Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: What do these Dynamic Markings mean? (Read 2762 times) previous topic - next topic

What do these Dynamic Markings mean?

Can someone tell me the exact meaning of the following dynamic markings not found in Noteworthy Composer?

1) fp (f bigger than p), which I think means play the next note forte, but go back to piano after that.

2) rf and sf (again, the f is bigger). This I can't figure out.

Re: What do these Dynamic Markings mean?

Reply #1 –
fp = fortepiano. ("strong - quiet") You're right, it means to play the note with a loud attack, and then fade it off. This is best accomplished using a volume mpc, linear sweep, with a rather sharp decay.

sf = sforzando. ("forcefully") Similar to fp, but with a more gradual (and less extreme) decay. Again, volume mpc's can be used to do this very well.

rf = rinforzando. (re-inforced, accented). Very much like a convention accent (select the note and press > ). That being said, string players are likely to interpret this more like an sf.

Re: What do these Dynamic Markings mean?

Reply #2 –
Thank you. Now I have finally been lured into the wonderful world of MPC. The MPC sets the midi volume, while the standard dynamics use velocity. I find it hard to make them match. I am not happy with the dynamic volume defaults - I have to turn the volume on my speakers way up, and get distortion. Is there some was to change the defaults, or do you have the set them on each dynamic. Is there some place that explains all this stuff?
 

Re: What do these Dynamic Markings mean?

Reply #3 –
The volume default is at 127 (full volume) unless changed by:

1: Setting the staff volume in the Staff Properties (F2), midi tab, or

2: Using a volume mpc, or

3: Using a dynamic marking with an override to the default volume.

The last volume set remains in effect until changed again (e.g. changing dynamics without overrides only affects the velocity, not the channel volume).

There have been quite a few messages on the forum on this topic, I'd suggest downloading the offline version and doing a search for "volume", "mpc", and "dynamics".

Welcome to the wonderful world of multipoint controllers. You'll find it's an area full of possibilities, implemented in a way that most other sequencers can only envy.