| Abkürzung | Einzahl | Mehrzahl | English |
| 2Klav4ms | | 2 Klaviere 4 händig | two pianos, four hands |
| A | Alt | Altstimmen | alto |
| acapp | a cappella | | a cappella |
| Akk | Akkordeon | Akkordeons | accordion |
| Althr | Althorn | Althörner | alto horn |
| B | Bass | Bässe | bass |
| Banjo | Banjo | Banjos | banjo |
| Bar | Bariton | Baritone | baritone |
| Bassetthr | Bassetthorn | Bassetthörner | basset horn (corno di bassetto) |
| Bklar | Baßklarinette | Baßklarinetten | bass clarinet |
| Bc | Basso continuo | | basso continuo |
| Beck | Becken | Becken | cymbal(s) |
| Bez | Bezifferung | | figuring |
| Bl | | Bläser | wind instruments |
| Blfl | Blockflöte | Blockflöten | recorder |
| BlflA | Altblockflöte | Altblockflöten | alto recorder |
| BlflB | Baßblockflöte | Baßblockflöten | bass recorder |
| BlflSubB | Subbassblockflöte | Subbassblockflöten | sub-bass recorder |
| BlflKind | Kinderflöte | Kinderflöten | child's flute/flutes for children |
| BlflS | Sopranblockflöte | Sopranblockflöten | soprano recorder |
| BlflSopranino | Sopranino | Sopraninos | sopranino (recorder) |
| BlflT | Tenorblockflöte | Tenorblockflöten | tenor recorder |
| BlOrch | Blasorchester | | wind band/orchestra of wind instruments |
| Brass | Blechbläserensemble | | brass/brass wind ensemble |
| Buch | Buch | | book |
| can | Kanon | | canon |
| CapCh | Capellchor | Capellchöre | Capellchöre |
| Cel | Celesta | | celesta |
| Cemb | Cembalo | Cembali | harpsichord |
| Schola | Choralschola | | choral schola |
| Collaparte | Colla parte | | colla parte |
| Con | Concertina | Concertinas | concertina |
| Cymb | Cymbal | Cymbals | cymbal |
| Drums | Drum Set | Drum Sets | drum set |
| E-B | E-Bass | E-Bässe | E(lectric)-bass |
| E-Git | E-Gitarre | E-Gitarren | E(lectric)-guitar |
| Ehr | Englischhorn | Englischhörner | English horn |
| E-Org | E-Orgel | E-Orgeln | E(lectric)-organ |
| Erz | Erzähler | Erzähler | narrator/storyteller |
| Euph | Euphonium | Euphonien | euphonium |
| Fake | Chorusbuch | | Fake Book |
| FavCh | Favoritchor | Favoritchöre | choir of solo singers |
| FCh | Frauenchor | Frauenchöre | women's choir/ladies choir/women's chorus |
| Fg | Fagott | Fagotte | bassoon |
| Fl | Flöte | Flöten | flute |
| Flhr | Flügelhorn | Flügelhörner | flugelhorn |
| Gmd | Gemeinde | | congregation |
| gem | gemischter | | mixed |
| GemCh | gemischter Chor | gemischte Chöre | mixed choir |
| Ges | Gesang | | singing/vocal |
| Git | Gitarre | Gitarren | guitar |
| GitTab | Gitarre mit Tabulatur | Gitarren mit Tabulatur | guitar with tablature |
| Glsp | Glockenspiel | Glockenspiele | "glockenspiel"/ chime bells/carillon |
| gr | groß | | big/large/major |
| grTr | große Trommel | große Trommeln | bass drum |
| GV | Git./Ges. | | guitar/vocal |
| Hack | Hackbrett | Hackbretter | dulcimer |
| HarmSteir | Steir. Harm. | | Styrian harmonica |
| Hf | Harfe | Harfen | harp |
| Holz | | Holzbläser | woodwind(s) |
| Hr | Horn | Hörner | (French) horn |
| HSingst | hohe Singstimme | hohe Singstimmen | high voice |
| Instr | Instrument | Instrumente | instrument |
| Jgdhrn | Jagdhorn | Jagdhörner | hunting horn |
| KamCh | Kammerchor | Kammerchöre | chamber choir |
| KamOrch | Kammerorchester | Kammerorchester | chamber orchestra |
| Kb | Kontrabaß | Kontrabässe | double ass |
| KCh | Kinderchor | Kinderchöre | children's choir |
| Keyb | Keyboard | Keyboards | keyboard |
| Kfg | Kontrafagott | Kontrafagotte | contra bassoon |
| kl | klein | | small, little |
| KlavAusz | Klavierauszug | Klavierauszüge | piano reduction |
| Klar | Klarinette | Klarinetten | clarinet |
| Klav | Klavier 2 händig | Klaviere 2 händig | piano for two hands |
| Klav4ms | Klavier 4 händig | Klaviere 4 händig | piano for four ands |
| klTr | kleine Trommel | kleine Trommeln | side/snare drum |
| KolS | Koloratur Sopran | Koloratur Soprane | coloratura soprano |
| KontraT | Kontratenor | Kontratenöre | contra-tenor |
