Questions tagged [notation]
For questions about visual representation of music and its uses. If the question is about a specific type of notation like tablature, that should also be tagged. Questions about how to input specific notation are best served with the engraving tag.
1,555
questions
2
votes
2answers
78 views
14
votes
2answers
1k views
Mystery bowing notation
A cellist friend asked if I had come across this coloured in cross marking (hourglass?) in bar 35 and it has me stumped. (Beethoven Sonatina, so you can discount any crazy new music articulation.)
...
0
votes
1answer
42 views
Tie instead of a Rest in Keyboard Staff notation
Hello, I am learning Keyboard notation. Want to know why a tie is used across bar lines . Why can't they use a rest in bar 2?
7
votes
3answers
77 views
What is the effect Ravel is after here?
This is part of the snare drum part from Ravel's Miroirs No. 4: Alborado del Gracioso (The jester's aubade).
What is the effect of both sticks playing the same note? If the sticks coincide precisely ...
0
votes
3answers
89 views
What symbols on piano sheet music shows what hand should play what?
I learned to read music to a certain level as a child and since retiring have started learning piano again, but no matter how many books I read, I can't figure out when reading sheet music when you ...
11
votes
3answers
1k views
What does this notation mean?
What does the prime symbol above the note mean? I have not seen it before.
This is from Haydn's Variations in F minor
2
votes
3answers
71 views
Scope of natural accidental inside a bar
I have a question about natural accidental and its scope inside a bar. As far as I know, all accitentals should last until end of the bar and they affect all following notes on the same line in this ...
2
votes
1answer
83 views
What is the biggest chord ever written for orchestra?
Firstly I must define what I mean by "biggest". I mean the chord that has the most differently named notes in it not counting duplicates.
Initially I was assuming equal temperament but if ...
1
vote
2answers
49 views
How to notate a 16:15 frequency in just intonation?
I've often came across tables just chromatic scales like so:
C: 1:1
C#: 16:15
D: 9:8
And so forth. I know that at least in Ben Johnston notation, the sharp sign implies that a note's frequency is ...
7
votes
2answers
1k views
Two angled lines in a study score
I’m studying Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 and have come across two lines which look like they are intended to save paper in just showing the musical lines that are playing?
They are everywhere, the ...
5
votes
1answer
110 views
What are these arrows?
I have played the guitar for 6 years now and have never seen this notation. What do these arrows mean?
EDIT: Bach Chaconne, arrangement by Edson Lopes, classical guitar (for electric guitar players: ...
2
votes
2answers
80 views
Mixed 3:5 rhythm with ordinary notes
I've got this rhythm which has a 3:5 bit (the three notes in the top go against the first five in the bottom - the final rest in each bar is in-line to make up the bar of 6/8) and I've sketched out ...
1
vote
2answers
92 views
Notation of portamento
I have two measures (in treble clef) of a soprano voice, the first starting on the higher c and the second ending on the c an octave lower.
I would like to notate a portamento that starts on the ...
0
votes
1answer
40 views
How do I represent these measures (bends and prebends) in GuitarPro?
I was reading through a book when I came across this lick. I tried to represent it in guitar pro but am finding difficulty. Can you please help me with this lick?
I understand that these are grace ...
0
votes
2answers
70 views
Which symbol should I use to indicate “transpose”?
I'm making an online chord database, and I want symbols instead of words to label everything, so it can be used by non English speakers. E.g. instead of "Home" I have a picture of a house.
I ...
3
votes
2answers
59 views
Is there a more compact way of notating two-note duplet division tremolos?
Is there a really compact way of notating the following bar? I'm already using slash notehead on beats 2 and 3 to indicate "repeat the previous beat". But is there some way of writing just a ...
4
votes
3answers
2k views
why is guitar music written one octave higher?
I was always a guitar player and so I never really cared about the difference but since starting piano it is a bit annoying writing the guitar parts since I always have to transpose by an octave. Is ...
6
votes
4answers
93 views
Do brackets between staves indicating which hand to use apply to the entire measure?
In the fourth and sixth measures (shown above) how should the brackets be interpreted? Should all subsequent notes in the treble clef with stems pointing downward be played with the left hand? Or only ...
1
vote
1answer
56 views
How to count this rhythm notation? [duplicate]
This is bar 3 of an arrangement of Clair de Lune in 9/8. What is the meaning of the 2 above the beam? The first C is played on beat 4, so the 4 remaining notes in the bar need to cover 6 beats. Which ...
0
votes
1answer
76 views
What is a line prall?
I am composing a melody for piano in Musescore, and after experimenting on a particular note with various ornaments (i.e. trills, mordents, etc.) I decided to use a 'line prall'. It sounded good, so I ...
0
votes
2answers
67 views
Applied Chords notation
I have a chord in the key of F minor. The notes from the bass are
A natural , C , F , E flat. From textbook: " Identify the following applied chord . Symbolize the chord using functional and root ...
2
votes
2answers
111 views
What is the name for this style of Beaming in Music Engraving?
This is a rough example of my engraving of beaming which I really like and takes time to produce, and I think looks very good.
This is an example from an old score that seems to represent standard ...
6
votes
4answers
1k views
Notation that means “same as previous four?”
I am playing “Sonate Pathetique,” whose time signature is 4/4. I came across a bar with four notes that looked like half notes. I asked my friend, and he said it meant “the same as the previous four ...
3
votes
1answer
51 views
Music theory - minim over beats 2 and 3 in 4/4 [duplicate]
When writing the rhythm crotchet - minim - crotchet in 4/4, is this ok or should it be 4 crotchets with the 2nd and 3rd tied together? I know that you can't write a minim rest over beats 2 and 3 in 4/...
