# Instrumental range



## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Hiz.

Me can't understand pictures showing range of intruments like this one:










What does this square note stand for? I saw such signs in percussive notes, what does it mean here? I also have no idea what is all about with "15ma". And with anything. I'm confused, help me leave this dismal forest, och.


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## colin (Sep 7, 2009)

Still not sure about the square note, I have seen it somewhere. The 15ma means Quindicesima alta: the notes below the dashed line are played two octaves higher.


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## Argus (Oct 16, 2009)

The square note signifies harmonics. Stringed instruments produce natural harmonics at certain divisions of the length of the string and can produce artificial ones using a two handed technique whereby you fret the note as normal with the left hand and lightly touching the string an octave from the fretted note whilst plucking. I presume that example is a violin, so harmonics should apply.


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## Scott Good (Jun 8, 2009)

Aramis said:


> Hiz.
> 
> Me can't understand pictures showing range of intruments like this one:
> 
> ...


15ma means 2 octaves higher (a 15th interval)

The square note is a harmonic when noted for string instruments (including harp) - the range of the violin is extended through harmonics (but, this D is VERY HIGH! only for pros)

Flutes, and to a certain degree, other woodwinds, can also produce harmonic notes.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

So it means that range of instrument starts with g and ends with a4 + c5 can be reached by playing harmonic notes? Right?


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## Scott Good (Jun 8, 2009)

Aramis said:


> So it means that range of instrument starts with g and ends with a4 + c5 can be reached by playing harmonic notes? Right?


yep...but up to D5 is being indicated.

he is indicating the open strings at the beginning, then the full rage of the E string.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

I see now. Thanks for your help.


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## Argus (Oct 16, 2009)

Scott Good said:


> yep...but up to D5 is being indicated.
> 
> he is indicating the open strings at the beginning, then *the full rage of the E string*.


The full rage of the E string. Thats a great title for a really angry piece, kind of like the antithesis of Bach's Air on a G String.


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## AmateurComposer (Sep 13, 2009)

The instrument this is for is obviously the violin. The four notes one above the other indicate the open string notes (the note each string sounds when it is not touched at all by the player's finger), namely, 3G, 4D, 4A and 5E. The line from the 5E note to the 7A note (written as a 5A note under the 15ma indicator) indicates the range on the E string.

The "square" note (often referred to as the "diamond" note) indicates harmonics. The so called natural harmonics occurs when the player touches very slightly an otherwise open string. This slight touch suppresses the sound of the fundamental note, and possibly some lower harmonics, letting only the intended harmonics to sound. The so called artificial harmonics occurs when the player firmly press on the string with one finger and slightly touches the same string further up with another finger, with similar efect for another sounding note.

Aramis, where did you find this document? Does it describe other instruments? I am curious to see it.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

> Aramis, where did you find this document? Does it describe other instruments? I am curious to see it.


Wikipedia. In every article about particular instrument (at least when it comes to the most popular ones) there is similiar picture showing it's range.


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## Ignis Fatuus (Nov 25, 2008)

Aramis said:


> Wikipedia. In every article about particular instrument (at least when it comes to the most popular ones) there is similiar picture showing it's range.


From experience I can say that this isn't the best place to learn orchestration from. As much as I love wikipedia, for these series of articles they just stick a picture up for the range with out enough explanation (as this post has shown). And although the range of the violin is pretty fixed. If you look at the article for "Trombone" (i.e. all sizes of trombone) they have just one range picture.

It's a good instruduction to instrumental ranges but a proper orchestration book is really necessary!


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