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13 @chapter Tweaking output
15 This chapter discusses how to modify output. LilyPond is extremely
16 configurable; virtually every fragment of output may be changed.
21 * The Internals Reference manual::
22 * Appearance of objects::
23 * Placement of objects::
24 * Collisions of objects::
29 @section Tweaking basics
32 * Introduction to tweaks::
33 * Objects and interfaces::
34 * Naming conventions of objects and properties::
38 @node Introduction to tweaks
39 @subsection Introduction to tweaks
41 @q{Tweaking} is a LilyPond term for the various methods available
42 to the user for modifying the actions taken during interpretation
43 of the input file and modifying the appearance of the printed
44 output. Some tweaks are very easy to use; others are more
45 complex. But taken together the methods available for tweaking
46 permit almost any desired appearance of the printed music to be
49 In this section we cover the basic concepts required to understand
50 tweaking. Later we give a variety of ready-made commands which can
51 simply be copied to obtain the same effect in your own scores, and
52 at the same time we show how these commands may be constructed so
53 that you may learn how to develop your own tweaks.
55 Before starting on this Chapter you may wish to review the section
56 @ref{Contexts and engravers}, as Contexts, Engravers, and the
57 Properties contained within them are fundamental to understanding
58 and constructing Tweaks.
60 @node Objects and interfaces
61 @subsection Objects and interfaces
67 @cindex properties, object
68 @cindex object properties
70 @cindex object, layout
73 Tweaking involves modifying the internal operation and structures
74 of the LilyPond program, so we must first introduce some terms
75 which are used to describe those internal operations and
78 The term @q{Object} is a generic term used to refer to the
79 multitude of internal structures built by LilyPond during the
80 processing of an input file. So when a command like @code{\new
81 Staff} is encountered a new object of type @code{Staff} is
82 constructed. That @code{Staff} object then holds all the
83 properties associated with that particular staff, for example, its
84 name and its key signature, together with details of the engravers
85 which have been assigned to operate within that staff's context.
86 Similarly, there are objects to hold the properties of all other
87 contexts, such as @code{Voice} objects, @code{Score} objects,
88 @code{Lyrics} objects, as well as objects to represent all
89 notational elements such as bar lines,
90 note heads, ties, dynamics, etc. Every object has its own set of
93 Some types of object are given special names. Objects which represent
94 items of notation on the printed output such as note heads, stems,
95 slurs, ties, fingering, clefs, etc are called @q{Layout objects},
96 often known as @q{Graphical Objects}, or @q{Grobs} for short. These
97 are still objects in the generic sense above, and so they too all have
98 properties associated with them, such as their position, size, color,
101 Some layout objects are still more specialized. Phrasing slurs,
102 crescendo hairpins, ottava marks, and many other grobs are not
103 localized in a single place -- they have a starting point, an
104 ending point, and maybe other properties concerned with their
105 shape. Objects with an extended shape like these are called
108 It remains to explain what @q{Interfaces} are. Many objects, even
109 though they are quite different, share common features which need to
110 be processed in the same way. For example, all grobs have a color, a
111 size, a position, etc, and all these properties are processed in the
112 same way during LilyPond's interpretation of the input file. To
113 simplify these internal operations these common actions and properties
114 are grouped together in an object called a @code{grob-interface}.
115 There are many other groupings of common properties like this, each
116 one given a name ending in @code{interface}. In total there are over
117 100 such interfaces. We shall see later why this is of interest and
120 These, then, are the main terms relating to objects which we
121 shall use in this chapter.
123 @node Naming conventions of objects and properties
124 @subsection Naming conventions of objects and properties
126 @cindex naming conventions for objects
127 @cindex naming conventions for properties
128 @cindex objects, naming conventions
129 @cindex properties, naming conventions
131 We met some object naming conventions previously, in
132 @ref{Contexts and engravers}. Here for reference is a list
133 of the most common object and property types together with
134 the conventions for naming them and a couple of examples of
135 some real names. We have used @q{A} to stand for any capitalized
136 alphabetic character and @q{aaa} to stand for any number of
137 lower-case alphabetic characters. Other characters are used
140 @multitable @columnfractions .33 .33 .33
141 @headitem Object/property type
142 @tab Naming convention
145 @tab Aaaa or AaaaAaaaAaaa
146 @tab Staff, GrandStaff
148 @tab Aaaa or AaaaAaaaAaaa
151 @tab Aaaa_aaa_engraver
152 @tab Clef_engraver, Note_heads_engraver
154 @tab aaa-aaa-interface
155 @tab grob-interface, break-aligned-interface
156 @item Context Properties
157 @tab aaa or aaaAaaaAaaa
158 @tab alignAboveContext, skipBars
159 @item Layout Object Properties
160 @tab aaa or aaa-aaa-aaa
161 @tab direction, beam-thickness
164 As we shall see shortly, the properties of different types of
165 object are modified by different commands, so it is useful to
166 be able to recognize the type of object from the names of its
170 @node Tweaking methods
171 @subsection Tweaking methods
173 @cindex tweaking methods
175 @strong{\override command}
177 @cindex override command
178 @cindex override syntax
183 We have already met the commands @code{\set} and @code{\with}, used to
184 change the properties of @strong{contexts} and to remove and add
185 @strong{engravers}, in @ref{Modifying context properties}, and
186 @ref{Adding and removing engravers}. We must now introduce some more
189 The command to change the properties of @strong{layout objects} is
190 @code{\override}. Because this command has to modify
191 internal properties deep within LilyPond its syntax is not
192 as simple as the commands you have used so far. It needs to
193 know precisely which property of which object in which context
194 has to be modified, and what its new value is to be. Let's see
197 The general syntax of this command is:
200 \override @var{Context}.@var{LayoutObject} #'@var{layout-property} =
205 This will set the property with the name @var{layout-property} of the
206 layout object with the name @var{LayoutObject}, which is a member of
207 the @var{Context} context, to the value @var{value}.
209 The @var{Context} can be omitted (and usually is) when the
210 required context is unambiguously implied and is one of lowest
211 level contexts, i.e., @code{Voice}, @code{ChordNames} or
212 @code{Lyrics}, and we shall omit it in many of the following
213 examples. We shall see later when it must be specified.
215 Later sections deal comprehensively with properties and their
216 values, but to illustrate the format and use of these commands
217 we shall use just a few simple properties and values which are
220 For now, don't worry about the @code{#'}, which must precede the
221 layout property, and the @code{#}, which must precede the value.
222 These must always be present in exactly this form. This is the
223 most common command used in tweaking, and most of the rest of
224 this chapter will be directed to presenting examples of how it is
225 used. Here is a simple example to change the color of the
228 @cindex color property, example
229 @cindex NoteHead, example of overriding
231 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
233 \override NoteHead #'color = #red
235 \override NoteHead #'color = #green
239 @strong{\revert command}
241 @cindex revert command
246 Once overridden, the property retains its new value until it is
247 overridden again or a @code{\revert} command is encountered.
248 The @code{\revert} command has the following syntax and causes
249 the value of the property to revert to its original default
250 value; note, not its previous value if several @code{\override}
251 commands have been issued.
254 \revert @var{Context}.@var{LayoutObject} #'@var{layout-property}
257 Again, just like @var{Context} in the @code{\override} command,
258 @var{Context} is often not needed. It will be omitted
259 in many of the following examples. Here we revert the color
260 of the note head to the default value for the final two notes:
262 @cindex color property, example
263 @cindex NoteHead, example of overriding
265 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
267 \override NoteHead #'color = #red
269 \override NoteHead #'color = #green
271 \revert NoteHead #'color
275 @strong{\once prefix}
280 Both the @code{\override} and the @code{\set} commands may be
281 prefixed by @code{\once}. This causes the following
282 @code{\override} or @code{\set} command to be effective only
283 during the current musical moment before the property reverts
284 back to its default value. Using the same example, we can
285 change the color of a single note like this:
287 @cindex color property, example
288 @cindex NoteHead, example of overriding
290 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
292 \once \override NoteHead #'color = #red
294 \once \override NoteHead #'color = #green
298 @strong{\overrideProperty command}
300 @cindex overrideProperty command
302 @funindex \overrideProperty
303 @funindex overrideProperty
305 There is another form of the override command,
306 @code{\overrideProperty}, which is occasionally required.
307 We mention it here for completeness, but for details see
308 @ruser{Difficult tweaks}.
309 @c Maybe explain in a later iteration -td
311 @strong{\tweak command}
313 @cindex tweak command
318 The final tweaking command which is available is @code{\tweak}.
319 This should be used to change the properties of objects which
320 occur at the same musical moment, such as the notes within a
321 chord. Using @code{\override} would affect all the notes
322 within a chord, whereas @code{\tweak} affects just the following
323 item in the input stream.
325 Here's an example. Suppose we wish to change the size of the
326 middle note head (the E) in a C major chord. Let's first see what
327 @code{\once \override} would do:
329 @cindex font-size property, example
330 @cindex NoteHead, example of overriding
332 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
334 \once \override NoteHead #'font-size = #-3
339 We see the override affects @emph{all} the note heads in the chord.
340 This is because all the notes of a chord occur at the same
341 @emph{musical moment}, and the action of @code{\once} is to
342 apply the override to all layout objects of the type specified
343 which occur at the same musical moment as the @code{\override}
346 The @code{\tweak} command operates in a different way. It acts
347 on the immediately following item in the input stream. However,
348 it is effective only on objects which are created directly from
349 the input stream, essentially note heads and articulations;
350 objects such as stems and accidentals are created later and
351 cannot be tweaked in this way. Furthermore, when it is applied
352 to note heads these @emph{must} be within a chord, i.e., within
353 single angle brackets, so to tweak a single note the @code{\tweak}
354 command must be placed inside single angle brackets with the
357 So to return to our example, the size of the middle note of
358 a chord would be changed in this way:
360 @cindex font-size property, example
361 @cindex @code{\tweak}, example
363 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
365 <c \tweak #'font-size #-3 e g>4
368 Note that the syntax of @code{\tweak} is different from that
369 of the @code{\override} command. Neither the context nor the
370 layout object should be specified; in fact, it would generate
371 an error to do so. These are both implied by the following
372 item in the input stream. Note also that an equals sign should
373 not be present. So the general syntax of the
374 @code{\tweak} command is simply
377 \tweak #'@var{layout-property} #@var{value}
380 A @code{\tweak} command can also be used to modify just one in
381 a series of articulations, as shown here:
383 @cindex color property, example
384 @cindex @code{\tweak}, example
386 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
388 -\tweak #'color #red ^Red
389 -\tweak #'color #green _Green
393 Note that the @code{\tweak} command must be preceded by an
394 articulation mark as if it were an articulation itself.
396 @cindex tuplets, nested
397 @cindex triplets, nested
398 @cindex bracket, tuplet
399 @cindex bracket, triplet
400 @cindex tuplet bracket
401 @cindex triplet bracket
403 @funindex TupletBracket
405 The @code{\tweak} command must also be used to change the
406 appearance of one of a set of nested tuplets which begin at the
407 same musical moment. In the following example, the long tuplet
408 bracket and the first of the three short brackets begin at the
409 same musical moment, so any @code{\override} command would apply
410 to both of them. In the example, @code{\tweak} is used to
411 distinguish between them. The first @code{\tweak} command
412 specifies that the long tuplet bracket is to be placed above the
413 notes and the second one specifies that the tuplet number is to be
414 printed in red on the first short tuplet bracket.
