Music notation question

[1eyedjack]

Evening all. I had a hunt around for a bespoke music discussion forum. Had difficulty finding one. Eventually found one but it needs moderator approval before I can post there and do not expect that any time soon. So I am back here to my tried and trusted resting place.

 

I am trying to teach myself to play some simple music. I am at beginner level, and having trouble understanding some of the notation. I am reasonably sure that there will be someone reading this who will know the answer.

 

The problem is expressed here:

http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php?u=985657

 

Any help gratefully received, and happy christmas to all, and to all, a good night.

[DrTodd13]

"x" essentially means "double-sharp" and is the equivalent of two semi-tones above about printed note. So "xF" is the same as "G." After a note is marked as "x", it remains that way for the rest of the measure unless marked otherwise. The "natural #" marking is just saying that the note goes back to one-sharp rather than a double-sharp. Check out the wikipedia page on music notation which should answer many of your questions.

[HeavyDluxe]

Drat, this is the first post on the forums I absolutely knew I'd get right, and DrTodd beats me to the punch. :P

[1eyedjack]

Ah thanks guys. I did a hunt around for reference works on the net before resorting to forums but did not find it first time. There are several sites including wiki, but all a bit basic. I have now found it in wike but under the heading modern musical symbols.

[Rossoneri]

Yup, what the other 2 said. You just need to get used to the idea of semitones and whole tones.

[Gerben42]

The x is a very rare bird indeed, no shame if you don't know it. It's not really needed, as in the key of B (5 sharps), you can really circumvent the "x" by naturalizing another note.

[DrTodd13]

I don't think that that is 100% correct. On the piano, as a practical matter, it is correct that it is unneeded because the piano is even tempered and can therefore be written as some other note. However (and I don't completed understand this myself), on other instruments (particularly string instruments) there may be a small difference between the two due to the complexities of temperament (even, just, Pythagorean, etc.). The most important reason for the "x", as I understand it, is understanding the piece's theoretical composition. Again, my understanding is limited here, but a piece can be understood as a sequence of chordal progressions and if you replace the "x" with another note you can change or mask how that chordal progression appears.

 

From a consonance point of view, strange things happen (again on instruments capable of infinite manipulation of tone like the strings) where certain notes are slightly different going up a scale as opposed to coming down a scale.

[Rossoneri]

I don't think that that is 100% correct. On the piano, as a practical matter, it is correct that it is unneeded because the piano is even tempered and can therefore be written as some other note. However (and I don't completed understand this myself), on other instruments (particularly string instruments) there may be a small difference between the two due to the complexities of temperament (even, just, Pythagorean, etc.). The most important reason for the "x", as I understand it, is understanding the piece's theoretical composition. Again, my understanding is limited here, but a piece can be understood as a sequence of chordal progressions and if you replace the "x" with another note you can change or mask how that chordal progression appears.

 

From a consonance point of view, strange things happen (again on instruments capable of infinite manipulation of tone like the strings) where certain notes are slightly different going up a scale as opposed to coming down a scale.

Quite right! Most people start out with the piano and forget that other instruments are vastly different. I was once guilty of this.

[PassedOut]

Quite right! Most people start out with the piano and forget that other instruments are vastly different. I was once guilty of this.

Dr. Todd and you are right. The piano scale has many small compromises for convenience. (That's why each key signature has its own recognizable character on the piano.)