Turn

An embellishment of a melodic note

Turn is one of the ornamentation techniques in music, similar to the trill. However, what distinguishes the turn from the trill is that it has a specific playing pattern: when playing a turn, the musician first plays a note higher than the main note, followed by the main note, then a note lower than the main note, and finally, return to the main note. In sheet music, the turn is marked with a symbol resembling a horizontally oriented "S", usually placed above the note it pertains to. The speed of the turn depends on the musical style and background.

Example of Turn

Clinic: Ornamentation - Turns

Writer: Frankie Chan