Chain trill
A chain trill is a series of trills that join directly: a melodic line moves on from note to note, and each of these notes is trilled. Between the individual trills there is no break.
- Construction
- trill on trill, descending or ascending by step
- Sign
- trill sign over every note, often with a shared wavy line
- Termination
- usually only at the last trill
- Counterpart
- single trill, turn
A line made of trills
A single trill ornaments one note: it alternates rapidly with its upper neighbour. The chain trill ornaments a whole line. The melody runs on note by note, and each note is trilled. That produces a continuous, shimmering band of sound over which the melody moves. From trill to trill the termination is omitted, so that the continuity is preserved.
Notation: four quarter notes (shown without trill signs)
Written out, a trill sign would stand over each of the four notes, often joined by a shared wavy line. The line shows only the four notes, without these signs.
Execution: each trill alternates with the upper neighbour note
The four trills written out: E–F, D–E, C–D, B–C, four sixteenth notes each. The trills join seamlessly. At the last trill in practice you would often add a termination leading into the following note. Here each trill begins with the main note; in the music of the Baroque and the Classical period the trill usually begins with the upper neighbour note.
In the glossary: Trill · Double trill · Turn
Distinctions
It differs from the simple trill in that not a single note but a whole line is ornamented. It differs from the turn as any trill does: there a self-contained figure plays around the main note, here the note keeps alternating with its upper neighbour. The double trill, in turn, means two notes trilled at the same time, not a series one after another.
On execution
The length of a trill depends on how much time the note has in the notation. In a chain of quarter notes as above, four sixteenth notes fit on each note, so each trill has two full alternations. A slow tempo allows more, a fast one fewer. What matters is that the rhythm stays even and no trill delays the beat.
Continue on Maikstrings
Related terms
TrillDouble trillSchneller (inverted mordent)MartellementTurnNachschlagGrace note
Editor: Maik Krohm · reviewed on 3 October 2026
← Back to the glossary