Strange notation symbols
I'm transcribing a piece, and in the Cello/bass, Viola, and Violins 1/2 it has big "4"s and "8"s above/below 32nd note tremolo. Doesn't appear to be fingerings, anyone ever seen these before, familiar with what they are?
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Comments
Guess: Tremolo 32nd through stem for an 8th note means that there should be 8 (64th) notes played, 16th through stem for an 8th notes means the note is to be played as 4 (32nd) notes. IMHO that information seems redudant.
In reply to Guess: Tremolo 32nd through… by Jojo-Schmitz
Ahh, that would actually make sense considering the parts with the 8's are preceded by a series 64th notes, and the part with the 4's preceded by a series of 32nd notes. I never would've figured that out lol
In reply to Ahh, that would actually… by DesignLov3
I have seen something similar to this in other scores and I agree it's redundant. What is more common is that the number indicates a tuplet (often a 6-let or 12-let in 4/4 (or other x/4) time signature to indicate that 6 8th (or 12 16th) notes are played on a dotted 1/4 note when there are 4 dotted 1/4 notes in a 4/4 measure. This is not redundant but necessary to get the correct rhythm. It seems the publisher of this score extended this idea to clarify the number of notes played on an 8th note with several tremolo lines on them.
In reply to I have seen something… by mike320
Hi mike, thanks for your response. It would be interesting to see an example of the latter usage you described from which you believe the former was borrowed if you have one handy.
In reply to Hi mike, thanks for your… by DesignLov3
It's actually rather common. I'm editing a copy of a score with it right now. You can see this early in the violins.
I have a copy on my account at https://musescore.com/user/6105546/scores/5055217. The PDF is too big to attach, it can be found at imslp.org, search for # 26454
In reply to It's actually rather common… by mike320
Ok, gotcha, couldn't have understood without seeing, thanks for that
I don't know this writting, but I think : we are on 6/8, and each eight note in a measure, has the same division . In the 3 first staves, each eight is divided by 8, and in the last, divides by 4. In the first stave, on the first time, the writting is complete, an eight note divided by 8, so the first line for eight note, the 2nd for 16th, the 3rd for 32, and the 4 for 64 , but for the 3 last times, we have only 3 lines, cause the eight note is written normaly, so the first line in for 16, 2nd for 32, and 3rd for 64. So the 4 times are the same, simply a writting simplification. Idem in the last stave , but with 4 , so 32 th of note in a time for the 4 times
In reply to I don't know this writting,… by Raymond Wicquart
I think I'm following what your saying. So basically the number indicates how many notes each 8th note in the measure should be subdivided into. And so just to be clear, the ones with the four under them should be played as 32nd notes and the ones with the eight over them should be played as 64ths. So basically it's shorthand for tremolo, the former half as fast as the later, yes?
In reply to I think I'm following what… by DesignLov3
it's correct for the 4 and the 8, but , sorry, I'm french, and I don't understand your last sentence :"it's shorthand for tremolo, the former half as fast as the later, yes?"
In reply to it's correct for the 4 and… by Raymond Wicquart
I just meant the 4 & 8 are used to specify how many notes should be played through that section of tremelo per eighth note, and the ones with the 8 over them are twice as fast than the ones with the 4 (i.e. 64th notes vs 32nd notes).