| A grace note should perhaps be thought of as an | | | | will use "hammer ons," "pull offs," and "bends" on the |
| extra bit of flourish by the composer and player. | | | | strings of the guitar to add a vocal-like effect to the |
| Many call a grace note an "ornament" to be used in | | | | music. The music resulting from these effects (call |
| the ornamentation of music. | | | | them grace notes for lack of a better term) are |
| In music notation, a grace note is printed smaller than | | | | very expressive and moving. As most Blues music is |
| a regular note, sometimes with a slash through the | | | | highly improvised, written music (and the grace notes |
| note stem (more slashes can mean more grace | | | | that might appear in the music) is not common. |
| notes from the same stem). Although grace notes | | | | A Country guitarist may use grace notes in the same |
| are written in a particular way for a particular effect, | | | | ways as a Blues player. But typically, these added |
| the way they are played is often left to the | | | | notes are shorter in duration, often creating a |
| discretion of the player (or conductor). Normally, a | | | | "clucking" or "plucking" sound. Country music also |
| grace note does not take up a place in the music's | | | | makes extensive of the steel guitar, which for intent |
| structure. In other words, it neither adds or detracts | | | | and purpose, is not a guitar at all, but a series of |
| time from the notes around it and isn't a part of the | | | | levers and pedals attached to a set of strings, and |
| total time value of a particular line of music. | | | | played with the musician's feet and legs to create a |
| In symphonic music, grace notes are used to help | | | | certain soulful effect. A steel guitarist also uses a |
| express the music's (and composer's) intent. To | | | | metal bar placed over the instrument's strings to |
| create the effect, a flute player, for example, may | | | | change the pitch of a note or group of notes, making |
| very quickly press and release a key to create a | | | | it quite easy to play grace notes. |
| grace note. A violinist may make a short, sharp | | | | As far as the history of the grace note, Chopin as |
| movement of their bow the add the effect of a | | | | known to have used them quite extensively and |
| grace note. Playing a grace note on a trumpet could | | | | they were common in other pieces of music from |
| mean pressing a valve and releasing it almost | | | | that time. To be proper, the words, "acciaccatura" |
| instantaneously. | | | | and "appoggiatura" can be used to describe the |
| Many other genres of music use grace notes but in | | | | occurrence of one or more graces notes from the |
| many different ways. A Blues guitarist, for example, | | | | same stem. |