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1.2.2.1 Rests

Rests are entered like notes with the note name r:

     
     \new Staff {
       \time 16/1
       \override Staff.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f
       r\maxima
       r\longa r\breve r1 r2
       r4 r8 r16 r32 r64
     }

[image of music]

Whole measure rests, centered in middle of the measure, must be entered as multi-measure rests. They can be used for a single measure as well as many measures and are discussed in Full measure rests.

To explicitly specify a rest's vertical position, write a note followed by \rest. A rest will be placed in the position where the note would appear. This allows for precise manual formatting of polyphonic music, since the automatic rest collision formatter will leave these rests alone.

     
     a4\rest d4\rest

[image of music]

See also

Notation Reference: Full measure rests.

Snippets: Rhythms .

Internals Reference: Rest.

Known issues and warnings

There is no fundamental limit to rest durations (both in terms of longest and shortest), but the number of glyphs is limited: there are rests from 128th to maxima (8 x whole).


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