Ties vs. Slurs:Ties are used to prolong the duration of a note, and not for phrasing or bowing indications, in which cases slurs are used.
When to Use
Placement
Multiple Ties in Chords
Ties in Divisi PartsClick here to see conventions for Slurs.
Ties almost always connect two notes of the same staff degree--although sometimes the note remains the same but the enharmonic spelling changes, ,making it appear to be a different note.
When notes have upward stems, the tie goes below the noteeads; when notes have downward stems, the tie goes above the noteeads.
If tied notes do not have stems, they are treated as if they did have stems; ties are placed according to if notes are above or below the middle staff line.
Ties should fall in a staff space and only touch staff lines if it is unavoidable; this will happen when notes are far apart, and in these cases the tie should pass clearly through the staff line, leaving plenty of room above and below the tie.
Top note: has tie curves above the noteheads, bottom note: tie curves below noteheads.
Ties for middle notes curve according to the location of the notes on the staff.
Notes above middle line: ties curve above; notes below middle line: ties curve below.
If there is a conflict with stems,then a tie barely touches the side of a notehead.
When two parts are written in the same staff, the ties for the upper parts always curve up, and ties for the lower parts always curve down.
