Tie or Slur

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Everything About Teaching and Learning the Piano : One Thread

I know conceptually the differences between a tie and a slur but have difficulty determining which is intended in a sheet of music. If two notes of the same pitch have the "arc" over them, how do you know? Only answer I've been able to get is that if the two notes are on either side of a bar line (i.e., in different measures) then you know it's a tie. Is it always a slur elsewise? Please help--this is driving me nuts!!!! Thanks, Janice

-- Janice Santos (jsantos@jps.net), May 08, 2003

Answers

A tie is always between two notes of the same pitch no matter where the bar line is. If the composer wants a legato effect between repeated pitches, he may place another mark, such as a tenuto, on the note as well and this negates the tie.

Any arc between notes of different pitch indicates a slur.

-- Arlene Steffen (asteffen@fresno.edu), May 08, 2003.


Hi Arlene, Thanks for the information. To be sure I understand this--the "arc" (over 2 notes of the same pitch) *ALWAYS* means a tie unless it is cancelled by a tenuto?

Also, have found definitions of tenuto and abbreviation (ten) but can't find the symbol. Is it the same as a fermata?

Thanks again--this is so helpful! Janice

-- Janice Santos (jsantos@jps.net), May 08, 2003.


Here's another tie/slur question: Say there's a 3-note chord, with ties/slurs to the next 3 note chord. Say one of the notes doesn't change; the other 2 do. Is the note that's the same in both chords tied (not replayed) while the other 2 are replayed legato? Or are all 3 notes replayed, as legato as possible? Or could it be different in different instances?

-- michelle (no_name_poster@yahoo.com), May 12, 2003.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