Turn

How Composers Use It

Placed directly over a note, the turn begins at once on the upper neighbour; placed after a note, it comes later in the beat and decorates the move to the next note, a figure common in Classical slow movements. An inverted turn, shown with a vertical stroke through the sign or with the sign flipped, starts below. Put small accidentals above or below the sign for altered neighbours, and in fast or ambiguous places write the notes out so the rhythm is not left to guesswork.

Related Terms