Kathleen
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Hi Lucas,
I've always used in-accords for ornaments like this. It does seem a bit cumbersome when every measure has ornament options, but short of rewriting the whole aria a second time with the ornaments, this is the best way to present it. Besides, the singer may want to use some of the ornament options but not all. Rewriting the whole thing would make it more difficult to pick and choose their favorites.
I also think it's fairly concise and helpful to the singer - they can skip over the in-accords when they want to or refer to the optional melodic lines when they want to do that.
Hope that helps!
Kathleen
Hi Lucas,
I don't think code switch indicators are necessary. Just use the UEB acute accent with the affected words. It can't be mistaken for anything else in German, so there should be no confusion. Just remember to include it in your Special Symbols list!
Kathleen
Hi Robert,
You are correct on both counts. The usual right hand piano sign, by definition, indicates that intervals are to be read downward, so even if you include the TN at the front of the volume, it's wise to use the special right hand sign for situations where intervals must be read upward.
Your alignment factor will become the first musical signs in the measure (or the word sign indicators if they appear in both hands - I can't recall how the example you are describing looks at the moment). There may be blank spaces that look awkward after the LH sign, but that can't be avoided.
All the best,
Kathleen
You wouldn't need to use Grade 1 indicators in literary context if you are in uncontracted braille - unless you are giving the name of a minor chord in music notation. For example: a minor 6 chord in first inversion would be:
;VI#6
The lower case indicator is part of the music code symbol for the lower case roman numeral.
Yes - use the UEB sharp, flat, natural signs in literary context. If you are in music context, use the music symbol.
I think your transcription of question 13 looks fine. But I would use the special right hand sign that indicates intervals are to be read upward:
.>>
And put a blank line between parallels.
Hope that helps!
(The simbraille in my response did not retain the indention pattern for question 8. Indent as would be appropriate!)
And I see the simbraille didn't take for my response to question 9. Sorry!
I would format the title and prelim pages like a textbook. Include special symbols and transcriber's notes as appropriate.
Question 5 looks fine in your transcription.
Question 8 I would do as a list. Put the whole note in music braille, terminate music braille code and give the interval direction after.
#H4 ,COMPLETE EACH 444
,'<"& ;2,P#E UP
,'.Y ;2M#G D[N
,'"( ;2D#D UPQuestion 9 - use music code to indicate the chord inversions
;G M9OR ,'#46
;,E ,MAJOR ,'#36Question 10 - Transcribe the chords as they appear, reading intervals upward. The answers won't be given away.
Question 12 - as above, I'd do these as a list, not as measures across the page.
,'_&+90 ;2;C% DIMINISHED ,'#56
I don't see in the exam where you have to actually braille figured bass. But refer to section 30 in the MBC2015 to revisit how you do the figured bass. (In analysis situations like this, use the vertical format instead of the horizontal format.)
Hi Anna,
I don't see why we shouldn't braille the two rests together as we usually do. The only time I would separate them would be if there was a fermata above the second one or a tempo change with the second measure.
I think the volta, 2 whole rests, repeat sign would be clear.
If I'm not understanding the question clearly enough or there is something else in the print that you feel makes it unclear, feel free to send me a picture of the score.
Thanks!
Kathleen
Hi Robert,
Let's see if I can help -
Question 1 - key signatures. The braille reader should just be required to indicate the signatures as they read them in braille.
Question 5 - adding accidentals. You could braille each whole note with a blank cell in between them, giving space to mark where a flat or sharp would go. I don't think adding lines is necessary.
Boxes and circles - I would make them distinct, for sure. For boxes I usually use music brackets around the enclosed notes in all parts. Circles would be fine with music parentheses. Use word sign expressions with the letters and numbers of the boxes/circles in all parts before the brackets/parentheses.
In exams and theory books like these where there is a lot of visual stuff going on, include a transcriber's note before everything that might not read easily. So before the example for questions 20-28, write a TN that says something to the effect of "In print, lettered boxes and numbered circles enclose different notes and chords. In braille, boxes are represented by music brackets and circles by music parentheses. Letters and numbers precede each boxed or circled note or chord in all parts."
