The modern arpeggiation symbol is a vertical wavy line preceding the chord. When the notes of the chord are to be performed from highest to lowest, an arrowhead may be added to the lower end of the line. Even though it is redundant, an arrowhead is sometimes added to the upper end of the line for the sake of consistency or when the direction of successive arpeggios alternates. In music for keyboard instruments, sometimes a distinction is made between a single arpeggio in which both hands play successively and simultaneous arpeggios in two hands. In the case of the former, multiple values may be required in the @staff and @layer attributes. Arpeggios that do not cross staves, but still involve more than one layer require multiple values for the @layer attribute.
<elementSpec rend="add" ident="arpeg" module="MEI.cmn"><gloss xml:lang="en">arpeggiation</gloss>
<desc xml:lang="en">Indicates that the notes of a chord are to be performed successively
rather than simultaneously, usually from lowest to highest. Sometimes called a "roll".</desc>
<classes>
<memberOf key="att.common"/>
<memberOf key="att.arpeg.log"/>
<memberOf key="att.arpeg.vis"/>
<memberOf key="model.controlEventLike.cmn"/>
</classes>
<content>
<empty/>
</content>
<remarks xml:lang="en">
<p>The modern arpeggiation symbol is a vertical wavy line preceding the chord. When the
notes
of the chord are to be performed from highest to lowest, an arrowhead may be added
to the
lower end of the line. Even though it is redundant, an arrowhead is sometimes added
to the
upper end of the line for the sake of consistency or when the direction of successive
arpeggios alternates. In music for keyboard instruments, sometimes a distinction is
made
between a single arpeggio in which both hands play successively and simultaneous arpeggios
in two hands. In the case of the former, multiple values may be required in the
<att>staff</att> and <att>layer</att> attributes. Arpeggios that do not cross staves, but
still involve more than one layer require multiple values for the <att>layer</att>
attribute.</p>
</remarks></elementSpec>