You can use the word tacet if a conductor will cue the performer to resume. This would be used when another soloist is improvising and there is not a precise number of measures. You can write out each measure of rest with a whole measure (whole note rest), or if you have more than a few measures, place two slashes (vertical lines or bars with the tops leaning to the right) in a measure and write the number of measures of rest above the slashes. For example, | // | with the number of measures to rest written above. Sometimes you will see something like this: |--- 8 ---| above the measure as well. Watch out because a measure of music followed by | // | // | without a number above the slashes can also mean repeat the previous measure. This is a kind of shorthand used with hand written parts. It is best to write out the rests if there are only a few measures and write out the repeats if that is what you want. So to avoid all confusion write out a whole measure rest before using the slashes.

There are many ways to do the same thing. It is best to write things as clearly as possible to save rehearsal time.

An example of a compound meter could be 3/4 : 2/4. After every measure you change meter. The first measure would be in 3/4. The second in 2/4, then back to 3/4 and so on. A compound meter has a compound time signature with more than one type of meter. You could have a pattern of several time signatures one after another. Each measure would be in a different time signature based on the sequence. At some point it becomes easier to read when the meter changes are written in. But if you have a pattern of only two or three meters, it simplifies the notation to use a compound meter.

I need more information about this and might need to see the music to venture a guess. Generally a fermata is used to indicate and indefinite hold. Is this at the end of a piece? If so, I would guess that the rest is there to fill the measure. Otherwise, without the fermata and the end of a piece, the tempo keeps moving. I would guess that the written instruction "let vibrate" should be followed and that the rest is there as a simple short hand method to fill the measure. 

If I had and saw the music, I would make a musical decision on how I would play it. If the composer has left her intentions unclear, it is up to the performer to choose how best to make music.

Does a grace note accidental affect like notes in the same measure?

Hello Andy,

There is a hard and fast rule that says that an accidental counts for the line or space that it is on and for the entire measure it is in and only the measure it is in.

Grace notes and embellishment accidentals are not always as clear. They can occur above the grace note or embellishment or in front of a small superscript note.

I good rule of thumb is: if the harmony does not change why would the grace note? Use the same. If the harmony changes within the measure, it is time to rethink the grace note accidental.

If you are writing music, put in the accidentals needed to make it clear.

If you are not sure about the harmony or the style period or the composer, look for more information on these subjects. You may find the answer for a particular piece by looking at several editions of the same piece.

Question from Melanie:

What does it mean when a note is identified with double capital letters in the bass clef?  For example:

GG or BB?

Hello Melanie,

Without looking at the example I can only guess. There is a system of indicating the register using capital and lower case letters, GGG, GG, G, g, g', g'', g'''. On the piano, each octave can be numbered. For example, middle C is the fourth C on the piano and is named C4. The C an octave higher is C5. All of the notes in between use 4 which stands for the fourth octave on the piano, C4, D4, E4, ... B4, C5, D5, etc.

There is another system that uses upper and lower case letters. Without seeing the music, I am assuming that some notes on the bass clef have their names shown this way.

If this does not explain your example, tell me more about what you are looking at. Composer, date, what instrument, etc. If you can scan a portion of it, it would help to see it.

Let me know what you find out.