Help:List of musical symbols

A list of musical symbols with the codes and techniques necessary to create them on Wikisource.

Simple

Symbol	Name	LilyPond syntax	ABC syntax	Notes
	Whole note (semibreve), Half note (minim), Quarter note (crotchet), Eighth note (quaver), Sixteenth note (semiquaver)	b1 b2 b4 b8 b16	B8 B4 B2 B1 (or B) B1/2 (or B/)	ABC works with default note length, varying depending on meter. You can set the default note length: L:1/8 for a default note length of an eighth note (quaver) The examples below assumes a default note length of 1/4 unless otherwise specified.
	Dotted note	b4. b2. b4.. b2..	B3/2 B3 B7/4 B7/2	In LilyPond, dotted notes must always have a specified, numeric duration. In ABC there is a shortcut for a dotted note followed by a note half the value of the undotted one. For example a dotted quarter note followed by an eighth: B>B This works the with an eighth followed by a quarter as well: B<B
	Beam	b8[ d c b]	B/d/c/B/
	Chord	<a d> <a c e>	[Ad] [Ace]
	Phrase	b\( b b b\)	(B B B B)
	Rest	r2 r4 r8 r16	z z/2 z/4
	Slur	g( b d)	(G B d)
	Tie	b~ b	B-B

Accidentals

Symbol	Name	LilyPond syntax	ABC syntax	Notes
	Flat	bes (note + es)	_B
	Double flat	beses (note + eses)	__B
	Sharp	bis (note + is)	^B
	Double sharp	bisis (note + isis)	^^B

Clefs

Symbol	Name	LilyPond syntax	ABC syntax	Notes
	Treble clef	\clef treble \clef G	[K: clef=treble] [K: clef=G] [K: clef=G2]	For voice [V:1 clef=G] or key [K:C clef=G] The numbers for the clefs are the lines where the clef is centered, counted from the lowest. The square brackets are used for change inside the tune. At the start, use K:Dm clef=F for in d minor noted with bass clef.
	French clef	\clef french	[K: clef=G1]
	Bass clef	\clef bass \clef F	[K: clef=bass] [K: clef=F] [K: clef=F4]
	Varbaritone clef	\clef varbaritone	[K: clef=F3]
	Subbass clef	\clef subbass	[K: clef=F5]
	Alto clef	\clef alto \clef C	[K: clef=alto] [K: clef=C] [K: clef=C3]
	Tenor clef	\clef tenor	[K: clef=tenor] [K: clef=C4]
	Soprano clef	\clef soprano	[K: clef=alto1] [K: clef=C1]
	Mezzosoprano clef	\clef mezzosoprano	[K: clef=alto2] [K: clef=C2]
	Baritone clef	\clef baritone	[K: clef=alto5] [K: clef=C5]
	Percussion clef	\clef percussion

Rhythm and key

Symbol	Name	LilyPond syntax	ABC syntax	Notes
	Time signature	\time 2/4	M:2/4
	Key signature	\key b \minor	K:Bm K:D
	Metronome marks	\tempo 4 = 120	Q:1/4=120
	Textual tempo indication	\tempo "Allegro"	Q: "Allegro"
	Tempo & metronome marks	\tempo "Allegro" 4 = 120	Q: "Allegro" 1/4=120

Dynamics

Symbol	Name	LilyPond syntax	ABC syntax	Notes
	Crescendo	b\< b b\!	!<(!B B B!<)!
	Diminuendo or Decrescendo	b\> b b\!	!>(!B B B!>)!
	Pianississimo	b\ppp	!ppp!B
	Pianissimo	b\pp	!pp!B
	Piano	b\p	!p!B
	Mezzo piano	b\mp	!mp!B
	Mezzo forte	b\mf	!mf!B
	Forte	b\f	!f!B
	Fortissimo	b\ff	!ff!B
	Fortississimo	b\fff	!fff!B
	Sforzando	b\sfz	!sfz!B
	Forte-piano	b\fp

Articulations

Symbol	Name	LilyPond syntax	ABC syntax	Notes
	Staccato	b-. or b\staccato
	Staccatissimo or Spiccato	b-! or b\staccatissimo
	Accent	b-> or b\accent
	Tenuto	b-- or b\tenuto
	Marcato	b-^ or b\marcato
	Stopped note or Pizzicato	b-+ or b\stopped
	Portato	b-_ or b\portato
	Espressivo	b\espressivo
	Fermata	b\fermata
	Short fermata	b\shortfermata
	Long fermata	b\longfermata
	Very long fermata	b\verylongfermata
	Open note	b\open
	Flageolet or Natural harmonic	b\flageolet
	Half open note	b\halfopen
	Snap pizzicato	b\snappizzicato
	Up bow or Sull'arco	b\upbow
	Down bow or Giù arco	b\downbow
	Thumb	b\thumb
	Left-foot heel pedal mark	b\lheel
	Right-foot heel pedal mark	b\rheel
	Left-foot toe pedal mark	b\ltoe
	Right-foot toe pedal mark	b\rtoe

Ornaments

Symbol	Name	LilyPond syntax	ABC syntax	Notes
	Trill	b\trill
	Upper mordent or Pralltriller	b\prall
	Lower mordent	b\mordent
	Turn	b\turn
	Reverse turn	b\reverseturn
	Grace note	\grace b8 b4
	Appoggiatura	\appoggiatura b8 b4
	Acciaccatura	\acciaccatura b8 b4

NB: The following variations on the mordent also exist: prallmordent, upprall, downprall, upmordent, downmordent, lineprall, prallprall, pralldown and prallup.

Bar lines

Symbol	Name	LilyPond syntax	ABC syntax	Notes
	Standard bar Standard bar-line	\bar "|"	|	Standard divider between bars (or measures) of music of set length
		\bar "."
	Double bar Double bar-line	\bar "||"	||	Separates two sections of music
		\bar ".|"
	Bold double bar Bold double-line Heavy double	\bar ".."
		\bar "|.|"
	End	\bar "|."	|]	Indicates the end of a piece of music
	Dotted bar Dotted bar-line	\bar ";"	:
	Dashed bar Dashed bar-line	\bar "!"
	Begin repeat	\bar ".|:"	|:	Indicates the beginning of a section to be repeated
		\bar ":..:"
	Begin and end repeat	\bar ":|.|:"	::	Indicates the end of one repeated section and the beginning of another
		\bar ":|.:"
	Repeat bar-line Repeat sign	\bar ":|."	:|	Indicates the end of a section to be repeated
		\bar ":.|.:"
		\bar "[|:"
		\bar ":|]"
		\bar ":|][|:"
		\bar "'"	!shortphrase!
	In-line segno	\bar "S"		Alternative repeat sign

Other

Symbol	Name	LilyPond syntax	ABC syntax	Notes
	Text	b4 b^Foo b b	B "^ Foo" B B B

See also

• Wikipedia:List of musical symbols
• abc:standard:v2.1