Topmusicanswers
How do you play trills in Bach?
The execution of trills depends largely on their context. Most often, they are to be played on the beat, starting with the upper note. If approached from the step above, trills should be played on the main note in fast tempi and on the upper note in slow tempi.
What note do trills start on?
Trills almost always start on the note higher than the one that's written. So if you've got a C with the “tr” symbol above it, you'll almost definitely be alternating D-C, starting on D.
What element of music is a trill?
The trill (or shake, as it was known from the 16th until the early 20th century) is a musical ornament consisting of a rapid alternation between two adjacent notes, usually a semitone or tone apart, which can be identified with the context of the trill (compare mordent and tremolo).
