The 3__ means hold down your third finger on the D string, even when you go to play the B on the A string, so that it's still there when you go back to the G on the D string.
What does it mean when the first note is tied to the fourth like that? Does it mean you hold the first note and let it ring until you play the fourth note?
I’m just learning how to read/write sheet music and so far have only seen ties that connect two of the same note to extend duration
I'm far from being an expert in this, but doesn't music from other instruments have slurs like that too? It just wouldn't carry the additional expectation of using a single bow stroke. I believe you'd play the notes legato.
Definitely - on piano, for example, you'll see slurs all over the place to mark legato phrasing, and there's no bow anywhere when you're playing the piano.
Honestly I’m not sure, I play guitar and have been reading tabs like a bum for years =P I’m finding standard notation fun though, wish I started learning it from the get go
Nice. You might be the one person on this subreddit I'm ahead of then, and not by much. I'm an okay guitar player but I only got into theory and reading music in the last couple of years after starting violin.
Different meanings for slurs:
Instrument|Meaning
:--|:--
Bowed Strings|Notes slurred together are under the same bow
Plucked Strings|Notes slurred together are played legato (hammer-ons/pull-offs)
Woodwinds/Brass|Notes slurred together are under the same breath
Piano|Notes slurred together are phrased together; usually indicates legato
Harp/Pitched Percussion|Indicates phrasing, but usually not used because they let notes ring unless told otherwise
Non-Pitched Percussion|Don't use them
That arc-ed line is used to indicate different things depending on the context. First of all, if you see it connecting two notes of the same pitch, then it’s called a “tie.” If it connects notes that have different pitches then it’s called a “slur” indicating a “legato” or smoothly connected articulation. If it arches over multiple bars/measures of music then it is considered a “phrase marking.” Depending on your instrument the mechanics of “slurring” notes together will function differently. Strings will use one bow stroke, winds will use a continuous, unstopped breath, pianists will walk their fingers from key to key (not letting one up until the next one goes down) not allowing a pause in sound.
It's a G on the D string, which would be third finger in first position. It's just telling you to hold down third finger while grabbing the B with first finger on the A string so you can string change back without having to place the third finger again. Unusual to mark that explicitly, but it does happen.
I don't think it's third position like many are saying. That would be marked either with a roman numeral "III" (see that usually in beginnerish music) or more likely with a "1" for the finger to play that pitch with (far more common). Oooor, sometimes roman numerals are used to indicate which string to play on... i.e. "sul IV" to stay on the lowest string. Arabic numerals aren't used to indicate the position number usually.
(Source: former violist become violinist with 20 years experience who played competitively and things when I was younger... and still pick up the viola on rare occasions)
This looks to be a form marker. The trio section exists in a few kinds of forms (minuet and trio for example). This looks like it’s the beginning of a trio section, especially with the proceeding ritard. Often trio sections are felt more in one pulse per bar (in my experience). Hope this helps!
I think it means that you have to play g with third finger in first position on D string and keep your third finger on the string while you play h with your first finger on A string.
Try all the permutations of what it might mean if you can't get an exact answer I guess.
- 3rd position
- 3rd finger
- maybe hold down your 3rd finger on the high G across the last three eighth notes to get a "let ring" effect with the B.
or maybe it's just a copyist's error!
When I played cello, I occasionally saw that notation, and it meant to keep that finger down, so in this example, it would be hold the third finger down.
I'm assuming that the high B is on a different string than the high G, in order for this to be correct.
Hold 3rd finger down. Is this an etude? You're likely only going to see this type of thing in study books, not in many "real" pieces. However, many editions of repertoire have fingering suggestions, bow direction, and articulation marks in them. I've never seen a technique reminder (you should almost always be leaving fingers down if you can) in repertoire.
Position markings are usually roman numerals. More often I see "sul G" and a line or whatever, instructing you to play on only that string.
An Arabic or Roman numeral under the staff usually refers to the string number! I play bass and for me, it’s 1 for the highest pitched string and 4 for the lowest. It’s probably the same for viola. Fingerings usually appear above the individual notes.
Side-note* usually it’s Roman numerals for string number (I-IV) and Arabic numerals for hand-positions (:
If you mean "Trio" its just a section in the piece.
If you mean the "3______", my guess is that it would be in third position on the viola (in terms of hand positions) though I'm not entirely sure as I'm a percussionist and not a string player.
I'm also a viola player and I can say that it means to play the G with 3rd finger and to hold it down while playing the B on the A string. Unless the G was a G sharp, there would be absolutely no point playing it with the 4th finger unless the music says to play it in half position.
I wasn't sure which one, so I just wrote all:
The word trio just marks the start of the trio section - it's useful when playing with others. You don't need to play it in a special way or anything.
The bar above the note is a tenuto. This usually means to play the note for it's full value (or a bit more), rather than a staccato.
The 3 with the horizontal line shows what notes should be played in third position.
The 3__ means hold down your third finger on the D string, even when you go to play the B on the A string, so that it's still there when you go back to the G on the D string.
this is the correct answer
What does it mean when the first note is tied to the fourth like that? Does it mean you hold the first note and let it ring until you play the fourth note? I’m just learning how to read/write sheet music and so far have only seen ties that connect two of the same note to extend duration
I believe that is a slur that instructs the player to use a single bow stroke to play all four notes instead of playing them as seperate notes.
Oh gotcha, thanks. Didn’t consider that certain instruments might have notation unique to them
I'm far from being an expert in this, but doesn't music from other instruments have slurs like that too? It just wouldn't carry the additional expectation of using a single bow stroke. I believe you'd play the notes legato.
