Tabalature Symbols

[Chris Despopoulos]

Hi... Does anybody know what this symbol means? Is it a 5? A 9? Something else entirely? Please see the attached graphic... It's in the Sanz Alemanda, La Preciosa (tab page 12 of the first manuscript?)

Thanks for any help...

[Chris Despopoulos]

Yeah, sorry about that. The fret sequence is (ignoring which string it indicates) :
0 3 1 0 0 ? 9 X 0 7

So what is the ? symbol? I don't see it as a *certain* 9...

[James Tyler]

In the facsimile I use, the fret sequence reads (ignoring which string it indicates):
0, 3, 1, 0, 0, 12, x (i.e. 10), 8, 9, x, 0, 7 which, if you are using Sanz's re-entrant stringing, results in the notes (ignoring the exact octaves of each): a, d, c. b. g, e, d, c, b, a g, f#.
The high twelfth fret e begins a campanela scale passage down to the f#. The next to the last g involves either an octave leap in the scale or, more likely the outer string (nearest the fourth course) is a thin upper octave while the other in the course is the normal lower pitched g. This allows the campanela passage to be played with all the correct notes of the scale.

[Chris Despopoulos]

Ah... A 12 makes sense. The use of a single symbol for a 10 (X), and this symbol for a 12. Not sure what would be used for an 11. In the Jacaras in the first book there's a passage that goes X 12 13 12 X, and it uses the decimal numerals. But, the original line is blotted out, and these numerals are below. So it makes sense that the blotted out version could use these special symbols for two-digit numbers, but since they're blotted out I didn't notice.

Thanks for the help!

[Chris Despopoulos]

Yes, and I'm guessing the problem is that a "12" could be confused for a "1" and "2". So they had to come up with a system for 10, 11, 12, and beyond. Your d and u make perfect sense. Definitely, if you're dim, I'm dimmer. (Sounds like a movie.)

[Fábio Vianna Peres]

Usually Sanz writes 1 and 2 for 12 very close. If you take a good look, the numerals for 12 and 13 are attached by a line.
I think Sanz don't have a symbol for 13, so when the sequence involves a 13 he uses the numbers after x (12, 13). Is what happens in the Jacaras. If you look at the Villanos (tomo 2 fl. 6) he uses the symbol d for 12.
I didn't see the "u" for 11 yet.

[Fábio Vianna Peres]

I think it's certainly a 9. The sequence is a descending scale - e (12), d (10), c (8), b (9, 4th course), a (x, 2nd course), g (0, 3rd), f (7, 2nd course), e (0, 1st course) - using campanelas.

[Fábio Vianna Peres]

I couldn't reply directly in the topic, so here goes (about the 'u' for the 11th fret).
Thanks, I haven't read those passacalles yet. They look more like an inverted 'n'. Maybe a 11 with the ones attached? But there's no doubt which fret is...
This topic and the other about bordones have been very instructive, Please, keep posting.