In music, what does it mean to tie two notes together?

Tying two notes together in music refers to the practice of extending the duration of the note by connecting them with a tie, which visually appears as a curved line between the two notes on the staff. This means that instead of playing each note separately, the musician sustains the sound of the first note through the duration of the second note without rearticulating.

This technique allows for a fluid sound and helps in creating musical phrases that can convey emotion and continuity. By maintaining the same pitch and volume through the tied notes, it enhances the musical expression, making it an essential concept in performance and composition.

In contrast, while raising pitch, decreasing volume, or separating timing can be important aspects in music, they do not relate to the concept of tying notes, which specifically focuses on sustaining the sound through a connection between two notes.