416 @cindex @code{\tweak}, example
417 @cindex direction property, example
418 @cindex color property, example
420 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
421 \tweak #'direction #up
424 \times 2/3 { c8[ c8 c8] }
425 \times 2/3 { c8[ c8 c8] }
426 \times 2/3 { c8[ c8 c8] }
430 If nested tuplets do not begin at the same moment, their
431 appearance may be modified in the usual way with
432 @code{\override} commands:
434 @cindex text property, example
435 @cindex tuplet-number function, example
436 @cindex transparent property, example
437 @cindex TupletNumber, example of overriding
439 @c NOTE Tuplet brackets collide if notes are high on staff
441 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=1]
442 \times 2/3 { c8[ c c]}
443 \once \override TupletNumber
444 #'text = #tuplet-number::calc-fraction-text
448 \once \override TupletNumber #'transparent = ##t
449 \times 2/3 { c8[ c c] }
450 \times 2/3 { c8[ c c]}
457 @ruser{The tweak command}.
460 @node The Internals Reference manual
461 @section The Internals Reference manual
463 @cindex Internals Reference
466 * Properties of layout objects::
467 * Properties found in interfaces::
468 * Types of properties::
471 @node Properties of layout objects
472 @subsection Properties of layout objects
474 @cindex properties of layout objects
475 @cindex properties of grobs
476 @cindex grobs, properties of
477 @cindex layout objects, properties of
478 @cindex Internals Reference manual
480 Suppose you have a slur in a score which, to your mind,
481 appears too thin and you'd like to draw it a little heavier.
482 How do you go about doing this? You know from the statements
483 earlier about the flexibility of LilyPond that such a thing
484 should be possible, and you would probably guess that an
485 @code{\override} command would be needed. But is there a
486 heaviness property for a slur, and if there is, how might it
487 be modified? This is where the Internals Reference manual
488 comes in. It contains all the information you might need to
489 construct this and all other @code{\override} commands.
491 Before we look at the Internals Reference a word of warning.
492 This is a @strong{reference} document, which means there is
493 little or no explanation contained within it: its purpose is
494 to present information precisely and concisely. This
495 means it might look daunting at first sight. Don't worry!
496 The guidance and explanation presented here will enable you
497 to extract the information from the Internals Reference for
498 yourself with just a little practice.
500 @cindex override example
501 @cindex Internals Reference, example of using
502 @cindex @code{\addlyrics} example
504 Let's use a concrete example with a simple fragment of real
507 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
512 g[( e]) e d[( f]) a |
516 The man who feels love's sweet e -- mo -- tion
521 Suppose now that we decide we would like the slurs to be a
522 little heavier. Is this possible? The slur is certainly a
523 layout object, so the question is, @q{Is there a property
524 belonging to a slur which controls the heaviness?} To answer
525 this we must look in the Internals Reference, or IR for short.
527 The IR for the version of LilyPond you are using may be found
528 on the LilyPond website at @uref{http://lilypond.org}. Go to the
529 documentation page and click on the Internals Reference link.
530 For learning purposes you should use the standard HTML version,
531 not the @q{one big page} or the PDF. For the next few
532 paragraphs to make sense you will need to actually do this
535 Under the heading @strong{Top} you will see five links. Select
536 the link to the @emph{Backend}, which is where information about
537 layout objects is to be found. There, under the heading
538 @strong{Backend}, select the link to @emph{All layout objects}.
539 The page that appears lists all the layout objects used in your
540 version of LilyPond, in alphabetic order. Select the link to
541 Slur, and the properties of Slurs are listed.
543 An alternative way of finding this page is from the Notation
544 Reference. On one of the pages that deals with slurs you may find a
545 link to the Internals Reference. This link will take you directly to
546 this page, but if you have an idea about the name of the layout object
547 to be tweaked, it is easier to go straight to the IR and search there.
549 This Slur page in the IR tells us first that Slur objects are created
550 by the Slur_engraver. Then it lists the standard settings. Note
551 these are @strong{not} in alphabetic order. Browse down them looking
552 for a property that might control the heaviness of slurs, and you
556 @code{thickness} (number)
558 Line thickness, generally measured in @code{line-thickness}
561 This looks a good bet to change the heaviness. It tells us that
562 the value of @code{thickness} is a simple @emph{number},
563 that the default value is 1.2, and that the units are
564 in another property called @code{line-thickness}.
566 As we said earlier, there are few to no explanations in the IR,
567 but we already have enough information to try changing the
568 slur thickness. We see that the name of the layout object
569 is @code{Slur}, that the name of the property to change is
570 @code{thickness} and that the new value should be a number
571 somewhat larger than 1.2 if we are to make slurs thicker.
573 We can now construct the @code{\override} command by simply
574 substituting the values we have found for the names, omitting
575 the context. Let's use a very large value for the thickness
576 at first, so we can be sure the command is working. We get:
579 \override Slur #'thickness = #5.0
582 Don't forget the @code{#'} preceding the
583 property name and a @code{#} preceding the new value!
585 The final question is, @q{Where should this command be
586 placed?} While you are unsure and learning, the best
587 answer is, @q{Within the music, before the first slur and
588 close to it.} Let's do that:
590 @cindex Slur example of overriding
591 @cindex thickness property, example
593 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
597 % Increase thickness of all following slurs from 1.2 to 5.0
598 \override Slur #'thickness = #5.0
600 g[( e]) e d[( f]) a |
604 The man who feels love's sweet e -- mo -- tion
610 and we see that the slur is indeed heavier.
612 So this is the basic way of constructing @code{\override}
613 commands. There are a few more complications that we
614 shall meet in later sections, but you now know all the
615 essentials required to make up your own -- but you will
616 still need some practice. This is provided in the examples
619 @subheading Finding the context
621 @cindex context, finding
622 @cindex context, identifying correct
624 But first, what if we had needed to specify the Context?
625 What should it be? We could guess that slurs are in
626 the Voice context, as they are clearly closely associated
627 with individual lines of music, but can we be sure? To
628 find out, go back to the top of the IR page describing the
629 Slur, where it says @q{Slur objects are created by: Slur
630 engraver}. So slurs will be created in whichever context
631 the @code{Slur_engraver} is in. Follow the link to the
632 @code{Slur_engraver} page. At the very bottom it tells
633 us that @code{Slur_engraver} is part of five Voice contexts,
634 including the standard voice context, @code{Voice}, so our
635 guess was correct. And because @code{Voice} is one of the
636 lowest level contexts which is implied unambiguously by
637 the fact that we are entering notes, we can omit it in this
640 @subheading Overriding once only
642 @cindex overriding once only
643 @cindex once override
648 As you can see, @emph{all} the slurs are thicker in the final example
649 above. But what if we wanted just the first slur to be thicker? This
650 is achieved with the @code{\once} command. Placed immediately before
651 the @code{\override} command it causes it to change only the slur
652 which begins on the @strong{immediately following} note. If the
653 immediately following note does not begin a slur the command has no
654 effect at all -- it is not remembered until a slur is encountered, it
655 is simply discarded. So the command with @code{\once} must be
656 repositioned as follows:
658 @cindex Slur, example of overriding
659 @cindex thickness property, example
661 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
666 % Increase thickness of immediately following slur only
667 \once \override Slur #'thickness = #5.0
669 g[( e]) e d[( f]) a |
673 The man who feels love's sweet e -- mo -- tion
679 Now only the first slur is made heavier.
681 The @code{\once} command can also be used before the @code{\set}
684 @subheading Reverting
687 @cindex default properties, reverting to
692 Finally, what if we wanted just the first two slurs to be
693 heavier? Well, we could use two commands, each preceded by
694 @code{\once} placed immediately before each of the notes where
697 @cindex Slur, example of overriding
698 @cindex thickness property, example
700 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
705 % Increase thickness of immediately following slur only
706 \once \override Slur #'thickness = #5.0
708 % Increase thickness of immediately following slur only
709 \once \override Slur #'thickness = #5.0
710 g[( e]) e d[( f]) a |
714 The man who feels love's sweet e -- mo -- tion
720 or we could omit the @code{\once} command and use the @code{\revert}
721 command to return the @code{thickness} property to its default value
722 after the second slur:
724 @cindex Slur, example of overriding
725 @cindex thickness property, example
727 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
732 % Increase thickness of all following slurs from 1.2 to 5.0
733 \override Slur #'thickness = #5.0
736 % Revert thickness of all following slurs to default of 1.2
737 \revert Slur #'thickness
742 The man who feels love's sweet e -- mo -- tion
748 The @code{\revert} command can be used to return any property
749 changed with @code{\override} back to its default value.
750 You may use whichever method best suits what you want to do.
752 That concludes our introduction to the IR, and the basic
753 method of tweaking. Several examples follow in the later
754 sections of this Chapter, partly to introduce you to some of the
755 additional features of the IR, and partly to give you more
756 practice in extracting information from it. These examples will
757 contain progressively fewer words of guidance and explanation.
760 @node Properties found in interfaces
761 @subsection Properties found in interfaces
764 @cindex interface properties
765 @cindex properties in interfaces
767 Suppose now that we wish to print the lyrics in italics. What form of
768 @code{\override} command do we need to do this? We first look in the
769 IR page listing @q{All layout objects}, as before, and look for an
770 object that might control lyrics. We find @code{LyricText}, which
771 looks right. Clicking on this shows the settable properties for lyric
772 text. These include the @code{font-series} and @code{font-size}, but
773 nothing that might give an italic shape. This is because the shape
774 property is one that is common to all font objects, so, rather than
775 including it in every layout object, it is grouped together with other
776 similar common properties and placed in an @strong{Interface}, the
777 @code{font-interface}.
779 So now we need to learn how to find the properties of interfaces,
780 and to discover what objects use these interface properties.
782 Look again at the IR page which describes LyricText. At the bottom of
783 the page is a list of clickable interfaces which LyricText supports.
784 The list has several items, including @code{font-interface}. Clicking
785 on this brings up the properties associated with this interface, which
786 are also properties of all the objects which support it, including
789 Now we see all the user-settable properties which control fonts,
790 including @code{font-shape(symbol)}, where @code{symbol} can be
791 set to @code{upright}, @code{italics} or @code{caps}.
793 You will notice that @code{font-series} and @code{font-size} are also
794 listed there. This immediately raises the question: Why are the
795 common font properties @code{font-series} and @code{font-size} listed
796 under @code{LyricText} as well as under the interface
797 @code{font-interface} but @code{font-shape} is not? The answer is
798 that @code{font-series} and @code{font-size} are changed from their
799 global default values when a @code{LyricText} object is created, but
800 @code{font-shape} is not. The entries in @code{LyricText} then tell
801 you the values for those two properties which apply to
802 @code{LyricText}. Other objects which support @code{font-interface}
803 will set these properties differently when they are created.
805 Let's see if we can now construct the @code{\override} command
806 to change the lyrics to italics. The object is @code{LyricText},
807 the property is @code{font-shape} and the value is
808 @code{italic}. As before, we'll omit the context.
810 As an aside, although it is an important one, note that because the
811 values of @code{font-shape} are symbols they must be introduced with a
812 single apostrophe, @code{'}. That is why apostrophes are needed
813 before @code{thickness} in the earlier example and @code{font-shape}.
