User manual

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If the note furthest from the middle line is above the middle line, the stem of the chord
points downwards.
If the note furthest from the middle line is below the middle line, the stem of the chord
points upwards.
If the chord is equally balanced on either side of the middle line of the staff, the stem
direction is determined by the stem directions of any adjacent notes, beam groups, or
chords. If they both have the same stem direction, the chord matches them. If the adjacent
notes, beam groups, or chords have different stem directions, equally balanced chords
follow the default stem direction.
The default stem direction depends on the instrument type. By default, the stems of notes
on the middle lines of staves point downwards on instrumental staves and upwards on
vocal staves, to avoid lyrics.
TIP
You can change the default stem direction for notes and beam groups on the middle lines
of staves, and equally balanced chords, in the Stems section of the Notes page in
Engraving Options. You can also choose whether they follow your default stem direction
or change according to the musical context.
Beam groups in single voices
The stem direction within beam groups is determined by the balance of notes within the beam
group that are above/below the middle line of the staff.
If the majority of notes in the beam group are above the middle line, stems in the beam
group point downwards.
If the majority of notes in the beam group are below the middle line, stems in the beam
group point upwards.
If the beam group contains an equal number of notes either side of the middle line of the
staff, the stem direction is determined by the stem directions of any adjacent notes, beam
groups, or chords. If they both have the same stem direction, the beam group matches
them. If the adjacent notes, beam groups, or chords have different stem directions,
equally balanced beam groups follow the default stem direction.
The default stem direction depends on the instrument type. By default, the stems of notes
on the middle lines of staves point downwards on instrumental staves and upwards on
vocal staves, to avoid lyrics.
TIP
You can change the default stem direction for notes and beam groups on the middle lines
of staves, and equally balanced chords, in the Stems section of the Notes page in
Engraving Options. You can also choose whether they follow your default stem direction
or change according to the musical context.
RELATED LINKS
Project-wide engraving options for stems on page 693
Per-ow notation options for voices on page 785
Voice column index on page 787
Implicit rests in multiple-voice contexts on page 632
Note positions in multiple-voice contexts on page 784
Changing the stem direction of notes on page 691
Changing the default stem direction behavior of notes on the middle line of staves on page 691
Changing the default stem direction of voices on page 692
Removing stem direction changes on page 692
Notation Options dialog on page 129
Stems
Stem direction
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