Questions tagged [dynamics]
For questions related to the intensity, or loudness, of sound.
99
questions
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1answer
36 views
Writing dynamics separately with Lilypond
I've recently been engraving more and more with Lilypond, and I stumbled upon a .ly file on Mutopia (public domain scores engraved with Lilypond) where the dynamics and articulations are written ...
3
votes
1answer
84 views
Is there a difference between 'decrescendo' and 'diminuendo'?
I'm a lifelong musician, and this is something I've always wondered about. I know that decrescendo translates to "decreasing" and diminuendo to "diminishing", but does this have any practical ...
2
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1answer
28 views
Using different dynamics for different staves of the same instrument in MuseScore
I want to use different dynamics ( p and ff for treble and bass staff respectively) in Musescore 3.4.2 but always the last one I've entered has the effect and the former gets kind of discarded.
Is it ...
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vote
3answers
54 views
Custom dynamic mark attached to a note, but not postponning the next
I am in the process of engraving a piano sheet, and I wrote a custom dynamic mark with the look of which I am very happy, but the behavior, not totally. It is the following :
mff = \tweak DynamicText....
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3answers
70 views
What instrument(s) lend themselves to playing different dynamics rapidly? [closed]
I'm a composer. What instrument(s) would it be easiest to play parts like this on? Thinking along the lines of unpitched percussion, but I'm open to anything. For example:
2
votes
1answer
52 views
Mastering oboe dynamics
I have been playing the oboe for a term now, and I have come across some songs that require me to use dynamics. How do you achieve dynamics on the oboe, and what exercises can you do to master it.
5
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2answers
92 views
Midi Volume “Compression”?
Suppose your midi instrument, say a piano vst, has 16 "layers". When you input a note at velocity "1", you'll hear a very quiet ppp note. When you input the same note at velocity "127", you'll hear a ...
2
votes
1answer
75 views
Repeated forte dynamics in more than 10 measures, What does that mean?
As I arrange the Scherzo movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony for a piano quintet(though I might expand this out to a sextet and use a double bass in place of a second cello), I notice something odd ...
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1answer
68 views
Enhancing the effect of Crescendo/Diminuendo in musescore
I just want to know how can I steep the gradient of crescendo (or diminuendo) effect in Musescore?
In normal situations it's like there are no effects at all.
I'm using Musescore 3.2.
3
votes
2answers
109 views
Correct abbreviation for “niente”?
“Niente” (“nothing”) is used to start a crescendo from silence or end a diminuendo with silence.
Some scores spell it out fully (from “Titanic Suite”, published by Hal Leonard):
Other scores ...
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3answers
126 views
Fortepiano (fp) for the piano forte: are there examples in music literature? [duplicate]
A brass player I know plays fp by applying it to a single note. For the piano this is not possible. Reading a recent question and some comments below it, I wonder: are there examples of fp in music ...
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3answers
2k views
Dynamic marking “f-p”
I know that:
The dynamic marking f means forte, or play loud. And that p means piano, or play soft.
The dynamic marking fp means fortepiano, or play this note loud, and play the following notes ...
6
votes
1answer
129 views
Is this fortissimo passage in the flute possible?
I am writing this piece for a piano flute duet to represent Spring and it has 3 main sections. Those sections are:
A - Quiet, Molto adagio, A minor, very melodic, rocking fifths in the bass, melody ...
9
votes
3answers
2k views
Dynamics using m, r, s, and z. What do they mean?
I've seen these dynamics that are notated with: 'm', 'r', 's', and 'z', but I don't know what the mean. I might have an idea to what 'm' means, which might mean 'medium' like in mp or mf, but I don't ...
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4answers
357 views
Does Sforzando really mean a stronger accent?
I come across sforzando a lot as an arranger and even just as a classical music listener. I was told by my piano teacher that sforzando means a stronger accent than your typical accent mark. But I ...
4
votes
2answers
680 views
How should I notate an intermediate dynamic between mp and mf?
I know this is a question that’s been asked before, but I haven’t found an answer that suits my needs.
