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enter image description hereThis symbol is on a clarinet etude sheet, but I don't have any clue what it means.

close up, looks like a + attached on top of a box

tripleee
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Chang-Wei Yang
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    And who is the particular composer? – Tim Jul 11 '22 at 10:10
  • If it's clarinet, then the key signature would help, because all those notes (B/C/C#/F/F#)use similar keys, and it may be possible to deduce the meaning from how each note should be fingered. – Andrew Leach Jul 11 '22 at 10:21
  • Hi Andrew, I’ve updated the sheet. thanks for your prompt hint. – Chang-Wei Yang Jul 11 '22 at 10:35
  • Thanks. The bit of the key signature which is visible suggests the piece is in E and those notes are B, C#, B and F#. I don't think it's a fingering thing, particularly since it also occurs in bar 3. There are all sorts of funny symbols I've never seen before. – Andrew Leach Jul 11 '22 at 10:43
  • What if that was written for an Oehler system clarinet? Would that make more sense? – Duston Jul 11 '22 at 13:06
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    Please add the title and composer. – Aaron Jul 11 '22 at 13:21
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    As far as I know, this is not a common and standardized musical symbol, and probably has been invented by this author and explained somewhere in the text, perhaps an introduction to the book. There are several non-standard symbols: the triangle with a dot in the center, the small notes that look like 8th notes (quavers) with hollow noteheads, the numerals like "25" or "89" in italics. If you've gotten this etude out of context, like as a photocopy or pdf, I recommend finding the original publication. – Andy Bonner Jul 11 '22 at 14:42
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    @AndyBonner I saw those as (equally nonstandard) "hollow" grace notes. – Carl Witthoft Jul 12 '22 at 14:09
  • There is no chance that this is an etude, as those are written for training purposes. This is intended for performance, and, as AB wrote, you'll need the composer's intro/guide to know what all those one-off symbols represent. – Carl Witthoft Jul 12 '22 at 14:10
  • @CarlWitthoft I have a different take. While it's quite melodic, and "con grandioso espressione" (with large espresso), my guess is that these symbols convey something technical and pedagogical. For violin, Galamian and Flesch and others have their own similar systems for indicating fingers that should be held down, ways to prepare future notes, bow use, etc. For instance, I'm guessing the "hollow grace notes" have to do with fingering; the symbol in question might be about breathing (coinciding with slurs, though not duplicating them). – Andy Bonner Jul 12 '22 at 16:32
  • @AndyBonner All but one of the "hollow grace notes" occur between slurs too. – Theodore Jul 15 '22 at 20:44
  • They look like a fingering or perhaps breathing suggestion by the editor. Perhaps there is a guide at the start or end of the music book?These look highly specific to the editor. They are not standard music notation. – James D'Arcy Jul 29 '22 at 04:10

1 Answers1

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The marks are a prompt to keep the r/h fingers down when crossing the break.

Roy P
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