814 These are both symbols too. Symbols are then read internally by
815 LilyPond. Some of them are the names of properties, like
816 @code{thickness} or @code{font-shape}, others are used as values that
817 can be given to properties, like @code{italic}. Note the distinction
818 from arbitrary text strings, which would appear as @code{"a text
819 string"}; for more details about symbols and strings, see @ref{Scheme
822 So we see that the @code{\override} command needed to print the lyrics
826 \override LyricText #'font-shape = #'italic
830 This should be placed just in front of the lyrics we wish to affect,
833 @cindex font-shape property, example
834 @cindex italic, example
835 @cindex LyricText, example of overriding
836 @cindex @code{\addlyrics}, example
838 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
843 g[( e]) e d[( f]) a |
847 \override LyricText #'font-shape = #'italic
848 The man who feels love's sweet e -- mo -- tion
854 and the lyrics are all printed in italics.
856 @subheading Specifying the context in lyric mode
858 @cindex context, specifying in lyric mode
859 @cindex lyric mode, specifying context
861 In the case of lyrics, if you try specifying the context in the
862 format given earlier the command will fail. A syllable
863 entered in lyricmode is terminated by either a space,
864 a newline or a digit. All other characters are included
865 as part of the syllable. For this reason a space or newline
866 must appear before the terminating @code{@}} to prevent it being
867 included as part of the final syllable. Similarly,
868 spaces must be inserted before and after the
869 period or dot, @q{.}, separating the context name from the
870 object name, as otherwise the two names are run together and
871 the interpreter cannot recognize them. So the command should be:
874 \override Lyrics . LyricText #'font-shape = #'italic
877 @warning{In lyrics always leave whitespace between the final
878 syllable and the terminating brace.}
880 @warning{In overrides in lyrics always place spaces around
881 the dot between the context name and the object name.}
885 Learning Manual: @ref{Scheme tutorial}.
888 @node Types of properties
889 @subsection Types of properties
891 @cindex property types
893 So far we have seen two types of property: @code{number} and
894 @code{symbol}. To be valid, the value given to a property
895 must be of the correct type and obey the rules for that type.
896 The type of property is always shown in brackets after the
897 property name in the IR. Here is a list of the types you may
898 need, together with the rules for that type, and some examples.
899 You must always add a hash symbol, @code{#}, of course,
900 to the front of these values when they are entered in the
901 @code{\override} command.
903 @multitable @columnfractions .2 .45 .35
904 @headitem Property type
908 @tab Either True or False, represented by #t or #f
909 @tab @code{#t}, @code{#f}
910 @item Dimension (in staff space)
911 @tab A positive decimal number (in units of staff space)
912 @tab @code{2.5}, @code{0.34}
914 @tab A valid direction constant or its numerical equivalent (decimal
915 values between -1 and 1 are allowed)
916 @tab @code{LEFT}, @code{CENTER}, @code{UP},
919 @tab A positive whole number
920 @tab @code{3}, @code{1}
922 @tab A set of values separated by spaces, enclosed in parentheses
923 and preceded by an apostrophe
924 @tab @code{'(left-edge staff-bar)}, @code{'(1)},
925 @code{'(1.0 0.25 0.5)}
927 @tab Any valid markup
928 @tab @code{\markup @{ \italic "cresc." @}}
930 @tab A fraction of a whole note constructed with the
932 @tab @code{(ly:make-moment 1 4)},
933 @code{(ly:make-moment 3 8)}
935 @tab Any positive or negative decimal value
936 @tab @code{3.5}, @code{-2.45}
937 @item Pair (of numbers)
938 @tab Two numbers separated by a @q{space . space} and enclosed
939 in brackets preceded by an apostrophe
940 @tab @code{'(2 . 3.5)}, @code{'(0.1 . -3.2)}
942 @tab Any of the set of permitted symbols for that property,
943 preceded by an apostrophe
944 @tab @code{'italic}, @code{'inside}
946 @tab A procedure, or @code{#f} to cause no action
947 @tab @code{bend::print}, @code{ly:text-interface::print},
950 @tab A list of three items enclosed in parentheses and preceded
951 by apostrophe-hash, @code{'#}.
952 @tab @code{'#(#t #t #f)}
957 Learning Manual: @ref{Scheme tutorial}.
960 @node Appearance of objects
961 @section Appearance of objects
963 Let us now put what we have learned into practice with a few
964 examples which show how tweaks may be used to change the
965 appearance of the printed music.
968 * Visibility and color of objects::
970 * Length and thickness of objects::
973 @node Visibility and color of objects
974 @subsection Visibility and color of objects
976 In the educational use of music we might wish to print a score
977 with certain elements omitted as an exercise for the student,
978 who is required to supply them. As a simple example,
979 let us suppose the exercise is to supply the missing bar lines
980 in a piece of music. But the bar lines are normally inserted
981 automatically. How do we prevent them printing?
983 Before we tackle this, let us remember that object properties are
984 grouped in what are called @emph{interfaces} -- see @ref{Properties
985 found in interfaces}. This is simply to group together those
986 properties that may be used together to tweak a graphical object -- if
987 one of them is allowed for an object, so are the others. Some objects
988 then use the properties in some interfaces, others use them from other
989 interfaces. The interfaces which contain the properties used by a
990 particular grob are listed in the IR at the bottom of the page
991 describing that grob, and those properties may be viewed by looking at
994 We explained how to find information about grobs in @ref{Properties of
995 layout objects}. Using the same approach, we go to the IR to find the
996 layout object which prints bar lines. Going via @emph{Backend} and
997 @emph{All layout objects} we find there is a layout object called
998 @code{BarLine}. Its properties include two that control its
999 visibility: @code{break-visibility} and @code{stencil}. Barline also
1000 supports a number of interfaces, including the @code{grob-interface},
1001 where we find the @code{transparent} and the @code{color} properties.
1002 All of these can affect the visibility of bar lines (and, of course,
1003 by extension, many other layout objects too.) Let's consider each of
1008 @cindex stencil property
1010 This property controls the appearance of the bar lines by specifying
1011 the symbol (glyph) which should be printed. In common
1012 with many other properties, it can be set to print nothing by
1013 setting its value to @code{#f}. Let's try it, as before, omitting
1014 the implied Context, @code{Voice}:
1016 @cindex BarLine, example of overriding
1017 @cindex stencil property, example
1019 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1022 \override BarLine #'stencil = ##f
1024 g, a16 b8 c d4 e16 |
1029 The bar lines are still printed. What is wrong? Go back to the IR
1030 and look again at the page giving the properties of BarLine. At the
1031 top of the page it says @qq{Barline objects are created by:
1032 Bar_engraver}. Go to the @code{Bar_engraver} page. At the bottom it
1033 gives a list of Contexts in which the bar engraver operates. All of
1034 them are of the type @code{Staff}, so the reason the @code{\override}
1035 command failed to work as expected is because @code{Barline} is not in
1036 the default @code{Voice} context. If the context is specified
1037 incorrectly, the command simply does not work. No error message is
1038 produced, and nothing is logged in the log file. Let's try correcting
1039 it by adding the correct context:
1041 @cindex BarLine, example of overriding
1042 @cindex stencil property, example
1044 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1047 \override Staff.BarLine #'stencil = ##f
1049 g, a16 b8 c d4 e16 |
1054 Now the bar lines have vanished.
1056 Note, though, that setting the @code{stencil} property to @code{#f}
1057 will cause errors when the dimensions of the object are required for
1058 correct processing. For example, errors will be generated if the
1059 @code{stencil} property of the @code{NoteHead} object is set to
1060 @code{#f}. If this is the case, you can instead use the
1061 @code{point-stencil} function, which sets the stencil to a object
1064 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
1067 \once \override NoteHead #'stencil = #point-stencil
1072 @subheading break-visibility
1074 @cindex break-visibility property
1076 We see from the @code{BarLine} properties in the IR that the
1077 @code{break-visibility} property requires a vector of three booleans.
1078 These control respectively whether bar lines are printed at the end of
1079 a line, in the middle of lines, and at the beginning of lines. For
1080 our example we want all bar lines to be suppressed, so the value we
1081 need is @code{'#(#f #f #f)}. Let's try that, remembering to include
1082 the @code{Staff} context. Note also that in writing this value we
1083 have @code{#'#} before the opening bracket. The @code{'#} is required
1084 as part of the value to introduce a vector, and the first @code{#} is
1085 required, as always, to precede the value itself in the
1086 @code{\override} command.
1088 @cindex BarLine, example of overriding
1089 @cindex break-visibility property, example
1091 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1094 \override Staff.BarLine #'break-visibility = #'#(#f #f #f)
1096 g, a16 b8 c d4 e16 |
1101 And we see this too removes all the bar lines.
1103 @subheading transparent
1105 @cindex transparent property
1106 @cindex transparency
1108 We see from the properties specified in the @code{grob-interface} page
1109 in the IR that the @code{transparent} property is a boolean. This
1110 should be set to @code{#t} to make the grob transparent. In this next
1111 example let us make the time signature invisible rather than the bar
1112 lines. To do this we need to find the grob name for the time
1113 signature. Back to the @q{All layout objects} page in the IR to find
1114 the properties of the @code{TimeSignature} layout object. This is
1115 produced by the @code{Time_signature_engraver} which you can check
1116 also lives in the @code{Staff} context and also supports the
1117 @code{grob-interface}. So the command to make the time signature
1120 @cindex TimeSignature, example of overriding
1121 @cindex transparent property, example
1123 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1126 \override Staff.TimeSignature #'transparent = ##t
1128 g, a16 b8 c d4 e16 |
1134 The time signature is gone, but this command leaves a gap where
1135 the time signature should be. Maybe this is what is wanted for
1136 an exercise for the student to fill it in, but in other
1137 circumstances a gap might be undesirable. To remove it, the
1138 stencil for the time signature should be set to @code{#f}
1141 @cindex TimeSignature, example of overriding
1142 @cindex stencil property, example
1144 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1147 \override Staff.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f
1149 g, a16 b8 c d4 e16 |
1155 and the difference is obvious: setting the stencil to @code{#f}
1156 removes the object entirely; making the object @code{transparent}
1157 leaves it where it is, but makes it invisible.
1161 @cindex color property
1163 Finally let us try making the bar lines invisible by coloring
1164 them white. (There is a difficulty with this in that the
1165 white bar line may or may not blank out the staff lines where
1166 they cross. You may see in some of the examples below that this
1167 happens unpredictably. The details of why this is so and how to
1168 control it are covered in @ruser{Painting objects white}. But at
1169 the moment we are learning about color, so please just accept this
1170 limitation for now.)
1172 The @code{grob-interface} specifies that the
1173 color property value is a list, but there is no
1174 explanation of what that list should be. The list it
1175 requires is actually a list of values in internal units,
1176 but, to avoid having to know what these are, several ways
1177 are provided to specify colors. The first way is to use one
1178 of the @q{normal} colors listed in the first table in
1179 @ruser{List of colors}. To set the bar lines to white
1182 @cindex BarLine, example of overriding
1183 @cindex color property, example
1185 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1188 \override Staff.BarLine #'color = #white
1190 g, a16 b8 c d4 e16 |
1196 and again, we see the bar lines are not visible. Note that
1197 @emph{white} is not preceded by an apostrophe -- it is not
1198 a symbol, but a @emph{function}. When called, it provides
1199 the list of internal values required to set the color to
1200 white. The other colors in the normal list are functions
1201 too. To convince yourself this is working you might like
1202 to change the color to one of the other functions in the
1210 The second way of changing the color is to use the list of
1211 X11 color names in the second list in @ruser{List of colors}.
1212 However, these must be preceded by another function, which
1213 converts X11 color names into the list of internal values,
1214 @code{x11-color}, like this:
1216 @cindex BarLine, example of overriding
1217 @cindex color property, example
1219 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1222 \override Staff.BarLine #'color = #(x11-color 'white)
1224 g, a16 b8 c d4 e16 |
1230 Note that in this case the function @code{x11-color} takes
1231 a symbol as an argument, so the symbol must be preceded by
1232 an apostrophe and the two enclosed in brackets.
