Correct Notation for Jazz Articulation (hit, fall away and then swell)

[rhysonsax]

I am trying to transcribe a jazz arrangement and want to notate it correctly, or at least idiomatically so that jazz players will know how to play it.

There's a point where the brass play a long note and do a loud attack, immediately reduce in volume and then swell over the next couple of beats.

How is that best notated ?

Rhys

 

[Tenor Viol]

You could use a Sforzando, which you could notate as Sfp meaning that it goes to piano after the initial forte attack, then use a hairpin to show the crescendo over the subsequent beats. If I can find an example (there were plenty in the musicals concert recently, but I'v no longer got the music) I'll post a pic of it.

 

[Pete Effamy]

There isn’t a “jazz” equivalent, just anything that foots the bill. Tenorviol above is correct. There are some “colloquialisms” / shorthand etc but anything that shows a note being hit and then a crescendo. Most good players will expect this and may play anyway as a long note on its own is just static and not dynamic.

 

[nigeld]

Our big band sheets sometimes have an fp followed by a hairpin.

 

[Veggie Dave]

You could use a Sforzando then use a hairpin to show the crescendo over the subsequent beats.

Like this?

 

[Pete Effamy]

Like this?
View attachment 13815

Not quite the Sforzando, although experienced players should play what you want. Fp cresc as Nigel says, or Sfz cresc.

 

[Veggie Dave]

So like this?

 

[nigeld]

My understanding is that a sforzando denotes a hard attack, but not necessarily much of a reduction in volume afterwards.

 

[Pete Effamy]

So like this?

View attachment 13816

Nail. Head. BAMM!

 

[Pete Effamy]

My understanding is that a sforzando denotes a hard attack, but not necessarily much of a reduction in volume afterwards.

Correct, but it has less effect if not followed by a p cresc. Military band music , wind band and orchestral have more use for it “as is” but not so much pop, big band which is likely to have loud music around it, so more contrast is needed and will expected by players.

 

[Veggie Dave]

Thanks for asking this question, Rhys. I can now fix all my scores that my classically trained trumpet player finds lack enough information.

 

[Pete Thomas]

I would use fp with an accent followed by hairpin crescendo or else I like the idea of making up my own: sfzp followed by short decresendo then crescendo...

The two hairpins make it unambiguous what is meant re: the accented attack followed by immediate decrescendo (which is implied by fp plus accent)

 

[Pete Effamy]

Thanks for asking this question, Rhys. I can now fix all my scores that my classically trained trumpet player finds lack enough information.

Ask him to listen to a bit of non-classical music - the info is in the study

 

[Pete Effamy]

I would use fp with an accent followed by hairpin crescendo or else I like the idea of making up my own: sfzp followed by short decresendo then crescendo...



The two hairpins make it unambiguous what is meant re: the accented attack followed by immediate decrescendo (which is implied by fp plus accent)

Too much info

 

[Tenor Viol]

My understanding is that a sforzando denotes a hard attack, but not necessarily much of a reduction in volume afterwards.

Agreed, hence the Sfp suggestion

 

[Pete Effamy]

I would use fp with an accent followed by hairpin crescendo or else I like the idea of making up my own: sfzp followed by short decresendo then crescendo...

View attachment 13818

The two hairpins make it unambiguous what is meant re: the accented attack followed by immediate decrescendo (which is implied by fp plus accent)

You could also write it longhand in German

 

[Pete Thomas]

You could also write it longhand in German

That works so much better!

 

[Pete Effamy]

That works so much better!

View attachment 13824

I love it. The day Mahler got drunk...

 

[Pete Effamy]

I love it. The day Mahler got drunk...

Italian? French? Let's have an English one..

 

[Pete Effamy]

How about:

Punch it Choke it Grow it