Re: BreathingSigns and automatic beams

[James]

On 24/06/14 08:13, Werner LEMBERG wrote:
>> - The mark generally doesn't affect the music spacing or beaming in
>>   any way.
> I can't believe that it doesn't affect spacing.  As soon as you insert
> something visible into the score that has a timing value (and a
> breathing mark definitely has, if probably not specified exactly), it
> *must* take part of the horizontal formatting.  You even give a hint
> how to position it:
I've not seen it officially printed either but I have had enough used
brass scores to play from to know one when I see it. Also the myriad of
teachers I had would use these 'marks' to show a beginner (like me)
where the best place to take these breathes was based up on what was
coming next or the rhythm of the piece etc.

It doesn't have any musical timing in the caesura sense and ideally it
is supposed to be 'hidden' from the listener - or to sound as natural as
possible. When playing something like this, having these 'sign posts'
dotted about gives you an idea of if you need to 'stop and fill the
tank' (as one teacher put it) or if you can make it 'over the hill' to
the next stop. Sort of a 'Last Breath before the Highway - next breath
in 40 miles' :)

>> - Horizontally it is at the end of a note's duration before the
>>   following note (or possibly over a bar line in tight situations).


> Over a bar line?  Can you show a real-world example of that in a
> printed edition?  I've never seen that before.
I've never seen it printed but the few Trumpet teachers I had when
learning to play would indicate it with a tick-like mark and bar breaks
are more often the best place to take this sneaky breath than in a
measure itself - it just depends. You take your air where you can!

James