Piano Music Notation

Okay, what are these freakish things?



I've been playing the piano for half of my life, but I've never come across anything like this before. Is it just like a "trill" between the two notes marked, or is there something else to it? Any help would be much appreciated. Random spam = not appreciated.

I'm quite familiar with musical notation, but you're right, that's odd and I've never experienced it before.

My absolute best guess would that it's a trill between those two notes. I remember seeing a trill between two notes that weren't right next to eachother on clarinet sheet music, and it wasn't close to what a trill looks like at all. when the notes are farther apart than one note it tends to look weird and convoluted.

I don't want to sound condescending or anything here. My advice is to get an MP3 of that song played originally by it's author or someone who knows what they're doing and listen to that part and see how he plays it. You've probably already tried that, so I don't want to sound condescending here or anything.

Originally Posted by Andy

I'm quite familiar with musical notation, but you're right, that's odd and I've never experienced it before.

My absolute best guess would that it's a trill between those two notes. I remember seeing a trill between two notes that weren't right next to eachother on clarinet sheet music, and it wasn't close to what a trill looks like at all. when the notes are farther apart than one note it tends to look weird and convoluted.

I don't want to sound condescending or anything here. My advice is to get an MP3 of that song played originally by it's author or someone who knows what they're doing and listen to that part and see how he plays it. You've probably already tried that, so I don't want to sound condescending here or anything.

Well, thanks for at least reaffirming my suspicions.

I haven't found an mp3 of the song for a few reasons. First of all, it's a piano accompaniment for a tuba solo (go figure...) for concert band, and the kid just gave me the music. I haven't even really played through it all that much yet, I just noticed that part and thought it was weird. Secondly, I didn't even think of finding an mp3 for it, so thank you for that suggestion as well. I guess I'll go do that now.

That "thing" is called a tremolo. In this case it is a tremolo between two chords. Violins and other bowed strings have tremolos on just one note where they play it rapidly back in forth.

Originally Posted by Andy

My absolute best guess would that it's a trill between those two notes.

You are absolutely right.

So, yes, essentially this is a trill between the two notes.

Hey, I just barely Googled piano notation and found it under a "tremolo", and you just confirmed that, Slur.

Thanks again, guys!

I suppose this thread can be closed now...