Quote:


You show a Hold and call it a Pause. Fermata over a Quarter Note. Hard to "pause" if there's a note playing.



Sorry Mac, I guess I don't quite actually understand what you mean. You mentioned that I showed a Hold and called it a Pause then you correctly named is as a Fermata. I was certainly not trying to justify the correct technical nomenclature, just referring to the effect/intent that the O/P was trying to achieve, viz: How to create a "breathing space" . Do you mean that in reality a musician cannot pause/hold the duration of a note while it is playing? Even MIDI can do that by deferring the position of the corresponding note-off event.

From Wikipedia: 'A fermata (also known as a hold, pause...) is an element of musical notation indicating that the note should be sustained for longer than its note value would indicate'

Yes, it is also a Fermata, no question, also known as a hold, pause. But whether we call it a Fermata or Pause (or Hold) is not what's really important, it produces the same result. When I am playing, if I find any note with a Fermata/Pause above it, I still play the note. I extend the duration according to the 'feel' that either I or the conductor's interpretation demonstrates is required.

Re your comment: 'Hard to "pause" if there's a note playing.': I'm confused. In reality I can still pause/hold the duration of a note after it has commenced. Did you mean something different?

A Fermata / Pause/ Hold certainly does not mean 'stop playing the note then start playing it again'! Was that your interpretation?

Kind regards
Trevor