Using Dynamics
After note duration and sustain, dynamics are the single most important factor in making your tablature at least approximate the sound of an actual performance. No performer plays every measure, let alone every single note with exactly the same emphasis. One might say that dynamics function as a sort of volume control which is applied to individual notes.
TablEdit provides a Dynamics palette with eight dynamic levels ranging from fff (forte-fortissimo, very loud) to ppp (piano-pianissimo, very soft). The setting that is active when the TablEdit is terminated will be the default the next time the program is launched. The two lowest dynamic settings are ppp and pp. The sound provided by these two settings is very faint and is, in general, of very little use. Even the p setting should be used sparingly.
When writing Performance Transcriptions, you should set the initial dynamics level to either f (fortissimo) or mf (mezzo-forte) before you begin note entry. Either of these settings provide enough dynamic space to allow you to alter the volume of the individual notes by several steps in either direction. If you're working from a printed score you should, of course, set the dynamic level to match that of the beginning of the score. You should also make sure to activate "Dynamics" in the {File | Options}>Screen dialog.
There are no simple, straightforward rules to tell you exactly how to use dynamics. Every interpretation of a piece will make use of them in its own way. You simply have to listen to the way you (or the artist whose work you are transcribing) emphasizes notes and chords. However, several small tips may be of help:
| • | Chords used as endings are often played 1-2 dynamic levels higher than the main body of the section they belong to and are often preceded by one or more beats of crescendo (see below). |
| • | Harmonics should be lowered two dynamic levels compared to the surrounding notes in order to create more of a bell-like tone |
| • | Chords of four to six notes should usually be lowered one dynamic level |
There are several levels of implementation of dynamics. The lowest is to simply ignore them and write everything with the same setting. This will, however, tend to produce a rather lifeless playback.
The second level is to use the general dynamics provided in the original score. A good transcription in classical notation will normally provide a general indication of dynamic level and, perhaps, add further markings for the emphasis of individual notes or runs. Classical solo guitar transcriptions are among those most likely to provide detailed information. Piano scores will also often provide this information. These are, however, often only general indicators although they usually provide enough variation to bring your transcription to life. Attention should be paid to any incidental dynamic markings provided. These take the form of markings for individual notes or chords and do not outlive the notes they are applied to. The two most common are "^" and ">". In general, the "^" should increase the dynamic level two steps while '>' is weaker and should increase the level by one step.
The final level is to fine tune every individual note. Instead of trying to get into a long involved explanation of this, I recommend you take a look at Bruce Mock's transcriptions which can be found on the TablEdit archive under "Gospel". Also, the first part of "tips.tef" included with the TablEdit distribution is devoted to application of dynamic modifiers.
Crescendo and Decrescendo
These two, related, effects allow you to produce smooth transitions between areas of a tune having different dynamic levels or to introduce emphasis in a particular measure or measures. Placement is everything in the implementation of these effects in TablEdit. A number of TablEditors have attempted to place crescendos or decrescendos with the best of intentions but have, either through carelessness or a misunderstanding of the correct procedure, failed to achieve the desired result. The dynamic value assigned to the affected notes must remain at the initial level throughout the length of the crescendo/decrescendo marking. The first note following the effect determines the amplitude of the volume change to be applied.
For example, the first note of a crescendo is played at the initial level and the following notes are gradually increased in volume until the end of the transition, at which point the last note is very slightly softer than the level of the first note following the crescendo symbol. The decrescendo works just the reverse with a volume decrease. Changing the dynamic level of any of the intervening notes nullifies the effect completely. To apply a crescendo/decrescendo, place the cursor on the beginning note, activate the Crescendo/Decrescendo dialog, select either "Crescendo" or "Decrescendo" and set the total number of beats for the duration of the effect.
From a audio point of view, there's little or no point in making use of crescendo/decrescendo markings a single beat in length if the amount of the change is of two dynamic levels or less. The duration of the event is simply too short. It's just as easy to simply raise the dynamic level of each successive note by one level manually. However, it can be useful as a visual indication of a volume change. Nor is it of any use to apply a crescendo/decrescendo effect if the note following the end of the effect is at the same level as the initial note, another common mistake.