Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner What does this musical symbol mean?

I can't show you a picture of the symbol of piece it came from a I lack the computer skills. The piece was a jazz version of White Christmas. The symbol looked liked a quarter of a circle...the part from 12:15 to 12:30. At first I thought it was some misprint on the score but it appeared many times....each time before a tied single note G in the bass.

Is it filled (black)? Or not?

No, just like a quarter of a circle drawn.

Maybe it is a jazz symbol (I don't play jazz, but jazz has its own symbols, for example if you look at this page and search for "jazz symbols" it shows something that could be what you are looking for).

Can you photograph it with your phone and email it to someone who can put it up here?

It sounds like a "wedge" -- an accent -- but usually these are triangular and not 1/4 of a circle.

Does it have a dot under it? If so it's a fermata.

rada

No; he said that the curved line occurs at the 3 to 6 position on a clock.

I wonder if it is a symbol used in jazz somewhat akin to a "slide" or "schleifer" in Baroque music where two notes of the scale below the note on the score are played, quickly, step-wise on the beat before the principal note. Conventionally, this would be noted as grace notes before the beat, but I'm wondering - pure speculation on my part and if this symbol represents what I'm suggesting - if this gives the performer a choice of how many notes to play rather than being given a specific number as in the grace notes.

It seems to me that what I suggest is something I've heard in jazz/pop piano music, although not having any jazz scores, I've not seen how this might be notated other than as grace notes before the beat.

Regards,

If it *always* occurs before the tied G, could it be a glitch in the engraving process that put it there? In other words, a mistake? Where is it, exactly, in relation to the tied notes -- right in front of them, and on the same level?

It's always slightly to the left a slightly below the note head for first of the two tied G's. I'm guessing the arranger used some computer program to print this piece so it may very well be a glitch. The piece sounds perfectly OK to me as is(without assuming this symbol adds anything).

I can't imagine adding any grace notes before the G's would sound good in this instance, but that may just be because I've learned it without adding any extra notes and am used to hearing it that way.

Check here: List of Musical Symbols

Sounds kind of like a scoop, which you could likely get a good description of on the non-classical forums if you haven't tried already. I've encountered these in Jamey Aebersold jazz instructional texts that aren't instrument-specific (not sure any of his are).

Scoop - (music, often with "up") To begin a vocal note slightly below the target pitch and then to slide up to the target pitch, especially in country music.




of the picture you and bruce described, a Breath Mark also comes to mind, though I can hardly imagine why such a mark would come up in discussion here or be listed on any piano transcriptions (or why you wouldn't say the symbol looked like a comma)

I had initially thought it could be a breath mark too, but then I noticed he said "in the bass" (and breath marks are usually not in the bass). I am pretty sure it is a jazz symbol.

I emailed the person who arranged this piece after finding out his PW name in another thread where he posted an arrangement of Lo How A Rose E're Blooming. So if he gets back to me we'll all find out if this is a symbol or a typo.

It's not a breath mark which is shaped like a comma and has a different shape then I described in my OP.

Is this an example of the symbol? From what I gather - it is a scoop.

Yes, the version in the piece I mentioned looks like the one next to the E in your score. So what does it mean?

I am no expert by any means - so don't take my word as gospel - but my understanding is that it indicates sliding up to the note. Starting slightly below pitch - and sliding to the note. I've heard it used by acoustic and electric guitars - but I would imagine it's used elsewhere as well.

The music in question is for solo piano.

Ah... ok then...

This is why none of us could understand what you mean. This is a symbol for winds instruments (mostly, and could also apply to strings as well if need be).

It's the idea of 'gliding into the right note'. If this is a score for keyboards rather than piano, then I'd assume that the composer/editor means using the pitch wheel a little. If this is for piano though, I'd just do a couple of appogiaturas there and get it over with...

Depending on the bend, and the direction of the note, you chose the right appogiaturas... That's all there is to it. But it totally makes sense that noone could understand what you mean. It's very very rarely seen in piano music. If you had gone to the non classical forum, I think you'd have a much better chance of getting a reply sooner!