Grand Pause
In numerous music pieces I have seen, there are sometimes grand pauses within the music. I would like to be able to do that on MuseScore, and for now, all I'm doing is putting a fermata over a rest before the next measure.
Thanks! ~ Kevin
Comments
I presume you mean this, right? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesura
Tip: If you post a feature request, be as descriptive as possible. Not everyone is native English (very few actually of the developers) so any extra explanation is helpful.
In reply to Grand Pause, Caesura by Thomas
Another link:
http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/textc/Caesura.html
Kevin, you can also click on the rest and choose Create > Text > Staff Text, then type "G.P."
Thomas, a grand pause is similar to a caesura but it is notated differently. The initials "G.P." are written above a full measure rest.
Yea, I was talking about a caesura, thanks. :-)
In reply to Caesura by [DELETED] 656891
Would it even be possible for these types of symbols--"train tracks", fermata, G.P., breath marks--to be able to suspend the meter for a definable period of time. It would be cool to have them play back correctly.
Also, I'd like to see a bar line added with a fermata over it. I know you can get this by attaching a fermata to a note and moving it over to the bar line, but it would be more uniform to just have it as a bar line option. Also it anticipates the implementation of correct playback options.
Isn't a grand pause basically a whole rest or multi-measure rest for ALL INSTRUMENTS?
In reply to Isn't a grand pause basically by Caters
As far as understanding it as a rest, a rest has a definite meter, a grand pause is extrametrical.
In reply to Isn't a grand pause basically by Caters
As far as interpreting it as a rest, a rest has a definite meter, a grand pause is extrametrical.
In reply to Isn't a grand pause basically by Caters
Well, it would certainly need to be present in the parts for all instruments, and it is silent like a rest, but it's a totally separate marking.
In reply to Well, it would certainly need by Marc Sabatella
well in Beethoven's symphonies I see them written as some rest with G.P over it. In the case of his fifth symphony I see a whole rest for the first one, and a 2 measure rest for the second one before the repeat
In reply to well in Beethoven's by Caters
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesura
In reply to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ by xavierjazz
Yes I know but Beethoven's Grand Pauses are written as a definite length rest(Most often whole rest or longer) with a G. P. over it:
http://petrucci.mus.auth.gr/imglnks/usimg/d/df/IMSLP19899-PMLP01586-Bee…
This shows Beethoven's grand pauses in his 5th symphony and how they are written.
In reply to Yes I know but Beethoven's by Caters
This shows grand pauses added to an engraved copy of a work by Beethoven. I'm not sure that he put them in like that in the original, though. I would think that if any composer or engraver wanted to indicate a pause of a definite length then they would write it as such. If they wanted to indicate a pause of inexact length but give an idea of at least how long it should be then writing GP over a whole-bar length seems indicative of "don't make the pause shorter than a whole measure". As for writing it over a 2-measure rest, that could just be because that particular instrument is silent for the first measure and they didn't want to waste ink or clutter up the score etc. by writing out one silent measure followed by another with a pause on it.
From Wikipedia:
'In musical notation, a caesura denotes a brief, silent pause, during which metrical time is not counted.'
In "Essential Dictionary of Music Notation" - T. Gerou and L. Lusk states:
'A fermata over a note or chord not only indicates that the tempo is interrupted but that the note or chord is sustained.
The length of a fermata is determined by the performer and is relative to the musical situation.
In a fast tempo, placed on a sixteenth note, the fermata would be a shorter value than if placed on a whole note, in a slow tempo.'
'With rests ... the fermata prolongs silence'
In reference to Grand Pause:
Cater's link to Beethoven's fifth supports the idea that a Grand Pause is a metrical (definite length) rest for the entire orchestra. Have a look at the closing measures of the score and 'listen' to the music in your head - as I'm sure many here are well acquainted with that particular symphony.
However, to confuse things:
Wikipedia redirects 'Grand pause' to 'Fermata' when 'Grand pause' is searched... go figure. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_pause.
In reply to Non-metrical pause (caesura, fermata ) vs. Grand Pause (G.P.) by Jm6stringer
Indeed, there is no hard and fast definition here. I have indeed seen the GP indication written accompanying a fermata over a rest as in the example by whomever engraved that particular edition of the Beethoven. Note decisions like that are almost never made by the composer, and in any event, he *definitely* dwould not have written out his own parts, so the non-standard version where the fermata is over a multi-measure rest is definitely squarely the fault of the copyist). But fwiw, it makes little sense to me to write GP if there is already a fermata; it's superfluous, really. And in any event, I think it was clear from the context of the original discussion that it was about the "railroad tracks" version, as the OP mentioned using a fermata over a rest as a workaround.
In reply to Indeed, there is no hard and by Marc Sabatella
Indeed, back in 2009, the OP commented that he meant the caesura. (Caesura implies non metrical silence.)
Nowadays, two flavors of caesura are available in the 'Z' (Symbols) palette - curved and straight.
(So, today no workaround is required - kudos to the meticulous developers.)
Regarding the G.P. -
I thought the Grand Pause (without any accompanying fermata) denoted silence across *all* instruments for however many metrical rests (or even full measures) were indicated.
On the other hand, a fermata scored for multiple instruments may have some parts holding a note (sound), while others could be concurrently holding a rest (silence).
Regards.
In reply to Caesura (railroad tracks) by Jm6stringer
thats what I thought too as far as a grand pause vs a fermata for all instruments.
In reply to thats what I thought too as by Caters
Interesting thread.
In reply to Indeed, there is no hard and by Marc Sabatella
Interesting thread! One thought to add as a cello player -- I usually think of "GP" as just a helpful note over a rest that's shared across the ensemble. Helps us to prevent second-guessing when suddenly everything is silent.