1239 There is yet a third function, one which converts RGB values into
1240 internal colors -- the @code{rgb-color} function. This takes
1241 three arguments giving the intensities of the red, green and
1242 blue colors. These take values in the range 0 to 1. So to
1243 set the color to red the value should be @code{(rgb-color 1 0 0)}
1244 and to white it should be @code{(rgb-color 1 1 1)}:
1246 @cindex BarLine, example of overriding
1247 @cindex color property, example
1249 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1252 \override Staff.BarLine #'color = #(rgb-color 1 1 1)
1254 g, a16 b8 c d4 e16 |
1259 Finally, there is also a grey scale available as part of the
1260 X11 set of colors. These range from black, @code{'grey0'},
1261 to white, @code{'grey100}, in steps of 1. Let's illustrate
1262 this by setting all the layout objects in our example to
1263 various shades of grey:
1265 @cindex StaffSymbol, example of overriding
1266 @cindex TimeSignature, example of overriding
1267 @cindex Clef, example of overriding
1268 @cindex NoteHead, example of overriding
1269 @cindex Stem, example of overriding
1270 @cindex BarLine, example of overriding
1271 @cindex color property, example
1272 @cindex x11-color, example of using
1274 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1277 \override Staff.StaffSymbol #'color = #(x11-color 'grey30)
1278 \override Staff.TimeSignature #'color = #(x11-color 'grey60)
1279 \override Staff.Clef #'color = #(x11-color 'grey60)
1280 \override Voice.NoteHead #'color = #(x11-color 'grey85)
1281 \override Voice.Stem #'color = #(x11-color 'grey85)
1282 \override Staff.BarLine #'color = #(x11-color 'grey10)
1284 g, a16 b8 c d4 e16 |
1290 Note the contexts associated with each of the layout objects.
1291 It is important to get these right, or the commands will not
1292 work! Remember, the context is the one in which the appropriate
1293 engraver is placed. The default context for engravers can be
1294 found by starting from the layout object, going from there to
1295 the engraver which produces it, and on the engraver page in the
1296 IR it tells you in which context the engraver will normally be
1300 @node Size of objects
1301 @subsection Size of objects
1303 @cindex changing size of objects
1304 @cindex size of objects
1305 @cindex objects, size of
1306 @cindex objects, changing size of
1308 Let us begin by looking again at the earlier example
1309 see @ref{Nesting music expressions}) which showed
1310 how to introduce a new temporary staff, as in an @rglos{ossia}.
1312 @cindex alignAboveContext property, example
1313 @cindex @code{\with}, example
1315 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1316 \new Staff ="main" {
1323 alignAboveContext = #"main" }
1331 Ossia are normally written without clef and time signature, and
1332 are usually printed slightly smaller than the main staff. We
1333 already know now how to remove the clef and time signature --
1334 we simply set the stencil of each to @code{#f}, as follows:
1336 @cindex alignAboveContext property, example
1337 @cindex @code{\with}, example
1338 @cindex stencil property, example
1339 @cindex Clef, example of overriding
1340 @cindex TimeSignature, example of overriding
1342 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1343 \new Staff ="main" {
1350 alignAboveContext = #"main"
1353 \override Staff.Clef #'stencil = ##f
1354 \override Staff.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f
1364 where the extra pair of braces after the @code{\with} clause are
1365 required to ensure the enclosed overrides and music are applied
1368 But what is the difference between modifying the staff context by
1369 using @code{\with} and modifying the stencils of the clef and the
1370 time signature with \override? The main difference is that
1371 changes made in a @code{\with} clause are made at the time the
1372 context is created, and remain in force as the @strong{default}
1373 values for the duration of that context, whereas
1374 @code{\set} or @code{\override} commands embedded in the
1375 music are dynamic -- they make changes synchronized with
1376 a particular point in the music. If changes are unset or
1377 reverted using @code{\unset} or @code{\revert} they return to
1378 their default values, which will be the ones set in the
1379 @code{\with} clause, or if none have been set there, the normal
1382 Some context properties can be modified only in @code{\with} clauses.
1383 These are those properties which cannot sensibly be changed after the
1384 context has been created. @code{alignAboveContext} and its partner,
1385 @code{alignBelowContext}, are two such properties -- once the staff
1386 has been created its alignment is decided and it would make no sense
1387 to try to change it later.
1389 The default values of layout object properties can also be set
1390 in @code{\with} clauses. Simply use the normal @code{\override}
1391 command leaving out the context name, since this is unambiguously
1392 defined as the context which the @code{\with} clause is modifying.
1393 If fact, an error will be generated if a context is specified
1396 So we could replace the example above with
1398 @cindex alignAboveContext property, example
1399 @cindex @code{\with}, example
1400 @cindex Clef, example of overriding
1401 @cindex TimeSignature, example of overriding
1403 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1404 \new Staff ="main" {
1411 alignAboveContext = #"main"
1412 % Don't print clefs in this staff
1413 \override Clef #'stencil = ##f
1414 % Don't print time signatures in this staff
1415 \override TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f
1424 Finally we come to changing the size of layout objects.
1426 Some layout objects are created as glyphs selected from a typeface
1427 font. These include note heads, accidentals, markup, clefs, time
1428 signatures, dynamics and lyrics. Their size is changed by modifying
1429 the @code{font-size} property, as we shall shortly see. Other layout
1430 objects such as slurs and ties -- in general, spanner objects -- are
1431 drawn individually, so there is no @code{font-size} associated with
1432 them. These objects generally derive their size from the objects to
1433 which they are attached, so usually there is no need to change their
1434 size manually. Still other properties such as the length of stems and
1435 bar lines, thickness of beams and other lines, and the separation of
1436 staff lines all need to be modified in special ways.
1438 Returning to the ossia example, let us first change the font-size.
1439 We can do this in two ways. We can either change the size of the
1440 fonts of each object type, like @code{NoteHead}s with commands
1444 \override NoteHead #'font-size = #-2
1447 or we can change the size of all fonts by setting a special
1448 property, @code{fontSize}, using @code{\set}, or by including
1449 it in a @code{\with} clause (but without the @code{\set}).
1455 Both of these statements would cause the font size to be reduced
1456 by 2 steps from its previous value, where each
1457 step reduces or increases the size by approximately 12%.
1459 Let's try it in our ossia example:
1461 @cindex alignAboveContext property, example
1462 @cindex @code{\with}, example
1463 @cindex Clef, example of overriding
1464 @cindex TimeSignature, example of overriding
1465 @cindex fontSize property, example
1467 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1468 \new Staff ="main" {
1475 alignAboveContext = #"main"
1476 \override Clef #'stencil = ##f
1477 \override TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f
1478 % Reduce all font sizes by ~24%
1488 This is still not quite right. The note heads and flags are
1489 smaller, but the stems are too long in proportion and the
1490 staff lines are spaced too widely apart. These need to be
1491 scaled down in proportion to the font reduction. The next
1492 sub-section discusses how this is done.
1494 @node Length and thickness of objects
1495 @subsection Length and thickness of objects
1501 @cindex size, changing
1502 @cindex stem length, changing
1503 @cindex staff line spacing, changing
1505 Distances and lengths in LilyPond are generally measured in
1506 staff-spaces, the distance between adjacent lines in the staff,
1507 (or occasionally half staff spaces) while most @code{thickness}
1508 properties are measured in units of an internal property called
1509 @code{line-thickness.} For example, by default, the lines of
1510 hairpins are given a thickness of 1 unit of @code{line-thickness},
1511 while the @code{thickness} of a note stem is 1.3. Note, though,
1512 that some thickness properties are different; for example, the
1513 thickness of beams is controlled by the value of the
1514 @code{beam-thickness} property, which is measured in staff-spaces.
1516 So how are lengths to be scaled in proportion to the font size?
1517 This can be done with the help of a special function called
1518 @code{magstep} provided for exactly this purpose. It takes
1519 one argument, the change in font size (#-2 in the example above)
1520 and returns a scaling factor suitable for reducing other
1521 objects in proportion. It is used like this:
1523 @cindex alignAboveContext property, example
1524 @cindex @code{\with}, example
1525 @cindex Clef, example of overriding
1526 @cindex TimeSignature, example of overriding
1527 @cindex fontSize property, example
1528 @cindex StaffSymbol, example of overriding
1529 @cindex magstep function, example of using
1530 @cindex staff-space property, example
1531 @cindex stencil property, example
1533 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1534 \new Staff ="main" {
1541 alignAboveContext = #"main"
1542 \override Clef #'stencil = ##f
1543 \override TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f
1545 % Reduce stem length and line spacing to match
1546 \override StaffSymbol #'staff-space = #(magstep -2)
1556 Since the length of stems and many other length-related properties are
1557 always calculated relative to the value of the @code{staff-space}
1558 property these are automatically scaled down in length too. Note that
1559 this affects only the vertical scale of the ossia -- the horizontal
1560 scale is determined by the layout of the main music in order to remain
1561 synchronized with it, so it is not affected by any of these changes in
1562 size. Of course, if the scale of all the main music were changed in
1563 this way then the horizontal spacing would be affected. This is
1564 discussed later in the layout section.
1566 This, then, completes the creation of an ossia. The sizes and
1567 lengths of all other objects may be modified in analogous ways.
1569 For small changes in scale, as in the example above, the
1570 thickness of the various drawn lines such as bar lines,
1571 beams, hairpins, slurs, etc does not usually require global
1572 adjustment. If the thickness of any particular layout object
1573 needs to be adjusted this can be best achieved by overriding its
1574 @code{thickness} property. An example of changing the thickness
1575 of slurs was shown above in @ref{Properties of layout objects}.
1576 The thickness of all drawn objects (i.e., those not produced
1577 from a font) may be changed in the same way.
1580 @node Placement of objects
1581 @section Placement of objects
1584 * Automatic behavior::
1585 * Within-staff objects::
1586 * Outside-staff objects::
1590 @node Automatic behavior
1591 @subsection Automatic behavior
1593 @cindex within-staff objects
1594 @cindex outside-staff objects
1595 @cindex objects, within-staff
1596 @cindex objects, outside-staff
1598 There are some objects in musical notation that belong to
1599 the staff and there are other objects that should be
1600 placed outside the staff. These are called within-staff
1601 objects and outside-staff objects respectively.
1603 Within-staff objects are those that are located on the staff
1604 -- note heads, stems, accidentals, etc. The positions of
1605 these are usually fixed by the music itself -- they are
1606 vertically positioned on specific lines of the staff or are
1607 tied to other objects that are so positioned. Collisions of
1608 note heads, stems and accidentals in closely set chords are
1609 normally avoided automatically. There are commands and
1610 overrides which can modify this automatic behavior, as we
1613 Objects belonging outside the staff include things such as
1614 rehearsal marks, text and dynamic markings. LilyPond's rule for
1615 the vertical placement of outside-staff objects is to place them
1616 as close to the staff as possible but not so close that they
1617 collide with any other object. LilyPond uses the
1618 @code{outside-staff-priority} property to determine the order in
1619 which the objects should be placed, as follows.
