Music Notes

# OBOL Documentation

How to structure songs in One-Bar-One-Line (OBOL) format for Music Notes.

Core Concepts

OBOL is section-based and bar-oriented.
Bars contain beat slots and chord tokens.
Meter controls beat-slot count (for example 4/4, 3/4, 6/8).
Use R: for rhythm/chords, lyric tracks like 1:/V1:/C:, L: for lead-note tokens, B: for bass-note tokens, D: for drum tokens, and M: for message labels.
Beats are separated by spaces across all tracks.
Rare half bars use a standalone {half} marker immediately before the bar:

- The marker applies only to the next R: bar.

- A half bar still occupies one rendered bar slot.

- If the half bar starts a section, the renderer shows the second half of the card.

- Otherwise, the renderer shows the first half and leaves the other half transparent.

Fermata uses ASCII suffix ~ per beat token:

- R: C~ - G - adds fermata on rhythm beat 1 only

- L: ^3~ 4 5 6 adds fermata on lead beat 1 only

- Rhythm and Lead fermata marks are independent per track

Rhythm rest tokens (rendered as Unicode rest signs in song views):

- rw = whole rest (𝄻)

- rh = half rest (𝄼)

- rq = quarter rest (𝄽)

- re = eighth rest (𝄾)

- Rests can also carry fermata suffix, for example rq~

Rhythm keep-open timing marker:

- trailing 0 keeps timing open without rendering extra chord text (for example C0, DX0)

- DX0 renders as muted D (D with muted X) on the first half-beat, with the second half kept open

Lead and Bass dot notation uses ASCII prefixes:

- ^1 = over-dot note 1

- _1 = under-dot note 1

- 1 = plain note

Lead and Bass tracks use Numbered Musical Notation (Jianpu-style numbers).
Bass rows render as numbers by default. Song detail pages can switch Bass display to note names from Options, and the preference is reused on later renders.
In Bass note-name mode, the renderer maps bass digits as key-relative major-scale degrees; for example, in key D, 1=D, 2=E, 3=G♭, 4=G, 5=A, 6=B, 7=D♭.
Lead/Bass timing in one beat-slot:

- one sub-part = quarter (no underline)

- two sub-parts = eighth (single underline in render)

- four sub-parts = sixteenth (double underline in render)

- three sub-parts = single underline (triplet-style grouping in one beat-slot)

- uncertain/unsupported subdivisions render without underline

- | splits one beat-slot into two half-beat groups with independent underline weights (for example 1|23; here 1 is eighth-style and 23 is sixteenth-style)

- for 6/8, treat each Lead beat-slot as dotted-quarter for timing interpretation

Lead/Bass rests and extensions:

- 0 = rest

- - = extend the previous sounding note by one beat-slot unit; rendered as · in Lead/Bass notation views

- 10 in one beat-slot means 1 eighth + 0 eighth

Lead/Bass bend notation uses ASCII operators inside an L: or B: token:

- 3>4 = bend from 3 to 4 on that beat

- 4<3 = release bend from 4 to 3

- For multi-beat bend holds, write the bend on the first beat and repeat the target note on following beats (for example 3>4 4 4)

- Optional slur markers ( ) can visually group sustained bend phrases across beats

Drum tracks use D::

- One token maps to one beat, like other tracks.

- - means no drum hit.

- Basic symbols: K kick, S snare, H closed hi-hat, O open hi-hat, C crash, T tom.

- Combine symbols in one beat for simultaneous hits, for example D: KH H SH H.

- Repeat D: lines when a bar needs multiple drum rows.

Message labels use M::

- One token maps to one beat, like other tracks.

- Use quoted text for multi-word labels, for example M: "let it ring" PM "Use thumb" -.

- Use - for an empty message beat.

- Repeat M: lines when a bar needs multiple simultaneous message rows.

Ending markers are section headers:

- {Fade out} marks an ending that gradually fades.

- {Fine} marks the definite end of the song.

- They may be empty markers or contain bars like other sections.

Example


{Key: F}
{BPM: 125}
{Time: 4/4}

{Verse}
R: Dm - C -
1: ma ma ma ma
L: ^1 _2 3 4
B: 5 6 7 1
D: KH H SH H
M: "let it ring" PM "Use thumb" -
R: F
1: la la la la
L: 5 6 ^7 _1
B: 1 - 5 -
D: K - S -
M: - - accent -
R: C
1: bend and hold now
L: (3>4 4 4) 4<3
B: (5 5 5) 1
R: C~ - G -
1: hold this then move
L: ^3~ 4 5 6
{half}
R: G D
1: half bar
R: rw rh rq re~
1: rest whole half quarter
L: 10 20 30 40
L: 1234 5670 1111 0000
L: 1 23 4567 1|23
L: 1 - - -
B: ^5 _6 7 1

Tips

Use consistent section names like Verse, Chorus, Bridge.
Keep bar separators (|) balanced and explicit.
Define meter early unless section-level overrides are required.
Use repeated L:, B:, D:, or M: lines when a bar needs multiple simultaneous rows; rows render in source order.

