Music Composition DUMmIES

Any guitar player knows that playing several down picks in a row sounds dif-

ferent than picking up and down alternately (Figure 14-22).

The same thing holds true for a violin, but with a violin or other members of

its family, a single stroke of the bow can produce a whole series of notes. This

would be indicated by a slur(Figure 14-23).

In Figure 14-24, all four notes in the first half of the first measure are played

with a single up-bow, the next two notes are down, the next two are up, and it

ends on the downbeat of the following measure with a strong down-bow.

&4

4

œ

≤ œ

œ œ œ

≥

œ œ≤ œ

̇.

≥

Œ

Figure 14-24:
Bows with
slurs on
the violin.

&4

(^4) œj
≥
œ
J
œ
≤ œ≥
œ œ œ
J
ϲ
̇
j
œ Œ
Figure 14-23:
A violin slur
shows
which way
to bow
during the
slur.
&4
4
œ
≥
œ
≥
œ
≥
œ
≥
œ
≥
œ
≥
œ
≥
œ
≥
œ
≥
œ
≤
œ
≥
œ
≤
œ
≥
œ
≤
œ
≥
œ
≤
Figure 14-22:
Notation for
playing the
guitar:
down-picks
and
alternate
picks.
Chapter 14: Composing for the Standard Orchestra 183