Abbreviations

In musical notation, abbreviations are often used to save tiresome repetitions or leger lines. Repetitions of entire sections of a piece may be notated by two dots (occasionally four), arranged vertically in front of a double bar, to signify the repetition of a passage ending at that double bar or bounded by two double bars so marked (the first of such a pair has the dots following). Smaller-scale abbreviation includes slashes through a note stem, to indicate repetition (the number of slashes indicates the rate of repetition, the note head its duration) and the joining of notes by an oblique stroke to indicate oscillation (the stroke indicates the rate of oscillation, the note head its duration). Verbal abbreviations include ‘col 8va’, to indicate that a passage should be played in octaves (adding the octave above or below, according to the placing of the rubric); ‘8va’ by itself indicates that the passage should be played an octave higher or lower (according to its placing). Another common abbreviation is a 2, to indicate either that two instruments play a passage together or that the instruments should be divided into two groups.