Groups, Tuplets & Articulation

Gen uses brackets [] to apply modifiers to multiple sequential notes, and provides notation for tuplets, ties, and slurs.

Bracket Groups

Brackets apply a modifier to all notes inside:

[C D E F]//     # All sixteenth notes
[C D E F]/      # All eighth notes
[C D E F]p      # All half notes

This is equivalent to writing each note individually:

[C D E F]//     # Same as: C// D// E// F//

Octave on Groups

Put the octave modifier before the opening bracket:

^[C D E F]      # All notes up one octave
_[G A B C]      # All notes down one octave
^^[C D E]       # All notes up two octaves

Combining octave and rhythm:

^[C D E F]/     # Eighth notes, all up one octave
_[A B C D]//    # Sixteenth notes, all down one octave

Stacking Octave Modifiers

Individual note octaves combine with group octaves:

^[C D ^E F]     # C, D, F become ^; E becomes ^^
^[_A B C]       # _A becomes middle A; B, C become ^

The rule: individual octave + group octave = final octave.

Tuplets

Tuplets fit an unusual number of notes into a beat. Add a number after the bracket:

[C D E]3        # Triplet: 3 notes in the time of 2
[C D E F]4      # Quadruplet: 4 notes in the time of 3 (rare)
[C D E F G]5    # Quintuplet: 5 notes in the time of 4
[C D E F G A]6  # Sextuplet: 6 notes in the time of 4

Triplets

The most common tuplet. Three notes in the time of two:

[C D E]3        # Quarter note triplet (fills 2 beats)
[C D E]3/       # Eighth note triplet (fills 1 beat)
[C D E]3//      # Sixteenth note triplet (fills half a beat)
[C D E]3p       # Half note triplet (fills 4 beats)

Triplet Examples

---
title: Triplet Exercises
time-signature: 4/4
---

# Quarter note triplets (2 per measure)
[C D E]3 [F G A]3

# Eighth note triplets (4 per measure)
[C D E]3/ [E F G]3/ [G A B]3/ [B ^C ^D]3/

# Mixed rhythms
C [D E F]3/ G [A B ^C]3/

Tuplets with Octaves

^[C D E]3       # Triplet, all notes up one octave
^[C D E]3/      # Eighth note triplet, all up one octave
_[G A B]3       # Triplet, all notes down one octave

Ties

Ties connect two notes of the same pitch, combining their durations. Use - between notes:

C-Cp            # Quarter tied to half = 3 beats
Gp-G            # Half tied to quarter = 3 beats
E/-E/           # Two tied eighths = 1 beat (quarter equivalent)

Ties Across Measures

Ties work across barlines too:

C D E G-        # G tied to...
-Gp F E D       # ...the half note G here

When to Use Ties

Sustaining a note across a barline
Creating rhythms that can’t be written as a single note
Syncopation

# Syncopated rhythm
C/ D E/-        # E tied across barline
-E/ F G A       # Continues here

Slurs

Slurs indicate legato playing (smooth, connected notes). Add ~ after a bracket group:

[C D E F]~      # Slurred quarter notes
[C D E F]/~     # Slurred eighth notes
[C D E]3/~      # Slurred eighth note triplet

The slur connects from the first note to the last note in the group.

Slurs on Simultaneous Notes

Slurs also work with parentheses:

[(C E) (D F) (E G)]/~    # Slurred chord progression

Slur Examples

---
title: Slur Examples
time-signature: 4/4
---

# Legato melody
[C D E F]~ [G A B ^C]~

# Slurred triplets
[C E G]3/~ [E G ^C]3/~ [G ^C ^E]3/~ [^C ^E ^G]3/~

# Mixed articulation
[C D E]/~ F G [A B ^C]/~

Repeats

Mark sections to repeat:

||: C D E F     # Start repeat
G A B ^C :||    # End repeat

||: at the start of a measure begins a repeat
:|| at the end of a measure ends a repeat

First and Second Endings

||: C D E F
G A B ^C
1. ^D ^E ^F ^G :||    # First time through
2. ^C B A Gp          # Second time through

Rules:

1. must end with :||
2. must immediately follow 1.
2. cannot have a repeat sign

Repeat Example

---
title: With Repeats
time-signature: 4/4
---

||: G A B ^C
^D ^E ^F# ^G
1. ^G ^F# ^E ^D :||
2. ^Go

Measure Octave Modifiers

Shift all notes in a measure with @:^ or @:_:

C D E F @:^     # All notes shifted up one octave
G A B ^C @:__   # All notes shifted down two octaves

This stacks with individual and group octaves:

^C D E F @:^    # ^C becomes ^^C; D, E, F become ^

When to Use

Useful for passages that sit entirely in a different register:

# Low bass line
_C _E _G C @:_

# High melody
C E G ^C @:^^

Summary

Syntax	Meaning
`[C D E]/`	Bracket group: all eighth notes
`^[C D E]`	Bracket group: all up one octave
`[C D E]3`	Quarter note triplet
`[C D E]3/`	Eighth note triplet
`[C D E]/~`	Slurred eighth notes
`C-Cp`	Tie: C quarter to C half
`
`:
`1.` / `2.`	First/second endings
`@:^`	Measure octave shift