1621 First, LilyPond places all the within-staff objects.
1622 Then it sorts the outside-staff objects according to their
1623 @code{outside-staff-priority}. The outside-staff objects are
1624 taken one by one, beginning with the object with the lowest
1625 @code{outside-staff-priority}, and placed so that they do not
1626 collide with any objects that have already been placed. That is,
1627 if two outside-staff grobs are competing for the same space, the
1628 one with the lower @code{outside-staff-priority} will be placed
1629 closer to the staff. If two objects have the same
1630 @code{outside-staff-priority} the one encountered first will be
1631 placed closer to the staff.
1633 In the following example all the markup texts have the same
1634 priority (since it is not explicitly set). Note that @q{Text3}
1635 is automatically positioned close to the staff again, nestling
1638 @cindex markup example
1640 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1647 Staves are also positioned, by default, as closely together as
1648 possible (subject to a minimum separation). If notes project
1649 a long way towards an adjacent staff they will force the
1650 staves further apart only if an overlap of the notation
1651 would otherwise occur. The following example demonstrates
1652 this @q{nestling} of the notes on adjacent staves:
1654 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
1657 \relative c' { c a, }
1660 \relative c'''' { c a, }
1666 @node Within-staff objects
1667 @subsection Within-staff objects
1669 We have already seen how the commands @code{\voiceXXX} affect
1670 the direction of slurs, ties, fingering and
1671 everything else which depends on the direction of the stems.
1672 These commands are essential when writing polyphonic music to
1673 permit interweaving melodic lines to be distinguished.
1674 But occasionally it may be necessary to override this automatic
1675 behavior. This can be done for whole sections of music or even
1676 for an individual note. The property which controls this
1677 behavior is the @code{direction} property of each layout object.
1678 We first explain what this does, and then introduce a number of
1679 ready-made commands which avoid your having to code explicit
1680 overrides for the more common modifications.
1682 Some layout objects like slurs and ties curve, bend or point
1683 either up or down; others like stems and flags also move to
1684 right or left when they point up or down. This is controlled
1685 automatically when @code{direction} is set.
1692 The following example shows in bar 1 the default behavior of stems,
1693 with those on high notes pointing down and those on low notes pointing
1694 up, followed by four notes with all stems forced down, four notes with
1695 all stems forced up, and finally four notes reverted back to the
1698 @cindex Stem, example of overriding
1699 @cindex direction property, example
1701 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1703 \override Stem #'direction = #DOWN
1705 \override Stem #'direction = #UP
1707 \revert Stem #'direction
1711 Here we use the constants @code{DOWN} and @code{UP}.
1712 These have the values @code{-1} and @code{+1} respectively, and
1713 these numerical values may be used instead. The value @code{0}
1714 may also be used in some cases. It is simply treated as meaning
1715 @code{UP} for stems, but for some objects it means @q{center}.
1716 There is a constant, @code{CENTER} which has the value @code{0}.
1718 However, these explicit overrides are not usually used, as there are
1719 simpler equivalent predefined commands available. Here is a table of
1720 the commonest. The meaning of each is stated where it is not obvious.
1722 @multitable @columnfractions .2 .2 .25 .35
1727 @item @code{\arpeggioArrowDown}
1728 @tab @code{\arpeggioArrowUp}
1729 @tab @code{\arpeggioNormal}
1730 @tab Arrow is at bottom, at top, or no arrow
1731 @item @code{\dotsDown}
1733 @tab @code{\dotsNeutral}
1734 @tab Direction of movement to avoid staff lines
1735 @item @code{\dynamicDown}
1736 @tab @code{\dynamicUp}
1737 @tab @code{\dynamicNeutral}
1739 @item @code{\phrasingSlurDown}
1740 @tab @code{\phrasingSlurUp}
1741 @tab @code{\phrasingSlurNeutral}
1742 @tab Note: distinct from slur commands
1743 @item @code{\slurDown}
1745 @tab @code{\slurNeutral}
1747 @item @code{\stemDown}
1749 @tab @code{\stemNeutral}
1751 @item @code{\textSpannerDown}
1752 @tab @code{\textSpannerUp}
1753 @tab @code{\textSpannerNeutral}
1754 @tab Text entered as spanner is below/above staff
1755 @item @code{\tieDown}
1757 @tab @code{\tieNeutral}
1759 @item @code{\tupletDown}
1760 @tab @code{\tupletUp}
1761 @tab @code{\tupletNeutral}
1762 @tab Tuplets are below/above notes
1765 Note that these predefined commands may @strong{not} be
1766 preceded by @code{\once}. If you wish to limit the
1767 effect to a single note you must either use the equivalent
1768 @code{\once \override} command or use the predefined command
1769 followed after the affected note by the corresponding
1770 @code{\xxxNeutral} command.
1772 @unnumberedsubsubsec Fingering
1774 @cindex fingering, placement
1775 @cindex fingering, chords
1777 The placement of fingering on single notes can also be controlled
1778 by the @code{direction} property, but changing @code{direction}
1779 has no effect on chords. As we shall see, there are special
1780 commands which allow the fingering of individual notes
1781 of chords to be controlled, with the fingering being placed
1782 above, below, to the left or to the right of each note.
1784 First, here's the effect of @code{direction} on the fingering
1785 attached to single notes. The first bar shows the default
1786 behaviour, and the following two bars shows the effect of
1787 specifying @code{DOWN} and @code{UP}:
1789 @cindex Fingering, example of overriding
1790 @cindex direction property, example
1792 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
1794 \override Fingering #'direction = #DOWN
1796 \override Fingering #'direction = #UP
1800 However, overriding the @code{direction} property is not the
1801 easiest way of manually setting the fingering above or below
1802 the notes; using @code{_} or @code{^} instead of @code{-} before
1803 the fingering number is usually preferable. Here is the previous
1804 example using this method:
1806 @cindex fingering example
1808 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
1814 The @code{direction} property is ignored for chords, but the
1815 directional prefixes, @code{_} and @code{^} do work. By default,
1816 the fingering is automatically placed both above and below the
1817 notes of a chord, as shown:
1819 @cindex fingering example
1821 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
1828 but this may be overridden to manually force all or any of the
1829 individual fingering numbers above or below:
1831 @cindex fingering example
1833 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
1839 Even greater control over the placement of fingering of the
1840 individual notes in a chord is possible by using the
1841 @code{\set fingeringOrientations} command. The format of this
1845 @code{\set fingeringOrientations = #'([up] [left/right] [down])}
1849 @code{\set} is used because @code{fingeringOrientations} is a
1850 property of the @code{Voice} context, created and used by the
1851 @code{New_fingering_engraver}.
1853 The property may be set to a list of one to three values.
1854 It controls whether fingerings may be placed above (if
1855 @code{up} appears in the list), below (if @code{down} appears),
1856 to the left (if @code{left} appears, or to the right
1857 (if @code{right} appears). Conversely, if a location is not
1858 listed, no fingering is placed there. LilyPond takes these
1859 constraints and works out the best placement for the fingering
1860 of the notes of the following chords. Note that @code{left} and
1861 @code{right} are mutually exclusive -- fingering may be placed
1862 only on one side or the other, not both.
1864 @warning{To control the placement of the fingering of a single
1865 note using this command it is necessary to write it as a single
1866 note chord by placing angle brackets round it.}
1868 Here are a few examples:
1870 @cindex fingering example
1871 @cindex @code{\set}, example of using
1872 @cindex fingeringOrientations property, example
1874 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
1875 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(left)
1877 < c-1 e-2 g-3 b-5 > 4
1878 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(left)
1880 < c-1 e-2 g-3 b-5 > 4
1881 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(up left down)
1883 < c-1 e-2 g-3 b-5 > 4
1884 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(up left)
1886 < c-1 e-2 g-3 b-5 > 4
1887 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
1889 < c-1 e-2 g-3 b-5 > 4
1893 If the fingering seems a little crowded the @code{font-size}
1894 could be reduced. The default value can be seen from the
1895 @code{Fingering} object in the IR to be @code{-5}, so let's
1898 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
1899 \override Fingering #'font-size = #-7
1900 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(left)
1902 < c-1 e-2 g-3 b-5 > 4
1903 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(left)
1905 < c-1 e-2 g-3 b-5 > 4
1906 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(up left down)
1908 < c-1 e-2 g-3 b-5 > 4
1909 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(up left)
1911 < c-1 e-2 g-3 b-5 > 4
1912 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
1914 < c-1 e-2 g-3 b-5 > 4
1917 @node Outside-staff objects
1918 @subsection Outside-staff objects
1920 Outside-staff objects are automatically placed to avoid collisions.
1921 Objects with the lower value of the @code{outside-staff-priority}
1922 property are placed nearer to the staff, and other outside-staff
1923 objects are then raised as far as necessary to avoid collisions.
1924 The @code{outside-staff-priority} is defined in the
1925 @code{grob-interface} and so is a property of all layout objects.
1926 By default it is set to @code{#f} for all within-staff objects,
1927 and to a numerical value appropriate to each outside-staff object
1928 when the object is created. The following table shows
1929 the default numerical values for some of the commonest
1930 outside-staff objects which are, by default, placed in the
1931 @code{Staff} or @code{Voice} contexts.
1933 @multitable @columnfractions .3 .3 .3
1934 @headitem Layout Object
1936 @tab Controls position of:
1937 @item @code{MultiMeasureRestText}
1939 @tab Text over full-bar rests
1940 @item @code{TextScript}
1943 @item @code{OttavaBracket}
1945 @tab Ottava brackets
1946 @item @code{TextSpanner}
1949 @item @code{DynamicLineSpanner}
1951 @tab All dynamic markings
1952 @item @code{VoltaBracketSpanner}
1955 @item @code{TrillSpanner}
1957 @tab Spanning trills
1960 Here is an example showing the default placement of some of
1963 @cindex text spanner
1964 @cindex ottava bracket
1966 @funindex \startTextSpan
1967 @funindex startTextSpan
1968 @funindex \stopTextSpan
1969 @funindex stopTextSpan
1971 @cindex TextSpanner, example of overriding
1972 @cindex bound-details property, example
1974 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
1975 % Set details for later Text Spanner
1976 \override TextSpanner #'(bound-details left text)
1977 = \markup { \small \bold Slower }
1978 % Place dynamics above staff
1980 % Start Ottava Bracket
1985 % Add Dynamic Line Spanner
1991 c\ff c \stopTextSpan
1992 % Stop Ottava Bracket
1997 This example also shows how to create Text Spanners --
1998 text with extender lines above a section of music. The
1999 spanner extends from the @code{\startTextSpan} command to
2000 the @code{\stopTextSpan} command, and the format of the
2001 text is defined by the @code{\override TextSpanner} command.
