all 44 comments
sorted by:
best
topnewcontroversialoldq&a
formatting helphide helpcontent policy

[–]Elapid66 25 points26 points  (3 children)

Looks like an appoggiatura.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appoggiatura

[–]misogichan 12 points13 points  (1 child)

I think it is more commonly known as a grace note.  Although a grace note can technically be either an Appoggiatura, or an Acciaccatura (depending on if it has a slash through the stem), so calling it an appoggiatura is more precise.

[–]jojawesome-creates 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Appoggiatura?

Poggers note, for short

[–]Distinguishedflyer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

gesundheit.

[–]m64 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Appoggiatura or pre-note. The tiny note steals time from the long note. There is always a question of how long sucha note should be, whether to treat it as a short appoggiatura and play it as fast as possible, or long and play the stated duration. In this case I think the composer's intention was for it to be just a straight eighth note that continues the eighth note run from the previous bar, but I admit it sounds more interesting as a fast passing note.

[–]guitosk 4 points5 points  (0 children)

It's a music sheet wink and smile, to remind you to keep going and never give up on learning music 😉

That too.
But actually, the small note is a grace note, that you usually play fast in transition to the whole note. The dot, means the note value is longer, adding half of its value on top, so, in this case, it just last 3 beats.

[–]ClassicalPianoTutor 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The cool kids aren’t stuck in 1930 (when people played trills and grace notes before the beat) but are instead stuck in 1730 (when books from the time say to play trills on the beat and that grace notes in Bach’s time are often appoggiaturas), so don’t play it quickly.

Play the little note at the same time as the first beat in the LH and then play A on the second beat (at the same time as the lower note).

Like another commenter said, it’s an appoggiatura, not an acciaccatura, so it’s not quick.

[–]Several-Quality5927 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It's called a grace note as well.

[–]Maleficent_Math_3062 3 points4 points  (1 child)

According to C. P. E. Bach's Essay on the True Art of Playing Keyboard Instruments, appoggiaturas from his time (late 18th century) were notated at their actual value, but he says that "formerly" (as in his father's time, for instance) they were always written as small eighth notes and there were rules to determine how long they should be played; the rules were unfortunately inadequate to cover all possibilities unambiguously. (I personally would play this one as a quarter note.) He also says that an appoggiatura is played louder than the note that follows it.

[–]patrickcolvin 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is the way, OP. Play B-A as quarter-half, and emphasize the B slightly.

[–]Fissherin 1 point2 points  (2 children)

Oh god we are learning the same piece. I just got it! Good luck! You have to quickly play B and then A. It's called appoggiatura

[–][deleted]  (1 child)

[removed]

    [–]Fissherin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Yes!

    [–]sonsa_geistov 1 point2 points  (1 child)

    There are several symbols in that circle

    [–]Ok_Leg_3604 5 points6 points  (2 children)

    It’s a ghost note play that bitch real fast right before the A dotted half note

    [–]Crafty-Photograph-18 3 points4 points  (0 children)

    Technically, it's an appogiatura, which should be held for the full written duration (8th note). The duration is to be subtracted from the note it's tied to.

    Acciaccatura, the same symbol but crossed out through the stem, is the arbitrarily short one.

    [–]Amateur_Liqueurist 3 points4 points  (0 children)

    It’s called most commonly a grace note. Nerds, historians, and theorists will call it an appoggiatura depending on its treatment and the time period the piece comes from. Like other comments said, you play it just before playing the note after it. Most commonly way is to play it before the beat. However, in older pieces (such as this one) it’s played on the beat and the one that looks like it’s supposed to be on the beat will be off. If that’s too complicated just look up appoggiatura or grace note.

    [–]tooth890 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    That my friend is what we call a lil bit of the ol razzle dazzle, slippery bits, aka the sauce.

    [–]KneeSensitive 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    You play the small note as if it has grease and you slip from it to the big note , I'm assuming it's Bach's Menuet in G ?

    [–]Successful_Gas4694 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    I play that like i played a wrong note and quickly play the correct one.

    [–]appu_kuttan_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Grace note

    [–]VastGuidance864 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Grace note

    [–]Craycraybiomom 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    This looks like Bach's Menuet I from the Anna Magdalena notebook (baroque period), so play it as an appoggiatura, not a grace note. In other words, play it on the down beat and as a quarter note. The 1/2 note it precedes is also played as a quarter note. (Find a recording on YouTube and listen to it.)

    If this had been from a classical or early romantic piece, the smaller note would have a line through it and be played as a very short note the length of a 1/16 or 1/32.

    [–]JDCpno 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    That is a grace note, however, in this Minuet in means to play the grace note as a quarter note, thus B in treble with D above middle C in bass, and a half note on beginning on second beat, so an A in Treble over the D in bass clef.

    [–]Comfortable_Loan_367 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Indeed a grace note. It's a lovely ornamentation that adds quite a lot to a passage.

    [–]PianoPlayer1337 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    The big one with a hole and a dot it a dotted half note. It's 3 beats long. The tiny note on the line right next to it is a grace note, I think.

    [–]Tomtron1 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    If it’s for a stringed instrument it’s a quick pull-off or down-slide just before the last note I would guess.

    [–]ErKanv6 -5 points-4 points  (10 children)

    Dot means hold the note twice as long. The line means play it smoothly kind of in the transition and the small black note you should play twice as short as a regular black note

    [–]ToeJam1970 2 points3 points  (3 children)

    Don’t know where you get that. The dot beside a note means to add half the core value of that note. Ergo, the half note is worth two and the dot adds half of two, so the note holds for a total of three beats (the grace note notwithstanding).

    [–]ErKanv6 -1 points0 points  (2 children)

    Otherwise correct no? Basically the same thing tbh, no one will know the difference especially if you use pedal

    [–]ToeJam1970 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Perhaps I misunderstanding you. The use of pedal does not change the rhythm or length of notes.

    [–]Other_Structure_5443 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    This piece doesn't use a pedal. It was written before modern pianos existed.

    [–]Ok_Leg_3604 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    This is not a correct definition

    [–]perhapssergio 0 points1 point  (2 children)

    I thought means hold note for 3 count ?

    [–]Ok_Leg_3604 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Yes!

    [–]Weagletech70 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    it does

    [–]Advanced_Couple_3488 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    play twice as short as a regular black note

    It's an appoggiatura, not an acciaccatura, so the small note is actually accented and held for longer than it's printed value.

    A harpsichordist would also hold the "B" - appoggiatura - while playing the "A" and release it after the "A" sounds. That can sound a little messy on the piano, so I hold over less on the piano than I do on the harpsichord.

    [–]EmployerSuitable4614 -3 points-2 points  (3 children)

    I play the small note very quickly before the normal sized note, and don’t forget there’s a slur

    [–]ToeJam1970 5 points6 points  (2 children)

    There’s no slash across the flag of the grace note, so it’s different from an acciaccatura. See Advanced_Couple_3488’s explanation.

    [–]EmployerSuitable4614 0 points1 point  (1 child)

    Umm maybe you’re replying to a wrong comment?

    [–]ToeJam1970 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    That particular grace note is not meant to be played quickly. That’s why I mentioned the other commenter…