The <note> element

Parent elements: <measure> (partwise), <part> (timewise)

Notes are the most common type of MusicXML data. The MusicXML format distinguishes between elements used for sound information and elements used for notation information (e.g., <tie> is used for sound, <tied> for notation). Thus grace notes do not have a <duration> element. Cue notes have a <duration> element, as do <forward> elements, but no <tie> elements. Having these two types of information available can make interchange easier, as some programs handle one type of information more readily than the other.

Content

In this order

Exactly one of the following
- In this order
  - <grace> (Required)
  - Exactly one of the following
    - In this order
      - In this order
        
        <chord> (Optional)
        
        Exactly one of the following
        
        <pitch>
        
        <unpitched>
        
        <rest>
      - <tie> (0 to 2 times)
    - In this order
      - <cue> (Required)
      - In this order
        
        <chord> (Optional)
        
        Exactly one of the following
        
        <pitch>
        
        <unpitched>
        
        <rest>
- In this order
  - <cue> (Required)
  - In this order
    - <chord> (Optional)
    - Exactly one of the following
  - <duration> (Required)
- In this order
  - In this order
    - <chord> (Optional)
    - Exactly one of the following
  - <duration> (Required)
  - <tie> (0 to 2 times)
<instrument> (Zero or more times)
In this order
- <footnote> (Optional)
- <level> (Optional)
- <voice> (Optional)
<type> (Optional)
<dot> (Zero or more times)
<accidental> (Optional)
<time-modification> (Optional)
<stem> (Optional)
<notehead> (Optional)
<notehead-text> (Optional)
<staff> (Optional)
<beam> (0 to 8 times)
<notations> (Zero or more times)
<lyric> (Zero or more times)
<play> (Optional)
<listen> (Optional)

Attributes

Name	Type	Required?	Description
attack	divisions	No	Alters the starting time of the note from when it would otherwise occur based on the flow of durations - information that is specific to a performance. It is expressed in terms of divisions, either positive or negative. A <note> that stops a tie should not have an attack attribute. The attack and release attributes are independent of each other. The attack attribute only changes the starting time of a note.
color	color	No	Indicates the color of an element.
default-x	tenths	No	Changes the computation of the default horizontal position. The origin is changed relative to the start of the entire current measure, at either the left barline or the start of the system. Positive x is right and negative x is left. This attribute provides higher-resolution positioning data than the <offset> element. Applications reading a MusicXML file that can understand both features should generally rely on this attribute for its greater accuracy.
default-y	tenths	No	Changes the computation of the default vertical position. The origin is changed relative to the top line of the staff. Positive y is up and negative y is down. This attribute provides higher-resolution positioning data than the placement attribute. Applications reading a MusicXML file that can understand both attributes should generally rely on this attribute for its greater accuracy.
dynamics	non-negative-decimal	No	Corresponds to MIDI 1.0's Note On velocity, expressed in terms of percentage of the default forte value (90 for MIDI 1.0).
end-dynamics	non-negative-decimal	No	Corresponds to MIDI 1.0's Note Off velocity, expressed in terms of percentage of the default forte value (90 for MIDI 1.0).
font-family	font-family	No	A comma-separated list of font names.
font-size	font-size	No	One of the CSS sizes or a numeric point size.
font-style	font-style	No	Normal or italic style.
font-weight	font-weight	No	Normal or bold weight.
id	ID	No	Specifies an ID that is unique to the entire document.
pizzicato	yes-no	No	Used when just this note is sounded pizzicato, vs. the <pizzicato> element which changes overall playback between pizzicato and arco.
print-dot	yes-no	No	Controls the printing of an augmentation dot separately from the rest of the note or rest. This is especially useful for notes that overlap in different voices, or for chord sheets that contain lyrics and chords but no melody. If print-object is set to no, this attribute is also interpreted as being set to no if not present.
print-leger	yes-no	No	Indicates whether leger lines are printed. Notes without leger lines are used to indicate indeterminate high and low notes. It is yes if not present unless print-object is set to no. This attribute is ignored for rests.
print-lyric	yes-no	No	Controls the printing of a lyric separately from the rest of the note or rest. This is especially useful for notes that overlap in different voices, or for chord sheets that contain lyrics and chords but no melody. If print-object is set to no, this attribute is also interpreted as being set to no if not present.
print-object	yes-no	No	Specifies whether or not to print an object. It is yes if not specified.
print-spacing	yes-no	No	Controls whether or not spacing is left for an invisible note or object. It is used only if no note, dot, or lyric is being printed. The value is yes (leave spacing) if not specified.
relative-x	tenths	No	Changes the horizontal position relative to the default position, either as computed by the individual program, or as overridden by the default-x attribute. Positive x is right and negative x is left. It should be interpreted in the context of the <offset> element or directive attribute if those are present.
relative-y	tenths	No	Changes the vertical position relative to the default position, either as computed by the individual program, or as overridden by the default-y attribute. Positive y is up and negative y is down. It should be interpreted in the context of the placement attribute if that is present.
release	divisions	No	Alters the stopping time of the note from when it would otherwise occur based on the flow of durations - information that is specific to a performance. It is expressed in terms of divisions, either positive or negative. A <note> that starts a tie should not have a release attribute. The attack and release attributes are independent of each other. The release attribute only changes the stopping time of a note.
time-only	time-only	No	Shows which times to play the note during a repeated section.

Examples

This element is used in the following examples:

<accent>, <accidental-mark> (Notation), <accidental-mark> (Ornament), <accidental>, <alter> (Semitones), <arpeggiate>, <artificial>, <assess> and <player>, <attributes>, <backup>, <barline>, <beam>, <beat-repeat>, <bookmark>, <bracket>, <chord>, <chord> (Multiple Stop), <concert-score> and <for-part>, <cue>, <damp-all>, <damp>, <divisions> and <duration>, <dot>, <double>, <end-line>, <end-paragraph>, <ending>, <except-voice>, <extend> (Figured Bass), <extend> (Lyric), <forward>, <glissando> (Multiple), <glissando> (Single), <grace>, <grace> (Appoggiatura), <grouping>, <humming>, <instrument-change>, <ipa>, <laughing>, <level>, <line-detail>, <link>, <lyric>, <measure-distance>, <measure-repeat>, <n>, <non-arpeggiate>, <normal-dot>, <octave>, <pedal> (Lines), <pedal> (Symbols), <pitch>, <plop>, <pluck>, <pre-bend>, <principal-voice>, <release>, <rest>, <schleifer>, <score-timewise>, <slash>, <slide>, <slur>, <staff>, <step>, <stopped>, <strong-accent>, <syllabic>, <sync>, <tap>, <technical> (Tablature), <tied>, <time-modification>, <tremolo> (Double), <tremolo> (Single), <trill-mark>, <tuplet-dot>, <tuplet> (Nested), <tuplet> (Regular), <turn>, <unpitched>, <voice>, <wait>, <wavy-line>, <wedge>, <with-bar>, Tutorial: Après un rêve, Tutorial: Chopin Prelude, Tutorial: Chord Symbols, Tutorial: Hello, World, Tutorial: Percussion, Tutorial: Tablature