3 Note Attributes
3.1 Note heads and stems
The following tags control the shape and size of note heads (\noteFormat),
brackets around note heads and chords (\bracket),
stem lengths, directions, and positions relative to the note heads (\stemsOff,
\stemsUp, \stemsDown, \stemsAuto, \headsRight,
\headsLeft, \headsCenter), and the formatting of grace and cue notes
\graceFormat, \cueFormat).
3.1.1 \noteFormat
The \noteFormat tag controls the graphical appearance, like shape and size,
of the note heads. It is also used to put brackets around note heads.
Parameters (in the order of their default positions):
-
style - shape of note heads
standard values:
-
"standard" - standard, oval note heads
-
"diamond" - diamond note heads
-
"square" - square note heads
-
"x" - x-shaped note heads
-
"noHeads" - no note heads (only stems, flags and beams)
-
"()" - enclose note heads in round brackets
-
"[]" - enclose note heads in square brackets
-
"<>" - enclose note heads in angled brackets
-
"(S)" - S is one of the styles from above, uses that shape
and encloses note heads in round brackets
-
"[S]" - S is one of the styles from above, uses that shape
and encloses note heads in square brackets
-
"<S>" - S is one of the styles from above, uses that shape
and encloses note heads in angled brackets
default value: none, see Semantics
-
size - size of note heads, as a factor relative to the space
between the lines of the current staff.
default value: none, see Semantics
Range: optional
Semantics:
-
If size or style are not specified when using \noteFormat,
their current settings remain unaffected. If not modified using \noteFormat,
the default settings are size=1.0, style="standard".
-
The specified parameters are applied to all notes within the range of \noteFormat,
or, if no range is specified, until (i) the next \noteFormat tag changing
that parameter or (ii) the end of the current voice.
Remarks:
-
The form \noteFormat<size> may be used as an abbreviation for
\noteFormat<size=size>
-
The parameterless form \noteFormat has no effect and should not be used.
-
The absolute size of the note heads is determined by the size parameter
of \noteFormat and the \staffFormat tag.
-
If the style parameter specifies the use of brackets, these are applied
to each note head individually.
-
To realise bracketed notes (or chords), alternately the \bracket tag can
be used.
-
For bracketed dotted notes, the dots are included in the brackets.
Examples:
\noteFormat<size=0.75>
\noteFormat<0.75>
\noteFormat<"x">
\noteFormat<style="diamond",size=1.0>
\noteFormat<"()",0.75>
\noteFormat<"(x)",0.5>
...
3.1.2 \headsNormal, \headsReverse, \headsCenter
These purely graphical tags control the position of the note heads relative
to the stems. \headsNormal has the note heads left of downward stems and
right of upward stems. \headsReverse puts the heads right of downward stems
and left of upward stems. \headsCenter attaches the stems to the center
of the note heads (mostly used with diamond- and x-shaped note heads).
Parameters: none
Range: optional
Semantics:
-
If none of these tags is explicitly specified for a voice, \headsNormal
is assumed.
-
The head position is applied to all notes within the range of the respective
tag, or, if no range is specified, until (i) the next \heads* tag occurs
or (ii) the end of the current voice.
Remarks:
-
\headsCenter is intended mainly for use with x- and diamond-shaped note
heads.
Examples:
\headsLeft( ... )
\headsLeft ... \headsRight
\noteFormat<"diamond">( \headsLeft ( ... ) )
...
3.1.3 \bracket
This graphical tag encloses notes and chords in brackets. Also allows to
specify only left or right brackets (as for double stops).
Parameters (in the order of their default positions):
-
style - type of brackets
standard values:
-
"()" - round brackets left and right
-
"[]" - square brackets left and right
-
"<>" - angled brackets left and right
-
"(","[","<" - single left bracket
-
")","]",">" - single right bracket
default value: "()"
Range: obligatory
Semantics:
-
Applies the specified bracket type to all notes and chords within its range.
-
For simple notes, brackets are applied to the note head (as with \noteFormat).
-
For chords, the brackets are applied to the chord as a whole, ranging from
the lowest to the highest voice. To bracket single notes within chords,
apply bracket to these or use \noteFormat.
-
For dotted notes, the dots are included in the brackets.
Remarks:
Examples:
\bracket<"()">( ... )
\bracket<"[">( ... )
\bracket( ... )
...
3.1.4 \stemsOff
This graphical tag switches display of note stems and flags off.
Parameters: none
Range: optional
Semantics:
-
The stems and flags are not displayed for all notes within the
range, or, if no range is specified, until (i) the next \stemsUp, \stemsDown,
or \stemsAuto tag occurs or (ii) the end of the current voice.
Remarks:
-
To switch off display of note heads, use \noteFormat.
-
To switch off display of beams, use \beamsOff (Basic GUIDO).
Examples:
\stemsOff ...
\stemsOff( ... )
3.1.5 \stemsUp, \stemsDown, \stemsAuto
These graphical tags determine the direction and length of note stems.
Parameters (in the order of their default positions):
-
length - length of stems in halfspaces
default value: 7.0 for \stemsAuto; none for \stemsUp, \stemsDown,
see Semantics
Range: optional
Semantics:
-
If none of these tags is explicitly specified for a voice, \stemsAuto is
assumed.
-
For \stemsAuto, the usual rules are applied for determining stem directions
are used.
