<voice-direction>
Source: Bach, J.S. Prelude and Fugue C sharp minor, BWV 849. In this example, voice 5 (highlighted in red) changes stem direction when crossing from staff 2 to staff 1. Voice 3 (highlighted in blue) changes stem direction at measure 3.
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<score-part id="P1">
<part-name/>
</score-part>
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<part id="P1">
<measure number="1">
<attributes>
<divisions>8</divisions>
<key>
<fifths>4</fifths>
<mode>minor</mode>
</key>
<time symbol="cut">
<beats>2</beats>
<beat-type>2</beat-type>
</time>
<staves>2</staves>
<part-symbol top-staff="1" bottom-staff="2">brace</part-symbol>
<clef number="1">
<sign>G</sign>
<line>2</line>
</clef>
<clef number="2">
<sign>F</sign>
<line>4</line>
</clef>
<voice-directions>
<voice-direction voice="3" staff="1">down</voice-direction>
<voice-direction voice="5" staff="1">down</voice-direction>
<voice-direction voice="5" staff="2">up</voice-direction>
<voice-direction voice="9" staff="2">up</voice-direction>
<voice-direction voice="13" staff="2">down</voice-direction>
</voice-directions>
</attributes>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>B</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>4</octave>
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<duration>16</duration>
<voice>1</voice>
<type>half</type>
<staff>1</staff>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>B</step>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>16</duration>
<voice>1</voice>
<type>half</type>
<staff>1</staff>
</note>
<backup>
<duration>32</duration>
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<note>
<pitch>
<step>A</step>
<octave>4</octave>
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<duration>8</duration>
<voice>3</voice>
<type>quarter</type>
<staff>1</staff>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>D</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>8</duration>
<voice>3</voice>
<type>quarter</type>
<staff>1</staff>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>G</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>4</octave>
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<duration>8</duration>
<voice>3</voice>
<type>quarter</type>
<staff>1</staff>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>G</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>8</duration>
<tie type="start"/>
<voice>3</voice>
<type>quarter</type>
<staff>1</staff>
<notations>
<tied type="start"/>
</notations>
</note>
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<duration>32</duration>
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<note>
<pitch>
<step>F</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>3</octave>
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<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>2</staff>
<beam number="1">begin</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>A</step>
<octave>3</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>2</staff>
<beam number="1">continue</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>G</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>3</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>2</staff>
<beam number="1">continue</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>F</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>3</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>2</staff>
<beam number="1">end</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>E</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>3</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>2</staff>
<beam number="1">begin</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>D</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>3</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>2</staff>
<beam number="1">continue</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>E</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>3</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>2</staff>
<beam number="1">continue</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>C</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>3</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>2</staff>
<beam number="1">end</beam>
</note>
<backup>
<duration>32</duration>
</backup>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>G</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>2</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>16</duration>
<voice>13</voice>
<type>half</type>
<staff>2</staff>
</note>
<note>
<rest>
<display-step>E</display-step>
<display-octave>2</display-octave>
</rest>
<duration>16</duration>
<voice>13</voice>
<type>half</type>
<staff>2</staff>
</note>
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<measure number="2">
<note>
<pitch>
<step>A</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>16</duration>
<voice>1</voice>
<type>half</type>
<staff>1</staff>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>A</step>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>16</duration>
<voice>1</voice>
<type>half</type>
<staff>1</staff>
</note>
<backup>
<duration>32</duration>
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<note>
<pitch>
<step>G</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>8</duration>
<tie type="stop"/>
<voice>3</voice>
<type>quarter</type>
<staff>1</staff>
<notations>
<tied type="stop"/>
</notations>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>F</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>3</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>1</staff>
<beam number="1">begin</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>E</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>3</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>1</staff>
<beam number="1">end</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>F</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>16</duration>
<tie type="start"/>
<voice>3</voice>
<type>half</type>
<staff>1</staff>
<notations>
<tied type="start"/>
</notations>
</note>
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<duration>32</duration>
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<note>
<pitch>
<step>F</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>3</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>2</staff>
<beam number="1">begin</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>E</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>3</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>2</staff>
<beam number="1">continue</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>F</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>3</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>2</staff>
<beam number="1">continue</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>G</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>3</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>2</staff>