2002 For more details see @ruser{Text spanners}.
2004 It also shows how ottava brackets are created.
2006 @cindex tweaking bar number placement
2007 @cindex bar numbers, tweaking placement
2008 @cindex tweaking metronome mark placement
2009 @cindex metronome mark, tweaking placement
2010 @cindex tweaking rehearsal mark placement
2011 @cindex rehearsal marks, tweaking placement
2013 Note that bar numbers, metronome marks and rehearsal marks are not
2014 shown. By default these are created in the @code{Score} context and
2015 their @code{outside-staff-priority} is ignored relative to the layout
2016 objects which are created in the @code{Staff} context. If you wish to
2017 place bar numbers, metronome marks or rehearsal marks in accordance
2018 with the value of their @code{outside-staff-priority} the
2019 @code{Bar_number_engraver}, @code{Metronome_mark_engraver} or
2020 @code{Mark_engraver} respectively should be removed from the
2021 @code{Score} context and placed in the top @code{Staff} context. If
2022 this is done, these marks will be given the following default
2023 @code{outside-staff-priority} values:
2025 @multitable @columnfractions .3 .3
2026 @headitem Layout Object @tab Priority
2027 @item @code{RehearsalMark} @tab @code{1500}
2028 @item @code{MetronomeMark} @tab @code{1000}
2029 @item @code{BarNumber} @tab @code{ 100}
2032 If the default values of @code{outside-staff-priority} do not give you
2033 the placing you want, the priority of any of the objects may be
2034 overridden. Suppose we would like the ottava bracket to be placed
2035 below the text spanner in the example above. All we need to do is to
2036 look up the priority of @code{OttavaBracket} in the IR or in the
2037 tables above, and reduce it to a value lower than that of a
2038 @code{TextSpanner}, remembering that @code{OttavaBracket} is created
2039 in the @code{Staff} context:
2041 @cindex TextSpanner, example of overriding
2042 @cindex bound-details property, example
2044 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
2045 % Set details for later Text Spanner
2046 \override TextSpanner #'(bound-details left text)
2047 = \markup { \small \bold Slower }
2048 % Place dynamics above staff
2050 %Place following Ottava Bracket below Text Spanners
2051 \once \override Staff.OttavaBracket #'outside-staff-priority = #340
2052 % Start Ottava Bracket
2057 % Add Dynamic Line Spanner
2063 c\ff c \stopTextSpan
2064 % Stop Ottava Bracket
2069 @cindex slurs and outside-staff-priority
2070 @cindex slurs and articulations
2071 @cindex articulations and slurs
2073 Slurs by default are classed as within-staff objects, but
2074 they often appear above the staff if the notes to
2075 which they are attached are high on the staff. This can push
2076 outside-staff objects such as articulations too high, as the slur
2077 will be placed first. The @code{avoid-slur} property of the
2078 articulation can be set to @code{'inside} to bring the articulation
2079 inside the slur, but the @code{avoid-slur} property is effective
2080 only if the @code{outside-staff-priority} is also set to @code{#f}.
2081 Alternatively, the @code{outside-staff-priority} of the slur
2082 can be set to a numerical value to cause it to be placed along with
2083 other outside-staff objects according to that value. Here's an
2084 example showing the effect of the two methods:
2086 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
2087 c4( c^\markup\tiny\sharp d4.) c8
2089 \once \override TextScript #'avoid-slur = #'inside
2090 \once \override TextScript #'outside-staff-priority = ##f
2091 c^\markup\tiny\sharp d4.) c8
2092 \once \override Slur #'outside-staff-priority = #500
2093 c4( c^\markup\tiny\sharp d4.) c8
2096 Changing the @code{outside-staff-priority} can also be used to
2097 control the vertical placement of individual objects, although
2098 the results may not always be desirable. Suppose we would
2099 like @qq{Text3} to be placed above @qq{Text4} in the example
2100 under Automatic behavior, above (see @ref{Automatic behavior}).
2101 All we need to do is to look up the priority of @code{TextScript}
2102 in the IR or in the tables above, and increase the priority of
2103 @qq{Text3} to a higher value:
2105 @cindex TextScript, example of overriding
2106 @cindex outside-staff-priority property, example
2108 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
2111 \once \override TextScript #'outside-staff-priority = #500
2116 This certainly lifts @qq{Text3} above @qq{Text4} but it also lifts it
2117 above @qq{Text2}, and @qq{Text4} now drops down. Perhaps this is not
2118 so good. What we would really like to do is to position all the
2119 annotation at the same distance above the staff. To do this, we
2120 clearly will need to space the notes out horizontally to make more
2121 room for the text. This is done using the @code{textLengthOn}
2124 @subheading \textLengthOn
2126 @cindex notes, spreading out with text
2128 @funindex \textLengthOn
2129 @funindex textLengthOn
2130 @funindex \textLengthOff
2131 @funindex textLengthOff
2133 By default, text produced by markup takes up no horizontal space
2134 as far as laying out the music is concerned. The @code{\textLengthOn}
2135 command reverses this behavior, causing the notes to be spaced
2136 out as far as is necessary to accommodate the text:
2138 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
2139 \textLengthOn % Cause notes to space out to accommodate text
2146 The command to revert to the default behavior is
2147 @code{\textLengthOff}. Remember @code{\once} only works with
2148 @code{\override}, @code{\set}, @code{\revert} or @code{unset},
2149 so cannot be used with @code{\textLengthOn}.
2151 @cindex markup text, allowing collisions
2153 Markup text will also avoid notes which project above the staff.
2154 If this is not desired, the automatic displacement upwards may
2155 be turned off by setting the priority to @code{#f}. Here's an
2156 example to show how markup text interacts with such notes.
2158 @cindex TextScript, example of overriding
2159 @cindex outside-staff-priority property, example
2161 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
2162 % This markup is short enough to fit without collision
2166 % This is too long to fit, so it is displaced upwards
2170 % Turn off collision avoidance
2171 \once \override TextScript #'outside-staff-priority = ##f
2175 % Turn off collision avoidance
2176 \once \override TextScript #'outside-staff-priority = ##f
2177 \textLengthOn % and turn on textLengthOn
2178 c,,2^"Long Text " % Spaces at end are honored
2183 @subheading Dynamics
2185 @cindex tweaking dynamics placement
2186 @cindex dynamics, tweaking placement
2188 Dynamic markings will normally be positioned beneath the
2189 staff, but may be positioned above with the @code{dynamicUp}
2190 command. They will be positioned vertically relative to the
2191 note to which they are attached, and will float below (or above)
2192 all within-staff objects such as phrasing slurs and bar numbers.
2193 This can give quite acceptable results, as this example
2196 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
2201 bes4.~\f\< \( bes4 bes8 des4\ff\> c16 bes\! |
2202 ees,2.~\)\mf ees4 r8 |
2205 However, if the notes and attached dynamics are close
2206 together the automatic placement will avoid collisions
2207 by displacing later dynamic markings further away, but this may
2208 not be the optimum placement, as this rather artificial example
2211 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
2217 Should a similar situation arise in @q{real} music, it may be
2218 preferable to space out the notes a little further, so the dynamic
2219 markings can all fit at the same vertical distance from the staff. We
2220 were able to do this for markup text by using the @code{\textLengthOn}
2221 command, but there is no equivalent command for dynamic marks. So we
2222 shall have to work out how to do this using @code{\override} commands.
2224 @subheading Grob sizing
2227 @cindex sizing grobs
2229 First we must learn how grobs are sized. All grobs have a
2230 reference point defined within them which is used to position
2231 them relative to their parent object. This point in the grob
2232 is then positioned at a horizontal distance, @code{X-offset},
2233 and at a vertical distance, @code{Y-offset}, from its parent.
2234 The horizontal extent of the object is given by a pair of
2235 numbers, @code{X-extent}, which say where the left and right
2236 edges are relative to the reference point. The vertical extent
2237 is similarly defined by a pair of numbers, @code{Y-extent}.
2238 These are properties of all grobs which support the
2239 @code{grob-interface}.
2241 @cindex @code{extra-spacing-width}
2243 By default, outside-staff objects are given a width of zero so
2244 that they may overlap in the horizontal direction. This is done
2245 by the trick of adding infinity to the leftmost extent and
2246 minus infinity to the rightmost extent by setting the
2247 @code{extra-spacing-width} to @code{'(+inf.0 . -inf.0)}. So
2248 to ensure they do not overlap in the horizontal direction we
2249 must override this value of @code{extra-spacing-width} to
2250 @code{'(0 . 0)} so the true width shines through. This is
2251 the command to do this for dynamic text:
2254 \override DynamicText #'extra-spacing-width = #'(0 . 0)
2258 Let's see if this works in our previous example:
2260 @cindex DynamicText, example of overriding
2261 @cindex extra-spacing-width property, example
2263 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
2265 \override DynamicText #'extra-spacing-width = #'(0 . 0)
2270 Well, it has certainly stopped the dynamic marks being
2271 displaced, but two problems remain. The marks should be
2272 spaced a little further apart and it would be better
2273 if they were all the same distance from the staff.
2274 We can solve the first problem easily. Instead of making
2275 the @code{extra-spacing-width} zero we could add a little
2276 more to it. The units are the space between two staff
2277 lines, so moving the left edge half a unit to the left and the
2278 right edge half a unit to the right should do it:
2280 @cindex DynamicText, example of overriding
2281 @cindex extra-spacing-width property, example
2283 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
2285 % Extend width by 1 staff space
2286 \override DynamicText #'extra-spacing-width = #'(-0.5 . 0.5)
2291 This looks better, but maybe we would prefer the dynamic marks
2292 to be aligned along the same baseline rather than going up and
2293 down with the notes. The property to do this is
2294 @code{staff-padding} which is covered in the following section.
2297 @node Collisions of objects
2298 @section Collisions of objects
2302 * Fixing overlapping notation::
2303 * Real music example::
2306 @node Moving objects
2307 @subsection Moving objects
2309 @cindex moving overlapping objects
2310 @cindex moving colliding objects
2311 @cindex moving colliding grobs
2312 @cindex objects, moving colliding
2313 @cindex grobs, moving colliding
2315 This may come as a surprise, but LilyPond is not perfect. Some
2316 notation elements can overlap. This is unfortunate, but in fact
2317 rather rare. Usually the need to move objects is for clarity or
2318 aesthetic reasons -- they would look better with a little more
2319 or a little less space around them.
2321 There are three main approaches to resolving overlapping
2322 notation. They should be considered in the following order:
2326 The @strong{direction} of one of the overlapping objects may
2327 be changed using the predefined commands listed above for
2328 within-staff objects (see @ref{Within-staff objects}).
2329 Stems, slurs, beams, ties, dynamics, text and tuplets may be
2330 repositioned easily in this way. The limitation is that you
2331 have a choice of only two positions, and neither may be
2335 The @strong{object properties}, which LilyPond uses when positioning
2336 layout objects, may be modified using @code{\override}. The
2337 advantages of making changes to this type of property are (a) that
2338 some other objects will be moved automatically if necessary to make
2339 room and (b) the single override can apply to all instances of the
2340 same type of object. Such properties include:
2347 This has already been covered in some detail -- see
2348 @ref{Within-staff objects}.
2351 @code{padding}, @code{left-padding},
2352 @code{right-padding}, @code{staff-padding}
2355 @cindex left-padding property
2356 @cindex padding property
2357 @cindex right-padding property
2358 @cindex staff-padding property
2360 As an object is being positioned the value of its @code{padding}
2361 property specifies the gap that must be left between itself and the
2362 nearest edge of the object against which it is being positioned. Note
2363 that it is the @code{padding} value of the object @strong{being
2364 placed} that is used; the @code{padding} value of the object which is
2365 already placed is ignored. Gaps specified by @code{padding} can be
2366 applied to all objects which support the
2367 @code{side-position-interface}.
2369 Instead of @code{padding}, the placement of groups of accidentals
2370 is controlled by @code{left-padding} and @code{right-padding}.
2371 These properties are to be found in the @code{AccidentalPlacement}
2372 object which, note, lives in the @strong{staff} context. In the
2373 type-setting process the note heads are type-set first and then
2374 the accidentals, if any, are added to the left of the note heads
2375 using the @code{right-padding} property to determine the separation
2376 from the note heads. So only the @code{right-padding} property of the
2377 @code{AccidentalPlacement} object has any effect on the placement
2380 The @code{staff-padding} property is closely related to the
2381 @code{padding} property: @code{padding} controls the minimum amount of
2382 space between any object which supports the
2383 @code{side-position-interface} and the nearest other object (generally
2384 the note or the staff lines); @code{staff-padding} applies only to
2385 those objects which are always set outside the staff -- it controls
2386 the minimum amount of space that should be inserted between that
2387 object and the staff. Note that @code{staff-padding} has no effect on
2388 objects which are positioned relative to the note rather than the
2389 staff, even though it may be overridden without error for such objects
2390 -- it is simply ignored.
