Table of Contents
Notation reference
Accidentals
Accidentals are shown beside notes to indicate their pitch, both when notated on a staff and written out in text. In music based in Western tonality, they usually show that the pitch of a note has been altered so that it does not conform to the current prevailing key signature.
Stacking of accidentals
If multiple accidentals are required for a chord in a single voice, or for notes in multiple voices at the same rhythmic position, they are stacked to the left of the chord in columns.
Kerning of accidental columns
Dorico for iPad applies kerning to accidental columns to ensure that the columns to the left of a chord occupy as little horizontal space as possible.

Kerning of accidental columns

Dorico for iPad applies kerning to accidental columns to ensure that the columns to the left of a chord occupy as little horizontal space as possible.

In typography, kerning adjusts the space between individual characters to increase legibility. In Dorico for iPad, as well as in music engraving in general, kerning allows accidentals to interlock.

Example

If a low note is followed by a high note with an accidental, the accidental can be tucked above the low note to prevent the note spacing from being distorted.

Similarly, in the case of multiple columns of accidentals on a chord, the overall width of the stack of accidentals is reduced if, for example, a flat in the second column is kerned underneath a sharp in the first column belonging to a note a third higher. This also reduces the need to distort note spacing to accommodate accidentals.