In music, a notehead is the part of a note, usually elliptical in shape, whose placement on the staff indicates the pitch, to which modifications are made that indicate duration. Noteheads may be the same shape but colored completely black or white, indicating the note value (i.e., rhythmic duration). In a whole note, the notehead, shaped differently than shorter notes, is the only component of the note. Shorter note values attach a stem to the notehead, and possibly beams or flags. The longer double whole note can be written with vertical lines surrounding it, two attached noteheads, or a rectangular notehead.[1] An "x" shaped notehead may be used to indicate percussion, percussive effects (ghost notes), or speaking. A square, diamond, or box shaped notehead may be used to indicate a natural or artificial harmonic. A small notehead can be used to indicate a grace note.
Parts of the noteNoteheads of quarter (and all further subdivisions), half, whole, and double whole notesLeft: breve in modern notation. Centre: breve in mensural notation used in some modern scores as well. Right: less common stylistic variant of the first form.Regular, cross, square, and small noteheadsRide pattern on a cymbal PlayⓘNatural harmonics on the cello notated first as sounded (more common), then as fingered (easier to sightread).
Historyedit
Noteheads ultimately derive from the neumes used to notate Gregorian chant. The punctum, seen at right, is the simplest of the shapes and most clearly anticipates the modern notehead. When placed on a clef, the position of a notehead indicates the relative pitch of a note. The development of different colors of noteheads, and the use of it to indicate rhythmic values, was the use of white mensural notation, adopted around 1450.[2]
Franco of Cologne, ancient composer and music theorist, codified a system of rhythm notation. He explained this system in his work, Ars Cantus Mensurabilis (“The Art of Measurable Music”), circa 1280. In this system, the relative duration of notes was indicated by the note shapes. The noteheads were rectangles, squares, or diamonds depending on the note length. This system was expanded during the Ars Nova period.
Shortly before the Renaissance, scribes began to write the notes of the Franconian and Ars Nova style with open noteheads. During the Renaissance, composers added shorter note durations that used filled-in noteheads. Near the end of the 16th century, the square or diamond-shaped notes changed to the round noteheads that are used today.[3]
^Gerou, Tom & Lusk, Linda: Essential Dictionary of Music Notation. Alfred Music, 1996, p. 210.
^Busse Berger, Anna Maria (1993). Mensuration and Proportion Signs: Origins and Evolution. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN978-0-19-816230-8.
^Burkholder, J.P., Grout, D.J., & Palisca, C.V. (2006). A history of western music 7th ed.. New York, NY: W.W Norton & Company. ISBN0-393-97991-1
April 03, 2024
notehead, music, notehead, part, note, usually, elliptical, shape, whose, placement, staff, indicates, pitch, which, modifications, made, that, indicate, duration, same, shape, colored, completely, black, white, indicating, note, value, rhythmic, duration, who. In music a notehead is the part of a note usually elliptical in shape whose placement on the staff indicates the pitch to which modifications are made that indicate duration Noteheads may be the same shape but colored completely black or white indicating the note value i e rhythmic duration In a whole note the notehead shaped differently than shorter notes is the only component of the note Shorter note values attach a stem to the notehead and possibly beams or flags The longer double whole note can be written with vertical lines surrounding it two attached noteheads or a rectangular notehead 1 An x shaped notehead may be used to indicate percussion percussive effects ghost notes or speaking A square diamond or box shaped notehead may be used to indicate a natural or artificial harmonic A small notehead can be used to indicate a grace note Parts of the noteNoteheads of quarter and all further subdivisions half whole and double whole notesLeft breve in modern notation Centre breve in mensural notation used in some modern scores as well Right less common stylistic variant of the first form Regular cross square and small noteheadsRide pattern on a cymbal Play Natural harmonics on the cello notated first as sounded more common then as fingered easier to sightread History editNoteheads ultimately derive from the neumes used to notate Gregorian chant The punctum seen at right is the simplest of the shapes and most clearly anticipates the modern notehead When placed on a clef the position of a notehead indicates the relative pitch of a note The development of different colors of noteheads and the use of it to indicate rhythmic values was the use of white mensural notation adopted around 1450 2 Franco of Cologne ancient composer and music theorist codified a system of rhythm notation He explained this system in his work Ars Cantus Mensurabilis The Art of Measurable Music circa 1280 In this system the relative duration of notes was indicated by the note shapes The noteheads were rectangles squares or diamonds depending on the note length This system was expanded during the Ars Nova period Shortly before the Renaissance scribes began to write the notes of the Franconian and Ars Nova style with open noteheads During the Renaissance composers added shorter note durations that used filled in noteheads Near the end of the 16th century the square or diamond shaped notes changed to the round noteheads that are used today 3 See also editNote value Shape noteReferences edit Gerou Tom amp Lusk Linda Essential Dictionary of Music Notation Alfred Music 1996 p 210 Busse Berger Anna Maria 1993 Mensuration and Proportion Signs Origins and Evolution Oxford Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 816230 8 Burkholder J P Grout D J amp Palisca C V 2006 A history of western music 7th ed New York NY W W Norton amp Company ISBN 0 393 97991 1 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Notehead amp oldid 1207882204, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
