Instrumental idiom

The analogy is with linguistic idiomaticness, that is, form or structure peculiar to one language but not another.

As an example, F4 (at the bottom of the treble clef) may be played in first, fourth or sixth position on a standard B♭ trombone.

For example, it is difficult to begin playing very quietly in the upper or lower range of some instruments, (it taking more energy to produce sound) with tone quality and/or intonation often suffering.

There are a few notable examples of idiomatic instrumental constraints affecting compositional choices found in written music.

Ravel also makes a similar choice in a climactic moment in Jeux d'eau, ending a falling gesture again on A0, rather than G#0 due to the limitations of the instrument.