2
votes
2answers
60 views
Problem Understanding Specific Rules of Adding Rests
I am currently studying music theory via https://mymusictheory.com
and I can't perhaps understand the English this teacher is using while trying to explain these two rules of adding rests:
If the ...
5
votes
2answers
423 views
Notating three simultaneous notes of different durations for piano
On the same staff, how do I notate three simultaneous notes of different duration? For example, half notes on middle C and the C above and four eighth notes on the G inbetween
2
votes
3answers
72 views
Music Notation adding notes doesn't always match time signature [duplicate]
A couple weeks back I got into piano and now after synesthesia experiments and learning basic stuff. I'm trying to teach myself reading music scores correctly. Went smooth till this presented below ...
1
vote
3answers
71 views
Repeat bar lines in early music
I am looking for explanations on how to interpret the repeat bar lines used during the 17th century and specifically for German music. The sign ':||:' seems to be employed at that time for repeating ...
8
votes
1answer
133 views
What is the meaning of these letters above the soprano part in Monteverdi's SV 332?
Consider following score of Monteverdi's Sì dolce è 'l tormento for soprano and continuo (SV 332) from IMSLP. What is the meaning of the capital letters above the soprano part? They do not seem to ...
-1
votes
3answers
126 views
Is the bass clef the same thing as a question mark? How are they related?
Why does the bass clef look like a question mark?
3
votes
1answer
88 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
votes
2answers
67 views
Chopin - Étude in A minor, Op.25 No.11 “Winterwind” Pedalling Discrepancies Between Sheet Music and Performances
The nub of the question is: why are there pedalling discrepancies that most performers I listen to follow identically, but are almost universally not listed in any variations of scores and how could I ...
5
votes
8answers
794 views
Converting a 3/4 melody to a 2/4 march, any tips?
So, I'm writing a Theme and Variations piece using the Happy Birthday melody. And I am writing it for a string quartet. I know I will have or already have these variations:
Eighth note variation - ...
3
votes
3answers
107 views
why is the most common note length in music the quarter note?
I am new to learning piano and most of the notes I see in scores are in the length of a quarter note, and the time signatures I see are in 4/4. My question is if the quarter note is used so often, ...
4
votes
1answer
47 views
Dotted bar lines of different height
I’m studying many scores and have come across a ‘dotted bar line’. The first time I have encountered this.
After some initial research I do see their purpose. To make the music clearer to understand,...
1
vote
1answer
39 views
Slur or tie rule for chords in piano
I know there are a lot of questions asking related points but I haven't found an identical question to mine.
Question: Is there a rule for identifying a tie from a slur in piano chords? Do you need ...
7
votes
2answers
713 views
12 bar blues notation
I'm trying to put a 12 bar blues to paper but the notes don't add up. It will be C/F/G and I have the rhythm like so (just the C here):
but something isn't right (and what's more, my baby done left ...
0
votes
3answers
72 views
#11 versus 6th in musical notation
I am a new guy here--having a hard time with this any help will be much appreciated--I have seen a chord described as Abmaj7/add 6 versus Abmaj7 #11 are they the same but written differently? Many ...
0
votes
1answer
107 views
Can someone please explain this symbol? [closed]
I'm trying to learn this piece that is called "Waltz in A minor" and I don't know to play that little symbol.
3
votes
2answers
574 views
What's the proper notation for holding one note of a chord while playing the other notes staccato?
I want to hold down the A key on the piano for 3 beats. During the first of these 3 beats ONLY the A key is held, but during the second and third beats I press the C and E keys staccato on the beat.
...
1
vote
1answer
56 views
how to read quarter notes and half notes in 3/4 time?
I have a question about reading sheet music for pieces in 3/4 time signature. Attached is a bar in the bass clef from Waltz No. 2, Shostakovitch which has one dotted half note (D) and two quarter ...
0
votes
2answers
65 views
How to notate staccato on notes tied across a barline?
I'm a bit stuck on how I feel it's most appropriate to place staccato in a piece I'm writing.
The excerpt below is not from the piece I'm working on -- I just wrote up a phrase to show how this ...
1
vote
2answers
39 views
How do you notate the use of an effect pedal? What precedents are there?
In my WIP, the first two phrases don't ask for any effects, and the third measure onwards requires a Leslie simulator to be switched on (and as to why I'm being so specific for this piece, it is ...
4
votes
2answers
526 views
1
vote
0answers
82 views
What does this 'm' or 'w' shaped symbol mean? [duplicate]
Here are two pictures of this m-shaped symbol. One is from a Bach chorale prelude and the other from a hymn melody by Martin Luther.
6
votes
3answers
1k views
What is the meaning of these lines connecting notes?
I am trying to use a software called guitar pro to copy the sheet music and play the tracks. I am currently stuck in this track as I am not able to understand what does the dot and the little symbol ...
1
vote
2answers
98 views
What are the non-standard note heads (triangle, cross) in this piano sheet?
I have never seen this kind of notation on a piano score before? Does anyone know what they are?
4
votes
0answers
29 views
can ABC notate multiple chords over a single held note?
In ABC notation, is there a way to notate a long held note with multiple guitar chords?
The naive approach
"F" "D7" "F#dim" C8- |
produces this, which isn't right
The obvious approach of ...
6
votes
1answer
108 views
How to hide individual staff lines in lilypond?
How can individual staff lines be hidden in lilypond?
E.g. in
\new DrumStaff \with {
\override StaffSymbol.line-count = #3
}
<<
\drummode {
<<
{
r4 hh
} \\
...
10
votes
1answer
921 views
What is this symbol that looks like an elongated “L” on the left-hand piano staff, and how can I write it in Musescore?
I'm writing out the Bärenreiter version of Bach Concerto for two violins BWV 1043 on Musescore, and have come across an odd symbol in the left hand piano part.
Here is a picture - the elongated L ...
