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Why aren't the stems on these 2 notes connected (one stem pointing upward, and the other one pointing downward)?

Both of them are 1/4 notes though.

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Ruby
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    Please post a picture that shows more of the surrounding context. The answer is most likely that the notes are in different "voices" (this can be literally different parts, or imaginary "parts" even in music for one instrument, as a way of thinking of and organizing the music). But this can be confirmed with context. Please also tell what piece this is and the composer. – Andy Bonner Apr 20 '23 at 13:17
  • Alright, thanks! It's Bach - air on g string – Ruby Apr 20 '23 at 16:11
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    Ah, there we go! Yes, you can see how every chord has four notes in it. Even though this is a keyboard arrangement (of an orchestra piece), it preserves the idea of "voices." If it were really fully preserving it, the tenor (second-to-lowest) voice would always be written on the bass clef with its stems pointing up, so that each clef had two voices with the stems telling you which is which. – Andy Bonner Apr 20 '23 at 16:56
  • Okay, Thank you for helping me!! – Ruby Apr 20 '23 at 17:27

1 Answers1

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It's just a style of notation that emphasizes the separate identity of the two voices. This is common in multiple-part vocal music, for example, when two parts are written on one staff.

It's not clear what's happening before, but it is apparent that the top voice has a different rhythm from the lower voices, and the mental switch between having separately stemmed voices and then suddenly having them stemmed together might be seen as too jarring.

phoog
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  • Also we often want to avoid changing between separate voices and chords too often, as this looks a bit weird. – Lazy Apr 20 '23 at 13:27
  • @Lazy I don't understand this comment. Can you elaborate? Thanks. – phoog Apr 21 '23 at 09:28