Ornaments

Ornaments

Here are some ornaments that we look at in music class:

Ornament – an embellishment to a melody like a decoration.

Melisma – A series of notes sung on one syllable instead of one note per syllable

Trill – when a performer alternates between the note above and the note written rapidly. Ex: G-G#

Mordent – when a performer alternates between the note and the note below and then stops at the note again.  Ex: G-F#-G

Grace note(s) – one or more notes played before the main note rapidly.

Tremolo – a rapid alternating between two notes usually a fair distance apart.

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12/11/2002