@node Entering lyrics
@unnumberedsubsubsec Entering lyrics
-Lyrics are entered in lyric mode. This section explains how this
-done.
-
-@cindex lyrics
+@cindex lyrics, entering
+@cindex entering lyrics
+@cindex punctuation in lyrics
+@cindex lyrics punctuation
+@cindex spaces in lyrics
+@cindex quotes in lyrics
@funindex \lyricmode
-@cindex punctuation
-@cindex spaces, in lyrics
-@cindex quotes, in lyrics
-
-@c TODO: this section is to be rewritten.
-Since LilyPond input files are text, there is at least one
-issue to consider when working with vocal music:
-song texts must be interpreted as text, not notes. For example, the
-input@tie{}@code{d} should be interpreted as a one letter syllable,
-not the note@tie{}D.
-Therefore, a special lyric mode has to be used, either explicitly
-or using some abbreviated methods.
Lyrics are entered in a special input mode, which can be introduced
by the keyword @code{\lyricmode}, or by using @code{\addlyrics} or
-@code{\lyricsto}. In this mode you can enter lyrics,
-with punctuation and accents, and the input @code{d} is not parsed as
-a pitch, but rather as a one letter syllable. Syllables are entered
-like notes, but with pitches replaced by text. For example,
+@code{\lyricsto}. In this mode the input @code{d} is not parsed as
+the pitch @notation{D}, but rather as a one-letter syllable of text.
+In other words, syllables are entered like notes but with pitches
+replaced by text.
+
+For example:
@example
-\lyricmode @{ Twin-4 kle4 twin- kle litt- le star2 @}
+\lyricmode @{ Three4 blind mice,2 three4 blind mice2 @}
@end example
-There are two main methods to specify the horizontal placement
+There are two main methods for specifying the horizontal placement
of the syllables, either by specifying the duration of each syllable
-explicitly, like in the example above, or by automatically aligning
-the lyrics to a melody or other voice of music, using @code{\addlyrics}
-or @code{\lyricsto}.
-@c TODO: broken
-@c For more details see @ref{The Lyrics context}.
+explicitly, as in the example above, or by leaving the lyrics to be
+aligned automatically to a melody or other voice of music, using
+@code{\addlyrics} or @code{\lyricsto}. The former method is
+described below in @ref{Manual syllable durations}. The latter
+method is described in @ref{Automatic syllable durations}.
-A word or syllable of lyrics begins with an alphabetic character, and ends
-with
-any space or digit. The following characters can be any character
-that is not a digit or white space.
+A word or syllable of lyrics begins with an alphabetic character
+(plus some other characters, see below) and is terminated by any
+white space or a digit. Later characters in the syllable can be any
+character that is not a digit or white space.
-Any character that is not a digit or white space will be regarded as
-part of the syllable; one important consequence of this is that a word
-can end with @code{@}}, which often leads to the following mistake:
+Because any character that is not a digit or white space is regarded
+as part of the syllable, a word is valid even if it ends with
+@code{@}}, which often leads to the following mistake:
@example
-\lyricmode @{ lah- lah@}
+\lyricmode @{ lah lah lah@}
@end example
In this example, the @code{@}} is included in the final syllable, so the
opening brace is not balanced and the input file will probably not
-compile.
+compile. Instead, always place white space around braces:
+@example
+\lyricmode @{ lah lah lah @}
+@end example
-@funindex \property in \lyricmode
+@cindex overrides in lyric mode
+@funindex \override in \lyricmode
-@noindent
-Similarly, a period which follows an alphabetic sequence is included in
-the resulting string. As a consequence, spaces must be inserted around
-property commands: do @emph{not} write
+Similarly, a period which follows an alphabetic sequence is included
+in that sequence in lyric mode. As a consequence, spaces must be
+inserted around the period in @code{\override} commands. Do
+@emph{not} write
@example
\override Score.LyricText #'font-shape = #'italic
\override Score . LyricText #'font-shape = #'italic
@end example
-To enter lyrics with characters from non-English languages, or with
-accented and special characters (such as the heart symbol or slanted quotes),
-simply insert the characters directly into the input file and save
-it with UTF-8 encoding. See @ref{Text encoding}, for more info.
