Doubling; or should it be trebling?

[David Ward]

This (screenshot) is the list for the little orchestra for a 2012 piece of mine (there are also 6 singers and potentially 6 dancers). It refers to the flute's ‘doubling’ on three instruments and ditto for the second oboe and the second clarinet. Strictly speaking, aren't they trebling?

Should I take the opportunity to change this to ‘trebling’ while making small edits and some very minor corrections to the score?

[John Ruggero]

While "doubling" may not be strictly correct, I myself have never heard "trebling" used. E. Gould refers only to "doubling", saying (roughly) that it is best if a player "double" on only one other instrument if another player is available to double. Might she have said that it is better that a player not "double" on two other instruments? Don't know; but that is what I would say.

Perhaps one could also write, "Flute alternating with Piccolo and Alto Flute.

[hautbois baryton]

As a professional doubler, it's doubling.

[David Ward]

As a professional doubler, it's doubling.

That's what I thought.

My question arose because in a Musicians' Union list of fees for recording sessions there is a reference to ‘trebling’. I don't remember coming across this before.

Thank you both for your comments.

[JJP]

Egad! I’ve been on gigs where woodwind players have played 7 different instruments. If we have to count past doubling, I may need to retire or develop a whole new vocabulary!

[John Ruggero]

It's a "trebling" development. Septupling anyone?

[Magister Tekton]

"TREBLING" is three-times? ...Or doubling-doubling; four-times?

[Fred G. Unn]

Yeah, definitely doubling. The Local 802 Broadway scale sheet even goes up to 12 "doubles."

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This is sort of a fun site:
https://shows.bretpimentel.com

I know the touring production of In the Heights only had one Reed player, playing seven instruments! I don't think I've ever been asked to play more than five.

[hautbois baryton]

The most I have had to play was 9, though the book is written for 8.

West Side Story reed 3 book, which had the following doubles: Piccolo, Flute, Oboe, English Horn, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone, and Baritone Saxophone. I added Alto Flute to that as the flute part had a very low tessitura in some places.

My previous show I had 5 doubles, and in my current show I also have 5 doubles. My next show is currently in flux; I may have 2 or 3 doubles (either Flute/Clarinet or Flute/Clarinet/Bassoon), but they are still in the process of writing the book.

[Fred G. Unn]

Wow, 9 is crazy! I don't mess with double reeds at all, so that would obviously limit my ability to play some books. (Picked up an Altus alto flute not too long ago that I love playing. Finally getting my sight-transposition good enough to play the lower part of C flute duets on it.)