Timing & sub-beats

A dot . snaps to the next half-beat boundary. If a note is pending it is emitted there; otherwise the onset simply advances. Two notes split by a dot each take half a beat.

S: d.r : m.f

An angle bracket > snaps to the next quarter-beat boundary, using the same logic as the dot. Combine dots and angle brackets to place notes anywhere on the quarter-beat grid.

S: d>r.m>f

Markers also work with rests and holds. A leading marker advances the onset (a silent fraction) before the note sounds, and a hold before a marker sustains for that fraction.

• d.r — d for half a beat, r for half a beat.
• d>r.m — two quarter-beats then a half-beat, all within one beat.
• d.r>m — a half-beat then two quarter-beats.
• .>l — silent for the first three quarters, then l on the last quarter.
• -.>l — hold the previous note for half a beat, silent quarter, then l.

S: d>r.m : d.r>m : -.>l : r

Notes inside parentheses divide their span equally. By default a group spans one beat, so (d r m) is a triplet. Append a number to span more beats: (d r m)2 fits three notes into two beats.

S: (d r m) : (f s l)
A: (d r m)2 : -

A token like Time3/4 sets the measure length from that beat onward and prints the signature (in bold) above the following beat. Multiple changes can appear in one piece; write the original token again (e.g. Time4/4) to switch back.

S: d r m f Time3/4 d r m Time4/4 d r m f