Consider the following example [edit: new excerpt, to include all swells and to remove other ...
2
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3answers
392 views
Più, meno, poco & molto: How to write incremental dynamics?
I’m a self-taught amateur composer, and whilst the standard dynamics of ppp to fff go a long way, over time I’ve wanted to use some additional instructions to indicate incremental dynamics between ...
6
votes
1answer
82 views
Is there a difference between Espirando and Mancando?
I've seen both these terms listed in online music glossaries as meaning "dying away", but neither entry ever refers to the other. Are there any real-world differences in how these are interpreted?
5
votes
2answers
137 views
What is the point of repeating the same dynamic mark?
See this video
The audio is the orchestral version of Shosty 7, but the video shows a two piano arrangement, which is what the question is about. If you look at 1:06:...
4
votes
1answer
64 views
Will a forte tympani overpower a quiet orchestra?
So far, I have been mainly using the tympani in my orchestration of the Pathetique Sonata for the purpose of adding an accent. It might change later on to having a more important role but right now, ...
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4answers
4k views
How do pianists reach extremely loud dynamics?
This question of mine started when I heard the piano score of Mars by Gustav Holst. Here is the piano score:
How do the pianists even reach triple f? I myself have ...
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3answers
172 views
What is the best way to play with dynamics on the violin?
I've just started playing the violin, and have come to dynamics (forte, piano, etc.). To play forte, I push the bow hard, and for piano, I push the bow lightly. Is this the right method? Are there any ...
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1answer
122 views
Polyphony vs Monophony
I am taking a basic music class as an elective and was given a chart to compare monophony and polyphony. The elements within the chart are: Melody, Accompaniment, Harmony, Rhythm of Words, Dynamics ...
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2answers
851 views
What is the difference between accent and sforzando?
In particular, on cello. I got the impression that both are strong (either by pressure or speed) at the beginning of the note, followed by quick release of pressure/speed. What is the difference ...
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2answers
456 views
Why do arpeggios tend to blend at quiet dynamics?
I notice this especially in the arpeggio passage of the Solfeggio in C minor. But when I am playing very fast arpeggios, the notes either stay separate or blend depending on the dynamic. At forte, ...
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4answers
1k views
Why were dynamic markings not really used in the Baroque and Classical period?
Why is it that dynamics only really began to be frequently used from the Romantic period onward? Also what was the first recorded use of dynamics because I read on Wikipedia that it was first century ...
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0answers
30 views
Normalize a collection of WAVS in an homogenous way without loosing a bit of dynamic range
I ripped all my CDs of a band, and would like to do a loseless flac compilation. The degree of volume and compression is different in every album.
What's the easiest way to normalize by RMS a ...
4
votes
2answers
382 views
Dynamic markings and relative sound levels of instuments
In an orchestra, various instruments have different "perceived output volume" capabilities and these change across registers. For example, flutes get louder in their higher register, bassoons are ...
2
votes
1answer
124 views
What do I do if a fp marking is in between two notes?
How can i play the section with forte piano fp where fp is between two notes
7
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1answer
92 views
Is there a specific term for the orchestral bursts in The Firebird?
In Stravinsky's Firebird, during the Danse Infernale section, there are several very short, jarring bursts from the orchestra. These bursts have an unusual dynamic quality in that the attack is not at ...
3
votes
2answers
905 views
Crescendo and accelerando throughout, how?
I hear this in most piano transcriptions and in all orchestras when I hear In the Hall of the Mountain King. It is as though Edvard Grieg wrote cresc. and accel. and pp and left it at that. I did hear ...
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4answers
688 views
How to play forte-piano chord on piano?
In Beethoven's Pathetique, how do you play the fortepiano chords in the third movement (rondo)? I can easily do this on a wind instrument by changing wind speed, but on piano, I have no idea how to ...
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4answers
1k views
Do contemporary singers sound “wrong” without a microphone?
When I play guitar and sing, it isn’t very loud because I mix my head voice with falsetto. It’s impossible for me to know what this sounds like without recording my voice- but the only way to record ...
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votes
4answers
351 views
How can I make sure my mix is not “bricked” before sending it to be professionally mastered?
