Music Composition DUMmIES

Following is a list of the extra letters and symbols most often used in guitar

tablature:

What to write What it means

H Hammer-on

P Pull-off

B Bend string up

R Release bend

/ Slide up

— Slide down

v Vibrato (sometimes written as ~)

T Right hand tap

The Score ......................................................................................................

A piece of music that includes all the notation — precise melodic lines and

harmonic accompaniment — the composer intended for the instrumentalist

to play is called a score. A score can be as simple as the melodic and har-

monic accompaniment of a child’s song for the piano, as in Figure 19-9.

In Figure 19-9, you can see that all the notes the composer intended to be

played by the musician are right there on the paper. There are no chord

charts listed over the staff to suggest improvisation, and there is no mystery

as to how long each note is supposed to be held. Although improvisation might

still be possible, and even welcomed by your audience, there’s no need for it.

A more advanced score is shown in Figure 19-10.

0 0

5 h 7

0 0

5 h 7

E B G D A E

Figure 19-8:

Writing

“h” is the

convention

to tell a

guitar player

to hammer

a note on.

246 Part IV: Orchestration and Arrangement