<beam number="1">end</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>A</step>
<octave>3</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>2</staff>
<beam number="1">begin</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>G</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>3</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>2</staff>
<beam number="1">continue</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>A</step>
<octave>3</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>2</staff>
<beam number="1">continue</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>B</step>
<octave>3</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>1</staff>
<beam number="1">end</beam>
</note>
<backup>
<duration>32</duration>
</backup>
<note>
<rest>
<display-step>E</display-step>
<display-octave>2</display-octave>
</rest>
<duration>32</duration>
<voice>13</voice>
<type>whole</type>
<staff>2</staff>
</note>
</measure>
<measure number="3">
<attributes>
<voice-directions>
<voice-direction voice="3" staff="1">up</voice-direction>
</voice-directions>
</attributes>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>G</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>16</duration>
<voice>1</voice>
<type>half</type>
<staff>1</staff>
</note>
<note>
<rest>
<display-step>F</display-step>
<display-octave>5</display-octave>
</rest>
<duration>16</duration>
<voice>1</voice>
<type>half</type>
<staff>1</staff>
</note>
<backup>
<duration>32</duration>
</backup>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>F</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>16</duration>
<tie type="stop"/>
<voice>3</voice>
<type>half</type>
<staff>1</staff>
<notations>
<tied type="stop"/>
</notations>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>E</step>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>16</duration>
<voice>3</voice>
<type>half</type>
<staff>1</staff>
</note>
<backup>
<duration>32</duration>
</backup>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>C</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>1</staff>
<beam number="1">begin</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>B</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>3</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>1</staff>
<beam number="1">continue</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>C</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>1</staff>
<beam number="1">continue</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>D</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>1</staff>
<beam number="1">end</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>E</step>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>1</staff>
<beam number="1">begin</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>D</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>1</staff>
<beam number="1">continue</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>E</step>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>1</staff>
<beam number="1">continue</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>F</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>1</staff>
<beam number="1">end</beam>
</note>
<backup>
<duration>32</duration>
</backup>
<backup>
<duration>32</duration>
</backup>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>C</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>2</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>32</duration>
<voice>13</voice>
<type>whole</type>
<staff>2</staff>
</note>
</measure>
<measure number="4">
<note>
<rest measure="yes">
<display-step>D</display-step>
<display-octave>5</display-octave>
</rest>
<duration>32</duration>
<voice>1</voice>
<staff>1</staff>
</note>
<backup>
<duration>32</duration>
</backup>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>D</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>16</duration>
<voice>3</voice>
<type>half</type>
<staff>1</staff>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>C</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>16</duration>
<voice>3</voice>
<type>half</type>
<staff>1</staff>
</note>
<backup>
<duration>32</duration>
</backup>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>G</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>1</staff>
<beam number="1">begin</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>F</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>1</staff>
<beam number="1">continue</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>G</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>1</staff>
<beam number="1">continue</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>A</step>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>1</staff>
<beam number="1">end</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>G</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>1</staff>
<beam number="1">begin</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>F</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>1</staff>
<beam number="1">continue</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>E</step>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>1</staff>
<beam number="1">continue</beam>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>G</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>4</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>4</duration>
<voice>5</voice>
<type>eighth</type>
<staff>1</staff>
<beam number="1">end</beam>
</note>
<backup>
<duration>32</duration>
</backup>
<note>
<rest>
<display-step>F</display-step>
<display-octave>3</display-octave>
</rest>
<duration>8</duration>
<voice>9</voice>
<type>quarter</type>
<staff>2</staff>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>G</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>2</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>8</duration>
<voice>9</voice>
<type>quarter</type>
<staff>2</staff>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>C</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>3</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>8</duration>
<voice>9</voice>
<type>quarter</type>
<staff>2</staff>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>C</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>3</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>8</duration>
<voice>9</voice>
<type>quarter</type>
<staff>2</staff>
</note>
<backup>
<duration>32</duration>
</backup>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>B</step>
<alter>1</alter>
<octave>1</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>16</duration>
<voice>13</voice>
<type>half</type>
<staff>2</staff>
</note>
<note>
<pitch>
<step>E</step>
<octave>2</octave>
</pitch>
<duration>16</duration>
<voice>13</voice>
<type>half</type>
<staff>2</staff>
</note>
</measure>
</part>
</score-partwise>