Percussion Notation (FINALE USERS PLEASE READ)

I tried to search for it, and I haven't found it anywhere else.

A few days ago I decided to start writing a brass fanfare for a competition, and I was confused by the example percussion music I downloaded to try to teach myself. Can someone please explain the dashes? I assume they're all rolls of some sort, but what do the different numbers of dashes mean?

New question, repeated below:

When setting up the score to begin composing, there are all sorts of different Percussion instruments you can choose.

Choosing the general "Percussion" part and adding it to the part list gives you a number of percussion instruments, but I found that several are repeated outside of the general "Percussion" part. I was wondering what the difference was and where, for instance, I could find a suspended cymbal.

The dashes are called "Tremolos" (or "abbreviations"), and is counted like the beams, 1 dash means 8ths (quaver) 2 dashes for 16ths (semiquaver) 3 dashes for 32ths (demisemiquaver) etc.

In that pic the tremolo means the percussionist must play 32ths (demisemiquavers) during the value of the note, a 4th (a Quarter) that is 8 32ths (8 demisemiquavers)

This way you only write one note instead 8,

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This one (can be used for unpitched instruments too) does not specify a speed, only "fast enough".

Many scores call for tremolos of 4 dashes in a fast tempo, and it's simply impossible to play all those notes, so is played also like "as fast as possible"

A roll for the snare drum cab be written with 3 tremolos (3 dashes) or the Trill sign (Tr), is the same thing, because one just can't notate the number of time the stick will play.... unless you write 2 or 1 dash in a slow tempo, then the player will do that specific number of notes instead a roll

Here several values with the same tremolo, means to play 32ths for all, so 32 notes in the first written note, 16 for the 2nd, 8 for the 3rd, 4 for the 4th and 2 for 5th and 6th notes.

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I hope I wrote it correct, I use all this as "Corcheas, semicorcheas etc" terms in english are kinda confusing,,, by the way, *abbreviations is used in English too ?

Thank you for the help, that makes much more sense. :nod:

Bumping this with another, similar question:

Exactly what is in the "Percussion" parts? I went through it, but I didn't understand what most of it was. And when I looked back at the part selection section, some of the instruments that I saw in the "Percussion" part were in the percussion tabs.

I'm sorry I don't understand your question, can you ask again please...

You're talking about Sibelius "Parts" or what ?

Actually, Finale 2011.

When setting up the score to begin composing, there are all sorts of different Percussion instruments you can choose.

Choosing the general "Percussion" part and adding it to the part list gives you a number of percussion instruments, but I found that several are repeated outside of the general "Percussion" part. I was wondering what the difference was and where, for instance, I could find a suspended cymbal.

Well I don't use Finale (but Sibelius) but Sibelius has something similar, usually it says what's the difference, like "Timpani" & "Timpani [No Key]" the second timpani staff type won't show any key signatures no matter what key you write.

Add the similars and write something, you may see what's the difference, or let's wait some Finale use answer you this.

Sounds like a good idea to me. :)

Bump for question. Should I ask this somewhere else?

let me go for some people.... be right back

EDIT:

I think this in not longer about the tremolos, open a thread in Technological -> "Finale and Sibelius Help Desk" about the specific finale percussion lines.

I thought it might be better there; I'll post it now.

Thanks :P!