How to tie two notes in Flat
Last updated November 5, 2026
A tie in Flat is a curved line joining two notes of the same pitch so that they sound as a single note lasting the sum of both values. Flat ties single notes and the matching heads of a chord, carries a tie into every repeat ending, and lets you select, flip or remove a tie on its own.
Where are the tie tools?
The tie and flip-tie tools are part of the note tools in the left panel, under the Notation tab. The tie has a keyboard shortcut you can use while writing; flipping a tie has none by default and is done from the tie tool once a tie is selected.
| Feature | Icon | Keyboard shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Tie |  | , |
| Flip tie |  | None |
What is a tie?
A tie is a line connecting two notes of the same pitch, played as one note. The duration of the resulting sound equals the sum of the rhythmic values of the two tied notes. Ties are how a note is carried across a barline, or how a length is written that no single note value can express.
A tie joins two notes of the same pitch into one sound. If you are trying to join notes of different pitches, you are looking for a slur instead.
How do I tie two notes?
Write two notes of the same pitch with the durations you want, then select the first one and apply the tie tool from the note tools in the left panel, under the Notation tab. Flat draws the tie between the two notes. Applying the same tool again removes it.
It also works on chords.
When you use the tie tool on a chord, the editor only connects the heads of the chord that can be tied.
How do I tie a note into repeat endings?
When a passage ends on a held note followed by a 1st and a 2nd ending, the note is tied into each ending, not only into the first one. Flat does this in one step: tie the last note before the endings, and every ending that starts on the same pitch gets its tie.
Select the last note before the endings and apply the tie tool (,). Flat ties it into the 1st ending, and adds a tie hanging into the first note of the 2nd ending and of any later ending that starts on the same pitch. On a chord, each pitch is tied on its own.
- Playback holds the note into each ending, on every pass, without playing it again.
- An ending that starts on another pitch, or on a rest, gets no tie. The 1st ending has to start on the same pitch for the tie to apply.
- Applying the tie tool again to the note before the endings removes all these ties at once.
- The ties are kept when you export or import MusicXML.
How do I select or remove a single tie?
Click a tie to select it on its own, then press Backspace or Delete to remove only that tie. The two notes keep their own durations. This is how you take the tie out of one ending and keep it in the others.
How to change the direction of a tie
Click the tie to select it, or select the notehead on its left-hand side, then open the tie tool in the left panel, under the Notation tab. From there you can flip that tie, so it curves above or below the staff instead of the direction Flat chose automatically.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a tie and a slur?
A tie joins two notes of the same pitch and merges them into one sound lasting the sum of both values. A slur joins notes of different pitches and asks for them to be played smoothly, without re-articulating each one. If your two notes are not the same pitch, use a slur.
Why did only some notes of my chord get tied?
Because Flat only connects the heads that can be tied. When you apply the tie tool to a chord, any notehead with no matching pitch in the following chord is left alone, so a four-note chord followed by a two-note chord produces two ties rather than four.
How do I remove a tie?
Select the first of the two tied notes and apply the tie tool again, or click the tie itself and press Backspace or Delete. Either way, both notes keep their own written durations once the tie is gone.
Should I use a tie or a dot to lengthen a note?
Use a dot when the extra duration fits inside the same bar, and a tie when it crosses a barline or produces a length no single note value can express. Dotted notes are more compact to read; ties are the only option across a barline.
Why doesn't my 2nd ending get a tie?
A tie only continues into an ending that starts on the same pitch as the note before the endings, and the 1st ending has to match too. An ending that starts on another pitch or on a rest gets no tie. If you changed that first note afterwards, apply the tie tool to the note before the endings again.