The UNOFFICIAL Undertale Arrangement Project

[JesterMusician]

Fixed the A natural, can't fix the mordent in Notepad. 
MLF already got most of these when he fixed it. I'm not super familiar with anything more advanced than staccatos, legatos, and accents (thus, the lower mordent). It's an acquired talent that I have yet to master.

I'm saying maybe that's all you need. KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid.

When thinking about how to notate something, I recommend you keep the following principles in mind:

• Use the fewest markings possible. There's a saying in design: Perfection is achieved not when there is more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.
• Use the simplest markings possible. Simple is often synonymous with common. Using an uncommon articulation is easy - it's just a few clicks away. Using it properly is harder.

Understanding these principles is the mastery you should seek to achieve.

The rationale behind these is revealed when you think about the performing pianist: you want to reduce their cognitive load. The last thing you want is the pianist to second guess what you intended, and you risk that by using more notation or uncommon notation. These principles are sometimes at odds with each other, but I tend to favour the first.

Here's some examples of these principles in action as well as some rules of thumb:

• Tenuto vs. Slur: Both cause the note to be held for its full length, but tenuto also means to stress it a bit. I use tenutos for the bass line. I could have omitted them, keeping in line with the second principle, but I felt they were necessary to capture the "heaviness" of the C's.
• Staccato vs. Staccatissimo: Staccato is far more common, so they should be favoured to follow the second principle. In my opinion, staccato should be used if the note should be played around 50% of its value. I use them over eighth notes to avoid 16th rests (thus reducing notation, as in the first principle). Anything shorter can use staccatissimo to highlight the brevity, in particular when it should be shorter than the pianist would otherwise think - perhaps in contrast to staccato notes. Here's a rule of thumb to check if you're using it properly: replace the staccato notes with regular notes half their value and play it back (i.e. replace 8th with 16th). If it sounds short enough, use staccato; if not, use staccatissimo.
• Accent vs. Marcato: Same as staccato vs. staccatissimo: you should ask yourself if this distinction of degree is significant. Also like tenuto, in that it implies a kind of effect that simple accents don't have (like a "rhythmic thrusting" according to Wikipedia).
• Upper/lower mordent: These abbreviate a series of grace notes or triplets into a single note. The symbol isn't terribly common, but I use them in favour of the first principle over the second.
• Dynamics: Their meaning is relative to other dynamics. You should be very careful about placing ppp and fff - these are not simple. Use them too frequently and they lose their power.
• Repeats: They decrease the number of symbols on the page by removing some measures, but they increase the complexity of the piece because it requires the performer to jump.
• Simile: Use it to avoid writing out a series of repeated articulations, in accordance with the first principle. It's easy to just copy and paste a measure with all of the markings, but more symbols on the page means more things to pay attention to (not to mention more room for notational error).

Finally, I should point out that these principles transcend musical notation into all forms of functional design. Graphics, programming, websites, physical spaces, tools - all serve a practical purpose, and simplicity is desirable because it allows the human to use it best. Musical notation is no exception.

[Yug_Guy]

I'm saying maybe that's all you need. KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid.

Well said. I'll be sure to keep these in mind next time!

[JesterMusician]

@mastersuperfan Let me know if you drop Death By Glamour, then I'll give it a shot.

[TheMarioPianist]

Hey Yug_Guy, just a small thing. Could you possibly change the digit at the very end of the dropbox link for the template from a 0 to a 1? That'll make it a direct download link and would be much nicer! Not necessary, obviously. Just a suggestion.

[Yug_Guy]

Hey Yug_Guy, just a small thing. Could you possibly change the digit at the very end of the dropbox link for the template from a 0 to a 1? That'll make it a direct download link and would be much nicer! Not necessary, obviously. Just a suggestion.

I could probably do it for the ones with a single .mus file. Me and a couple others have folders with a .midi, .mus, and .pdf in them, which wouldn't work with a direct download link.

EDIT: Changed all the links that contained a solitary .mus file to direct download

[TheMarioPianist]

I could probably do it for the ones with a single .mus file. Me and a couple others have folders with a .midi, .mus, and .pdf in them, which wouldn't work with a direct download link.

EDIT: Changed all the links that contained a solitary .mus file to direct download

Oh...I was just referring to the link for the template file...but that's awesome that you took the time to do that! Thanks!

