In standard music notation, beaming or slurs normally indicate melismata for lyrics (in MusicXML there is no such interdependency). Also make sure that notes without an explicit syllable are treated as if they were part of a melisma. In all measures, the melisma starts on note 1 and ends on note 7; there are lyrics on notes 1, 4, and 5, followed by an extender line from note 5 to 7. Measure 1 has beams from notes 1 to 3 and 5 to 7. In measure 2, there are neither beams nor slurs. ‘start’, ‘continue’, and ‘stop’ types are used for <extend>, together with a red color for the extender line. Measure 3 uses slurs (and no beams) for notes 1 to 3 and 5 to 7. Measure 4 uses a single slur (and no beams) from note 1 to 7. 2 C5 1 1 eighth begin begin Me A4 1 1 eighth continue C5 1 1 eighth end A4 1 1 eighth middle lis C5 1 1 eighth begin end ma G4 1 1 eighth continue B4 1 1 eighth end 1 1 eighth C5 1 1 eighth begin Me A4 1 1 eighth C5 1 1 eighth A4 1 1 eighth middle lis C5 1 1 eighth end ma G4 1 1 eighth B4 1 1 eighth 1 1 eighth C5 1 1 eighth begin Me A4 1 1 eighth C5 1 1 eighth A4 1 1 eighth middle lis C5 1 1 eighth end ma G4 1 1 eighth B4 1 1 eighth 1 1 eighth C5 1 1 eighth begin Me A4 1 1 eighth C5 1 1 eighth A4 1 1 eighth middle lis C5 1 1 eighth end ma G4 1 1 eighth B4 1 1 eighth 1 1 eighth light-heavy