Marcato signs typically indicate a dramatically raised dynamic level.

The tenuto sign is often used to indicate an only slightly raised dynamic level, less than a normal accent. The image above shows the accent notations most commonly used by composers of percussion music. The meanings of the different types of accents are not entirely standard. Typically this involves emphasizing the accented note simply by raising the dynamic level. In percussion notation, accents are almost always to be interpreted as dynamic accents. (Together, the horizontal-line notehead and its stem look rather like a long 'T' or a long inverted 'T', depending which way the stem is going.)

Rim Shot: diagonal slash through note head.īrush sweep: horizontal-line notehead, with a slur mark added to show that the brush is not lifted. Open hi-hat: X notehead in the hi-hat part with small o above.Ĭlosed hi-hat: X notehead in the hi-hat part with + above.Ĭross Stick: X notehead in the snare drum part. Usually three diagonal lines denote a roll, whereas fewer would be interpreted as measured subdivisions of the note (two lines for sixteenths, one for eighths). Rolls: Diagonal lines across the note stem (or above a whole note). Specifying percussion techniques Īll note letter-names in this section refer to the bass clef the notes remain in the same physical locations when the neutral clef is used. Mounted tambourine: high-B with 'x' through conventional notehead. Maraca: high-B with '+' replacing notehead. Mounted triangle: ledger-line high C with 'x' replacing notehead. The above system is based on the recommendations of the Percussive Arts Society Īnother example of a fairly standard drum kit: Sometimes unconventional staves are used to clarify notation, for example a 2-, 3-, or 4- line stave may be used where each line refers to a differently pitched instrument, such as temple blocks or tom-toms, or a single line stave may be used for a single non-pitched instrument such as a tambourine. It is usual to label each instrument and technique the first time it is introduced, or to add an explanatory footnote, to clarify this. Non-pitched percussion notation on a conventional staff once commonly employed the bass clef, but the neutral clef (or 'percussion clef'), consisting of two parallel vertical lines, is usually preferred now.

The notation of non-pitched percussion instruments is less standardized, and therefore often includes a key or legend specifying which line or space each individual instrument will be notated on.Ĭymbals are usually notated with 'x' note heads, drums with normal elliptical note heads and auxiliary percussion with alternative note heads. Percussion instruments are generally grouped into two categories: pitched and non-pitched. As with other forms of musical notation, sounds are represented by symbols which are usually written onto a musical staff (or stave). Percussion notation is a type of musical notation indicating notes to be played by percussion instruments. JSTOR ( December 2009) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message).Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.įind sources: 'Percussion notation' – news Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. This article needs additional citations for verification.

Musescore percussion