The <note> element

Parent elements: <measure> (partwise)<part> (timewise)

Notes are the most common type of MusicXML data. The MusicXML format distinguishes between elements used for sound information and elements used for notation information (e.g., tie is used for sound, tied for notation). Thus grace notes do not have a duration element. Cue notes have a duration element, as do forward elements, but no tie elements. Having these two types of information available can make interchange easier, as some programs handle one type of information more readily than the other.

The print-leger attribute is used to indicate whether leger lines are printed. Notes without leger lines are used to indicate indeterminate high and low notes. By default, it is set to yes. If print-object is set to no, print-leger is interpreted to also be set to no if not present. This attribute is ignored for rests.

The dynamics and end-dynamics attributes correspond to MIDI 1.0’s Note On and Note Off velocities, respectively. They are expressed in terms of percentages of the default forte value (90 for MIDI 1.0).

The attack and release attributes are used to alter the starting and stopping time of the note from when it would otherwise occur based on the flow of durations - information that is specific to a performance. They are expressed in terms of divisions, either positive or negative. A note that starts a tie should not have a release attribute, and a note that stops a tie should not have an attack attribute. The attack and release attributes are independent of each other. The attack attribute only changes the starting time of a note, and the release attribute only changes the stopping time of a note.

If a note is played only particular times through a repeat, the time-only attribute shows which times to play the note.

The pizzicato attribute is used when just this note is sounded pizzicato, vs. the pizzicato element which changes overall playback between pizzicato and arco.