How do you designate that only one plays

id like to specify that only one violin plays of "Violin I" and its a waste of space to make another STAFF just for that few measures.

how do you designate that?

a stupid question i know but i cant seem to find it.

Any violin solo in an orchestral work is played by the concertmaster (except in the case of a concerto, in which case guest soloists may be heard). I thought there was an exact term for it... but can't find it. Just write solo over the part, i guess.

i guess ill have to do that.

its not just violin, its also viola & cello.

the beggining is extremly subtle and gentle

Solo is the term that is used. Why would you need another term?

Use "solo". When the rest of the section is to begin playing, indicate "tutti".

oh yeah, of course... :S

thank you!

I usually write a big "4" on the instrument above the instrument that I want to play solo, and three measures behind (on the next closest prime page) with elephant blood.

Other people tend to just write "solo" (as mentioned above), but I think that's too easy for the players to figure out and quite boring.

I usually write a big "4" on the instrument above the instrument that I want to play solo, and three measures behind (on the next closest prime page) with elephant blood.

Other people tend to just write "solo" (as mentioned above), but I think that's too easy for the players to figure out and quite boring.

Yeah, I find it more poetic to write "One player shall play this part and one shall be the number of players this part should be played by. It shall not be played by two, neither shall it be played by three. A hundred is the wrong number of players too, and so are all number below and above this, with the exception of the number one, for one is the correct number of players for this part. If seven players play it, it will be woefully wrong, and you will have made a mistake by doing so. So see to it that only a single person plays it. For then it shall be right and then, and only then, the music is played correctly, as it was intended, and it shall be good so."

P.S. Monty Python FTW!

You people crack me up. One can tell when YC is patronizing its poor innocent n00bs.

"How do you designate that only one plays?"

Write "Only one"

Optionally: "Only one player"

if tuba, you may patronise them, especially in the absense of cues. "Only one tuba" or more simply "one tuba" or if that confuses them (it's easy to do that) "1 tuba" is passable.

If they are acute in Italian knowledge, you may write "Solo" or "solo".

To do the opposite "All play" or "All" or "tutti" or "section"

Seriously, in band music they say "Only one" ... like we don't know what "SOLO" means. :blink:

And also "soli" means that the whole section as playing, but reminds the section that they are the only ones playing that particular line in the music, and that the attention is on them. Solo is not equal to Soli.