Ornaments

Ornaments are markings that indicate multiple notes are played in addition to the notated pitch. They are used to decorate music, such as in Baroque music, which is highly decorated with trills and other ornaments.

Over time, specific ways of notating how performers should play notes have developed and different ornament symbols indicate different patterns of decorative notes. Nonetheless, ornaments give some freedom to performers to embellish music in their own way.

Dorico Elements offers a range of ornament symbols to allow you to notate different styles of ornaments.

The term ornaments covers a wide range of decorative notes, including:

  • Mordents

  • Trills

  • Turns

  • Grace notes

  • Acciaccaturas

  • Appoggiaturas

In Dorico Elements, the term ornaments refers to ornament symbols and trill marks that are input above notes.

Figure: A phrase containing a turn, short trills, and a trill with extension line