Notation Question
I'm writing a piece for string orchestra (as yet untitled), and there are two voices in most of the staves. For the measures in which a given instrument isn't playing, do I need a separate whole rest for each voice?
Also, if this is in the wrong forum, please let me know.
Thanks in advance.
Comments
Gardner Read p. 97: "...two voices or instruments share a common staff... whole rest written beneath the top line for the upper part and beneath the lower line for the lower part. Then on p. 345 he says "Inflexible rule... ", and all the stuff about separate rests etc etc, unless marked with a2. You can surely use a single for 16 bars rest and similar.
If stem direction and whole rests make it obvious, use that.
I would rather see rests to know for sure I wasn't misinterpreting something.
If it isn't obvious which instrument is playing, or if it will be for many measures, omit the rests and notate which instrument is still playing. Then when the silent instrument returns, notate "a2." or similar.
What I have noticed is common for multiple instruments on a staff is that if a single instrument is playing it is commonly identified as the instrument playing such as "1." or "2." I normally only see the second part with a rest if they will be coming in soon and of course if they are coming in later in the same measure. If one of the instruments drops out and the other continues a measure rest is common for one measure with the continuing instrument identified as number, even though the stem direction makes it obvious.
If the rhythms are the same, using a singe voice with chords is common rather than using different voices. Any time the two instruments play the same note(s) they are identified by a2. If instrument 2 has notes higher than instrument 1, you need to use two voices for those sections. Of course, if they have different rhythms they have to be written in two voices.
You said that you are writing a string orchestra piece, so you need to make clear that they are playing divisi when applicable. If the entire piece is played divisi you can place sempre divisi at the beginning (or first divisi note) and it will be understood that the staff is played divisi until you tell them otherwise.
When there are extended sections of music where the two instruments have different rhythms it is not unheard of to make a second staff for the second instrument for those extended section. You can identify the second staff like Violin I (div.) if you like. Then hide empty staves, hide empty staff on first system and the extra staff will only appear in the page view of the score as needed. If it gets in the way while you are composing you can always go into the instruments dialog and mark it invisible, then make it visible when you need it.
I hope this is helpful. Let me know if something is not clear, I do tend to ramble sometimes.
In reply to What I have noticed is common by mike320
I'm not entirely sure what the "a2" means, as I'm still new to composing. A lot of the rhythms and pitches are different between voices on a given staff, so I'm honestly wondering if I shouldn't just use a separate staff for each instrument throughout the piece.
Divisi is also something I've never heard of (as I mentioned, I'm not very experienced), but that seems to make sense. Again, using separate staves for each instrument doesn't sound like a bad idea.
Is there a way to copy only one voice from a divisi staff? That would make splitting the staves a lot quicker...
In reply to I'm not entirely sure what by Dirge Of Dreams
a2 means all 2 play (if there were more then you might use a3 or a4). It isn't correct English but it actually comes from Italian or German.
Divisi tells the violins to play one note divided between the two musicians on a stand rather than all play both notes at once (which of course is often possible).
As far as copying the second istrument from one staff to another, you can definitely do this. The method depends on if you used one voice or chords.
To copy voice 2, you can use the selection filter (press F6 to see it) and uncheck voice 1 (and any other voices you don't want to copy). Then, actually cut it so it disappears from the staff, then check voice 1 in the filter and select the destination and paste it. You will have rests in voice 1, so now to get rid of them. Select the section if it's not already selected and use the edit->tools->exchange voices 1-2. The rests are now in voice 2. To delete them make sure you select the measures, uncheck voice 1 in the filter again and press delete. This will get rid of all the voice 2 rests at once.
If you have a section in one voice using chords, you will need to use the edit->tools->explode function. The bottom notes will all be moved to the staff below it, so it is best to have the destination staff empty below the staff with the chords. When you do this, if there is only 1 note in the chord, it will be duplicated on both staves, so you may want to delete the extra one if this is not your intention. This will put a rest there.
From the picture, it looks like someone mostly used voices. In the section you show, it looks like voices would be sufficient for experienced musicians.
I tried to simplify this as much as possible and is the method I use for such actions. Once you get used to it, it isn't complicated as it sounds.
For anyone else who looks at this, I'm attaching a screencap of the situation. My question is whether the single rests at the beginning of the violin parts should be doubled (and any subsequent single rests):
In reply to For anyone else who looks at by Dirge Of Dreams
Personally, I wouldn't. Whole measure rests are unlikely to cause any confusion.
Less ink - simpler is better unless it leads to confusion.
I thought you were talking about where one instrument rests while another plays.
In reply to For anyone else who looks at by Dirge Of Dreams
No.
In reply to For anyone else who looks at by Dirge Of Dreams
One whole-measure rest fits all.
In reply to For anyone else who looks at by Dirge Of Dreams
I quoted Gardner Read at you: this book ("Music Notation") was published in 1978, and I found a reasonably priced copy somewhere on the net. I very much recommend using a reference like this: it will never answer all questions, but you pick up a lot of background by reading through sections. I am sure there are other similar books, and if someone says "Wright's book is better than Read's", well, try that.
People say "Oh, you don't need to do this"; Read says you do -- I would follow Read. The other day, someone with 20 years experience of singing opera, claimed they had never seen a key signature with naturals in it (changing from 5 flats to 2 flats, for example); but open a score and there is it. You can be very good at reading music without ever noticing lots of the things that you need to remember when writing music.
But for your example... The initial rests are fine, but you need to put divisi if you want each violinist at a desk to play one note each, rather than double-stopping. Divisi is the plural past participle of dividere, the Italian for "divide". The opposite is a 2 (should surely have a space), where a is the Italian preposition like the French one in "diner à deux" (which is the same meaning, of course).
I have never played a string instrument, and last played in an orchestra in 1960-something, so don't take my word for anything. You need to make friends with a string player, a brass player, and some woodwind players...
In reply to I quoted Gardner Read at you: by Imaginatorium
I'll look into that book--thanks.
I'm one of the few nonmusicians in my family, so hopefully they can answer most of my questions.
Again, thanks for the recommendation.
Hi.
Always simpler is better.
All you need to do is be clear.
Best wishes.