MusicXML 4.1 Draft
MusicXML 4.1 Draft > MusicXML Reference > Elements > The <bend> element

The <bend> element

Parent element: <technical>

The <bend> element is used in guitar notation and tablature. A single note with a bend and release will contain two <bend> elements: the first to represent the bend and the second to represent the release.

Content

In this order

Attributes

Name Type Required?(Default) Description
accelerate yes-no No Does the bend accelerate during playback? Default is “no”.
Does the bend accelerate during playback? Default is “no”.
beats trill-beats No The number of discrete elements (like MIDI pitch bends) used to represent a continuous bend or slide. Default is 4.
The number of discrete elements (like MIDI pitch bends) used to represent a continuous bend or slide. Default is 4.
color color No Indicates the color of an element.
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 left-hand side of the note or the musical position within the bar. 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.
Changes the computation of the default horizontal position. The origin is changed relative to the left-hand side of the note or the musical position within the bar. 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.
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.
first-beat percent No The percentage of the duration for starting a bend. Default is 25.
The percentage of the duration for starting a bend. Default is 25.
font-family font-family No A comma-separated list of font names.
A comma-separated list of font names.
font-size font-size No One of the CSS sizes or a numeric point size.
One of the CSS sizes or a numeric point size.
font-style font-style No Normal or italic style.
Normal or italic style.
font-weight font-weight No Normal or bold weight.
Normal or bold weight.
last-beat percent No The percentage of the duration for ending a bend. Default is 75.
The percentage of the duration for ending a bend. Default is 75.
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.
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.
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.
shape bend-shape No Distinguishes between the angled bend symbols commonly used in standard notation and the curved bend symbols commonly used in both tablature and standard notation.
Distinguishes between the angled bend symbols commonly used in standard notation and the curved bend symbols commonly used in both tablature and standard notation.

Examples

This element is used in the following examples:

<bend><pre-bend><release><with-bar>