What is the effect of tying two notes together in music notation?

Tying two notes together in music notation serves to combine their values into a single sustained sound. When two notes are tied, the first note is played and held for the duration of both notes, creating a seamless connection without rearticulating the second note. This is important for understanding how to interpret rhythms and phrasing in music, as it allows a musician to sustain a pitch for a longer duration than a single note would allow on its own.

For instance, if a quarter note is tied to an eighth note, the resulting value is the duration of one quarter note plus one eighth note, which collectively allows the musician to produce a continuous sound for that combined length of time. This technique is fundamental in achieving expressiveness in musical performance and is essential for accurately conveying the intended rhythm and phrasing of a piece.