In some music, ritards and accelerandi
are notated with converging secondary-beam angles in a technique called
feathered beaming. In the case of the ritard, the player increases the
rhythmic values gradually from the faster values, at the left end, to
the slower values, on the right end, as shown below.
To create feathered beaming
To create this form of notation, notate
all values as the smallest values (in this case, 64th notes). Then proceed
as follows.
- From the Window Menu, choose
Advanced Tools. Click the Special
Tools Tool , and click the measure
in question.
- Click the Secondary Beam Angle Tool . Handles appear at both ends of secondary beams.
- Drag the handles so that the secondary beams
converge with the primary beam. The left handle moves its entire
beam up and down, without changing its angle; the right handle changes
the angle. To remove any changes you make this way, click the appropriate
handle and press delete.