Music Reading Question

[Woozie]

What does the asterisk over the notes mean? And how do I read triplets when the notes in the triplet are not the same type? Like, I'm used to seeing a triplet over three quarter notes or over three eighth notes, etc, but here they have a triplet over groupings that contain different types of notes instead of three of the same type.

Spoilered for somewhat huge

Spoiler: show

http://i44.tinypic.com/2njg66c.jpg

[Eratosthenes]

Well, I don't know what the asterisk means, but an eighth note in a triplet can be divided into sixteenths or 32nds, or even subdivided into like 27ths, I'm not even sure what to call those.

[Jakson]

Beats me, but maybe http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asterisk#Music ?

Music

• In musical notation the sign http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ic-pedalup.png indicates when the sustain pedal of the piano should be lifted.

[Woozie]

So let's consider the third triplet in the second measure (the second triplet that I circled). Do I interpret that as 8th note triplets? In other words, does that entire triplet get a total rhythmic value of a quarter note? How does one determine this, in general? Do we always look at the largest note? For example, the largest note in the triplet we're considering is an 8th note. So does that mean the entire triplet is automatically equal to a quarter note?

But that wouldn't make sense, because in that case, the second measure would have more than four beats. The first, third, and fourth triplet would all be quarter note duration, so the entire measure would be a quarter note plus an eight note. But if we always pick the smallest, the measure would have less than four beats. The way I think it's supposed to be interpreted is

http://i40.tinypic.com/33y54oz.jpg

The reason I was able to reach this conclusion is because I happen to have the mp3 file of the performance this was transcribed from. But how would I figure that out if I didn't have the actual song in front of me to listen to? Is there some sort of rule that would tell me how to interpret triplets rhythmically when note all of the notes have identical rhythmic values?

Edit: Jackson, for various reasons, that asterisk in the piece I posted is definitely not notating the release of the sustain pedal.

[Jakson]

Yeah, I figured it wasn't the sustain, but I thought if it wasn't that obvious, it is probably some obscure rule, like that H note nonsense I think it was you that posted a while ago.

[Woozie]

Yeah, it seems like every time I pick up a jazz book I run into some weird notation problem.

[kuronosan]

When you have a triplet containing mixed notes you still keep the beat but you change the speed at which the note is lifted... it's more of an emotion thing. Also, the asterisk means cut the sustain pedal.

[Woozie]

Are you sure? I've never seen the asterisk for the sustain pedal notated that way (above the staff, and with no L.E.D.)

[Eratosthenes]

So let's consider the third triplet in the second measure (the second triplet that I circled). Do I interpret that as 8th note triplets? In other words, does that entire triplet get a total rhythmic value of a quarter note?

Yes. 3 8th triplets and 6 16th triplets both equal one quarter. Judging from your example there, you're doing it right.

[Woozie]

Well, I was only able to get my example by listening to the actual song. Now let's say I were to look at the triplet over the Gb7 chord in the third measure. I have no clue how I would interpret that without listening to the song. If I had to guess, I'd guess that the sets of 16th notes are interpreted as a triplet with a total value of an eighth note. I'm not sure though, but I can check by listening to the song. But is there some general rule or is it just a matter of looking at each individual triplet and seeing which interpretation makes the most sense? I'm worried that I may run into triplets where more than one interpretation is possible. I mean, I have the actual song to fall back on, but if I'm wondering how I'd do it if I didn't have the mp3. Kuronosan's explanation doesn't really help me to figure this out.

[Eratosthenes]

Well, I was only able to get my example by listening to the actual song. Now let's say I were to look at the triplet over the Gb7 chord in the third measure. I have no clue how I would interpret that without listening to the song. If I had to guess, I'd guess that the sets of 16th notes are interpreted as a triplet with a total value of an eighth note.

Yeah, they're like subtriplets.

[Kilhart]

Dunno about the asterisk, but the triplet issue is pretty easy to determine in this case since they divide up the triplet sets for you. The first triplet set you circled would have a total value of an eighth note (three sixteenth note triplets in that one). The second one you circled would have a total value of a quarter note (six sixteenth note triplets total). The time signature helps you to figure things out. Not sure why they used different notations for the first and second case, though.

[Dmitry]

The asterisk denotes that the composer may or may not have used anabolic steroids to write that composition.

[Korietsu]

I can explain this one, since this was actual constest music for me back sophmore year in highschool.

When counting triplets that are divided as you circled, it's best to sub-divide the notes up into the following sound "Trip-pol-li-Trip-pol-lit" While it is in the space of an eight note triplet, you can subdivde into 16ths. Since this is a jazz song, you want to treat the triplets with a swing. That should get your timing down. This song is a royal pain in the ass in a marching arrangement too.

Also, this should help a bit. Although probably not the same arrangement, you'll get a feel for the part.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBugb4R5kBw

[kuronosan]

Okay, I posted from my phone so I didn't get a chance to look at the asterisk properly.

When placed over a series of notes like that, it usually means play liberally and freely... it's common in jazz music.

Like I said about the triplets, you could kind of count them out like "trip-o-let, trip-trip-o-let" (think about a drum roll and the beat sequence there) and you'll get an idea for what multi-beat triplets should sound like.

Kudos for you playing that arrangement though. Georgia on My Mind is one of my favorite piano songs.