2392 To discover which padding property is required for the object you wish
2393 to reposition, you need to return to the IR and look up the object's
2394 properties. Be aware that the padding properties might not be located
2395 in the obvious object, so look in objects that appear to be related.
2397 All padding values are measured in staff spaces. For most
2398 objects, this value is set by default to be around 1.0 or less
2399 (it varies with each object). It may be overridden if a larger
2400 (or smaller) gap is required.
2403 @code{self-alignment-X}
2405 @cindex self-alignment-X property
2407 This property can be used to align the object to the left, to
2408 the right, or to center it with respect to the parent object's
2409 reference point. It may be used with all objects which support
2410 the @code{self-alignment-interface}. In general these are objects
2411 that contain text. The values are @code{LEFT}, @code{RIGHT}
2412 or @code{CENTER}. Alternatively, a numerical value between
2413 @code{-1} and @code{+1} may be specified, where @code{-1} is
2414 left-aligned, @code{+1} is right-aligned, and numbers in between
2415 move the text progressively from left-aligned to right-aligned.
2416 Numerical values greater than @code{1} may be specified to move
2417 the text even further to the left, or less than @code{-1} to
2418 move the text even further to the right. A change of @code{1}
2419 in the value corresponds to a movement of half the text's length.
2422 @code{extra-spacing-width}
2424 @cindex extra-spacing-width property
2426 This property is available for all objects which support the
2427 @code{item-interface}. It takes two numbers, the first is added
2428 to the leftmost extent and the second is added to the rightmost
2429 extent. Negative numbers move the edge to the left, positive to
2430 the right, so to widen an object the first number must be negative,
2431 the second positive. Note that not all objects honor both
2432 numbers. For example, the @code{Accidental} object only takes
2433 notice of the first (left edge) number.
2436 @code{staff-position}
2438 @cindex staff-position property
2440 @code{staff-position} is a property of the
2441 @code{staff-symbol-referencer-interface}, which is supported by
2442 objects which are positioned relative to the staff. It specifies
2443 the vertical position of the object relative to the center line
2444 of the staff in half staff-spaces. It is useful in resolving
2445 collisions between layout objects like multi-measure rests, ties
2446 and notes in different voices.
2451 @cindex force-hshift property
2453 Closely spaced notes in a chord, or notes occurring at the same
2454 time in different voices, are arranged in two, occasionally more,
2455 columns to prevent the note heads overlapping. These are called
2456 note columns, and an object called @code{NoteColumn} is created
2457 to lay out the notes in that column.
2459 The @code{force-hshift} property is a property of a @code{NoteColumn}
2460 (actually of the @code{note-column-interface}). Changing it permits a
2461 note column to be moved in units appropriate to a note column,
2462 viz. the note head width of the first voice note. It should be used
2463 in complex situations where the normal @code{\shiftOn} commands (see
2464 @ref{Explicitly instantiating voices}) do not resolve the note
2465 conflict. It is preferable to the @code{extra-offset} property for
2466 this purpose as there is no need to work out the distance in
2467 staff-spaces, and moving the notes into or out of a @code{NoteColumn}
2468 affects other actions such as merging note heads.
2473 Finally, when all else fails, objects may be manually repositioned
2474 relative to the staff center line vertically, or by displacing them by
2475 any distance to a new position. The disadvantages are that the
2476 correct values for the repositioning have to be worked out, often by
2477 trial and error, for every object individually, and, because the
2478 movement is done after LilyPond has placed all other objects, the user
2479 is responsible for avoiding any collisions that might ensue. But the
2480 main difficulty with this approach is that the repositioning values
2481 may need to be reworked if the music is later modified. The
2482 properties that can be used for this type of manual repositioning are:
2487 @cindex extra-offset property
2489 This property applies to any layout object supporting the
2490 @code{grob-interface}. It takes a pair of numbers which specify the
2491 extra displacement in the horizontal and vertical directions.
2492 Negative numbers move the object to the left or down. The units are
2493 staff-spaces. The extra displacement is made after the typesetting of
2494 objects is finished, so an object may be repositioned anywhere without
2495 affecting anything else.
2499 @cindex positions property
2501 This is most useful for manually adjusting the slope and height
2502 of beams, slurs, and tuplets. It takes a pair of numbers
2503 giving the position of the left and right ends of the beam, slur,
2504 etc. relative to the center line of the staff. Units are
2505 staff-spaces. Note, though, that slurs and phrasing slurs cannot
2506 be repositioned by arbitrarily large amounts. LilyPond first
2507 generates a list of possible positions for the slur and by default
2508 finds the slur that @qq{looks best}. If the @code{positions}
2509 property has been overridden the slur that is closest to the
2510 requested positions is selected from the list.
2515 A particular object may not have all of these properties.
2516 It is necessary to go to the IR to look up which properties
2517 are available for the object in question.
2519 Here is a list of the objects which are most likely to be
2520 involved in collisions, together with the name of the object which
2521 should be looked up in the IR in order to discover which properties
2522 should be used to move them.
2524 @multitable @columnfractions .5 .5
2525 @headitem Object type @tab Object name
2526 @item Articulations @tab @code{Script}
2527 @item Beams @tab @code{Beam}
2528 @item Dynamics (vertically) @tab @code{DynamicLineSpanner}
2529 @item Dynamics (horizontally) @tab @code{DynamicText}
2530 @item Fingerings @tab @code{Fingering}
2531 @item Rehearsal / Text marks @tab @code{RehearsalMark}
2532 @item Slurs @tab @code{Slur}
2533 @item Text e.g. @code{^"text"} @tab @code{TextScript}
2534 @item Ties @tab @code{Tie}
2535 @item Tuplets @tab @code{TupletBracket}
2539 @node Fixing overlapping notation
2540 @subsection Fixing overlapping notation
2542 Let's now see how the properties in the previous section can
2543 help to resolve overlapping notation.
2545 @subheading padding property
2548 @cindex fixing overlapping notation
2549 @cindex overlapping notation
2551 The @code{padding} property can be set to increase
2552 (or decrease) the distance between symbols that are printed
2553 above or below notes.
2555 @cindex Script, example of overriding
2556 @cindex padding property, example
2558 @lilypond[quote,fragment,relative=1,verbatim]
2560 \override Script #'padding = #3
2564 @cindex MetronomeMark, example of overriding
2565 @cindex padding property, example
2567 @lilypond[quote,fragment,relative=1,verbatim]
2568 % This will not work, see below:
2569 \override MetronomeMark #'padding = #3
2573 \override Score.MetronomeMark #'padding = #3
2578 Note in the second example how important it is to figure out what
2579 context handles a certain object. Since the @code{MetronomeMark}
2580 object is handled in the @code{Score} context, property changes in the
2581 @code{Voice} context will not be noticed. For more details, see
2582 @ruser{Modifying properties}.
2584 If the @code{padding} property of an object is increased when that
2585 object is in a stack of objects being positioned according to
2586 their @code{outside-staff-priority}, then that object and all
2587 objects outside it are moved.
2590 @subheading left-padding and right-padding
2592 @cindex left-padding property
2593 @cindex right-padding property
2595 The @code{right-padding} property affects the spacing between the
2596 accidental and the note to which it applies. It is not often
2597 required, but the default spacing may be wrong for certain special
2598 accidental glyphs or combination of glyphs used in some microtonal
2599 music. These have to be entered by overriding the accidental
2600 stencil with a markup containing the desired symbol(s), like this:
2602 @cindex Accidental, example of overriding
2603 @cindex text property, example
2604 @cindex stencil property, example
2605 @cindex AccidentalPlacement, example of overriding
2606 @cindex right-padding property, example
2608 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
2609 sesquisharp = \markup { \sesquisharp }
2612 % This prints a sesquisharp but the spacing is too small
2613 \once \override Accidental
2614 #'stencil = #ly:text-interface::print
2615 \once \override Accidental #'text = #sesquisharp
2617 % This improves the spacing
2618 \once \override Score.AccidentalPlacement #'right-padding = #0.6
2619 \once \override Accidental
2620 #'stencil = #ly:text-interface::print
2621 \once \override Accidental #'text = #sesquisharp
2627 This necessarily uses an override for the accidental stencil which
2628 will not be covered until later. The stencil type must be a
2629 procedure, here changed to print the contents of the @code{text}
2630 property of @code{Accidental}, which itself is set to be a
2631 sesquisharp sign. This sign is then moved further away from the
2632 note head by overriding @code{right-padding}.
2636 @subheading staff-padding property
2638 @cindex aligning objects on a baseline
2639 @cindex objects, aligning on a baseline
2641 @code{staff-padding} can be used to align objects such as dynamics
2642 along a baseline at a fixed height above the staff, rather than at a
2643 height dependent on the position of the note to which they are
2644 attached. It is not a property of @code{DynamicText} but of
2645 @code{DynamicLineSpanner}. This is because the baseline should apply
2646 equally to @strong{all} dynamics, including those created as extended
2647 spanners. So this is the way to align the dynamic marks in the
2648 example taken from the previous section:
2650 @cindex DynamicText, example of overriding
2651 @cindex extra-spacing-width property, example
2652 @cindex DynamicLineSpanner, example of overriding
2653 @cindex staff-padding property, example
2655 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
2657 % Extend width by 1 unit
2658 \override DynamicText #'extra-spacing-width = #'(-0.5 . 0.5)
2659 % Align dynamics to a base line 2 units above staff
2660 \override DynamicLineSpanner #'staff-padding = #2
2665 @subheading self-alignment-X property
2667 The following example shows how this can resolve the collision
2668 of a string fingering object with a note's stem by aligning the
2669 right edge with the reference point of the parent note:
2671 @cindex StringNumber, example of overriding
2672 @cindex self-alignment-X property, example
2674 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=3]
2677 \once \override StringNumber #'self-alignment-X = #RIGHT
2681 @subheading staff-position property
2683 @cindex object collision within a staff
2685 Multimeasure rests in one voice can collide with notes in another.
2686 Since these rests are typeset centered between the bar lines, it
2687 would require significant effort for LilyPond to figure out which
2688 other notes might collide with it, since all the current collision
2689 handling between notes and between notes and rests is done only
2690 for notes and rests that occur at the same time. Here's an
2691 example of a collision of this type:
2693 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right, relative=1]
2694 << {c c c c} \\ {R1} >>
2697 The best solution here is to move the multimeasure rest down, since
2698 the rest is in voice two. The default in @code{\voiceTwo} (i.e. in
2699 the second voice of a @code{<<@{...@} \\ @{...@}>>} construct) is that
2700 @code{staff-position} is set to -4 for MultiMeasureRest, so we need to
2701 move it, say, four half-staff spaces down to @code{-8}.
2703 @cindex MultiMeasureRest, example of overriding
2704 @cindex staff-position property, example
2706 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right, relative=1]
2710 \override MultiMeasureRest #'staff-position = #-8
2715 This is better than using, for example, @code{extra-offset},
2716 because the ledger line above the rest is inserted automatically.
