Info Catalog music-glossary: octave music-glossary: Musical terms A-Z music-glossary: octave marking

music-glossary: octave mark

 
 1.220 octave mark
 =================
 
 ES: indicación de octava, I: segno di ottava, F: indication d’octave, D:
 Oktavierungszeichen, NL: ?, DK: ?, S: ?, FI: oktaavamerkki.
 
    The phrase, abbreviation, or other mark used (with or without an
 extender line or bracket) to indicate that the music is to be played in
 a different octave:
 
    • 15ma: play two octaves higher
    • 8va: play one octave higher
    • 8vb: play one octave lower
    • 8va (written below the passage): unusual, same as 8vb
    • 15vb: play two octaves lower
    • 15va (written below the passage): unusual, same as 15vb
 
    For longer passages, it may be more practical to mark the octave
 change at the beginning with a phrase (see the list below for examples),
 but without a bracket or extender line.  Then, when the music returns to
 the written pitch, the octave change is canceled with the word loco
 (q.v.).
 
    To parallel the list above:
 
    • 15ma: alla quindicesima (alta)
    • 8va: all’ottava or ottava sopra
    • 8vb: all’ottava bassa, ottava sotto
    • 15vb: alla quindicesima (bassa)
 
    In the phrases above, quindicesima is sometimes replaced with
 quindecima, which is Latin.
 
    The music on an entire staff can be marked to be played in a
 different octave by putting a small 8 or 15 above or below the clef at
 the beginning.  This octave mark can be applied to any clef, but it is
 most frequently used with the G and F clefs.
 
 
 See also
 ........
 
    F clef, G clef, loco, octave marking.
 

Info Catalog music-glossary: octave music-glossary: Musical terms A-Z music-glossary: octave marking