Topmusicanswers
This is the symbol that most musicians mean when they say accent mark. It indicates that the marked note should have an emphasized beginning and then taper off rather quickly. Though it is usually simply referred to as an accent.
What does a zig zag above a note mean?
If the squiggly line you are looking at is above the note, then we call that a mordent. It is a small squiggly line that is horizontal and placed directly over the note. A mordent is a musical symbol that tells the player to use two notes and play them rapidly together.
What do lines above notes mean?
A line over or under a single note means it is to be played tenuto, meaning held out to its full value. A dot over or under a note is a staccato, telling the musician to perform it short and separate from the next note.