| L | Leihmaterial | | hire/rental material/ material for hire |
| leihw | leihweise | | for hire |
| LB | Liederbuch | Liederbücher | song book (book of lieder) |
| Lt | Laute | Lauten | lute |
| Lyra | Lyra | Lyren | lyre |
| Mand | Mandoline | Mandolinen | mandolin |
| Mandola | Mandola | Mandolen | mandola |
| Mar | Marimba(phon) | Marimbas | marimba |
| Maultr | Maultrommel | Maultrommeln | Jew's harp |
| MCh | Männerchor | Männerchöre | men's choir |
| Metalloph | Metallophon | Metallophone | metallophone |
| Mezzo | Mezzosopran | Mezzosoprane | mezzo-soprano |
| MIDI | MIDI | | MIDI |
| MSingst | mittlere Singstimme | mittlere Singstimmen | middle/inner part/voice |
| Muha | Mundharmonika | Mundharmonikas | mouth organ |
| Ob | Oboe | Oboen | oboe |
| OCh | Oberchor | Oberchöre | choir of high voices |
| Ok | Okarina | Okarinas | ocarina |
| OrffInst | | Orff Instrumente | Orff instruments |
| Org | Orgel | Orgeln | organ |
| Pan | Panflöte | Panflöten | Pan flute |
| Perc | Percussion | | percussion |
| Picc | Piccoloflöte | Piccoloflöten | piccolo (flute) |
| Pk | Pauke | Pauken | kettledrum |
| Pos | Posaune | Posaunen | trombone |
| PVG | Klav./Gesang./Git. | | piano/vocal/guitar |
| Raffele | Raffele | Raffeles |
| Rhytgr | Rhythmusgruppe | Rhythmusgruppen | rhythm section |
| S | Sopran | Soprane | soprano |
| SATB | SATB | | soprano/alto/tenor/bass |
| Sax | Saxophon | Saxophone | saxophone |
| SaxA | Altsaxophon | Altsaxophone | alto saxophone |
| SaxB | Baritonsaxophon | Baritonsaxophone | baritone saxophone |
| SaxS | Sopransaxophon | Sopransaxophone | soprano saxophone |
| SaxT | Tenorsaxophon | Tenorsaxophone | tenor saxophone |
| Schlw | Schlagwerk | Schlagwerke | percussion |
| Schola | Schola | | schola |
| SchrQu | Schrammelquartett | | schrammel quartet |
| Singst | Singstimme | Singstimmen | voice(s) |
| Sitar | Sitar | Sitars | sitar |
| StM | Stubenmusik | | parlour music |
| Software | Software | Software | software |
| Solo | Solo | Soli | solo |
| Spr | Sprecher | | speaker |
| SSA | SSA | | Soprano/Soprano/Tenor |
| st | stimmig | | ...part harmony |
| Sti | Stimme | Stimmen | voice |
| Stabsp | Stabspiel | Stabspiele | glockenspiel/carillon |
| stFCh | stimmiger Frauenchor | stimmige Frauenchöre | part (e.g. 3-part) women's choir |
| stGemCh | stimmiger gemischter Chor | stimmige gemischte Chöre | part (e.g. 3-part) mixed choir |
| stKCh | stimmiger Kinderchor | stimmige Kinderchöre | part (e.g. 3-part) children's choir |
| StMCh | stimmiger Männerchor | stimmige Männerchöre | part (e.g. 3-part) men's choir |
| StOCh | stimmiger Oberchor | stimmige Oberchöre | part (e.g. 3-part) choir of high voices |
| Str | | Streicher | strings |
| Strorch | Streichorchester | | string orchestra |
| Synth | Synthesizer | | synthesiser |
| T | Tenor | Tenöre | tenor |
| Tasteninstr | Tasteninstrument | Tasteninstrumente | keyboard(s) |
| Tb | Tuba | Tuben | tuba |
| Tenorhr | Tenorhorn | Tenorhörner | tenor horn |
| Text | Textbuch | Textbücher | text books |
| Theorie | Theorie | | theory |
| Tr | Trommel | Trommeln | drum |
| Trgl | Triangel | Triangel | triangle |
| Trp | Trompete | Trompeten | trumpet |
| TSingst | tiefe Singstimme | tiefe Singstimmen | deep voice |
| TTBB | TTBB | | Tenor/Tenor/Bass/Bass |
| ÜCh | Überchor | | |
| unis | unisono | | unisono |
| Va | Viola | Violen | viola |
| Vad'amore | Viola d'Amore | Violen D'Amore | viola d'amore |
| VaGb | Viola da Gamba | Violen Da Gamba | viola da gamba |
| var | Variabel | | flexible |
| Vc | Violoncello | Violoncelli | violoncello |
| Vibr | Vibraphon | Vibraphone | vibraphone |
| Violone | Violone | Violonen | violon |
| Violpicc | Violine piccolo | | violino piccolo |
| Vl | Violine | Violinen | violin |
| Gmd | Volk | | folk |
| Vors | Vorsänger | | lead singer |
| Xyl | Xylophon | Xylophone | xylophone |
| Zith | Zither | Zithern | zither |