Notated music makes use of a variety of other symbols to indicate dynamics, articulation, tempo, ornamentation, and other aspects of music. Dynamic markings include, from quietest to loudest, pp, p, mp, mf, f, and ff. These symbols, which are abbreviations of the Italian words pianissimo, piano, mezzo-piano, mezzo-forte, forte, and fortissimo, are generally placed below the staff to which they apply.
Gradual changes in dynamics are indicated by either a crescendo (increase in volume): or a decrescendo (decrease in volume), also known as diminuendo.
- An sudden increase in dynamics is often marked sforzando, abbreviated sfz:
- In general, the word subito can be placed in front of any marking to denote that it is to occur suddenly:
- An accent mark may be placed over or under a specific note to indicate that it is to be given more emphasis:
- The staccato marking indicates that notes are to be played in a detached style: The legato marking indicates the opposite:
- A slur may also be used to indicate an entire phrase is to be played legato. For wind instruments, this carries the additional implication that the tongue is not to be used to play each note:
- An increase in tempo is marked accelerando: A decrease is marked ritardando:
- A fermata place over a single note indicates it is to be held longer than notated, at the discretion of the performer:
- A grace note is a very short note that is played before the note to which it is attached:
- A trill is a rapid alternation of two adjacent notes:
Classical music employs a variety of markings that indicate similar types of ornamentation. These do not tend to be used in jazz. There several other markings that are unique to jazz, however, including the:
- fall
- the scoop
- the ghost note
- the turn and various others that tend to be made up as necessary.
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