Notation Symbols

[marioisaac]

Hi guys,

Can you help me identify this notation symbols, in the following score:

1- Meaning of dots above notes.
2- Meaning of miniatured dashed eight note with slur below it.



Big thanks,
Mario

[JumpingJackFlash]

Dot above note means "staccato". - Basically the note is played shorter than its normal value and detached from the other notes. See here for details.

The other thing is an "acciacctura"; a (very) short note, coming either on the beat, or immediately before (depending on style). See here.

[marioisaac]

Thank you JJF,

That's a very informative and cleverly written article on notation.
I enjoyed reading your eloquent explanations, and I'm sure it will be helpful for future reference when I step into more complicated music passages.

Moreover, when rwading the Slur part something is not completely clear for me:

Say if I have a slur drawn along 8 eight notes (that is encompassing within it 6 eight notes), it means that note #1 and note #8 won't be affected by the slur; only notes #2-#7 will be played legato?

This is confusing, because to my previous understanding there is basicallu no difference between a slured note and a dotted note (supposing they are played at the same pitch).

I appreciate your help.

Thank you

[JumpingJackFlash]

Say if I have a slur drawn along 8 eight notes (that is encompassing within it 6 eight notes), it means that note #1 and note #8 won't be affected by the slur; only notes #2-#7 will be played legato?

The first note of a slur is articulated normally (that is, it starts like any other note), but the last note of the slur would be like any intermediate notes within the slur (if that makes sense).

This is confusing, because to my previous understanding there is basicallu no difference between a slured note and a dotted note (supposing they are played at the same pitch).

I think you're getting confused with ties. A tie is not the same as a slur.

Ties connect two (or more) notes of the same pitch and as you said, a quarter note tied to a eighth note would sound identical to a dotted quarter note (for example) - it effectively becomes one long note rather than two separate ones (like the long E in your example above).

Slurs however just indicates legato - the smooth flowing style described in my post. (You can't generally slur two consecutive notes of the same pitch).

[marioisaac]

Got it. Big thanks for the clarification.
Mario