The beam object | MNX specification

# The beam object

Type: Dictionary

Describes a single beam.

For music that uses secondary beams (i.e., sixteenth notes or smaller), encoding the secondary beams is optional. If they're encoded explicitly, they go within a nested `"beams"` object within the beam. This nesting can be recursive, for multi-layered beams.

Beam hooks are encoded as a secondary beam containing only a single event. A beam hook can optionally encode the direction of its hook, with `"direction"`.

## Attributes

Name | Type | Required? | Description
--- | --- | --- | ---
beams | An array of beam objects | No | Secondary beams within this beam.
direction | beam hook direction | No | If this beam represents a beam hook, this encodes the direction of the hook. Default value is "auto".
events | An array of ID objects | Yes | IDs of the events that comprise this beam — in order by their position in the beam.

Plus globally available attributes: _c, _x, id

## Parent objects

This object is used by the following parent objects:

- part measure: "beams"

## Examples

This object is used in the following examples:

Beams, Beams (across barlines), Beams (hooks), Beams (secondary beam breaks implied), Beams (secondary beam breaks), Beams (with inner grace notes), Grace notes (beamed), Grand staff piano music, Parts, Tuplets