I was looking at the sheet music for the Star Spangled Banner arranged for the U.S. Marine Band, and I saw that each instrument has an Opt. S.D. in the beginning.
What does it mean?
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1 Answer
"Optional Snare Drum"
What you're seeing is a cue for an optional instrument. The Star-Spangled Banner may begin with or without snare drum.
answered Nov 1, 2015 at 15:28
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2I guess it's a roll, looking at the tremolo note. Just like the U.K. National Anthem. On those dots, it looks like a 2 beat rather than an unmeasured roll, but it's probably optional, as it says. Optional instrument, or optional beats.– TimNov 1, 2015 at 17:35
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1@Tim Actually measured / unmeasured has nothing to do with beat length, but rather whether or not the percussionist's hands are subdividing the roll rhythmically, or non-rhythmically. Nov 3, 2015 at 4:27
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3It's more likely to be a military roll at the start, just a long sustained sound.– TimNov 3, 2015 at 7:59