Trilllike

Trilllike is an adjective used in musicology and analysis to describe a sound or musical figure that resembles a trill but does not meet its formal definition. A true trill typically involves a rapid, regular alternation between two adjacent pitches for a sustained duration. Trilllike figures may mimic that rapid alternation while being irregular, shorter, or produced through means that do not produce a standard two-note exchange.

In performance practice, trilllike effects can occur on various instruments. On stringed instruments, players might execute a rapid, upper- or lower-neighbor flick that approximates a trill without sustaining the full ornament. On keyboards, a performer may achieve a similar effect through fast repeated finger substitutions or rapid arpeggiation between neighboring notes. An example in vocal or wind performance is a quick, breath-supported shake or bite that evokes a trill without a precise pitch pairing.

In notation and scholarly writing, trilllike is often used descriptively when the composer’s ornament signs imply a trill-like effect without specifying exact pitch alternation or rhythm. It can also appear in modern editions or recordings where performers improvise or approximate a trill to fit stylistic or practical considerations. The term serves to separate a nonstandard ornament from a true trill, mordent, or other defined signs.

Related concepts include trill, mordent, grace note, ornament, and vibrato. The usage of trilllike varies by period, genre, and editor, reflecting the flexible nature of ornamentation in music.