How to properly write and playback: DOUBLE, TRIPLE, AND QUADRUPLE STOPS

Dorico
#1

For the TRIPLE, AND QUADRUPLE STOPS, especially, the player usually plays the low strings first then sweep to the high strings. I have tried on the Quadruple stops playing back on NotePerformer/HSE/Spitfire BBCSO discover, the four notes are played together no matter which playback engine is used. It seems I need to manually adjust the length of the lowest two notes to generate a real sounding Quadruples.

I want to know whether there is anything missing on my writing?

Is there any symbol for DOUBLE, TRIPLE, AND QUADRUPLE STOPS need to be placed on the notes?

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#2

There is no special symbol. Sometimes the lower notes are written as grace notes rather than a full chord.

For realistic playback you have adjust the note lengths in play mode.

BTW violinists won’t love you for writing a quadruple stop like the one in your example which is very hard to play in tune!

#3

Thank you for sharing. I am writing an assignment of multiple stops.

I find the HSO engine can playback these multi stops pretty well.

#4

Computers can play anything :wink:

#5

I once had to play a modern piece which included a part for small chamber organ (no pedals) and which had an interval of a 12th in the LH. The top note couldn’t be played by the RH. On a good day I can just reach al 11th if I have time to prepare it. The composer was annoyed at me for pointing out that this was, probably for 95% of the keyboard-player population, unplayable, as I’m sure it sounded just fine to him on his computer setup.

#6

Perhaps he intended it to be performed on a 17th-century keyboard, with narrower keys? :laughing:

#7

Or with a short octave keyboard?

I’ve seen a tenth A to C# in the left hand in 16th century keyboard music, which would be an octave C# to C# with short octave tuning.

#8



Would that suggest he was a Virginal composer? :mrgreen:

#9

Most historical keyboards are the same width as the modern “standard” to within about 5mm (and some are a bit wider, not narrower), except for a very few keyboards with octave widths of around 125-135mm compared with the modern 165 or 167mm.

So you only gain about quarter of a key-width over an octave span.

#10

I know, a short octave is a boon for early keyboard music, but as I’m sure you all can imagine, this particular composer simply looked upon performing musicians as a [perhaps not so] necessary evil in music.