37
votes
Accepted
29
votes
Why so many repeats in classical music?
Another aspect that hasn't been mentioned is that performers often would play things differently the second time around. We often think of improvisation as a more modern trend, but that isn't ...
27
votes
Accepted
Three diagonal lines that cross through both staves
In my opinion you're correct. I haven't seen them like in your example yet, but for me this seems like a repeat sign.
Usually they have a dot on each side and are often found in drum parts for ...
23
votes
Accepted
What do these symbols mean?
These are both shorthand notations that refer to music occurring simultaneously in other staves.
The first notation (the slashes) simply tell the performer to "do exactly what the other violins (the ...
21
votes
What are these brackets? What do they mean and what are they called?
These brackets indicate a "first and second ending." The measures under the "1" are to be played the first time through and those under the "2" are to be played the second time.
It's a nice method of ...
17
votes
How to write a score that begins with a pickup note and repeats
You can do this two ways. Do the first. It really is clearer.
(How many verses are you going to make the singer(s) perform without a few bars rest though?)
17
votes
Accepted
Can a double bar line begin a repeated section?
Double bar lines are used to mark beginnings and ends of sections but they are not the same as repeat signs. If there is no forward facing repeat sign then it repeats all the way to the beginning of ...
17
votes
Why so many repeats in classical music?
The repetition is part of the classical Sonata form, but it was standard long before the classical sonata became a recognized form.
In particular, it was used in baroque times when the entire notion ...
16
votes
Accepted
How to indicate a tempo change during a repetition?
Just use text. I would put this information with the D.C. (or D.S.) marking and with the original tempo marking. But I would put it inside a bracket.
So for instance, at the beginning:
"Allegro (...
16
votes
How many measures minimum in a repeat
With music notation, one important consideration is legibility; and on that count I’d suggest that your single-bar example fails the test, in that it introduces navigational complexity without saving ...
15
votes
Three diagonal lines that cross through both staves
This notation isn't in Gardner Read's "Music Notation," 2nd edition. But your guess is reasonable because
each diagonal-line group is three bars long
what precedes the diagonal lines is also three ...
14
votes
Accepted
Notation for a repeat section with 2 different beginnings
You can put a bracket over the first bar and a half with text saying "2x only". Clarify with "(both x)" where it starts the first time. This kind of indication is completely standard in musical ...
14
votes
Accepted
Should I do the repeat sign when there is a fine
The repeat sign applies only to the first encounter with it. After the D.C., the piece ends at the Fine — no repeat.
14
votes
Accepted
What does F.O. mean, and is it related to a repeat?
F.O. = "Fade Out".
In the first case, for example, it means that after the D.S., once arriving at A, fade out rather than complete the section.
In the second case, allowing the repeat covers ...
13
votes
Accepted
What does ( ) = D.S.x mean?
It means that the very first time that measure is played, it's played with the non-parenthesized notation. On any subsequent visits to that measure, it's played according to the parenthesized notation....
13
votes
Accepted
Repeats: Simpler at the cost of more redundant?
Your first version is notated correctly, but since the repeated passage is very short, I'd propose as simplest to read a third option:
|: A B A (1.) C :| (2.) D
Crude picture edit:
This is what I'd ...
12
votes
Lilypond first alternative has only one note
Doh.
I omitted the outer curly braces around the two alternatives. The corrected version should be:
\relative c' {
\key f \major
\repeat volta 2 { c4 c c c |}
\alternative { { d d d d |} {e e ...
12
votes
12
votes
Is there a good way to denote nested repeats?
Repeat barlines for the short repeat, DS for the big one. Probably with some explanatory text. Or just write the 8 bars out twice.
You'll find this sort of thing (picture) too, but with even more ...
12
votes
Dynamic marking "f-p"
It gets played as a sort of echo effect. 'f-p' is written to tell the player that it's forte for the first time through, and the repeat is piano. So your third idea is just right. It couldn't be ...
11
votes
Accepted
ABRSM Exams: Repeating of bars
The guidelines say "All da capo and dal segno indications should be observed but all other repeats (including first-time bars) should be omitted unless they are very brief (i.e. of a few bars) or ...
11
votes
Accepted
How to denote a note that should only be played during first repeat without voltas?
Your lower solution isn’t messy at all, and is precisely the kind of thing 1st and 2nd time bars are used for. However, if you really don’t want to use them, simply bracket the notehead of the note ...
11
votes
Is there a good way to denote nested repeats?
In this case, especially since your A section is only eight measures long, it's an easy enough thing to just write out the A section a second time without using repeats. (I can think of several ...
11
votes
Accepted
How many measures minimum in a repeat
...measures BC with two different endings...
Are the alternate "endings" in your example actual endings? If not, using voltas and repeats would seem to send the wrong visual clues about ...
10
votes
Is there a definitive notation for multiple repeats?
If it's choir music, then the number of times to repeat is usually apparent from the number of verses in the lyrics. Here's an example from the Lilypond documentation:
10
votes
Accepted
What does a "repeat" symbol on the chord section mean?
It's confusing because it's unnecessary. A chord persists until the next one is stated or there's an obvious stop.
10
votes
Accepted
How do I use efficient repeats in sheets for pop music?
You could try something like this, using just repeat signs and volta brackets:
|-1.,3.-|-2.,4.-|
|| intro ||: A | B :|| C :|| outro ||
10
votes
Accepted
Is there a way to notate the repeat of a larger section that itself has repeats in it?
You can introduce symbols (most often the "dal segno" sign pictured below; rehearsal marks are also not uncommon) to indicate the start of a repeated section, and then use a "to [sign]&...
10
votes
Accepted
How would I notate this custom repeat scenario with sheet music?
You can use DS, DSS, coda, double coda but why? The song as is is only 27 bars. Eliminating a road map would add 16 bars (an extra verse and chorus if I’m reading it right) and avoid any possible ...
10
votes
Accepted
Can a bridge be repeated?
This is entirely opinion-based, however…
People will tell you, you can't eat sprouts & custard, or put pineapple on pizza.
Sure you can, if that's what you like.
There's literally no rule, law, or ...
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