# OBOL Documentation

How to structure songs in One-Bar-One-Line (OBOL) format for Music Notes.

Core Concepts

OBOL is section-based and bar-oriented.
Bars contain beat slots and chord tokens.
Meter controls beat-slot count (for example 4/4, 3/4, 6/8).
Use R: for rhythm/chords, lyric tracks like 1:/V1:/C:, L: for lead-note tokens, B: for bass-note tokens, D: for drum tokens, and M: for message labels.
Beats are separated by spaces across all tracks.
Rare half bars use a standalone {half} marker immediately before the bar:

- The marker applies only to the next R: bar.

- A half bar still occupies one rendered bar slot.

- If the half bar starts a section, the renderer shows the second half of the card.

- Otherwise, the renderer shows the first half and leaves the other half transparent.

Fermata uses ASCII suffix ~ per beat token:

- R: C~ - G - adds fermata on rhythm beat 1 only

- L: ^3~ 4 5 6 adds fermata on lead beat 1 only

- Rhythm and Lead fermata marks are independent per track

Rhythm rest tokens (rendered as Unicode rest signs in song views):

- rw = whole rest (𝄻)

- rh = half rest (𝄼)

- rq = quarter rest (𝄽)

- re = eighth rest (𝄾)

- Rests can also carry fermata suffix, for example rq~

Rhythm keep-open timing marker:

- trailing 0 keeps timing open without rendering extra chord text (for example C0, DX0)

- DX0 renders as muted D (D with muted X) on the first half-beat, with the second half kept open

Lead and Bass dot notation uses ASCII prefixes:

- ^1 = over-dot note 1

- _1 = under-dot note 1

- 1 = plain note

Lead and Bass tracks use Numbered Musical Notation (Jianpu-style numbers).
Bass rows render as numbers by default. Song detail pages can switch Bass display to note names from Options, and the preference is reused on later renders.
In Bass note-name mode, the renderer maps bass digits as key-relative major-scale degrees; for example, in key D, 1=D, 2=E, 3=G♭, 4=G, 5=A, 6=B, 7=D♭.
Lead/Bass timing in one beat-slot:

- one sub-part = quarter (no underline)

- two sub-parts = eighth (single underline in render)

- four sub-parts = sixteenth (double underline in render)

- three sub-parts = single underline (triplet-style grouping in one beat-slot)

- uncertain/unsupported subdivisions render without underline

- | splits one beat-slot into two half-beat groups with independent underline weights (for example 1|23; here 1 is eighth-style and 23 is sixteenth-style)

- for 6/8, treat each Lead beat-slot as dotted-quarter for timing interpretation

Lead/Bass rests and extensions:

- 0 = rest

- - = extend the previous sounding note by one beat-slot unit; rendered as · in Lead/Bass notation views

- 10 in one beat-slot means 1 eighth + 0 eighth

Lead/Bass bend notation uses ASCII operators inside an L: or B: token:

- 3>4 = bend from 3 to 4 on that beat

- 4<3 = release bend from 4 to 3

- For multi-beat bend holds, write the bend on the first beat and repeat the target note on following beats (for example 3>4 4 4)

- Optional slur markers ( ) can visually group sustained bend phrases across beats

Drum tracks use D::

- One token maps to one beat, like other tracks.

- - means no drum hit.

- Basic symbols: K kick, S snare, H closed hi-hat, O open hi-hat, C crash, T tom.

- Combine symbols in one beat for simultaneous hits, for example D: KH H SH H.

- Repeat D: lines when a bar needs multiple drum rows.

Message labels use M::

- One token maps to one beat, like other tracks.

- Use quoted text for multi-word labels, for example M: "let it ring" PM "Use thumb" -.

- Use - for an empty message beat.

- Repeat M: lines when a bar needs multiple simultaneous message rows.

Ending markers are section headers:

- {Fade out} marks an ending that gradually fades.

- {Fine} marks the definite end of the song.

- They may be empty markers or contain bars like other sections.

Example


{Key: F}
{BPM: 125}
{Time: 4/4}

{Verse}
R: Dm - C -
1: ma ma ma ma
L: ^1 _2 3 4
B: 5 6 7 1
D: KH H SH H
M: "let it ring" PM "Use thumb" -
R: F
1: la la la la
L: 5 6 ^7 _1
B: 1 - 5 -
D: K - S -
M: - - accent -
R: C
1: bend and hold now
L: (3>4 4 4) 4<3
B: (5 5 5) 1
R: C~ - G -
1: hold this then move
L: ^3~ 4 5 6
{half}
R: G D
1: half bar
R: rw rh rq re~
1: rest whole half quarter
L: 10 20 30 40
L: 1234 5670 1111 0000
L: 1 23 4567 1|23
L: 1 - - -
B: ^5 _6 7 1

Tips

Use consistent section names like Verse, Chorus, Bridge.
Keep bar separators (|) balanced and explicit.
Define meter early unless section-level overrides are required.
Use repeated L:, B:, D:, or M: lines when a bar needs multiple simultaneous rows; rows render in source order.

