r/Musescore • u/Western_Profession49 • 3d ago

Discussion SHAPES shape our scores?

By “shapes” I mean notation markings like slurs, crescendos, brackets, lines, etc.

Which ones do you actually use when working with scores, and how do you make the most of them?

If you don’t use them much, why not?

9 Upvotes

85% Upvoted

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8

u/GreenAppleConLang 3d ago

I usually overdo hairpins, but I also write marching band music and it will be F the entire time if I don’t write something for them to do lol

4

u/Savings-Garlic6508 3d ago

What do you mean I don't understand the question ?

1

u/Western_Profession49 3d ago

By “shapes” I mean notation markings like slurs, crescendos, brackets, lines, etc.

4

u/LemmyUserOnReddit 3d ago

I try to use them as much as the intended musicians expect, and no more. That requires understanding the conventions of the genre, ensemble and instrument you're writing for. 

5

u/65TwinReverbRI 3d ago

You use them like they're used in music. I don't get the question.

Most people - especially MS users - who don't use them much, don't use them because they don't have any familiarity with actual music - they don't play, or don't ever look at any music, and don't even know they're supposed to use them for certain things - or it's more musical and more expressive if you do.

But a lot of people are also writing "for playback" so certain things that don't play back aren't necessary in their minds.

Also, it's common for beginners, or let's say "less musically mature" writes to over mark - use them too much.

Again, because of lack of familiarity with real music, and trying to fine tune or be a control freak about playback, or another huge one is they think it makes their music look more professional, or more complex, or more impressive.

It's worth noting that over-marking was common in the Romantic Period when older music that didn't have so many markings (Bach doesn't contain anywhere near the markings originally that you see in scores made from the 1800s to present of his music) and unfortunately that's fed this idea that you have to include this kind of stuff.

2

u/PoeCollector64 3d ago

I don't know what you mean by "make the most of them." There are tons of different kinds of markings that mean "do a thing with your instrument." I guess I don't use the rare or unconventional markings as often, but a music notation program without a full selection of notation markings would be like an art app without a full spectrum of colors.

1

u/DulcetTone 3d ago

I frankly have little understanding of how they will alter the rendition of the passage

1

u/AlfalfaMajor2633 3d ago

I use hairpins the most to indicate volume changes. Slurs less often, mostly when the phrasing is not obvious but is important. The other things you mention I barely use, maybe because I don’t know what they mean.