Cue
Small notes in a part that quote another player's music to signal an entry
Related
A cue is a short passage from another part printed in small notes in a player's part, usually after a long rest, to signal that the entry is coming.
Cues are often taken from the melody or from the phrase just before the entry, and the source instrument is named. They are for recognition only, not for performance, and their smaller size keeps them distinct from real notes.
A cue is not decoration. When scoring is changed or bars are cut, the cues must change too, or the player will follow a false lead. Together with rehearsal marks they form the locating system of a part.
Sources
- 分谱中提示乐句的写法，参 The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, "Cue"；本文为原创表述
Used for fact-checking only; all prose is original.