IWBNI there were a checkbox option called Use Directed Broken Beams in Place of Flags on the Beaming Options dialog box.

When this option is selected, all flags would be replaced by broken beams. Flags on 1/8th notes would be replaced by one broken beam. Flags on 1/16th notes would be replaced by two broken beams.

Also, broken beams would be directed to the left or right to indicate beat groups. For example, a bar that would ordinarily be written as:

would be written as:

Or, in a bar with time signature 6/8:

• Rhythm: 1/4 note - 1/8th note - 1/4 note - 1/8th note: The broken beams on the 1/8th notes would be directed to the left.



• Rhythm: 1/8th note - 1/4 note - 1/8th note - 1/4 note: The broken beams on the 1/8th notes would be directed to the right.



• Pickup Rhythm: 1/16th note - 1/4 note: The 1/16th note would have 2 broken beams directed to the left and 1 broken beam directed to the right.

The existing broken beam special tool could be used to manually change the direction of such broken beams.

Created: January 1, 2000 (based on a submission from Peter Thomsen)
Last Updated: January 1, 2000
Version: Finale 2000b