User manual

Beaming
A beam is a line that connects notes with tails to show rhythmic grouping, which varies according
to the metrical structure of the current time signature.
This way of grouping notes helps performers calculate quickly exactly how to play their given
rhythm and helps them follow both their part and, if applicable, the conductor.
If appropriate for the current meter and position in the bar, beams are automatically formed in
Dorico Elements when you input two or more adjacent notes or chords that are an eighth note
(quaver) or shorter in duration.
Multiple beam groups in a 6/8 time signature
RELATED LINKS
Inputting notes on page 161
Beam groups
Notes are commonly beamed as regular groups to help reect the meter. You can control how
notes are beamed in multiple ways in Dorico Elements.
● You can set beam groups by controlling subdivisions of time signatures.
● You can change beam groups individually using properties in the Properties panel, and by
choosing
Edit > Beaming and selecting one of the available options.
RELATED LINKS
Beam grouping according to meters on page 575
Beaming notes together manually on page 577
Secondary beams on page 586
Tuplets within beams on page 588
Beam grouping according to meters
According to accepted conventions, notes are beamed differently in different time signatures
to make the meter clear and easily readable. In Dorico Elements, default beam groupings are
determined by time signatures.
Dorico Elements has default beaming settings for common time signatures, based on general
conventions. For example, although the time signatures of 3/4 and 6/8 contain the same number
of beats, they imply different meters and so are beamed differently. In 3/4, phrases of eighth
notes are beamed together within each bar and phrases of other durations are beamed in
quarter notes (crotchets) by default, but in 6/8, phrases are beamed in dotted quarter notes.
575
Dorico Elements 3.5.12