Protip: Stemming

By A-R's house editors

Stemming appears, at first glance, a straightforward issue. Indeed, A-R house style employs very simple rules for stemming single notes and chords. However, stemming rules regarding multiple melodic lines and parts on a single staff are slightly more complex. Following a brief introduction to the basic rules of stemming, this article will address these more complicated scenarios.

Stemming single notes

All notes below the middle staff line have an up stem, and all notes on or above the middle staff line have a down stem. This rule applies to music of all genres and time periods employing common practice notation (see example 1).

Example 1. Ludwig van Beethoven, Symphony No. 2, “Adagio; Allegro con brio,” from Chamber Arrangements of Beethoven’s Symphonies, Part 3, ed. Nancy November, N079 (m. 72).

Stemming chords

Stem direction for chords is determined by the note farthest from the middle staff line. Just as with single notes, if that note is below the middle staff line, the chord has an up stem, and, if that note is on or above the middle staff line, the chord has a down stem (see example 2).

Example 2. Ethel Smyth, Serenade for Orchestra in D Major, “Allegro non troppo,” from Ethel Smyth, Serenade for Orchestra in D Major, ed. John L. Snyder, N084 (cello, m.108).

When a chord has two notes that are both farthest from the middle staff line, then the stem direction is determined by the placement of the majority of the remaining notes of the chord. If most notes are below the middle staff line, the chord has an up stem (see example 3); if most notes are above the middle staff line, the chord has a down stem.

Example 3. Joseph Delafosse, “Le baptême de la poupée,” op. 114 (ca. 1886), from Descriptive Piano Fantasias, ed. Halina Goldberg and Jonathan D. Bellman, N081 (m. 25, left hand).

If stem direction cannot be determined by either of these factors, the chord should have a down stem (see example 4).

Example 4. F. D. Mouchy, “La mort de Louis Seize” (1794), from Descriptive Piano Fantasias, ed. Halina Goldberg and Jonathan D. Bellman, N081 (m. 86, right hand).

Stemming multiple melodic lines in a single instrument, section, or staff

It is not uncommon for multiple melodic lines to be written for a single instrument or section of instruments. Regardless of how they are notated in the source, if the two (or more) melodic lines have the same rhythm, they should be joined with common stemming following the rules of stemming chords noted above (see example 5).

Example 5. Ludwig van Beethoven, Wellington’s Victory, Op. 91, from Chamber Arrangements of Beethoven’s Symphonies, Part 2, ed. Nancy November, N077 (viola 1, mm. 57–58).

If, however, the melodic lines have differing rhythms, they should be notated with opposite stems, with the higher melodic line notated with up stems and the lower melodic line notated with down stems (see example 6).

Example 6. Joseph Riepel, Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Major, “Allegro,” from Joseph Riepel, Violin Concertos, ed. Stefan Eckert, C090 (mm. 109–11).

Stemming multiple melodic lines for two instruments or sections on a single staff

When two instruments share the same staff (e.g., flute 1 and 2, oboe 1 and 2, etc.), the same rules generally apply as those for a single instrument or section: when the two parts share the same rhythm, common stemming should be employed, and when the two parts have different rhythms, opposing stemming should be used (see example 7).

Example 7. Ethel Smyth, Serenade for Orchestra in D Major, “Allegro non troppo,” from Ethel Smyth, Serenade for Orchestra in D Major, ed. John L. Snyder, N084 (mm. 6–8).

When opposite stems are used in such cases, however, the first part (i.e., flute 1, oboe 1, etc.) should always have up stems and the second part (i.e., flute 2, oboe 2, etc.) should have down stems, regardless of who is playing the higher or lower pitches (see example 8).

Example 8. Antonio Salieri, “Te Deum,” from Antonio Salieri, Plenary Mass in C with Te Deum, ed. Jane Schatkin Hettrick, C103 (choir II, oboe 1 and 2, m. 9).

It is important that the score clearly communicate what each part plays. Therefore, if there is a short section of music where both parts are to play the same pitches and rhythms, each note should have both an up stem and a down stem (see the fourth measure in example 9).

Example 9. Ethel Smyth, Serenade for Orchestra in D Major, “Allegro non troppo,” from Ethel Smyth, Serenade for Orchestra in D Major, ed. John L. Snyder, N084 (bassoon 1 and 2, mm. 12–16).

However, if a longer section of music is to be played in unison, the music should be notated with single stems and the label “a 2” placed above the staff (see example 10).

Example 10. Alice Mary Smith, Ode to the Passions, “Introduction,” from Alice Mary Smith, Ode to the Passions, ed. Ian Graham-Jones, N076 (flute 1 and 2, mm. 47–50).

For short sections where only one part plays, rests should be placed in the other part’s staff space (see examples 6 and 9 above). However, when only one part plays for an extended period, the part should be notated normally, without the other part’s rests, and with the appropriate label (i.e., “1” or “2”) added above the staff (see example 11).

Example 11. Ethel Smyth, Serenade for Orchestra in D Major, “Allegro non troppo,” from Ethel Smyth, Serenade for Orchestra in D Major, ed. John L. Snyder, N084 (oboes 1 and 2, mm. 65–69).

For a staff shared by parts that are distinguished by name rather than number (e.g., a basso part that includes both violoncello and contrabass), abbreviations of the part name should be used as labels rather than numbers (see example 12).

Example 12. Franz Xaver Süßmayr, Der Spiegel von Arkadien (Vienna 1794), ed. David J. Buch, C094 (no. 14. Chor, mm. 108–12). 

Finally, parts that would normally be notated with common stemming should be changed to opposing stemming if there are articulation differences (e.g., tie, slur, staccato, trill, etc.) between the two parts. (In example 13, flute 1 has the trill and flute 2 does not; in example 14, the staccato dots on the quarter note chords only apply to bassoon 2).

Example 13. Ethel Smyth, Serenade for Orchestra in D Major, “Allegro non troppo,” from Ethel Smyth, Serenade for Orchestra in D Major, ed. John L. Snyder, N084 (flutes 1 and 2, m. 140).

Example 14. Otto Dresel, The Lost Child, ed. David Francis Urrows, A045S (bassoon 1 and 2, mm. 20–21).

For the complete Recent Researches in Music Style Guide, click here (PDF).