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1.226 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.