Playing techniques for unpitched percussion instruments

As well as using normal playing techniques, you can also use the design and position of noteheads to indicate different playing techniques for unpitched percussion instruments and percussion kits.

You can indicate playing techniques for unpitched percussion instruments in any of the following ways:

  • Use playing technique-specific noteheads

  • Position notes in spaces directly above/below the line on which notes are normally written

  • Add articulations or single-note tremolos

  • Add playing techniques in the same ways as for pitched instruments

For example, you can add open and closed techniques for hi-hats using the playing techniques popover, or by clicking the playing techniques you want in the Playing Techniques panel.

You can edit the set of playing technique-specific noteheads and staff positions defined for each unpitched percussion instrument in the Percussion Instrument Playing Techniques dialog. You can then select different playing techniques for each instrument when inputting notes in percussion kits.