Manual beams - GNU LilyPond
Description: GNU LilyPond

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#### 6.4.6 Manual beams

In some cases it may be necessary to override the automatic beaming algorithm. For example, the autobeamer will not put beams over rests or bar lines. Such beams are specified manually by marking the begin and end point with `[` and `]`

>          {
>            r4 r8[ g' a r8] r8 g[ | a] r8
>          }

##### Commonly tweaked properties

Normally, beaming patterns within a beam are determined automatically. If necessary, the properties `stemLeftBeamCount` and `stemRightBeamCount` can be used to override the defaults. If either property is set, its value will be used only once, and then it is erased

>          {
>             f8[ r16
>                f g a]
>             f8[ r16
>             \set stemLeftBeamCount = #1
>                f g a]
>          }

The property `subdivideBeams` can be set in order to subdivide all 16th or shorter beams at beat positions, as defined by the `beatLength` property.

>          c16[ c c c c c c c]
>          \set subdivideBeams = ##t
>          c16[ c c c c c c c]
>          \set Score.beatLength = #(ly:make-moment 1 8)
>          c16[ c c c c c c c]

For more information about `make-moment`, see Time administration.

Line breaks are normally forbidden when beams cross bar lines. This behavior can be changed by setting `allowBeamBreak`.

##### Bugs

Kneed beams are inserted automatically when a large gap is detected between the note heads. This behavior can be tuned through the object.

Automatically kneed cross-staff beams cannot be used together with hidden staves. See Hiding staves.

Beams do not avoid collisions with symbols around the notes, such as texts and accidentals.

This page is for LilyPond-2.8.8 (stable-branch).

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