Theory question

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Author Message bracheen Advanced Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 375 Registered: 11-2003 Posted on Saturday, April 10, 2004 - 7:19 am:    Good morning, or afternoon depending on where you are. I was looking over the music for Led Zepplin's Living Loving Maid and noticed that on the series of A eighth notes about every other one is in parentheses. I didn't know what this meant so I asked my daughter who was a music major. The only time she had seen this was in piano music when the same note was being played at the same time in the treble and bass clefs. This is sometimes the case with the Zepplin song but not always. That part stumped her. Can anyone here shed some light on this mystery? Sam adriaan Intermediate Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 195 Registered: 6-2002 Posted on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 2:15 am:    If you say brackets, you mean (), {} or []? On piano parts, when the bracket reaches from the left-hand part to the right hand part, it can also mean that you play the note with the left hand eventhough it's on the right-hand lines: it's just easier to note the pitch without the extra lines. They often add "m.d." (manus dexter = right hand) or "m.s." (manus sinister) as well. That or it makes the harmonies easier to follow. I don't know the music or the score, but ( ) may well mean a ghost note. It's basically a way to fake your way out of impossible intervals or quick note repetitions, but you can use it intentionally as part of your phrasing. On a guitar or bass, you could mute the note and not really make it sound out. It could be an optional note - like: don't bother if it's too fast for you, just play the ones without the brackets. bracheen Advanced Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 383 Registered: 11-2003 Posted on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 3:07 am:    Thanks Adriaan. The brackets I meant are (). It could be the optional note that you mention since it is at regular intervals. Sam xlrogue6 Member Username: xlrogue6 Post Number: 57 Registered: 8-2002 Posted on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 9:59 am:    Brackets are sometimes used to indicate ghost or muted notes. kevin_k Junior Username: kevin_k Post Number: 41 Registered: 4-2003 Posted on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 11:52 am:    What about harmonics...I thought that harmonics were in ( )??? I am currently working on Rufus Reid's "The Evolving Bassist", but I don't think I saw it there. I think I saw it in some Stanley Clarke music. I know he uses harmonics in his songs.