Rhythm and durations
Every note you enter takes the currently armed duration. You arm a duration first, then type the note — and the armed value sticks until you change it, so a run of eighth notes is just one duration keystroke followed by the pitches.
The duration palette
Section titled “The duration palette”The row of note icons in the toolbar is the duration palette. The highlighted icon is what’s armed.
Arm a duration with the home-row keys — your left hand barely moves:
| Key | Duration |
|---|---|
| Q | Whole |
| W | Half |
| E | Quarter |
| R | Eighth |
| T | Sixteenth |
| Y | Thirty-second |
If you prefer the Sibelius/MuseScore numbering, the numpad works too: 7 whole, 6 half, 5 quarter, 4 eighth, 3 sixteenth, 2 thirty-second.
You can also step relative to the current value:
- + — step to the next shorter value (quarter → eighth)
- − — step to the next longer value (eighth → quarter)
Arming a duration while the cursor sits on an existing beat re-rhythms that beat in place.
Dotted notes
Section titled “Dotted notes”Press . to toggle a dot on the armed duration (a dotted quarter lasts a quarter plus an eighth). The dot stays on until you toggle it off, so you can enter a whole dotted-rhythm passage at once.
Tuplets
Section titled “Tuplets”Tuplets (triplets and beyond) are available from the command palette (Ctrl+Shift+P → search “tuplet”). Cycling the tuplet setting steps through 3:2 (triplet), 5:4, and 7:4, then off. With a selection active, the tuplet applies to every beat in the range — all beats in a tuplet group share the same ratio.
Bars don’t have to be full
Section titled “Bars don’t have to be full”Tabula lets a bar hold more or fewer beats than its time signature strictly allows while you’re working — it shows an indicator rather than refusing the note. That keeps entry fast; tidy up the rhythm when you’re ready instead of fighting the bar line mid-idea.