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Notes

The following examples show how to write general notes. Multiple bars are separated by a vertical bar |.

Single notes and rests​

Notes follow the format fret.string.duration. For rests the fret is simply replaced with r. The duration is specified as a number where 1 represents a full note, 2 a half note and so on.

0.6.2 1.5.4 3.4.4 | 5.3.8 5.3.8 5.3.8 5.3.8 r.2
0.6.2 1.5.4 3.4.4 |
5.3.8 5.3.8 5.3.8 5.3.8 r.2

Chords​

To specify multiple notes on a beat, group them in parentheses. The full format is (fret.string fret.string ...).duration.

(0.3 0.4).4 (3.3 3.4).4 (5.3 5.4).4 r.8 (0.3 0.4).8 | r.8 (3.3 3.4).8 r.8 (6.3 6.4).8 (5.3 5.4).4 r.4 | (0.3 0.4).4 (3.3 3.4).4 (5.3 5.4).4 r.8 (3.3 3.4).8 | r.8 (0.3 0.4).8
(0.3 0.4).4 (3.3 3.4).4 (5.3 5.4).4 r.8 (0.3 0.4).8 |
r.8 (3.3 3.4).8 r.8 (6.3 6.4).8 (5.3 5.4).4 r.4 |
(0.3 0.4).4 (3.3 3.4).4 (5.3 5.4).4 r.8 (3.3 3.4).8 |
r.8 (0.3 0.4).8

Duration Ranges​

To make it simpler to write notes, you can apply the same duration to multiple notes. Start a new duration range with :duration. The following notes will all have this duration. AlphaTex also remembers the last explicitly set duration and will take use it in case of a missing duration.

// explicit ranges via :duration :4 2.3 3.3 :8 3.3 4.3 3.3 4.3 | // implicit ranges via beat duration 2.3.4 3.3 3.3.8 4.3 3.3 4.3
// explicit ranges via :duration
:4 2.3 3.3 :8 3.3 4.3 3.3 4.3 |
// implicit ranges via beat duration
2.3.4 3.3 3.3.8 4.3 3.3 4.3

Repeat beats​

You can specify a multiplier after a beat to add the same beat multiple times to the score.

3.3*4 | 4.3*4
3.3*4 | 4.3*4

Multiple voices​

alphaTab supports showing multiple independent voices within one bar, to write such notation in alphaTex the \voice syntax can be used to start a new voice. Once a new voice starts, you again can define the notes starting from the first bar. alphaTab will try to consolidate inconsistencies in the number of bars across voices.

\track "Piano" \staff{score} \tuning piano \instrument acousticgrandpiano \voice c4 d4 e4 f4 | c4 d4 e4 f4 \voice c3 d3 e3 f3 | c3 d3 e3 f3 \track "Piano2" \staff{score} \tuning piano \instrument acousticgrandpiano \voice c4 d4 e4 f4 | c4 d4 e4 f4 \voice c3 d3 e3 f3
\track "Piano"
\staff{score} \tuning piano \instrument acousticgrandpiano
\voice
c4 d4 e4 f4 | c4 d4 e4 f4
\voice
c3 d3 e3 f3 | c3 d3 e3 f3

\track "Piano2"
\staff{score} \tuning piano \instrument acousticgrandpiano
\voice
c4 d4 e4 f4 | c4 d4 e4 f4
\voice
c3 d3 e3 f3

Accidentals​

alphaTab places accidentals automatically but in some cases it is desired to force a particular accidental to be used for a note. When using pitched note, you already specify the note heights using accidentals and unless the accidental mode is changed from \accidentals explicit (default) to \accidentals auto the accidentals will be used as specified.

Specify \accidentals explicit to change alphaTex to respect the exactly specified accidentals. The accidentals in notes can be

  • # - Sharp
  • b - Flat
  • bb - Double Flat
  • x or '##' - Double Sharp

Alternatively the accidental can also be specified in the note effect list via acc accidental where accidental can be

  • default, d - Default (Automatic) Accidental
  • forceNone, - - Force to have no accidental
  • forceNatural, b - Force to have a naturalize accidental
  • forceSharp, # - Force to have a sharp accidental
  • forceDoubleSharp, ##, x - Force to have a double-sharp accidental
  • forceFlat, b - Force to have a flat accidental
  • forceDoubleFlat, bb, Force to have a double-flat accidental

Keep in mind that a change in accidental might result in a change of the note height and some combinations are not directly possible. alphaTab will do its best to keep the notes correct.

\track \accidentals explicit C#4 Db4 C##4 Dbb4 | \accidentals auto C#4 Db4 C##4 Dbb4 | C#4 { acc forceFlat } C4 { acc forceSharp } C4 { acc forceDoubleSharp } C4 { acc forceDoubleFlat } \track :4 2.2 { acc forceFlat } 5.3 { acc forceSharp } 5.3 { acc forceDoubleSharp } 5.3 { acc forceDoubleFlat }
\track
\accidentals explicit
C#4 Db4 C##4 Dbb4 |
\accidentals auto
C#4 Db4 C##4 Dbb4 |
C#4 { acc forceFlat } C4 { acc forceSharp } C4 { acc forceDoubleSharp } C4 { acc forceDoubleFlat }
\track
:4 2.2 { acc forceFlat } 5.3 { acc forceSharp } 5.3 { acc forceDoubleSharp } 5.3 { acc forceDoubleFlat }