to define beaming patterns that differ from the defaults. The
default beaming rules for most common time signatures are defined
in @file{scm/@/auto@/-beam@/.scm}. If there are no beaming rules
-defined for the time signature being used the beaming is controlled
-by the values of three context properties, @code{measureLength},
-@code{beatLength} and @code{beatGrouping}. Both the beaming rules
-and the context properties can be overridden, see
-@ref{Setting automatic beam behavior}.
+defined for a particular beam's duration in the time signature being
+used, its beaming is controlled by the values of three context
+properties, @code{measureLength}, @code{beatLength} and
+@code{beatGrouping}. Both the beaming rules and the context
+properties can be overridden, see @ref{Setting automatic beam behavior}.
@cindex autoBeamOn
@cindex autoBeamOff
defining the beam end points. The second method, modifying the
specification of the beam end points, can be used for any time
signature. This second method @strong{must} be used for those time
-signatures for which beam ending rules are pre-defined, unless
-these have all been reverted. There are predefined rules for time
-signatures of 3/2, 3/4, 4/4, 2/4, 4/8, 4/16, 6/8, 9/8 and 12/8.
+signatures and beam durations combinations for which beam ending
+rules are pre-defined, unless these have all been reverted. There
+are predefined rules for time signatures of 3/2, 3/4, 4/4, 2/4,
+4/8, 4/16, 6/8, 9/8 and 12/8.
@i{@strong{Modifying the grouping of beats}}
-If there are no beam-ending rules defined for the time signature
-in use the beaming is controlled by three context properties:
+If there are no beam-ending rules defined for the beam duration of a
+particular beam in the time signature in use, its beaming is
+controlled by three context properties:
@code{measureLength}, @code{beatLength} and @code{beatGrouping}.
These properties may be set in the @code{Score}, @code{Staff} or
@code{Voice} contexts to delimit their scope.
@end itemize
-@warning{These three properties are effective @strong{only} if
-there are no beam-ending rules defined for the time signature in
-force, or if these beam-ending rules have all been reverted.}
+@warning{These three properties become effective for a particular
+beam @strong{only} if there are no beam-ending rules predefined for
+that beam's duration in the time signature in use, or if these
+beam-ending rules have all been reverted.}
By default the @code{measureLength} and @code{beatLength} are
derived from the time signature set by the @code{\time} command.