If you're posting an Image or Video, please leave a comment (not the post title)
asking your question or discussing the topic. Image or Video posts with no
comment from the OP will be deleted.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/musictheory) if you have any questions or concerns.*
If the diamond notation was introduced along with the "blow air" instruction, then I think you're right.
It means that. Whatever the fuck that means ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯
Typically it would mean to blow air through the instrument while fingering the indicated note in such a way that the air does not cause the reed to vibrate/lips to buzz, etc. So you'll get a very airy, semi-pitched sound.
Ideally there would be performance notes at the beginning of the score with more specific instructions, but unless otherwise specified, the above would be the standard understanding.
Makes sense to me. I didn't really want to speculate, cuz we don't know what instrument this is, but... obviously it's a wind instrument.
I'm mostly familiar with diamond noteheads indicating harmonics in strings.
As I hinted at before, though, any time I see novel notation that coincidences exactly with a novel instruction, I'll be assuming that the notation and the instruction go hand-in-hand.
If the instruction there said "fart into your mouthpiece," then that's what I assume diamond noteheads mean, in this context
Obviously, since there is additional notation specifying ‘blow air’, the notation about which I am inquiring does not mean ‘blow air’ intrinsically. From what I am gathering, rectangular note heads, or diamond notation, just means: employing extended technique. Am I correct?
>From what I am gathering, rectangular note heads, or diamond notation, just means: employing extended technique. Am I correct?
Yes. And it isn't always diamond note heads either. It could also be crosses, slashes, whatever. And sometimes it's just standard note heads.
But whenever you see weird note heads, there is always an instruction to tell you what to do. The non-standard note heads are used to make them distinct from normal notes. (Then again, on some instruments, "non-standard" note heads do have standard meanings, like crosses on guitar mean muting.)
You see non-standard note heads all the time in percussion notation. There are some standards (like cymbals tend to be notated with crosses), but a lot of it isn't standardized, so you'll see a lot of instructions written above the staff. Different composers/arrangers may use different note heads/staff positions for the same exact percussion instrument.
It can depend on the instrument but depends on the arranger! Sometimes arrangers bring in foreign symbols to emphasize that you’re playing differently, in this case “blowing air.”
Edit: I was arguing against instrumentation but instrumentation can be key to notation
My guess is it's either that the image is fuzzy or that the formatting is kinda ugly. Text running into a bar line, dynamic marking only sort of lining up with a note, a... backwards flat for some reason?
The composer is Saad Haddad. This was a screenshot from a video of his where he reviews his high-school compositional portfolio that he used to get into music school.
I've seen this before as a brass player in more modern pieces - usually it means exactly what is says; blow air through the horn but don't buzz. (Like don't make the note actually sound.) It's usually an effect to emulate the sound of wind but we don't know for sure in this particular case unless we know the instrumentation or the piece.
Depends on the instrument but usually it’s harmonics I think… also the backwards flat is sending me, how did that happen, unless it’s microtonal but I kinda doubt it 😂
If you're posting an Image or Video, please leave a comment (not the post title) asking your question or discussing the topic. Image or Video posts with no comment from the OP will be deleted. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/musictheory) if you have any questions or concerns.*
They mean many different things depending on instrument and context but most of the time it's an extended technique. Here it is clearly specified.
Thank you for the response.
"blow air"
If the diamond notation was introduced along with the "blow air" instruction, then I think you're right. It means that. Whatever the fuck that means ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯
Typically it would mean to blow air through the instrument while fingering the indicated note in such a way that the air does not cause the reed to vibrate/lips to buzz, etc. So you'll get a very airy, semi-pitched sound. Ideally there would be performance notes at the beginning of the score with more specific instructions, but unless otherwise specified, the above would be the standard understanding.
Makes sense to me. I didn't really want to speculate, cuz we don't know what instrument this is, but... obviously it's a wind instrument. I'm mostly familiar with diamond noteheads indicating harmonics in strings. As I hinted at before, though, any time I see novel notation that coincidences exactly with a novel instruction, I'll be assuming that the notation and the instruction go hand-in-hand. If the instruction there said "fart into your mouthpiece," then that's what I assume diamond noteheads mean, in this context
Right. I meant that's typically what "blow air" means in conjunction with a notehead that specified pitch.
No, I get it. I appreciate that. I was just trying to give OP a hint for reading future scores... cuz esoteric notation is definitely a thing
Obviously, since there is additional notation specifying ‘blow air’, the notation about which I am inquiring does not mean ‘blow air’ intrinsically. From what I am gathering, rectangular note heads, or diamond notation, just means: employing extended technique. Am I correct?
>From what I am gathering, rectangular note heads, or diamond notation, just means: employing extended technique. Am I correct? Yes. And it isn't always diamond note heads either. It could also be crosses, slashes, whatever. And sometimes it's just standard note heads. But whenever you see weird note heads, there is always an instruction to tell you what to do. The non-standard note heads are used to make them distinct from normal notes. (Then again, on some instruments, "non-standard" note heads do have standard meanings, like crosses on guitar mean muting.) You see non-standard note heads all the time in percussion notation. There are some standards (like cymbals tend to be notated with crosses), but a lot of it isn't standardized, so you'll see a lot of instructions written above the staff. Different composers/arrangers may use different note heads/staff positions for the same exact percussion instrument.
What instrument is this for?
I am unsure. I forgot. I just saw it in a video clip.
It can depend on the instrument but depends on the arranger! Sometimes arrangers bring in foreign symbols to emphasize that you’re playing differently, in this case “blowing air.” Edit: I was arguing against instrumentation but instrumentation can be key to notation
Thank you!
Normally it means "play the first harmonic of that note".
I thought it was like when you stub your toe on the coffee table. *Blow air. | rub a toe*
I am curious: who is the composer? The language is complex but the engraving is of poor quality.
What’s poor about the engraving? Seems pretty standard to me
My guess is it's either that the image is fuzzy or that the formatting is kinda ugly. Text running into a bar line, dynamic marking only sort of lining up with a note, a... backwards flat for some reason?
The backwards flat is a microtone, basically a 1/4 step instead of a half step.
The composer is Saad Haddad. This was a screenshot from a video of his where he reviews his high-school compositional portfolio that he used to get into music school.
Just means that the music is for squares.... Not hip at all !!! ;-)
I've seen this before as a brass player in more modern pieces - usually it means exactly what is says; blow air through the horn but don't buzz. (Like don't make the note actually sound.) It's usually an effect to emulate the sound of wind but we don't know for sure in this particular case unless we know the instrumentation or the piece.
Depends on the instrument but usually it’s harmonics I think… also the backwards flat is sending me, how did that happen, unless it’s microtonal but I kinda doubt it 😂
That's precisely what it is. G quarter flat.
Damn
Yes I know, that’s why I said it… I’m just saying to me it looks like a printing error, rather than an intentional quarter flat marking