+To enter punctuation, lyrics with accented characters, characters
+from non-English languages, or special characters (such as the heart
+symbol or slanted quotes), simply insert the characters directly
+into the input file and save it with UTF-8 encoding. For more
+information, see @ref{Text encoding}.
-@lilypond[quote,ragged-right,fragment,verbatim]
+@lilypond[quote,verbatim]
\relative c' { e4 f e d e f e2 }
-\addlyrics { He said: “Let my peo ple go”. }
+\addlyrics { He said: “Let my peo -- ple go.” }
@end lilypond
To use normal quotes in lyrics, add a backslash before the
-quotes. For example,
+quotes and place the whole syllable in quotes. For example,
-@lilypond[quote,ragged-right,fragment,verbatim]
+@lilypond[quote,verbatim]
\relative c' { \time 3/4 e4 e4. e8 d4 e d c2. }
-\addlyrics { "\"I" am so lone- "ly\"" said she }
+\addlyrics { "\"I" am so lone -- "ly,\"" said she }
@end lilypond
-The full definition of a word start in Lyrics mode is somewhat more
-complex.
-
-A word in Lyrics mode begins with: an alphabetic character, @code{_},
-@code{?}, @code{!}, @code{:}, @code{'}, the control characters @code{^A}
-through @code{^F}, @code{^Q} through @code{^W}, @code{^Y}, @code{^^},
-any 8-bit character with ASCII code over 127, or a two-character
+The full definition of a word start in lyrics mode is somewhat more
+complex. A word in lyrics mode is one that begins with an
+alphabetic character, @code{_}, @code{?}, @code{!}, @code{:},
+@code{'}, the control characters @code{^A} through @code{^F},
+@code{^Q} through @code{^W}, @code{^Y}, @code{^^}, any 8-bit
+character with an ASCII code over 127, or a two-character
combination of a backslash followed by one of @code{`}, @code{'},
@code{"}, or @code{^}.
@c " to balance double quotes for not-so-bright context-sensitive editors
-To define variables containing lyrics, the function @code{lyricmode}
-must be used.
-
-@example
-verseOne = \lyricmode @{ Joy to the world the Lord is come @}
-\score @{
- <<
- \new Voice = "one" \relative c'' @{
- \autoBeamOff
- \time 2/4
- c4 b8. a16 g4. f8 e4 d c2
- @}
- \addlyrics @{ \verseOne @}
- >>
-@}
-@end example
-
@seealso
+Learning Manual:
+@rlearning{Songs}.
+
Notation Reference:
-@ref{Fonts}.
+@ref{Automatic syllable durations},
+@ref{Fonts},
+@ref{Input modes},
+@ref{Manual syllable durations}.
Internals Reference:
-@rinternals{LyricText},
-@rinternals{LyricSpace}.
+@rinternals{LyricText}.
@node Aligning lyrics to a melody
@cindex lyrics, variables
To define variables containing lyrics, the function @code{\lyricmode}
-must be used. You do not have to enter durations though, if you add
-@code{\addlyrics} or @code{\lyricsto}
-when invoking your variable.
+must be used. Durations do not need to be added if the variable is
+to be invoked with @code{\addlyrics} or @code{\lyricsto}.
-@example
-verseOne = \lyricmode @{ Joy to the world the Lord is come @}
-\score @{
- <<
- \new Voice = "one" \relative c'' @{
- \autoBeamOff
- \time 2/4
- c4 b8. a16 g4. f8 e4 d c2
- @}
- \addlyrics @{ \verseOne @}
- >>
-@}
-@end example
+@lilypond[quote,verbatim]
+verseOne = \lyricmode { Joy to the world, the Lord is come. }
+\score {
+ <<
+ \new Voice = "one" \relative c'' {
+ \autoBeamOff
+ \time 2/4
+ c4 b8. a16 g4. f8 e4 d c2
+ }
+ \addlyrics { \verseOne }
+ >>
+}
+@end lilypond
For different or more complex orderings, the best way is to set up the
hierarchy of staves and lyrics first, e.g.,
projects / lilypond.git / commitdiff