In the instructions provided to me by the service I'm using to have my album mastered, the engineers include this advice:
Include any desired processing, such as compression and equalization, but be ...
3
votes
1answer
284 views
Sforzando but fortissimo, how to fix that?
I wished that Musescore could recognize the note velocity of other instruments when I just put in a series of sforzandos in 1 instrument followed by forte to recognize that it needs to do a crescendo. ...
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votes
3answers
603 views
Is it necessary to put nuances indication at the start and end of a crescendo/decrescendo?
On one song I'm writing, I'd like to finish the song with a decrescendo on two measures.
My question is, is it better (or at least useful) to add a nuance at the end of the decrescendo like in the ...
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votes
3answers
1k views
digital piano volume
I have a Yamaha P-115. Earlier I had a tutor coming home and he used to keep the volume 2-3 notches below the max. Now, I am in a different city, and go to a tutor in a music school, where I play a ...
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1answer
111 views
Can I use the G2 Pedal to simply act as a volume pedal?
I have access to a Guitar Effects Pedal G2 by Zoom (https://www.zoom-na.com/sites/default/files/products/downloads/pdfs/G2.pdf) and I've been perusing the manual for a distortion-free volume ...
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2answers
203 views
Determining dynamics of individual parts in music group
I have been lately wondering how to determine dynamics of individual parts in music group. As we all know sheet music many times doesn't provide all dynamics and phrasing.
It seems obvious to me, ...
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2answers
3k views
Where should dynamics marking be written?
I am recently writing a piece for violin and piano. Should I write the f and p dynamic markings of the violin above the stave of violin or below?
Also, should tempo markings such as rit. written on ...
6
votes
3answers
1k views
Do you always play the melody louder than the accompaniment, unless specified?
The moonlight sonata 1st movement by Beethoven, for example, has a melody on top with an accompaniment with the left AND right hand (starts at measure 5). People usually say that you play the melody ...
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3answers
193 views
Are anti-accents used for the piano?
According to wikipedia, anti-accents: accents that tell you to play a note softer than the surrounding notes, which are indicated by a breve (slightly softer), parentheses (significantly softer) and ...
0
votes
1answer
324 views
Does it matter where you put the tempo marking (piano)?
Does it matter where you put the tempo marking?
For example, above the treble staff, in between the treble staff and the bass staff or underneath the bass staff? I know that when you put a dynamic ...
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vote
1answer
166 views
Is pizzicato on a violin family instrument louder than finger picking an acostic guitar?
It seems that way, since those instruments are played in large concert halls that a guitar would probably need an amplifier for.
And if it's true, what is the reason?
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3answers
1k views
Are single coil pickups better at catching picking dynamics?
I've seen mention of dynamics on the Internet generally associated with single coil pickups, and it seems that people assume that those have more dynamics.
However, there is an interesting forum ...
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5answers
981 views
How to play the dynamic correctly?
Is there any rule of thumb for how loud/quiet the dynamics should be played?
Like, when I see "pp" I know to play it softer than "mf" or "f", for example, but I have no way of knowing if I'm playing ...
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3answers
355 views
The same dynamic indication repeated?
Why is the f dynamic indication repeated in the last two bars displayed below if a dynamic instruction should last until a different indication occurs?
Also, in the same picture, should the notes ...
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4answers
1k views
Problem with dynamics while playing
I am a musician and I play keyboard but I have a problem that worries me. Whenever I play I tend to strike the bass key(s) very hard and that note(s) is very clearly heard and obscures the right hand. ...
5
votes
2answers
3k views
What does *fp* mean in terms of volume to play?
I'm working on a piece where the volume is specified as fp. From what I can tell, this means "forte piano", which to me is meaningless. This is a piano piece, so:
1) Is it meaningless?
2) Do they ...
17
votes
4answers
7k views
Tell pianist to play entire piece softly, except one part
I've composed a short melody, however I'm very new to all this piano theory, how would I tell the pianist to play the entire piece softly? (mp, not pp), and how would I write exceptions for specific ...