[ThePopStarDude]

Just dropping in again to say that this project has gotten a lot bigger since I joined! Glad to see so many Undertale fans/musicians getting together!

[Sebastian]

Just dropping in again to say that this project has gotten a lot bigger since I joined! Glad to see so many Undertale fans/musicians getting together!

Keep up the great work, people!

Jester's long post

Articulations have nothing to do with the note values or sound. We have dynamics and note changes for that. A staccato doesn't mean to play it short, but in a light and separated style. An accent means to play it stronger or with a firmer attack, not louder even though that may be the result.

Example:
Staccato - Meaning: To play in a light and separated style.
Staccatissimo - This is the same as staccato but more extreme.
Tenuto - A firm start with a weight greater than a staccato but not as great as an accent.
Accent - A more firm attack than the tenuto.
Marcato - The firmest attack.

[Tobbeh99]

my thoughts on mlf's articulation examples (this is from what I know, correct me if I'm wrong):

Staccatissimo: More "jump-like" staccato, if you want to highlight that articulation.
Tenuto: a bit of a "drag", the not stays a bit longer. Sort of like an accent in that it highlights certain notes.
Marcato: Some interprets this as a short accent, like an accent+staccato, others as a stronger accent used more often in higher key velocities like f,ff,fff.

Also be aware of the differences between slur and tenuto. A slur is a phrase, often legato, while tenuto is an articulation.

[Sebastian]

Also be aware of the differences between slur and tenuto. A slur is a phrase, often legato, while tenuto is an articulation.

A tenuto isn't like a slur. It's the slightest form of an accent and is not legato.

Staccatissimo: More "jump-like" staccato, if you want to highlight that articulation.
Tenuto: a bit of a "drag", the not stays a bit longer. Sort of like an accent in that it highlights certain notes.

Yes. A Staccato is like a Staccatissimo but to the extreme degree.

Marcato: Some interprets this as a short accent, like an accent+staccato, others as a stronger accent used more often in higher key velocities like f,ff,fff.

Yes. A Marcato is the extreme degree of an accent. Tenuto is the slight degree of an accent. Accent is in the middle of the two.

[Tobbeh99]

Doesn't tenuto affect note length too? Like make the note slightly longer, unlike accents? 

[Sebastian]

That's what I used to think.

[Yug_Guy]

Oh...I was just referring to the link for the template file...but that's awesome that you took the time to do that! Thanks!

No problem. It's just ones and zeroes.

Just dropping in again to say that this project has gotten a lot bigger since I joined! Glad to see so many Undertale fans/musicians getting together!

Yes, I'm glad to see this project grow so much in numbers as well! And in a month and a half too!

[Olimar12345]

So this is the topic you were talking about, MLF. You did an okay job relaying what I told you here, but for clarity's sake I'll explain it here for everyone to see.

Articulations are named accordingly. To articulate something is to add clarity or to make something clear. They specify how to play a specific note or passage. Articulations tell us three things: 1) How to start the note. 2) The weight of the note. 3) (sometimes) The end of the note.

With this said, articulations have NOTHING to do with note lengths or dynamics. For example, a quarter note will last twice as long as an eighth note. A quarter note with the staccato marking does not equal an eighth note. Those are two different things that are written two different ways that mean two different things. If you want a shorter note, use a shorter note value. If you want a louder/softer note, use a dynamic mark.

Below are the specific jobs for articulations.

Staccatissimo - a very light weight note with a lifted release (also described as detached).
Staccato - a light weight note with a slightly lifted release (also described as detached).
Tenuto - a defined start, weighted note with no lift, touches the following note or rest.
Accent - a firm start, heavy weighted note with no lift, touches the following note or rest.
Marcato - a very hard start, heavier weight than an accent, sometimes played with a slightly lifted release.

Remember that the release of the note does not directly correlate to the note's length. Like I said:

A quarter note with the staccato marking does not equal an eighth note.

Also be aware of the differences between slur and tenuto. A slur is a phrase, often legato, while tenuto is an articulation.

While slurs, ties, and phrase markings might all use the same symbol, they are all different. A slur is not the same as a phrase marking. A slur is an indication to play the included notes smoothly or legato, while a phrase mark is used to display or highlight a phrase. phrase marks are usually over a considerably longer amount of material than slurs.

[Zeila]

Hi there! I'd like to claim 095 - Bring It In, Guys!