Slur and tie confusion

Ties and slurs can be confusing to tell apart because they look quite similar on your music but there is one very important difference. A tie is a curved line that connects two or more notes of the same pitch where a slur is a curved line connecting two or more notes of different pitches.

1. How can you tell the difference between a tie and a slur?
2. What does a slur indicate?
3. What does a slur inside a slur mean?

How can you tell the difference between a tie and a slur?

A “tie” is a rhythmic indication, while a slur is a phrasing marking. Ties connect two or more notes of the same pitch: All of the notes within the tie are sustained smoothly, with their individual rhythmic values combined.

What does a slur indicate?

A slur is a symbol in Western musical notation indicating that the notes it embraces are to be played without separation (that is, with legato articulation). A slur is denoted with a curved line generally placed over the notes if the stems point downward, and under them if the stems point upwards.

What does a slur inside a slur mean?

In strings specifically, the inside slurs can indicate which notes are seamlessly connected, while the bigger slur indicates that all the small slurs are to be played with the bow going in the same direction, but this is not always practical.