January 7, 2026
Note Grouping and Beaming Rules
Organize notes and rests by beats to clarify rhythm and simplify reading. Apply key rules for meters, syncopation, rests, and beat alignment. Help music learners and score makers create clear, professional, and easy-to-read notation.
Special thanks to 休ukulele for the original Chinese contribution. This translated edition includes minor adjustments to suit this site.
We call the note-value grouping method a way of arranging notes and rests according to a specific logic to reduce reading difficulty. The core principle of this method is to group notes of varying durations by “strong beats” while ensuring readability, which is central to music notation.
General
In simple meters like 2/4 and 3/4, all eighth notes can be beamed together:
In simple compound meters, beams should not cross the barline. This is because strong beats occur at the beginning and middle of the measure, and notation should clearly indicate these accented beats:
This principle also applies to rests:
When longer notes appear in the rhythm, a single note may span a full beat or half a measure. In this case, the beat structure of the measure must be clearly indicated:
For 3/4 measures, when long notes are added and there are two or more notes, at least two distinct beats should be shown:
In measures with dotted notes, when presenting the second or third beat, marking the second beat helps clarify the measure structure faster and should be preferred:
Syncopation
Syncopation shifts the accent between strong and weak beats within a measure, breaking traditional rhythmic patterns. It moves accents away from their expected positions, creating unexpected rhythmic effects and adding tension and energy to the music. The most common form is an accented long note, where the accent is shifted from the original beat.
Within a measure, syncopated notes are usually written as a single note rather than tied across beats. This means the next beat does not need to be explicitly marked:
When emphasizing rhythms contrary to the meter (e.g., four notes in triple meter or three notes in duple meter), avoid visual conflicts by splitting notes by beat units and integrating them into the time signature:
Sixteenth Notes
For sixteenth notes, there are generally two approaches: fully beam all notes, or keep the outer beams while breaking inner beams to clearly indicate the second and third beats.
When sixteenth notes and sixteenth-note triplets appear together, inner beams should be split by beat to show each beat clearly.
In 4/4, it is recommended to mark groups containing rests on a per-beat basis:
In simple compound meters, group sixteenth notes by quarter-note beats and beam the groups. Each beat should be clearly indicated, though dotted notes may not require second or third beat markers:
When triplets appear with sixteenth notes, separate them:
Regular Time Signatures
Basic note structure for regular time signatures is as follows:
Rests
Rests occupy the same positions as notes of equal duration:
Rests usually begin at the start of their duration, not in the middle of the beat:
Whole-measure rests should be visually centered in the measure:
In passages with complex time signature changes, using actual rest durations helps performers quickly identify note positions:
Equivalent Time Signatures
A melody can often be written in multiple time signatures. It is recommended to choose the version with fewer beams or ties to simplify complex rhythms:
To achieve maximum clarity when pitch changes occur, break beams by beat or adjust beam slope to match note pitch, making pitch patterns easier to read:
Since ukulele TAB cannot visually show pitch directly, following the note-value grouping method, beaming multiple notes together is more helpful than single-beat notes for readability:
