Notes and Stems

Notes
Stems

Thickness
Direction
Length

NOTES

Different Notehead Shapes
Shape																																								Uses																																								Examples
Regular																																								Exact Pitches
Diamond																																								Special playing modes or tones such as: half-valve, tablature for string harmonics, flasetto voice, silent depression of keys, held keys.
X																																								Indeterminate pitches, spoken voice and unvoiced sounds, release of certain held notes, noises, ...
Round, pierced by stems																																								Sounds of air blown through an instrument																																								No image available
Arrow																																								Highes or lowest pitches possible on an instrument
Triangle																																								For triangles

STEMS

THICKNESS

• The stem should be somewhat thinner than the staff line.

  
  
  

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DIRECTION*

Single Notes:

The point of reversion is between the second space and the middle staff line:

• All notes beneath the middle line: upward stems.

• All notes on or above the middle line: downward stems.

Two Notes on a Stem:

• If the interval above the middle line is greater than the interval below the middle line: downward stems.

  

• If the interval below the middle line is greater than the interval above the middle line: upward stems.

  

• If the two notes are the same distance from the middle line: stem can go in either direction. but most engravers prefer downward stems.

  

More Than Two Notes on a Stem:

• If the interval of the highest note above the middle line is greater than the interval of the lowest note below the middle line: downward stems.

  

• If the interval of the lowest note below the middle line is greater than the interval of the highest note above the middle line: upward stems.

  

If the highest and the lowest notes are the same distance from the middle line:, use these rules to determine stem direction
• If the majority of the notes are above the middle: downward stems.

  

• If the majority of the notes are below the middle: upward stems.

  

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LENGTH

Normal length is one octave (3.5 spaces), but only 15 staff degrees have stems of this length.

Stems that normally have 3.5 space stems

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Stems shouold not be shorter than 2.5 spaces except in rare cases.

Stems that normally have 2.5 space stems

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Extended Stems:

• If a note is on or above the second leger line above the staff: end of stem touches the middle staff line.

  

• If a note is on or below the second leger line below the staff: end of stem touches the middle staff line.

  

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