The <rest> element

Parent element: <note>

The <rest> element indicates notated rests or silences. A <rest> element is usually empty, but placement on the staff can be specified using <display-step> and <display-octave> elements.

The vertical position of the symbol is determined by the “origin point” from which the symbol’s SMuFL glyph is drawn. This is the top of a whole rest, the bottom of a half rest, and the mid-point for other rests. Full-measure rests are no exception, they also follow the same SMuFL symbol positioning.

In the absence of explicitly defined <display-step>, the placement is application-dependent. Typically, the conventional placement will be expected, unless the application adjusts the placement to accommodate situations such as multiple voices.