(Luckily, you don't have any overlapping boxes or circles here! That gets messy, for sure!)
Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any more questions.
Kathleen
Hi!
Thanks for your question - for those who can't access the pdf, the question is regarding transcribing IPA as a language in an Italian vocal piece, specifically about using the quotation marks to show the merged syllables.
The transcription you've begun looks good so far. On line 2 of the example you sent, the closing merger quotation mark should come after the l in "il" since it's all one syllable.
There could potentially be a problem using the quotation marks to show the merged syllables, since IPA uses dots 236 in combination with other letters for specific symbols. (hooktop h, curly-tail j, and others.) If you can go through the entire volume/project/piece and determine that you don't have to use dots 236 for any IPA symbol, I think you're good to go with using those dots for merged syllables. (The same applies, of course, to dots 356.) If you find you have to use those dots for the IPA symbols, we'll have to think of something else to do for the merged syllables.
Let me know if you need to figure something out with the merged syllables!
Kathleen
Hi Anna!
The plus sign above the staff indicates left hand pizzicato. In the Table 24(b) of the Code, this is illustrated as an X, but the plus sign is more commonly used (and is shown in Example 25.5.1-2.) We use dots 456, 345 (left hand sign) before a note that has a plus above it. (Usual octave indicator and dot 3 rules apply.)
The x1 in measure 43 indicates a backward fingering extension for the cello. (It doesn't go with the arco.) As to how best to braille it - this is tricky. You may have to create a sign and explain it in a TN before the piece. I've run across "HI2" and "LO2" fingerings in string methods. I added dots 12 after the finger number to indicate LO and a dot 1 to indicate HI. You could do something like that. Or you could simply braille it as a word-sign expression before the note - but again, I'd add a TN to give the cellist a heads-up to look out for it, especially since they usually look for fingerings after a note.
Hope this helps a little!
Kathleen
Hi Anna!
The slanted line under the note would be sung as a scoop or a slide into the note. For this, use the symbol for a rising straight line before a note, dots 126, 3, 14. This is taken from Table 16(E) Ornaments derived from Jazz Idioms. (Think of it as an upbow followed by a glissando!)
I usually braille the dotted slurs as dots 5, 123, 14. Dots 5, 123 are technically the "editorial prefix" from Table 21. Add the symbol to your SS list and call it the "Dotted-line slur."
Hope that helps!
Kathleen
Hello, Robert!
In conferring with my committee, we agree that the parallel movement device should not be used in these instances. Reserve the use of this device to rare moments when the left hand is in parallel motion to the right hand. The solo outline is for reference - the pianist is focusing on their part - and all the info should be there.
Thanks for a great question!
Kathleen
Hi Robert,
Please forgive the tardiness of this reply.
Your answer depends on the individual piece. For a through-composed piece - one with no repeats, I think measure numbers would suffice if the verses are not specifically labeled as such.
However, if you are transcribing the music for only the first verse of a strophic song and then brailling only the text for the remaining verses, you must list verse numbers, as seen in example 35.7-1 in the MBC2015.
If the refrain is obvious and a part of the repeated music that is not brailled in full the second/third time around, you would label it as such, even if the label is not shown in print. (Ex. 35.7.2-1)
Those added labels help the reader orient themselves when there are repeated portions of music that we are not transcribing in full.
Kathleen
This happens a lot with vocal music. I usually just start the pagination with page 3 and don't worry about the implied pages 1 and 2.
Print pages can then be listed as 3-x.
I don't think that will cause any confusion.
Hope that helps!
Hi Anna, please forgive the lag in answering these questions.
- I think either way would be fine - I don't the reader would get confused to have the word repeated but I also think it would be clear to have the word only at the end of the first ending and picking up the lyrics on the repeat.
- Place the words "no words" either fully capitalized or in italics on the first parallel, placing the appropriate measures' rests below. Then measure 3's lyrics would begin the second parallel.
Sorry again for taking so long to get back to you.
Kathleen
