Schwächer

As Printed on a Score

Printed above or below the staff where the level should drop relative to what came before, alone or qualified (etwas schwächer). It is relative and holds until a new dynamic.

Also spelled: schwaecher

How Composers Use It

The comparative of schwach: weaker, softer. It works like meno forte — a step down rather than a fade — so use abnehmend or verklingend for a gradual decline. Write the target dynamic if the drop matters. Because schwach literally means weak, the word can invite a thinner tone; choose leiser if you want less volume without less body.

Related Terms