Beams

Controlling which notes are beamed

Setting the default beaming for a time signature

By default, MuseScore beams notes according to settings in the Time signature properties dialog. To change this automatic pattern of note-beaming, see Beam groups.

Changing the beaming for selected notes

You can override the default beaming of any individual note, using beam symbols in the Beam Properties palette, or in the Beam tab of the Properties toolbar. Hover over the icons for more info on what each one does.

To change one or more note beams use one of the following methods:

• Select one or more notes and/or rests in the score and click the desired symbol in the Beam Properties palette.
• Select one or more notes and/or rests in the score and click on a symbol under "Beam types" (Beam tab of the Properties panel).
• Drag and drop a beam symbol from the Beam Properties palette onto a note or rest in the score.

The following table describes the effect of each beam symbol:

Icon	Name	Description
	Auto Beam	Apply default beaming as determined by the current time signature (see above).
	No beam	Break beams before and after the selected note.
	Break beam left	If the note is beamed to a previous note, break the beam.
	Break inner beams (eighth)	Start a second level beam at this note.
	Break inner beams (sixteenth)	Start a third level beam at this note.
	Join beams	Join beams on both sides of the note.
	Add feathered beam: decelerate	Start feathered beam to indicate gradually slower tempo.
	Add feathered beam: accelerate	Start feathered beam to indicate gradually faster tempo.

Note: The beam between two notes/rests is determined by both of the note/rests. For example: Two consecutive notes with a status of start beam here will not have a beam between them. If the two consecutive notes are set up to connect to each other they will beam, if one of them is not set up for this, the two notes will not beam.

Controlling the appearance of beams

Changing the angle of a selected beam

1. Click on the beam you wish to adjust;
2. Click on the left/right adjustment handle and adjust the height using one of the following methods:
   • Drag the handle.
   • Move the handle using ↑/↓.
   • In the Beam section of the Properties panel, adjust the "Beam height" properties.
3. Use the center adjustment handle to set the overall height of the beam.

Creating a feathered beam

To create feathered beams use one of the following methods:

• Select one or more beams, notes or rests in the score and click the desired symbol in the Beam Properties palette.
• Select one or more beams, notes or rests in the score and click on a symbol under "Beam types" (Beam tab of the Properties panel).
• Drag and drop a beam symbol from the Beam Properties palette onto a beams in the score.

Please note that only beams with two or more components (i.e. 16th notes or shorter) can become feathered.
See the table above for a description of the beam symbol effects.

Beam properties

Properties specific to beams can be edited from the Beam tab of the Note section in the Properties panel:

Beam types: Alter the beaming pattern at selected notes.
Feather beams: Ditto.
Force horizontal: Make beams of selected notes horizontal.
Beam height: Adjust height and angle of beams.

Editing of these properties is covered in the sections above.

Beam style

A few global properties of beams can be set from Format→Style→Beams:

Beam distance: The vertical distance from one beam to the next.
Beam thickness
Broken beam minimum length
Flatten all beams: Check to make all note beams horizontal, regardless of context.