[Menvi-discuss] Music Braille Comma for Beamed Note Groups

[Patrick Janson]

Hi Vaughn,

I'm an experienced music braille transcriber and I can tell you when I use the device. I ONLY use it for irregular beaming, such as print beaming over a bar line or when print beaming doesn't match the time signature in a traditional way.

There are symbols for the music comma and a terminator. I use the music comma when the irregular beaming continues beat after beat, each time it is needed.  It can be re-shown without a terminator in the same way pedaling is used (we don't show a print "up pedal" symbol if a down pedal immediately follows). Sometimes a rest or a larger value note ends the beaming and a terminator is not used either. I use the terminator when the irregular beaming ends and it is not obvious it is ending.

Basically, I try to help the braille reader understand what the sighted reader is seeing when beaming is unusual.

Patrick Janson
President of the National Braille Association
Owner of Braille Music and More
www.braillemusicandmore.com
________________________________
From: Menvi-discuss <menvi-discuss-bounces+patrick=braillemusicandmore.com at menvi.org> on behalf of Vaughan Cooke via Menvi-discuss <menvi-discuss at menvi.org>
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2024 11:10 PM
To: menvi-discuss at menvi.org <menvi-discuss at menvi.org>
Cc: Vaughan Cooke <vjcooke at rogers.com>
Subject: [Menvi-discuss] Music Braille Comma for Beamed Note Groups

Hello everyone!

I was wondering if anyone would be able to share some insights into how often Music Braille commas are used to represent beamed groups of 8th or 16th notes. I came across this concept recently while prepping for a private lesson with my colleague, and this was completely new to us.

While we things we have a good idea of how the music Braille comma is used in theory, neither of us have the practical experience to know how often this is used by transcribers. Is this a matter of preference, or is there a more specific set of rules about when this mechanism is used? Do transcribers always use this comma for beamed note groups, or is this omitted when grouping is clear without it?

Thanks in advance for any details anyone can share! This is my first the reading out here, but I've enjoyed keeping up with the great discussions here in my free time.

All the best,
Vaughan Cooke

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