Odd Articulation?

Griffith · Post by **Griffith** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 4:38 pm

Not exactly sure if this should go here, but, mods can move it if they need to?

There's the thing that looks like a ~ between notes. I forgot what it's called. My band director explained everything to me except how to play it. It's where the notes go up and down, then up again?

How do I play it? What is it? Help?

Thanks,
~Griffith

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 8:18 pm

It's called a 'Gruppetto' [commonly called a turn]. You play [quickly- sort of like grace notes], the note just above the written note, the written note, the note just below, the written note again, then the next written note in the music.

Sort of like this.
B~F=

B - cbab F!

It is usually chromatic I think but I might be wrong on that. For the first time today I saw a gruppetto followed or preceded by a # sign. I was comparing editions of the CPE Bach A minor Sonata for my next lesson with Jim Walker, and it was in an edition edited by J. Wummer.

atoriphile · Post by **atoriphile** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 12:07 pm

Usually it is diatonic, following the key signature. If it isn't then usually the # (sharp) or b (flat) symbol will be above or below the gruppetto symbol. I don't recall seeing the sharp/flat preceding or following the gruppetto, but I guess anything's possible.

See http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/textt/Turn.html

or even better: http://www.dolmetsch.com/musictheory23.htm#turn

Griffith · Post by **Griffith** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 4:55 pm

Thankies for that! I think my band director called it a turn, but it's nice to know the real name, rather than the slang. I'll be sure to check out the links.

It's played as I suspected, but where is time taken from? Just the notes between which it is indicated-ish?

atoriphile · Post by **atoriphile** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 11:21 am

'Turn' is perfectly acceptable.

'Gruppetto' is just how it is written in Italian, which is prevalent in much of musical notation -- f (forte), p (piano), Andante, Allegro, etc.

As for when to play it, it depends where the symbol is. If it is between two notes, then the first note is shortened so that the note after the turn is 'in time'. This is shown in the diagrams from the second link above.

Griffith · Post by **Griffith** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 8:36 am

Ah, I see. That makes more sense...
thanks for clarifying!

vernuskloyz · Post by **vernuskloyz** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 5:40 pm

odd minimalist puzzleThe letters A through M equal 202, hence the letters N to Z equal ???

Does anyone have a clue? I cant think of anything except assigning different integer values to vowels and consonants which is a no go because then theres more than one solution, or similarly unsatisfying stuff.