What do trills do in music?

What do trills do in music?

A trill provides rhythmic interest, melodic interest, and—through dissonance—harmonic interest. Sometimes it is expected that the trill will end with a turn (by sounding the note below rather than the note above the principal note, immediately before the last sounding of the principal note), or some other variation.

What is an example of a trill?

(music) A rapid alternation between an indicated note and the one above it, in musical notation usually indicated with the letters tr written above the staff. (phonetics) A type of consonantal sound that is produced by vibrations of the tongue against the place of articulation, for example, Spanish rr.

What does a trill look like in music?

The trill is probably the most common ornament you’ll come across. It’s marked with either “tr”, a long wavy line, or a combination of both. The most common type of trill is a diatonic trill, which just means you alternate two notes that are a whole step apart, like D-C or B-A.

How do you write a piano trill?

Trills in modern notation are usually expressed with the abbreviation “tr” above a note on the staff. Often the abbreviation is followed by a wavy line that indicates the length of the trill.

Is a Mordent a trill?

A mordent is sort of like a super-short trill. A lower mordent, which is a squiggle with a line through it, means the same thing, only you do a turn with the lower note. If the note written was an “E”, you would play “E-D-E” very quickly.

Is vibrato a trill?

Trills are two completely different pitches, usually a half step or whole step apart. It requires two different fingers. The higher one sort of rapidly taps the string while you hold the other down. Vibrato is a modulation below the pitch (not above it as with a trill), and you roll your finger into it.

How does trill sound like?

It’s best described as a high-pitched sound, very similar to the soft rolling Rs typically associated with Spanish. Quite often the sound produced is fairly short, lasting only one or two seconds. The trilling sound is usually associated with positive emotions and more high-pitched sounds.