Rule

Model A cannot author an inverted mordent; Model C can

Misleads the readerCheckable from the score alone

Gradus GE-121 · cite this code — it is permanent. Rule id expr-ornament-mordent-inversion-gap

The convention

The mordent (lower-neighbor alternation) and the inverted/upper mordent (upper-neighbor alternation) are two distinct, commonly-needed ornaments.

Authority

Gould, Behind Bars, ch. Ornaments — treats mordent and inverted ("upper") mordent as two separate symbols.

How it is checked

This rule can be decided from pitches, durations and voices — no layout required. A validator can check it before anything is drawn.

Cite this rule

Gradus GE-121 — Model A cannot author an inverted mordent; Model C can. Gradus Engraving Rulebook v1.0. https://gradusmusic.com/engraving/rule/expr-ornament-mordent-inversion-gap

Rulebook v1.0 · text licensed CC-BY-4.0 · machine-readable at /api/v1/engraving/rules/expr-ornament-mordent-inversion-gap

Related rules

Dynamic text validated against a closed vocabulary on ALL THREE surfaces
Dynamic and articulations must not be duplicated onto a bar-crossing tie's second half
A hairpin must span at least two distinct notes in the correct direction
A hairpin, slur, or tuplet must not be silently dropped across a system break — replace or split it
No two hairpins overlap or nest in the same voice without resolving in between
No fresh-attack articulation on the receiving note of a tie

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