Trills, grace notes, and turns: ornaments explained for kids

An ornament is a quick decoration added to a note. A trill flutters between two notes. A grace note is a tiny note that slips in before a main one. A turn curls around a note. Composers mark them with small signs, and players learn what each sign means.

The four main ornaments

Ornament	The sign	What the player does
Trill	The letters “tr,” often with a wavy line	Flutters fast between the written note and the note above it
Grace note	A tiny note printed before a main note	Plays the tiny note quick, just before or on the beat, and lands on the main note
Turn	A curl like the letter S on its side	Plays the note above, the main note, the note below, and the main note again
Mordent	A short zigzag	Plays the main note, the note next to it, and the main note again, all in a flash

Trills

A trill is the ornament that children hear first. A flute or a violin trilling on a high note sounds like a bird.

The speed of a trill is up to the player. So is the number of notes in it. In music from Bach’s time, players often start a trill on the upper note. In later music, they often start on the written note. A teacher will say which fits the piece.

Two kinds of grace note

The crushed note. A tiny note with a slash through its stem is played as fast as possible. It is over almost before it starts. Its Italian name is acciaccatura. Say “ah-chah-kah-TOO-rah.”

The leaning note. A tiny note with no slash leans on the main note and takes some of its time. Its Italian name is appoggiatura. Say “ah-poj-ah-TOO-rah.”

In both cases, the tiny note does not count in the beats of the bar. Its time is borrowed from a neighbor.

Why ornaments exist

Long ago, players were expected to decorate the music as they went. A plain tune on the page was a starting point.

There was a practical reason too. A harpsichord cannot hold a long note. The sound dies away soon after the key is pressed. A trill keeps a long note alive. Read the harpsichord for kids.

Bach wrote out a chart of ornaments for his oldest son, who was learning the keyboard. It shows each sign and the notes to play. Students still study it.

Ornaments to hear

“Spring” from The Four Seasons, by Vivaldi. Three violins trill and chirp back and forth. Those are the birds.

The “Devil’s Trill” Sonata, by Tartini. A violin piece from the 1700s with long, hard trills near the end. The composer said the music came to him in a dream.

Rondo alla Turca, by Mozart. Quick grace notes snap in front of the chords in the loud sections.

The Lark Ascending, by Vaughan Williams. A solo violin trills and flutters high above the orchestra. It stands for a skylark.

On each instrument

• Piano: two fingers take turns for a trill. Fingers 2 and 3 are a common pair.
• Violin: one finger holds the lower note, and a higher finger taps the string fast.
• Flute and clarinet: the player wiggles one finger on a key. Some notes have special trill keys.
• Voice: singers trill too. It takes years of training to do it well.

For students

Ornaments come after the plain notes are secure. Learn the piece with no ornaments first. Add them when the rhythm is steady, and keep the beat even when the ornament goes in.

Things to do together

Bird calls. Play the opening of “Spring.” Raise a hand at each trill.

Slow trill. At a piano, play two next-door keys in turn, slow and even. Speed up little by little, and stop before it gets uneven.

Plain and fancy. Play a simple tune, such as “Twinkle.” Play it again with one trill and one grace note. Ask which version your child likes.

Sign hunt. Look through your child’s music for the letters “tr” and for tiny notes.

Print and play

For more signs, read musical symbols and their meanings. For string players, read string playing words. For Bach’s own music, read Bach for kids.