# Question about musical notation



## Doug Michon

Hello,

I'm learning to play the cello, and there are some puzzling notations in one of my music books. I don't know what the parentheses mean. Hopefully my attachment is viewable.

For instance, on line #55, (.) appears after the first note. On line #56, (.#.) appears after the first rest.

Can anyone help me out?


----------



## senza sordino

Doug Michon said:


> Hello,
> 
> I'm learning to play the cello, and there are some puzzling notations in one of my music books. I don't know what the parentheses mean. Hopefully my attachment is viewable.
> 
> For instance, on line #55, (.) appears after the first note. On line #56, (.#.) appears after the first rest.
> 
> Can anyone help me out?
> 
> View attachment 150840


I'm not completely sure, but I think this notation is telling you to have your first finger on the fretboard at where an E sounds as you place your third finger in the F# position. It's an anchor position. The second bar, this is similar. Now place your second finger in the position of F# as you play the G


----------



## Doug Michon

Thank you, Senza. 

I looked over other lines of music with these notations, and you may be correct. So this might just be a tip for beginners. I really puzzled over this - amusingly not the author’s intent.


----------

