hold a note or a phrase longer than its written duration.
sustain a note or chord longer than its notated value. It is typically indicated by a curved line placed above or below the note or chord. When a fermata appears above a note, it instructs the performer to hold the note longer than its written duration. When a fermata appears above a rest, it instructs the performer to pause slightly longer than the written value of the rest. The exact duration of the fermata is left to the performer's discretion and interpretation.
hold a note or a rest for a duration longer than its written value.
