I've gone through many posts and youtube tutorials but still haven't warmed up to the concept of "slur".

Please correct me if I am wrong.
Ties -> They are basically another form of rests.

Slur -> My book says it is to be played in Legato. Now what does that even mean? I understand the definition of Legato which is flowing and connected notes but how do you play it on the piano?
Can anyone please post an example of playing two notes without slur and then playing them with slur? Also in many pieces I've noticed that the slurs connect notes which are very far from each other. In such cases how do you even play these notes in flowing and connected manner? I mean in such cases slurs mustn't even make a great deal of a difference, right?

PS: This question may sound stupid but I am a complete beginner.

Hi,

Welcome to the forum. You might want to check out the adult beginner area.

Ties connect two successive notes and it tells the musician that the second note is not to be played, but rather it's duration added to the first. A tie is a curved line, like a slur, but the notes have to be of the same pitch (the same line or space).

Yes, a slur means to play legato. Thats real helpful if you don't know what legato means The definition for legato is smoothly connected. I also sometimes describe it as one note flowing into the other. You are right, the way to understand it is to hear it... I always teach this with students hearing examples. Unfortunately I don't know how to post examples.

No, these questions aren't stupid. They're a specific topic we (music teachers) teach in beginning lessons.

A rest is a notational sign that indicates the absence of a note or notes for the given value, but this does not necessarily indicate total absence of sound.


A tie is not a rest, but rather a continuation of the previous note. So, if a note is tied, it sounds for the duration of the first note and the note it is tied to. You do not play the note again.


A slur, extending above or below a succession of notes, indicates their grouping as a unit, such as in legato playing, or phrasing. In other instruments, they can indicate bowing or breathing instructions. If you see really long curved lines in the score, it could very well be a phrasing indication, which is not necessarily the same as playing legato. Listen to the melody from 1'50"-3'30" in this video, you might be able to understand better: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbn692EKQLw