-
If length is not specified when using \stemsUp or \stemsDown, the
current settings remains unaffected; for \stemsAuto, a default value of
length=10.0 is assumed. If not modified using \stemsUp, \stemsDown,
or \stemsAuto,the default setting are is length=7.0.
-
When the stem length is specified for beamed groups, it is applied only
to the outermost notes of the group, while the stems of the remaining notes
of the group are determined by the beam position. If the beam position
is specified with the \beam tag, this overrides the stem length setting.
-
These tags are applied to all notes within their range, or, if no range
is specified, until (i) the next \stems* tag occurs or (ii) the end of
the current voice.
Remarks:
-
To switch off display of note stems, use \stemsOff.
Examples:
\stemsUp ... \stemsAuto
\stemsDown<12>( ... )
3.1.6 \graceFormat and \cueFormat
The \graceFormat and \cueFormat tags control the graphical appearance of
grace and cue notes. Their syntax and semantics is completely analogous
to \noteFormat.
Parameters: (see \noteFormat)
Range: optional
Semantics:
-
Analogous to \noteFormat. \graceFormat and \cueFormat apply only to grace
and cue notes, respectively. \noteFormat does not apply to grace and cue
notes.
Remarks:
-
The forms \graceFormat<size> and \cueFormat<size> may
be used as abbreviations for \graceFormat<size=size> and \cueFormat<size=size>
-
The parameterless forms \graceFormat and \cueFormat have no effect and
should not be used.
-
If the style parameter specifies the use of brackets, these are applied
to each note head individually.
Examples:
\graceFormat<size=0.75>
\cueFormat<0.75>
\cueFormat<"x">
\graceFormat<"()",0.75>
...
3.2 Dots and Accidentals
The following tags control the relative position and size of dots (\dotFormat),
and the graphical appearance, positioning and size of accidentals (\acc).
3.2.1 \dotFormat
This tag controls the grapical appearance of dots.
Parameters (in the order of their default positions):
-
dx - horizontal distance between center of leftmost dot and
center of note head, in halfspaces of the current system
times the relative size of the notehead to
which the dot belongs (see \noteFormat).
default value: 2.0
-
dy - vertical distance between center of dot and center of
note head, in halfspaces of the current system.
default value: none, see Semantics.
- size - size (diameter) of dot in
in halfspaces of the current system
times the relative size of the notehead to
which the dot belongs (see \noteFormat).
default value: 0.6(?)
-
dd - horizontal distance between center of dots
(for multiple dots)
in halfspaces of the current system
times the relative size of the notehead to
which the dot belongs (see \noteFormat) .
default value: 1.0(?)
Range: optional
Semantics:
-
Applied to dotted notes, this tag determines relative position and size
of the dots.
-
This tag is applied to all notes within its range, or, if no range is specified,
until (i) the next \dotFormat tag occurs or (ii) the end of the current
voice.
-
If dy is not specified, a value of 0.0 is assumed for notes between
staff lines, 1.0 for notes on staff lines.
Remarks:
Examples:
\dotFormat<dx=2.5,dy=-1,size=0.5>(c/2. d&/4.. e&/16)
...
3.2.2 \acc
This tag controls the grapical appearance, positioning and size of accidentals.
Also forces implicit accidentals to appear in the score.
Parameters (in the order of their default positions):
-
dx - horizontal distance between center of rightmost accidental
and center of note head,
in halfspaces of the current system
times the relative size of the notehead to
which the accidental belongs (see \noteFormat).
default value: -2.0
-
style - allows accidentals to be bracketed.
standard values:
-
"" - no brackets
-
"standard" - no brackets
-
"()" - round brackets
-
"[]" - square brackets
default value: ""
-
size - size of accidental, as a factor relative to the size
of the note head.
default value: 1.0
Range: obligatory
Semantics:
-
Forces implicit accidentals (in particular, natural signs) of all notes
in its range to be displayed.
-
\acc is a purely graphical tag, it does NOT affect the sounding pitch of
notes.
Remarks:
-
To display accidentals above or below notes (musica ficta), use the \ficta
tag.
Examples:
\acc(c1/4 c# d&)
\acc<dx=-2.0, style="()", size=0.8>(c1##/8)
c#1/4 \acc<style="()">(c)
...
% for ficta noteFormat:
% ref. pos. for acc is center of acc.symbol, dy inst. of dx,
% dy is max (dist from notehead, dist from top of staff)
+ ficta (accidentals above noteheads)
-> \noteFormat<"ficta",size>
?? maybe better: \acc<dy,"ficta">, or even \ficta<dy,style,size>
3.3 Miscellaneous
The following tags control the graphical appearance of tuplets (\tuplet)
and ledger lines (\ledgersOn, \ledgersOff,
and \ledgerFormat); there
also tags for marking silent notes (\silent); and
controlling their graphical appearance (\silentFormat).
3.3.1 \tuplet
This tag controls the grapical appearance of tuplets.
Parameters (in the order of their default positions):
-
format - formatting of the tuplet indication and brace
standard values:
"" - no tuplet indication, no bracket "x" - tuplet indication
x, no bracket "x:y" - tuplet indication x:y, no bracket
"--" - no tuplet indication, just a bracket "-x-" - tuplet indication
x, with bracket "-x:y-" - tuplet indication x:y, with
bracket
default value: "-x-" for unbeamed groups and where "x"
for beamed groups; x is inferred from the note durations.
-
dy1 - vertical distance between center of leftmost note head
in the tuplet group and the left end of the tuplet bracket, measured in
halfspaces of the current system.
default value: none, see Semantics.
-