The ANSCR Classification System for Sound Recordings

ANSCR categories

 The Alpha-Numeric System for Classification of Recordings (ANSCR) is composed of 46 major categories into which all sound recordings are organized.
 
A Music Appreciation: History and Commentary
B Operas: Complete and Highlights
C Choral Music
D Vocal Music
(E) Orchestral music
EA Orchestral music: General Orchestral
EB Orchestral music: Ballet Music
EC Orchestral music: Concertos
ES Orchestral music: Symphonies
F Chamber Music
(G) Solo Instrumental Music 
GG Solo Instrumental Music: Guitar
GO Solo Instrumental Music: Organ
GP Solo Instrumental Music: Piano
GS Solo Instrumental Music: Stringed Instruments
GV Solo Instrumental Music: Violin
GW Solo Instrumental Music: Wind Instruments
GX Solo Instrumental Music: Percussion Instruments
H Band Music
J Electronic, Mechanical Music
K Musical Shows and Operettas: Complete and Excerpts
L Soundtrack Music: Motion Pictures and Television
MA Popular Music
MC Country/Western
MG Contemporary Christian/Gospel
MJ Jazz
MN New Age
MR Rock, Rhythm and Blues, etc.
P Folk and Ethnic Music (National)
Q Folk and Ethnic Music (International)
R Holiday Music
RC Christmas Music
S Varieties and Humor
SR Varieties and Humor: Radio Transcriptions
ST Varieties and Humor: Television Transcriptions
T Plays
U Poetry
V Prose (Fiction)
VN Prose (Nonfiction)
W Documentary: History and Commentary
X Instructional or Informational Spoken Recordings
Y Sounds and Special Effects
(Z) Children's Recordings 
ZI Children's Recordings: Instructional
ZM Children's Recordings: Music
ZR Children's Recordings: Holiday Music
ZRC Children's Recordings: Christmas Music
ZS Children's Recordings: Spoken
ZU Children's Recordings: Poetry

ANSCR call number composition

ANSCR call number composition consists of four lines of information. Each item of information is explained below. 
           Term One
           Term Two
           Term Three
           Term Four
Term One
Letter or letters representing one of the ANSCR categories
Term Two
Based on the ANSCR category specified in Term One, Term Two will be the first four consecutive letters of the composer's surname, performer's surname, author's surname, title, or topic
Term Three
Initial letters of the first three significant words of the title, or the first three consecutive letters of a one-word title
Term Four
First letter of the performer's surname (or production company if a children's recording) followed by the last two digits of the recording company's production number

ANSCR call number examples

In the following examples, the description of a sound recording is shown on the left and the resultant ANSCR call number is shown on the right. Recording descriptions include the ANSCR call number coding in parentheses following each item of information.

Example 1:

Term One: Opera (B) B
Term Two: Puccini (PUCC) PUCC
Term Three: La Boheme (BOH) BOH
Term Four: Tullio Serafin, Decca 0082 (S82) S82

Example 2:

Term One: Orchestral music: Symphonies (ES) ES
Term Two: Beethoven (BEET) BEET
Term Three: Symphony No. 9 (9) 9
Term Four: Christoph von Dohn'nyi, Columbia MS 0020 (D20) D20

Example 3:

Term One: Jazz Music (MJ) MJ
Term Two: Miles Davis (DAVI) DAVI
Term Three: E.S.P. (ESP) ESP
Term Four: Miles Davis, Verve 0083 (D83) D83