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1.2.1.1 Durations

Durations are designated by numbers and dots. Durations are entered as their reciprocal values. For example, a quarter note is entered using a 4 (since it is a 1/4 note), and a half note is entered using a 2 (since it is a 1/2 note). For notes longer than a whole you must use the \longa (a double breve) and \breve commands. Durations as short as 64th notes may be specified. Shorter values are possible, but only as beamed notes.

     
     \time 8/1
     c\longa c\breve c1 c2
     c4 c8 c16 c32 c64 c64

[image of music]

Here are the same durations with automatic beaming turned off.

     
     \time 8/1
     \autoBeamOff
     c\longa c\breve c1 c2
     c4 c8 c16 c32 c64 c64

[image of music]

A note with the duration of a quadruple breve may be entered with \maxima, but this is supported only within ancient music notation. For details, see Ancient notation.

If the duration is omitted, it is set to the previously entered duration. The default for the first note is a quarter note.

     
     a a a2 a a4 a a1 a

[image of music]

To obtain dotted note lengths, place a dot (.) after the duration. Double-dotted notes are specified by appending two dots, and so on.

     
     a4 b c4. b8 a4. b4.. c8.

[image of music]

Some durations cannot be represented with just binary durations and dots; they can be represented only by tying two or more notes together. For details, see Ties.

For ways of specifying durations for the syllables of lyrics and ways of aligning lyrics to notes, see Vocal music.

Optionally, notes can be spaced strictly proportionately to their duration. For details of this and other settings which control proportional notation, see Proportional notation.

Dots are normally moved up to avoid staff lines, except in polyphonic situations. Predefined commands are available to force a particular direction manually, for details see Direction and placement.

Predefined commands

\autoBeamOff, \dotsUp, \dotsDown, \dotsNeutral.

See also

Music Glossary: breve, longa, note value, Duration names notes and rests.

Notation Reference: Automatic beams, Ties, Writing rhythms, Writing rests, Vocal music, Ancient notation, Proportional notation.

Snippets: Rhythms.

Internals Reference: Dots, DotColumn.

Known issues and warnings

There is no fundamental limit to rest durations (both in terms of longest and shortest), but the number of glyphs is limited: rests from 128th to maxima (8 x whole) may be printed.

This page is for LilyPond-2.11.58 (development-branch).

Report errors to http://post.gmane.org/post.php?group=gmane.comp.gnu.lilypond.bugs.

Your suggestions for the documentation are welcome.

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