# OBOL Documentation

How to structure songs in One-Bar-One-Line (OBOL) format for Music Notes.

Core Concepts

OBOL is section-based and bar-oriented.
Bars contain beat slots and chord tokens.
Meter controls beat-slot count (for example 4/4, 3/4, 6/8).
Use R: for rhythm/chords, lyric tracks like 1:/V1:/C:, L: for lead-note tokens, B: for bass-note tokens, D: for drum tokens, and M: for message labels.
Beats are separated by spaces across all tracks.
Rare half bars use a standalone {half} marker immediately before the bar:

- The marker applies only to the next R: bar.

- A half bar still occupies one rendered bar slot.

- If the half bar starts a section, the renderer shows the second half of the card.

- Otherwise, the renderer shows the first half and leaves the other half transparent.

Fermata uses ASCII suffix ~ per beat token:

- R: C~ - G - adds fermata on rhythm beat 1 only

- L: ^3~ 4 5 6 adds fermata on lead beat 1 only

- Rhythm and Lead fermata marks are independent per track

Rhythm rest tokens (rendered as Unicode rest signs in song views):

- rw = whole rest (𝄻)

- rh = half rest (𝄼)

- rq = quarter rest (𝄽)

- re = eighth rest (𝄾)

- Rests can also carry fermata suffix, for example rq~

Rhythm keep-open timing marker:

- trailing 0 keeps timing open without rendering extra chord text (for example C0, DX0)

- DX0 renders as muted D (D with muted X) on the first half-beat, with the second half kept open

Lead and Bass dot notation uses ASCII prefixes:

- ^1 = over-dot note 1

- _1 = under-dot note 1

- 1 = plain note

Lead and Bass tracks use Numbered Musical Notation (Jianpu-style numbers).
Bass rows render as numbers by default. Song detail pages can switch Bass display to note names from Options, and the preference is reused on later renders.
In Bass note-name mode, the renderer maps bass digits as key-relative major-scale degrees; for example, in key D, 1=D, 2=E, 3=G♭, 4=G, 5=A, 6=B, 7=D♭.
Lead/Bass timing in one beat-slot:

- one sub-part = quarter (no underline)

- two sub-parts = eighth (single underline in render)

- four sub-parts = sixteenth (double underline in render)

- three sub-parts = single underline (triplet-style grouping in one beat-slot)

- uncertain/unsupported subdivisions render without underline

- | splits one beat-slot into two half-beat groups with independent underline weights (for example 1|23; here 1 is eighth-style and 23 is sixteenth-style)

- for 6/8, treat each Lead beat-slot as dotted-quarter for timing interpretation

Lead/Bass rests and extensions:

- 0 = rest

- - = extend the previous sounding note by one beat-slot unit; rendered as · in Lead/Bass notation views

- 10 in one beat-slot means 1 eighth + 0 eighth

Lead/Bass bend notation uses ASCII operators inside an L: or B: token:

- 3>4 = bend from 3 to 4 on that beat

- 4<3 = release bend from 4 to 3

- For multi-beat bend holds, write the bend on the first beat and repeat the target note on following beats (for example 3>4 4 4)

- Optional slur markers ( ) can visually group sustained bend phrases across beats

Drum tracks use D::

- One token maps to one beat, like other tracks.

- - means no drum hit.

- Basic symbols: K kick, S snare, H closed hi-hat, O open hi-hat, C crash, T tom.

- Combine symbols in one beat for simultaneous hits, for example D: KH H SH H.

- Repeat D: lines when a bar needs multiple drum rows.

Message labels use M::

- One token maps to one beat, like other tracks.

- Use quoted text for multi-word labels, for example M: "let it ring" PM "Use thumb" -.

- Use - for an empty message beat.

- Repeat M: lines when a bar needs multiple simultaneous message rows.

Ending markers are section headers:

- {Fade out} marks an ending that gradually fades.

- {Fine} marks the definite end of the song.

- They may be empty markers or contain bars like other sections.

Example


{Key: F}
{BPM: 125}
{Time: 4/4}

{Verse}
R: Dm - C -
1: ma ma ma ma
L: ^1 _2 3 4
B: 5 6 7 1
D: KH H SH H
M: "let it ring" PM "Use thumb" -
R: F
1: la la la la
L: 5 6 ^7 _1
B: 1 - 5 -
D: K - S -
M: - - accent -
R: C
1: bend and hold now
L: (3>4 4 4) 4<3
B: (5 5 5) 1
R: C~ - G -
1: hold this then move
L: ^3~ 4 5 6
{half}
R: G D
1: half bar
R: rw rh rq re~
1: rest whole half quarter
L: 10 20 30 40
L: 1234 5670 1111 0000
L: 1 23 4567 1|23
L: 1 - - -
B: ^5 _6 7 1

Tips

Use consistent section names like Verse, Chorus, Bridge.
Keep bar separators (|) balanced and explicit.
Define meter early unless section-level overrides are required.
Use repeated L:, B:, D:, or M: lines when a bar needs multiple simultaneous rows; rows render in source order.