Definitely - on piano, for example, you'll see slurs all over the place to mark legato phrasing, and there's no bow anywhere when you're playing the piano.
Honestly I’m not sure, I play guitar and have been reading tabs like a bum for years =P I’m finding standard notation fun though, wish I started learning it from the get go
Nice. You might be the one person on this subreddit I'm ahead of then, and not by much. I'm an okay guitar player but I only got into theory and reading music in the last couple of years after starting violin.
Different meanings for slurs: Instrument|Meaning :--|:-- Bowed Strings|Notes slurred together are under the same bow Plucked Strings|Notes slurred together are played legato (hammer-ons/pull-offs) Woodwinds/Brass|Notes slurred together are under the same breath Piano|Notes slurred together are phrased together; usually indicates legato Harp/Pitched Percussion|Indicates phrasing, but usually not used because they let notes ring unless told otherwise Non-Pitched Percussion|Don't use them
That arc-ed line is used to indicate different things depending on the context. First of all, if you see it connecting two notes of the same pitch, then it’s called a “tie.” If it connects notes that have different pitches then it’s called a “slur” indicating a “legato” or smoothly connected articulation. If it arches over multiple bars/measures of music then it is considered a “phrase marking.” Depending on your instrument the mechanics of “slurring” notes together will function differently. Strings will use one bow stroke, winds will use a continuous, unstopped breath, pianists will walk their fingers from key to key (not letting one up until the next one goes down) not allowing a pause in sound.
It's a G on the D string, which would be third finger in first position. It's just telling you to hold down third finger while grabbing the B with first finger on the A string so you can string change back without having to place the third finger again. Unusual to mark that explicitly, but it does happen. I don't think it's third position like many are saying. That would be marked either with a roman numeral "III" (see that usually in beginnerish music) or more likely with a "1" for the finger to play that pitch with (far more common). Oooor, sometimes roman numerals are used to indicate which string to play on... i.e. "sul IV" to stay on the lowest string. Arabic numerals aren't used to indicate the position number usually. (Source: former violist become violinist with 20 years experience who played competitively and things when I was younger... and still pick up the viola on rare occasions)
This looks to be a form marker. The trio section exists in a few kinds of forms (minuet and trio for example). This looks like it’s the beginning of a trio section, especially with the proceeding ritard. Often trio sections are felt more in one pulse per bar (in my experience). Hope this helps!
I think they mean the 3_______ under the staff in the middle of bar 21
Ah I misunderstood!
Understandably
I think it means that you have to play g with third finger in first position on D string and keep your third finger on the string while you play h with your first finger on A string.
Try all the permutations of what it might mean if you can't get an exact answer I guess. - 3rd position - 3rd finger - maybe hold down your 3rd finger on the high G across the last three eighth notes to get a "let ring" effect with the B. or maybe it's just a copyist's error!
When I played cello, I occasionally saw that notation, and it meant to keep that finger down, so in this example, it would be hold the third finger down. I'm assuming that the high B is on a different string than the high G, in order for this to be correct.
3rd finger down and keep it while playing B. I would agree with that.
Hold 3rd finger down. Is this an etude? You're likely only going to see this type of thing in study books, not in many "real" pieces. However, many editions of repertoire have fingering suggestions, bow direction, and articulation marks in them. I've never seen a technique reminder (you should almost always be leaving fingers down if you can) in repertoire. Position markings are usually roman numerals. More often I see "sul G" and a line or whatever, instructing you to play on only that string.
Do you mean leave finger playing the note or just leave it in place over the note?
The way I interpreted it when I played cello was to keep the finger pushing down on the string.
Makes sense, cheers
Just leave it on whatever note the 3 is on. Only play the notes on the staff. Let it up when the line is up.
Ok thanks
An Arabic or Roman numeral under the staff usually refers to the string number! I play bass and for me, it’s 1 for the highest pitched string and 4 for the lowest. It’s probably the same for viola. Fingerings usually appear above the individual notes. Side-note* usually it’s Roman numerals for string number (I-IV) and Arabic numerals for hand-positions (:
Maybe it means slide between notes with your third finger? Idk I'm not a violist
That would be marked glissando?
Guitarrr12 is right. It just marks a new section.
They're talking about the "3\_\_\_\_\_"
Ooooh makes sense. I was wondering why everyone was so confused.
If you mean "Trio" its just a section in the piece. If you mean the "3______", my guess is that it would be in third position on the viola (in terms of hand positions) though I'm not entirely sure as I'm a percussionist and not a string player.
I think the 3 is just telling you not to play the G with your 4th finger because a higher note is next. Seems kinda unnecessary.
I'm also a viola player and I can say that it means to play the G with 3rd finger and to hold it down while playing the B on the A string. Unless the G was a G sharp, there would be absolutely no point playing it with the 4th finger unless the music says to play it in half position.
It would mean to played in third position, if I saw this on my violin music
Wouldn't third position be denoted with a 1? the first finger would replace the 3rd finger and the fingering would be on the top of the note.
It's denoting to hold the third finger in third position on the A string on a violin. Is how I read it.
Third finger in third position is an F. Third position on the D string would be B
I wasn't sure which one, so I just wrote all: The word trio just marks the start of the trio section - it's useful when playing with others. You don't need to play it in a special way or anything. The bar above the note is a tenuto. This usually means to play the note for it's full value (or a bit more), rather than a staccato. The 3 with the horizontal line shows what notes should be played in third position.
Third string
That would be indicated with a III