LilyPond Learning Manual: 2.1.6 Automatic and manual beams

### 2.1.6 Automatic and manual beams

Music Glossary: beam.

All beams are drawn automatically:

>     \relative { a'8 ais d ees r d c16 b a8 }

If you do not like the automatic beams, they may be overridden manually. To correct just an occasional beam mark the first note to be beamed with `[` and the last one with `]`. Note that `[` comes after the first beamed note.

>     \relative { a'8[ ais] d[ ees r d] c16 b a8 }

If you want to turn off automatic beaming entirely or for an extended section of music, use the command `\autoBeamOff` to turn off automatic beaming and `\autoBeamOn` to turn it on again.

>     \relative {
>       \autoBeamOff
>       a'8 c b4 d8. c16 b4 |
>       \autoBeamOn
>       a8 c b4 d8. c16 b4 |
>     }

#### See also

Notation Reference: Automatic beams, Manual beams.

#### LilyPond — Learning Manual v2.22.2 (stable-branch).