Kathleen
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Of course, transcriber's notes are abundant in these textbooks, so don't be afraid to explain how you're setting things up!
Great question, Robert.
I tend to rearrange things like this and make them clearer for the reader. The way print has it laid out on a single music staff with labels above and below is really not useful in braille. I tend to make these things lists with the chord first, followed by the appropriate information. There is a fair amount of code switching involved, but I think the reader is more able to get what they need if you do it this way.
(Remember that in theory textbooks and analysis situations, intervals should be read upward.)
Example 1-5 I would set up as follows:
(cell 1) music code indicator and the chord (intervals upward)
(next line cell 3) Root/quality chord symbols: music code indic and chord symbol
(next line cell 3) Quality: major
(next line cell 3) Intervals: maj 3, per 5
(cell 1) music code ind. chord
etc. (see attached pdf for simbraille)
Often, what's printed on a single staff in the textbook really doesn't need to be organized into measures and all horizontal as straight music. It can be easier to understand if presented differently much of the time.
Hi Robert!
I always use UEB textbook pagination when doing music textbooks. So yes - you'll have continuation letters a5, b5, etc.
Kathleen
Hi there!
I deeply apologize for missing this follow-up question!
Yes, you need to use the bracket slurs to show the phrasing in the 14th measure, even though there are only two notes under the slur. There isn't any other way to show that phrasing in vocal music.
I don't think the grouping will make things unclear, especially with the counting below, which theoretically should help with the understanding of the grouping and counting process.
The braille reader will encounter grouped 16ths and ungrouped 16ths in every piece of music they will learn, so I don't think it's a bad idea to use the grouping as prescribed by the code in early things like this.
Hello, Anna!
These are "low" fingerings. Some print editions use the words "lo" (and "high" when necessary) to identify them and some just use the hyphen before the low numbers. There is no standardized method in braille music to show these. I've experimented with a few different options and the only one I've landed on that doesn't cause some other confusion is to use dots 12 after a "low" finger number and a dot 1 after a "high" finger number (if so marked in print.) The low finger number will look at first like a finger number 2 after the fingering printed, but with a proper TN I think the confusion will be mitigated. (I had hoped that using a sharp or a flat before the fingering would be an easy solution but of course, the combination of a flat and a finger number 2 would be a down bow! Definitely not a solution.)
Hope that helps and if you think of another solution, please share!
Kathleen
Hi Anna,
Here's how I usually handle these: I include a TN to the effect of "Measures are often spaced irregularly to accommodate the counting below the notes. Special bar lines (dots 123) separate measures where spacing is irregular. The word "and" replaces the plus sign."
And then I braille the numbers aligned below the notes, like we would for chord symbols or Roman numerals. Be sure there are blank cells aligned vertically between measures in both the music and the counting lines. Sometimes there will be extra blank cells in one or the other part.
Some people like to use the numeric passage indicator and terminator on the counting lines, but I tend to just braille the numbers as they come, especially where there are "and's" involved.
Attached is a pdf and a brf of the way I would do the examples you attached.
(This is certainly not the only right way to approach it - it's just the way I tend to do it and it seems to work ok. You'll notice that I omitted the parentheses around the plus signs - I'd include a TN to that effect if I chose to take them out. If you feel like the parentheses are crucial - which they may well be - I'd probably use the special literary "dropped g" parentheses to save space.)
Hope this helps!
Kathleen
Hi there!
Great question - I would not use the bracket slur for the appogiatura slurs. They aren't really showing phrasing so it wouldn't be quite appropriate. I think the best option would be to use the facsimile slur, dots 56, 14, to show these. (I'd add this symbol to your SS list and perhaps even add a TN about their usage, since it is a little unusual.)
As far as the division of the phrases, that's a matter of transcriber-choice, using your artistic and musical judgement. Remember that the singer will likely memorize the music and we want to lay out the parallels in as clear a way as possible. Dividing the melisma at logical and musical points is always a good idea rather than trying to fit the entire thing into a single parallel that may end up containing 2 or 3 run-over lines. (One run-over line is fine - but any longer than that makes it hard to memorize.)
My suggestion is to sing or play through it and find good breaking points - places where a breath will be taken, for instance, or where there's a cadential feel to the phrase. The Music Code section 35.3 discusses how to show continued vowel sounds on new parallels, so be sure to reread that section as you work through the transcription.
Hope this helps!
Kathleen
Hi Lucas,
I've conferred with some other folks and we agree that it is acceptable to break the rules for this kind of Table of Contents.
On your Transcriber's Notes page, include a statement that you are changing the format of the ToC. Instead of doing alphabetical, as in print, I would follow the order in which they fall in each volume. Then only include what appears in each subsequent volume in that volume's particular ToC.
Hope that helps!
Kathleen
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.)
