[sib-access] Re: beams, lyrics
- From: "Dan Rugman" <sib-access@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <sib-access@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 7 Apr 2009 15:48:44 +0100
Hi Stephanie,
You certainly wouldn't be the only Braille reader who doesn't know about
beams. They're one of those concepts which is essentially visual, but which
does tell you something useful. I can't explain them fully without
"dissertating" but to put it simply, they show how notes are to be grouped
together. For example, four eighth notes will be joined by a single
horizontal line which just touches the top of the stems. The result is to
make the notes look like golf clubs hanging from a rail.
The number of horizontal lines has to be the same as the number of flags or
hooks which are used on the stems. So, eighth notes are joined by one beam,
sixteenth notes by two (arranged like a pair of tram lines), thirty-seconds
by three, and so on.
This system is very useful in unusual time signatures where the grouping is
not regular. For example, in 7/8 the eighth notes could be grouped as 3+2+2,
2+3+2 or 2+2+3.
In the first case, the first three eighth notes would have a beam joining
them, as would the fourth and fifth notes, and the sixth and seventh notes.
The important point is that there is no beam between the third and fourth
notes, nor between the fifth and sixth notes.
The Braille equivalent is the grouping sign but this is hardly every used
because it's assumed that we can just work out the grouping by using some
common sense.
Hope this helps,
Dan Rugman
visit the new on-line resource for visually impaired musicians and home of
Sibelius Access.
www.musicaccess.co.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: sib-access-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:sib-access-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Stephanie Mitchell
Sent: 06 April 2009 13:01
To: sib-access@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [sib-access] beams, lyrics
Hi all.
I have 2 questions...
What are beams and how are they used? I'd heard of them, but only know
braille music and knowledge of print notation is very basic.
I'm a little confused about entering lyrics. I can do it fine. I just don't
know how to make my one lyric "god" in this case, extend over my 3 notes. Do
I slur it or something? or put a dash on each note it extends too?
Thanks.
Steph
ps. Thanks for the great work with these scritps. It has changed my life and
i wish I had those 4 years ago!
If you wish to unsubscribe, send a blank message with the single word,
unsubscribe - in the Subject line to:
sib-access-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
If you wish to unsubscribe, send a blank message
with the single word, unsubscribe - in the Subject line to:
sib-access-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Other related posts:
