SATB

In music, SATB or SCTB is a frequent initialism for soprano, (contr)alto, tenor, bass, referring to a common scoring for choruses and choirs. Pieces written for this combination can be sung by choruses of mixed genders, by choirs using a combination of men and boys, or by four soloists. SATB can also refer to various types of instrumental ensembles, such as a saxophone quartet, in this case meaning soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone.

Other common variants include SATTB, where the lower 'tenor' is usually pitched as a baritone (so sometimes explicitly written SATBarB), SSATB and SSATTB—or any other combination of double letters. A piece marked "SATB div." denotes that the individual parts may split at some point, but not significantly enough to consider them separate parts worthy of their own lines.

Many non-choral pieces have been written using SATB, mainly fugues including:

• Bach's The Art of Fugue and The Musical Offering

See also

• Choir

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