[markpoirier]

In the Hal Leonard transcription of A Love Supreme, Resolution (page 9), there is a symbol that I don't recognize. It's right before the first note, F3, and it looks like a close parentheses tipped over.

On the album, it sounds like some kind of slur.

Can anyone say what the symbol is and how to play it?

 

[saxymanzach]

It's a scoop. Drop your jaw atiny bit while keeping your lip on the mouthpiece, the pitch will drop, and quickly (and smoothly) adjust back to your regular embouchure. Most times, that symbol implies that the scoop is very slight and subtle.

 

[DukeCity]

smzach is right about that "scoop" symbol. As far as "Resolution" from A Love Supreme, that marking is not a very accurate representation of what Coltrane does. It differs from phrase to phrase, but if you listen to the recording(s), you'll hear that Trane is really playing a glissando into the F3 (smoothed out with the lip motion that smz mentioned, combined with some voicing motion in the throat). Sometimes he actually leans into a C3 on the beat and glisses up to the F3.

Listen to the recording, and use that as your "definitive" source.

 

[markpoirier]

Thanks for these informative replies.