactly which instrument this part is for. Continuing our example above, the filename with the first three segments would now read “WashingtonPost 001 Compressed Score”

If you were naming the Piccolo part, the filename would now read “WashingtonPost 101 Piccolo”

Part 4 – The File Extension

Simply add the appropriate extension for the file type. Usually, this will be “.pdf” for PDF type files. Continuing our examples from the previous part, the two filenames used as examples would now be complete as

WashingtonPost 001 CompressedScore.pdf
WashingtonPost 101 Piccolo.pdf

for consistency, ALWAYS use lowercase letters for the file extension.

Naming your files properly is one of the most important things you can do if you ever hope to find them again in the distant future. Don’t be lazy about filenames. Take your time and do it right, do it carefully, and do it with attention to detail. Be careful of uppercase vs. lowercase, and be careful and consistent about adding spaces and dashes in file names. The key to all this is to BE CONSISTENT throughout an entire set of parts for one tune.

View/Download Chart

And as always, please let us know if you have any suggestions.

Transpositions Available for Each Part in the ENSEMBLE CONCERT BOOKS SERIES

This chart describes each transposition available for each voice in the Ensemble Concert Books Series, along with a list of most of the instruments that can be appropriate for playing that part. This will give you a good idea of which books to order, based on which instruments you have. The preferred instruments for each part are highlighted in red.

SOPRANO 1:

In C. This part includes both the high octave, suitable for flute, piccolo, and violin, and the low octave, suitable for oboe or brass instruments in C.
In Bb. This part is suitable for trumpets, (soprano) clarinets, and soprano saxophones.
In Eb. This part is suitable for and voiced for the Eb soprano clarinet. It can also be played by an Eb sopranino saxophone. If necessary, it can be played by an alto saxophone, but it will not be in the right register, and it would be good if the alto sax player could play it an octave above the written notes.
In F. This part will be available only on request. Please allow six weeks for us to produce it. It is available in the event that a French horn or F trumpet is the only instrument you have to play this voice, and it will require a horn player with a good high range to play it.

SOPRANO 2:

In C. This part is voiced for oboe and violin. It is possible for a flute to play it as well, but this part will frequently be in the lower range for a flute and therefore might lose some power.
In Bb. This is the part to get for (soprano) clarinets, trumpets, and soprano saxophones.
In Eb. This part is voiced for alto saxophones and alto clarinets. It can also be played by an Eb soprano clarinet, but should be played an octave below the written notes.
In F. For French Horns.
In Alto Clef. For violas. This part is only available on request. Please allow six weeks for production.

ALTO:

In C. For violin, viola, or any other C-pitched instrument playing treble clef n the alto range.
In Bb. For soprano clarinets. It can also be played by a trumpet, as it has higher-octave cue notes for those notes that go below the range of a trumpet. It can also be played by tenor saxophones and treble clef baritone horn, but that player should play an octave above the written notes.
In Eb. For alto saxophones, and alto clarinets.
In F. For French Horns.
In Alto Clef. For violas, and those rare (and strange) trombone players who prefer to read alto clef. This part is only available on request. Please allow six weeks to produce it.
In Bass Clef. For trombones and baritone B.C. players. This part will usually be in the higher end of the range of these players, but not uncomfortably so.

TENOR:

In Bb. This is for tenor saxophones and baritone horns who play treble clef.
In Eb. This can be played by alto saxophones, although it will be somewhat low in their register.
In F. For French Horns. This is not the preferred instrument for this part, but they CAN play it.
In Tenor Clef. For violas, and others who prefer tenor clef. This part is only available on request. Please allow six weeks to produce it.
In Bass Clef. For trombones, baritone horns, and cellos. It can also be played by bassoons when needed.

BASS:

In Bb. For Bass clarinet and contra-bass clarinet. Also for Bass Saxophone and brass band type tuba/bass players who read Bb treble clef bass parts.
In Eb. For baritone saxophones and Eb Contra-alto Clarinets.
In F. For experienced horn players only. This part is only available on request. Please allow six weeks to produce it.
In Bass Clef - High. For string bass players.
In Bass Clef - Low - for tubas and bassoons.

MISCELLANEOUS PARTS:

Piano. If you cannot fill in all five other parts, adding a piano player may give you all the extra harmony notes you need.
Drum Set. While not required, adding a drum set to your performances, especially when you are using ten or more players, will definitely enhance the presentation.

The Silver Clef Instrument Sequencing Numbering Chart

The Instrument Sequencing Chart

Purpose

Considerations

Expansion

Permissions

INSTRUCTIONS – How To Use The Chart

Like this:

Transpositions Available for Each Part in the ENSEMBLE CONCERT BOOKS SERIES

What is a VIRTUAL CONCERT?

And how do we make one?

The Silver Clef Instrument Sequencing Numbering Chart

The Instrument Sequencing Chart

Purpose

Considerations

Expansion

Permissions

INSTRUCTIONS – How To Use The Chart

Share this:

Like this:

Transpositions Available for Each Part in the ENSEMBLE CONCERT BOOKS SERIES

What is a VIRTUAL CONCERT?

And how do we make one?