Beaming Rules

Here are some rules the beaming of notes.

Fractional Beams

The fractional beam should point toward the note of which they are a fraction

Syncopation

Consider the following example. The direction of the beam can influence the interpretation of the grouping. The second rhythm suggests the grouping is as in the third rhythm.

Extending and Bridging Beams

It is helpful to extend beams so that they start at the beginning of the beat. This aids the musician so that they can see where each beat begins more clearly. This is only done on ryhtmically complex music

Beams should extend over rests in rhythmic notation.

Beams should bridge rests appearing within a beam unit

Another way of using exteneded beaming is to use stemlets as well. According to Stone, this gives an even clearer view of the notation being used

For rules about beam angles click here.