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Breath marks

The \breathe command calls for the performer to shorten the previous note to take a breath.

\fixed c'' { c2. \breathe d4 }

For a short break in sound that is not taken away from the previous note, see Caesuras.

Unlike other expressive marks, a breath mark is treated as a separate music event; therefore, any expressive marks pertaining to the preceding note, and any brackets indicating manual beams, slurs, or phrasing slurs, must be placed before \breathe. \breathe does not accept articulations itself, but see Caesuras.

A breath mark ends an automatic beam; to override this, see Manual beams.

\fixed c'' { c8 \breathe d e f g2 }

The breathMarkType context property controls which of several predefined breath marks the \breathe command creates. See List of breath marks.

\fixed c'' {
  \set breathMarkType = #'tickmark
  c2. \breathe d4
}

See also

Music Glossary: breath mark.

Notation Reference: Caesuras, Divisiones.

Snippets: Expressive marks.

Internals Reference: BreathingEvent, BreathingSign, Breathing_sign_engraver.