Quote:
Originally Posted by mistertomlinson
This time I'll try to ease up on those beam angles. I don't know why I keep slanting them so much.
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The general rule of thumb for notation is that your stem should extend an octave. So, see how each stem seems to end where the next octave would be (B to B, G to G, etc). If you start there you'll get "legit" beams.
Of course, there are reasons to break the rule for readability...just look at the high Bs & Cs (1st & 2nd ledger lines above the staff). Those stems are shorter because they are beamed with notes much lower. It would produce overly angled beams that would feel awkward to the eye.
Notation is an art, so remember it comes down to making it look beautiful and readable. It should have a flow.
I'm sure this was all mentioned somewhere in the thread - Guitars Slim & JonPR seem to have the bases covered. I just wanted to point it out again so that you have a good starting place.
I don't think you need to worry too much...not like you need a copy of Gould's "Behind Bars" or anything...but just to help you get in the ballpark...then let your eyes help you fine tune. That's what every music notator does. Let the rules get you close then fine tune with your eyes.