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I’m not sure what this notation (dots under notes)means exactly. I am practicing both pieces for an audition to enter orchestra. Help would be greatly appreciated. Also, if you would like to let me know anything else about this piece, as I am quite a beginner, please do let me know. Thank you. The piece is Symphony No. 15 in G Major and Appalachian Festival.

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    It means staccato, detached en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staccato Play a snappy short note that dies out quickly. You know the tune Popcorn? Imagine you're playing Popcorn. Short sounds. youtube.com/watch?v=NjxNnqTcHhg Dec 11, 2022 at 22:02
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    1) Welcome! Please take a moment to read through the topics covered here. 2) Did you mean to attach an image? It's most likely staccato, but it would be nice to see to know for sure. 3) What instrument do you play? You can add a tag to the question to help connect with people who specialize in that instrument, or to make the "how do I do it" answer more targeted. 4) "Symphony No 15 in G Major" by whom? Lots of people have written symphonies, often more than 15.... Dec 11, 2022 at 22:11
  • ... and 5) The goal here is to focus each post on a single question. "Anything else about the piece" is too broad for a single question, though "what's the best way to practice this" would be a great question. There's also a chat room here where you can discuss more broadly. ... Dec 11, 2022 at 22:16
  • ... 6) Search this site; there are a lot of questions and answers about practice and auditions, like this one about handling nerves or this one about practicing, or this one. Dec 11, 2022 at 22:17

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The dot under a note generally speaking means cut the note off short - often to around half its value. It doesn't mean the next note will be played any sooner, just that the note in question is truncated. This could even have been written as a shorter note, with a corresponding rest after, but it's simpler to merely write a staccato dot instead. The length is affected by approximately half, but is usually left to the discretion of the player.

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