---
title: 'QuickChords Markdown Language - Rhythms'
url: 'https://www.twelvetone.tv/docs/arts-and-education/quickchords/quickchords-markdown-language-rhythms'
markdown: 'https://www.twelvetone.tv/docs/arts-and-education/quickchords/quickchords-markdown-language-rhythms.md'
date: '2026-09-25'
description: 'This sections describes on QuickChords Rhythm Notation.'
taxonomy:
  category:
    - docs
  devtype:
    - released
---

[](#)  [ Home ](https://www.twelvetone.tv/docs/)     [ Arts And Education ](https://www.twelvetone.tv/docs/arts-and-education)     [ QuickChords ](https://www.twelvetone.tv/docs/arts-and-education/quickchords)      QuickChords Markdown Language - Rhythms    

This product has been released and is in active development.

This sections describes on QuickChords Rhythm Notation.

#### Table of Contents

- [Specification](#specification)
    - [Duration](#duration)
    - [Beaming](#beaming)
    - [Accents](#accents)
    - [Strumming](#strumming)
    - [Muted Notes](#muted-notes)
    - [Articulation](#articulation)
- [Examples](#examples)

# Specification

In QuickChords, you define a rhythm using an alias, and then reference it inside your measures.

```text
:r basic q q q q
:r upbeat eeee eeee

(verse)
;C r-basic x4

(chorus)
;G r-upbeat x4
```

The rhythm definition starts with `:r`, followed by the alias, and finally the rhythm details.

The rhythm alias must consist only of letters, numbers, the underscore, and the dash.

A measure can use the rhythm by including the prefix `r-` followed by the alias.

## Duration

Letters are used for notes and numbers for rests.

| symbol | value |
|---|---|
| w | whole note |
| 1 | whole rest |
| h | half note |
| 2 | half rest |
| q | quarter note |
| 4 | quarter rest |
| e | eighth note |
| 8 | eighth rest |
| s | sixteenth note |
| 6 | sixteenth rest |
| t | thirty-second note |
| 3 | thirty-second rest |
| . | dotted (after note) |
| - | tie |

## Beaming

Use spaces to indicate beam groups.

```text
ee ee ee ee (4 groups of 8th notes)
eeee eeee (2 groups of 8th notes)
```

todo: implement beam rendering 

## Accents

| symbol | value |
|---|---|
| ! | Accent the note that follows. |

```text
q q !q q (accent on beat three)
q. !e 4 4 (accent the 8th note before beat 3)
```

todo: implement accent rendering

## Strumming

Strumming notation appears *before* the duration symbol.

| symbol | info | value |
|---|---|---|
| , | (comma) | strum down |
| ' | (apostrophe) | strum up |

```text
:r simple ,q'q,q,q (down up down down)
:r upbeat ,e'e,e'e ,e'e,e'e
```

## Muted Notes

todo: implement specification 

## Articulation

todo: implement specification 

# Examples

```text
w
hh
qqqq
ee ee ee ee
qqh
hqq
qhq
qq-qq
h4q
q.e-qq
,q’q,q’q-q’q,q’q
ess ess sse q
qq!qq
q!qq!q
```

 [ ](https://www.twelvetone.tv/docs/arts-and-education/quickchords/quickchords-markdown-language) [](https://www.twelvetone.tv/docs/arts-and-education/quickchords/quick-chords-user-guide)

---

## Navigation

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