# Grace notes

A **grace note** is a type of musical ornament, usually printed smaller than regular notes. The **Short grace note**, or [Acciaccatura](https://handbook.musescore.org/3/appendix/glossary#acciaccatura), appears as a small note with a stroke through the stem. The **Long grace note**, or [Appoggiatura](https://handbook.musescore.org/3/appendix/glossary#appoggiatura), has no stroke.

## Create grace notes

Grace notes can be found in the "Grace notes" [palette](https://handbook.musescore.org/3/basics/palettes) in the Basic or Advanced workspace.

<figure><img src="https://1928698062-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F5NUiVQIqbPkgQim8AxPy%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-785e0860cd38fef8c1a62d26aa0a85ccf37a95de%2FPalette-Grace_Notes.png?alt=media" alt="Grace Notes palette (Advanced workspace)"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### **Add a grace note**

Use one of the following methods:

* Select a regular note and click a grace note in a [palette](https://handbook.musescore.org/3/basics/palettes) (double-click in versions prior to 3.4).
* Drag a grace note symbol from a palette onto a regular note.
* Select a note and press <kbd>/</kbd> to create an acciaccatura only.

This will add a grace note of the same pitch as the regular note. To add a *sequence* of grace notes to a regular note, simply repeat the above actions as many times as required. See also, [Change pitch](#change-pitch) (below).

*Note*: When a grace note is added to the score, a slur is *not* automatically created with it, so the latter needs to be added separately. See [Slurs](https://handbook.musescore.org/3/notation/slurs).

### **Add a chord of grace notes**

Grace note chords are built up just like regular chords:

1. Enter the first note of the chord as shown above
2. Select this first grace note and enter subsequent notes as you would for any other regular chord (i.e. <kbd>Shift</kbd>+<kbd>A</kbd>...<kbd>G</kbd>).

You can also create a grace note chord by using the **add interval** shortcut in step 2: <kbd>Alt</kbd>+<kbd>1</kbd>...<kbd>9</kbd> for intervals from a unison to a ninth above.

## Change pitch

The pitch of a grace note can be adjusted just like a regular one:

1. Select one or more grace notes
2. Adjust pitch using the keyboard arrow commands, namely:
   * <kbd>Up</kbd> or <kbd>Down</kbd> to increase or decrease the pitch by a semitone;
   * <kbd>Alt</kbd>+<kbd>Shift</kbd>+<kbd>Up</kbd> or <kbd>Alt</kbd>+<kbd>Shift</kbd>+<kbd>Down</kbd> to increase or decrease the pitch one step at a time, according to the key signature.

## Change duration

* Select the grace note and either click a duration icon on the toolbar, or apply the duration with the appropriate keyboard shortcut: i.e. <kbd>1</kbd>...<kbd>9</kbd> (see [Note input](https://handbook.musescore.org/3/basics/note-input#select-a-noterest-duration)).

## Manual adjustment

### Horizontal position

To adjust the horizontal space between a grace note and its regular parent note, use one of the following:

* Go into [edit mode](https://handbook.musescore.org/3/basics/edit-mode#notes) on the grace note, then use the left/right arrow keys to reposition as desired.
* Select the grace note and change the X-offset value in the [**Chord**](https://handbook.musescore.org/3/basics/inspector#chord) section of the Inspector.

### Other adjustments

Various other properties of the grace note can be adjusted in the [Inspector](https://handbook.musescore.org/3/basics/inspector) (see "[Element](https://handbook.musescore.org/3/basics/inspector#element)," "[Chord](https://handbook.musescore.org/3/basics/inspector#chord)", and "[Note](https://handbook.musescore.org/3/basics/inspector#note)" sections)—such as vertical position, size, stem properties etc. The exception is "Leading space" which only applies to standard notes.

## External links

* [Grace note](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_note) at Wikipedia
* [Appoggiatura](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appoggiatura) at Wikipedia
* [Acciaccatura](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acciaccatura) at Wikipedia
