Ornaments
Trill
- Looks like
- The letters tr, often followed by a wavy line
- Asks for
- Alternate rapidly between the written note and the note above it. Baroque trills usually start on the upper note.
- In use
- An accidental above tr changes the upper note.
Mordent (lower mordent)
- Looks like
- A short zigzag with a vertical stroke through it
- Asks for
- Play the note, the note below and then the note again, quickly.
- In use
- US names follow Gould. UK books call this the lower mordent.
Inverted mordent (upper mordent)
- Looks like
- A short zigzag without a stroke
- Asks for
- Play the note, the note above and then the note again, quickly.
- In use
- UK books call this the upper mordent; German books call it Pralltriller.
Turn
- Looks like
- A sideways S above the note or between two notes
- Asks for
- Play the note above, the note, the note below and then the note again.
Inverted turn
- Looks like
- A turn sign flipped upside down, or crossed by a vertical stroke
- Asks for
- A turn that starts from below: the note below, the note, the note above and then the note.
Tremolo stroke
- Looks like
- Diagonal stem strokes
- Asks for
- Indicates rapid repetition or alternation; interpretation depends on stroke count.
Measured tremolo
- Looks like
- Beamed tremolo
- Asks for
- Specifies rapid subdivisions whose number is metrically determined.
Unmeasured tremolo
- Looks like
- Multiple tremolo strokes
- Asks for
- Indicates very rapid repetition or alternation without a fixed counted rate.
Glissando
- Looks like
- Written gliss.
- Asks for
- Indicates a continuous or stepwise slide between pitches, depending on instrument.
Portamento
- Looks like
- Written port.
- Asks for
- Indicates an expressive glide between pitches, often in voice or strings.
Arpeggiation
- Looks like
- Vertical wavy line
- Asks for
- Requests the notes of a chord to be spread rather than struck together.
Arpeggiation upward
- Looks like
- Wavy line with upward arrow
- Asks for
- Requests a spread chord proceeding from lower to higher pitches.
Arpeggiation downward
- Looks like
- Wavy line with downward arrow
- Asks for
- Requests a spread chord proceeding from higher to lower pitches.
Vibrato
- Looks like
- Written vib.
- Asks for
- Requests periodic pitch variation or intensity variation as appropriate to the instrument.
Non vibrato
- Looks like
- Written non vib.
- Asks for
- Requests performance without deliberate vibrato.
Other chapters: Staff and Clefs · Pitch and Accidentals · Note Values and Rests · Meter and Grouping · Articulation · Dynamics and Expression · Tempo and Navigation · Keyboard, Guitar and Ensemble · Jazz and Contemporary
Engraving styles differ between publishers and periods, and some signs change meaning with style or instrument.
Open the Music Symbols Atlas →