# Need help Strange symbols in my score for my orchestra



## DesignLov3 (Aug 17, 2010)

Perhaps someone could tell me what ".." and "...." under and over notes mean? I don't see my teacher again til next week so would like answers sooner, thanks!


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

A most valuable online tool, Dolmetsch Online Music Dictionary is one of the best comprehensive reference sites I've ever encountered on the internet.

If you click on 'symbols' on the second line, a listing of all those appear.

The only reference where I've seen double/triple dots is in woodwind scores where







denoted double tongue and







represented triple tongue.

I've not encountered the double/triple dot notation as an organist, so possibly another member here with experience in orchestration can also shed light on this query.


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

Could you maybe show an example of this? It sounds vaguely familiar, but I'm not sure.
And what instrument do you play?


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## DesignLov3 (Aug 17, 2010)

The difference is there is no ")" part, its just the dots, and Its on my score for II violin, so no toungings involved! they look like staccato dots, except four or two instead of one. I will upload an example shortly. Thanks guys!


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## GraemeG (Jun 30, 2009)

Sometimes repeated quavers or semis (eighth & sixteenth notes) are abbvreivated as a half-note (minim) with one or two slashes through the stem, or repeated dots above the note. Usually one bar is written out in full, then this lazy (or easier to read, depending on your perspective) method might be used by copyists in the parts for the following 8, 16, 25 etc. bars. Sometimes its done to make the score look less cluttered, but still be written out in full in the parts. Have a look at the Vln II players part and see if it's the same as your score.
I've never come across multiple dots above a note meaning anything other than an shortened version of writing out a lot of notes.
cheers,
G


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

I also think it might be a way of writing out more notes than there really are in the measure. But I've only seen it as a tremolo note with the corresponding number of dots over it, indicating that all notes are to be played staccato. But we really can't say for sure until we get an example.


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