Thorough-bass

(Ger. General’ba ; Fr. ba e hifres It. as so conti’nuo.) A species of mus. shorthand in which chords are indicated by figures written over a running ba (briefly explained under Chord). It originated in Italy (6a550 continuo, or, for short, continuo) toward the close of the 16th century, and for 200 years was the common method of notation for accompaniments by the organ or cembalo. Tr is now principally employed in mus. theory, in teaching the science of chords. Three-lined octave. See Pit.', aso. lute. ‘Three-quarter fiddle. See Violino piccolo, under Violino. Three-time, 3-time.