Playing the saxophone Does an 'X' instead of a note-head mean a ghost/grace note?

[cappers]

Does an 'X' instead of a note-head mean a ghost/grace note?

I thought a smaller sized note with a slash before another note was a ghost note.

I read somewhere X can mean staccato or tenuto or a ghost. I thought staccato and tenuto are indicated with a dot or dash?

I not talking about a double sharp blocky X

Thank you.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Does an 'X' instead of a note-head mean a ghost/grace note?

It means ghost the note.

I thought a smaller sized note with a slash before another note was a ghost note.

That’s a grace note.

 

[Pete Thomas]

There’s some good examples of ghosted notes here, second chorus of Lee’s solo

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=f0uTsys-6wg

 

[cappers]

Thanks @Pete Thomas

Just checking, is a ghost note played softly to add texture and lead to the main note, whereas a grace note is short one to colour the main note ?

 

[Pete Thomas]

I read somewhere X can mean staccato or tenuto or a ghost. I thought staccato and tenuto are indicated with a dot or dash?

Don’t believe what you read.

Staccato is a dot, tenuto is a line (but IMO redundant because all notes should have full length unless indicated otherwise.

is a ghost note played softly to add texture and lead to the main note

No a soft note is indicated by a dynamic marking. Ghosting a note is a specific effect, or (if it’s a transcription) can be a note that didn’t quite come out properly or was “fluffed.”

whereas a grace note is short one to colour the main note

Not really to color, just a note that precedes it momentarily.

 

[cappers]

Don’t believe what you read.

You always say that 😉

 

[Pete Thomas]

You always say that 😉

Only if it’s wrong.

 

[cappers]

There’s some good examples of ghosted notes here, second chorus of Lee’s solo

Great thanks. Love it.
And the transcription.

 

[mizmar]

can be a note that didn’t quite come out properly or was “fluffed.”

I'm curious about technique..
I've tried this with either closing a lower key, like maybe pinky-key (c/b) leaving some holes open in-between; or, if it's in the upper register, overtone on the lower register - which, I guess, is actually a different effect (with no notation?)

Other approaches?

 

[Pete Thomas]

I guess, is actually a different effect (with no notation?)

It’s not usually notated unless in a transcription.

Other approaches?

Ghost tonguing on saxophone

The special effect also known as dooden tonguing, which creates a kind of muffled ghost note sound by holding your tongue against the reed

tamingthesaxophone.com

 

[Pete Effamy]

Ghosted notes are an articulated note - tongue is left against the reed, often one side of it, thereby muffling it.

It’s an inflection chosen by the player and is only notated in a transcription of someone playing, not really in a piece of music.

There are types of phrases where a lot of players would concur with ghosting, but that’s due to knowledge of “jazz” parlance in a similar way that any other type of articulation might be used.

 

[cappers]

It’s not usually notated unless in a transcription.

Yes, this is a transcription of Sonny Rollin's solo on Tenor Madness (from the eponymous album).
Thank you.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Yes, this is a transcription of Sonny Rollin's solo on Tenor Madness (from the eponymous album).
Thank you.

The best way to play it then would be to listen to the track and do your best to emulate the sound and feel.

 

[cappers]

The best way to play it then would be to listen to the track and do your best to emulate the sound and feel.

Thanks. I've been listening to it and humming and whistling it for days. Fortunately it's quite an ear worm.

 

[ghostler]

I read somewhere X can mean staccato or tenuto or a ghost. I thought staccato and tenuto are indicated with a dot or dash?

Don’t believe what you read.

You always say that 😉

Years ago there were standard music "textbooks" sold in music stores, time tested standards that one could buy and reference. This was before the days of Internet access. They acted as a ready reference as well as had various exercises a student would practice to improve their musicianship proficiency, with tips.

I am so out of touch with the educational sector that I would not know what is available today, otherwise I would suggest one.

Staccato is a dot, tenuto is a line (but IMO redundant because all notes should have full length unless indicated otherwise.

Another misconception common with a learner (I was there years ago) is that staccato is short. Unless otherwise qualified, it generally means to play the note one half its value with the remainder as rest. A dotted half is played as a quarter note and quarter rest. A dotted quarter note is played as an eighth note followed by an eighth rest, and etc.

Rather than rely on Internet searches or a popular social media "expert", having a hard copy music book reference handy would I think immediately answer questions and mitigate developing bad habits, which are harder to break once formed.

If in doubt a learner should not be hesitant in asking his teacher or a bandmate for clarification.

 

[mizmar]

A dotted half is played as a quarter note

To avoid someone in the future saying ".. but I read..." The staccato dot, rather than the "dotted quarter" as in "1.5 note", "dotted half" played 3/2; no?

Why doesn't that "dotted note" have a fancy Italian name? or does it?

 

[ghostler]

Why doesn't that "dotted note" have a fancy Italian name? or does it?

It does, it is called, "staccato". 😉

 

[GCinCT]

It does, it is called, "staccato". 😉

I think @mizmar was referring to a dotted note ie: a dot that adds half the rhythmic value to the overall length of the note. As in a dotted quarter lasts a beat and a half. Those are called dotted quarter, eighth, etc. As far as I know, there is no Italian name.

 

[ghostler]

As far as I know, there is no Italian name.

quarto puntato.

quarto puntato – Definition in music

Definition of the Italian term quarto puntato in music. Find its meaning, examples, related terms, and more.

www.musicca.com

 

[Pete Thomas]

A dotted half is played as a quarter note and quarter rest

I think @mizmar was referring to a dotted note ie: a dot that adds half the rhythmic value to the overall length of the note. As in a dotted quarter lasts a beat and a half. Those are called dotted quarter, eighth, etc. As far as I know, there is no Italian name.

Although a staccato note (detached, shortened or half the length) has a dot added over or under the note, It would seem confusing to refer to it as a dotted note, (dot after the note) which conventionally means add half the note value.