2718 @subheading extra-offset property
2720 @cindex positioning objects
2721 @cindex positioning grobs
2722 @cindex objects, positioning
2723 @cindex grobs, positioning
2725 The @code{extra-offset} property provides complete control over the
2726 positioning of an object both horizontally and vertically.
2728 In the following example, the second fingering is moved a little to
2729 the left, and 1.8 staff space downwards:
2731 @cindex Fingering, example of overriding
2732 @cindex extra-offset property, example
2734 @lilypond[quote,fragment,relative=1,verbatim]
2737 \once \override Fingering
2738 #'extra-offset = #'(-0.3 . -1.8)
2743 @subheading positions property
2745 @cindex controlling tuplets, slurs, phrasing slurs, and beams manually
2746 @cindex manually controlling tuplets, slurs, phrasing slurs, and beams
2747 @cindex tuplet beams, controlling manually
2748 @cindex slurs, controlling manually
2749 @cindex phrasing slurs, controlling manually
2750 @cindex beams, controlling manually
2752 The @code{positions} property allows the position and slope of
2753 tuplets, slurs, phrasing slurs and beams to be controlled manually.
2754 Here's an example which has an ugly phrasing slur due to its trying to
2755 avoid the slur on the acciaccatura.
2757 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right,relative=1]
2758 r4 \acciaccatura e8\( d8 c ~c d c d\)
2762 We could simply move the phrasing slur above the notes, and this
2763 would be the preferred solution:
2765 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right,relative=1]
2768 \acciaccatura e8\( d8 c ~c d c d\)
2772 But if there were some reason why this could not be done the
2773 other alternative would be to move the left end of the phrasing
2774 slur down a little using the @code{positions} property. This
2775 also resolves the rather nasty shape.
2777 @cindex PhrasingSlur, example of overriding
2778 @cindex positions property, example
2780 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right,relative=1]
2782 \once \override PhrasingSlur #'positions = #'(-4 . -3)
2784 e8\( d8 c ~c d c d\)
2787 Here's a further example taken from the opening of the left-hand
2788 staff of Chopin's Prelude Op 28 No. 2. We see that the beam
2789 collides with the upper notes:
2791 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right]
2794 << {b,8 ais, b, g,} \\ {e, g e, g} >>
2795 << {b,8 ais, b, g,} \\ {e, g e, g} >>
2800 This can be resolved by manually moving both ends of the beam
2801 up from their position at 2 staff-spaces above the center line to,
2804 @cindex Beam, example of overriding
2805 @cindex positions property, example
2807 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right]
2811 \override Beam #'positions = #'(3 . 3)
2816 << {b,8 ais, b, g,} \\ {e, g e, g} >>
2821 Note that the override continues to apply in the first voice of
2822 the second block of quavers, but not to any of the beams in the
2825 @subheading force-hshift property
2827 @c FIXME: formatting stuff (ie not important right now IMO)
2828 @c @a nchor Chopin finally corrected TODOgp
2830 We can now see how to apply the final corrections to the Chopin
2831 example introduced at the end of @ref{I'm hearing Voices}, which
2832 was left looking like this:
2834 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right]
2835 \new Staff \relative c'' {
2838 { c2 aes4. bes8 } \\
2850 The lower two notes of the first chord (i.e, those in the third voice)
2851 should not be shifted away from the note column of the higher two
2852 notes. To correct this we set @code{force-hshift}, which is a
2853 property of @code{NoteColumn}, of these notes to zero. The lower note
2854 of the second chord is best placed just to the right of the higher
2855 notes. We achieve this by setting @code{force-hshift} of this note to
2856 0.5, ie half a note head's width to the right of the note column of
2859 Here's the final result:
2861 @cindex NoteColumn, example of overriding
2862 @cindex force-hshift property, example
2864 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right]
2865 \new Staff \relative c'' {
2868 { c2 aes4. bes8 } \\
2871 \once \override NoteColumn #'force-hshift = #0 <ees c>2
2872 \once \override NoteColumn #'force-hshift = #0.5 des2
2880 @node Real music example
2881 @subsection Real music example
2883 We end this section on Tweaks by showing the steps to be taken to
2884 deal with a tricky example which needs several tweaks to produce
2885 the desired output. The example has been deliberately chosen to
2886 illustrate the use of the Notation Reference to resolve unusual
2887 problems with notation. It is not representative of more usual
2888 engraving process, so please do not let these difficulties put
2889 you off! Fortunately, difficulties like these are not very common!
2891 The example is from Chopin's Première Ballade, Op. 23, bars 6 to
2892 9, the transition from the opening Lento to Moderato.
2893 Here, first, is what we want the output to look like, but to avoid
2894 over-complicating the example too much we have left out the
2895 dynamics, fingering and pedalling.
2897 @c The following should appear as music without code
2898 @c This example should not be indexed
2899 @c line-width ensures no break
2900 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,line-width=5.5\in]
2901 rhMusic = \relative c'' {
2904 \once \override Tie #'staff-position = #3.5
2908 \mergeDifferentlyHeadedOn
2909 \mergeDifferentlyDottedOn
2910 bes2.^\markup {\bold "Moderato"} r8
2912 {c,8 d fis bes a | }
2914 % Reposition the c2 to the right of the merged note
2915 {c,8~ \once \override NoteColumn #'force-hshift = #1.0
2916 % Move the c2 out of the main note column so the merge will work
2919 % Stem on the d2 must be down to permit merging
2920 {s8 \stemDown \once \override Stem #'transparent = ##t d2}
2924 \mergeDifferentlyHeadedOff
2925 \mergeDifferentlyDottedOff
2929 lhMusic = \relative c' {
2931 <d g, d>1)\arpeggio |
2938 \new Staff = "RH" <<
2942 \new Staff = "LH" <<
2951 We note first that the right hand part in the third bar
2952 requires four voices. These are the five beamed eighth notes,
2953 the tied C, the half-note D which is merged with the eighth note
2954 D, and the dotted quarter note F-sharp, which is also merged with
2955 the eighth note at the same pitch. Everything else is in a single
2956 voice, so the easiest way is to introduce these four voices
2957 temporarily at the time they are needed. If you have forgotten
2958 how to do this, look at @ref{I'm hearing Voices}. Let us begin
2959 by entering the notes as two variables and setting up the staff
2960 structure in a score block, and see what LilyPond produces by
2963 @c line-width ensures no break
2964 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right,line-width=5.5\in]
2965 rhMusic = \relative c'' {
2970 % Start polyphonic section of four voices
2972 {c,8 d fis bes a | }
2983 lhMusic = \relative c' {
2992 \new Staff = "RH" <<
2996 \new Staff = "LH" <<
3005 All the notes are right, but the appearance is far from
3006 satisfactory. The tie clashes with the change in time signature,
3007 the notes are not merged together, and several notation elements
3008 are missing. Let's first deal with the easier things. We can
3009 easily add the left hand slur and the right hand phrasing slur,
3010 since these were all covered in the Tutorial. Doing this gives:
3012 @c line-width ensures no break
3013 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right,line-width=5.5\in]
3014 rhMusic = \relative c'' {
3019 % Start polyphonic section of four voices
3021 {c,8 d fis bes a | }
3032 lhMusic = \relative c' {
3041 \new Staff = "RH" <<
3045 \new Staff = "LH" <<
3054 The first bar is now correct. The second bar contains an arpeggio and
3055 is terminated by a double bar line. How do we do these, as they have
3056 not been mentioned in this Learning Manual? This is where we need to
3057 turn to the Notation Reference. Looking up @q{arpeggio} and @q{bar
3058 line} in the index quickly shows us that an arpeggio is produced by
3059 appending @code{\arpeggio} to a chord, and a double bar line is
3060 produced by the @code{\bar "||"} command. That's easily done. We
3061 next need to correct the collision of the tie with the time signature.
3062 This is best done by moving the tie upwards. Moving objects was
3063 covered earlier in @ref{Moving objects}, which says that objects
3064 positioned relative to the staff can be moved by overriding their
3065 @code{staff-position} property, which is specified in half staff
3066 spaces relative to the center line of the staff. So the following
3067 override placed just before the first tied note would move the tie up
3068 to 3.5 half staff spaces above the center line:
3070 @code{\once \override Tie #'staff-position = #3.5}
3072 This completes bar two, giving:
3074 @c line-width ensures no break
3075 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right,line-width=5.5\in]
3076 rhMusic = \relative c'' {
3078 \once \override Tie #'staff-position = #3.5
3083 % Start polyphonic section of four voices
3085 {c,8 d fis bes a | }
3096 lhMusic = \relative c' {
3098 <d g, d>1)\arpeggio |
3105 \new Staff = "RH" <<
3109 \new Staff = "LH" <<
3118 On to bar three and the start of the Moderato section. The tutorial
3119 showed how to add embolded text with the @code{\markup} command, so
3120 adding @q{Moderato} in bold is easy. But how do we merge notes in
3121 different voices together? This is where we need to turn again to
3122 the Notation Reference for help. A search for @qq{merge} in the
3123 Notation Reference index quickly leads us to the commands for merging
3124 differently headed and differently dotted notes in @ruser{Collision
3125 resolution}. In our example we need to merge both types of note for
3126 the duration of the polyphonic section in bar 3, so using the
3127 information we find in the Notation Reference we add
3130 \mergeDifferentlyHeadedOn
3131 \mergeDifferentlyDottedOn
3135 to the start of that section and
3138 \mergeDifferentlyHeadedOff
3139 \mergeDifferentlyDottedOff
3145 @c line-width ensures no break
3146 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,line-width=5.5\in]
3147 rhMusic = \relative c'' {
3149 \once \override Tie #'staff-position = #3.5
3153 bes2.^\markup {\bold "Moderato"} r8
3154 \mergeDifferentlyHeadedOn
3155 \mergeDifferentlyDottedOn
3156 % Start polyphonic section of four voices
3158 {c,8 d fis bes a | }
3166 \mergeDifferentlyHeadedOff
3167 \mergeDifferentlyDottedOff
3171 lhMusic = \relative c' {
3173 <d g, d>1)\arpeggio |
3180 \new Staff = "RH" <<
3184 \new Staff = "LH" <<
3193 These overrides have merged the two F-sharp notes, but not the two
3194 on D. Why not? The answer is there in the same section in the
3195 Notation Reference -- notes being merged must have stems in
3196 opposite directions and two notes cannot be merged successfully if
3197 there is a third note in the same note column. Here the two D's
3198 both have upward stems and there is a third note -- the C. We know
3199 how to change the stem direction using @code{\stemDown}, and
3200 the Notation Reference also says how to move the C -- apply a shift
3201 using one of the @code{\shift} commands. But which one?
3202 The C is in voice two which has shift off, and the two D's are in
3203 voices one and three, which have shift off and shift on,
3204 respectively. So we have to shift the C a further level still
3205 using @code{\shiftOnn} to avoid it interfering with the two D's.
3206 Applying these changes gives:
3208 @cindex Tie, example of overriding
3209 @cindex staff-position property, example
3211 @c line-width ensures no break
3212 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right,line-width=5.5\in]
3213 rhMusic = \relative c'' {
3215 \once \override Tie #'staff-position = #3.5
3219 bes2.^\markup {\bold "Moderato"} r8
3220 \mergeDifferentlyHeadedOn
3221 \mergeDifferentlyDottedOn
3222 % Start polyphonic section of four voices
3224 {c,8 d fis bes a | }
3226 % Move the c2 out of the main note column so the merge will work
3227 {c,8~ \shiftOnn c2 | }
3229 % Stem on the d2 must be down to permit merging
3230 {s8 \stemDown d2 | }
3234 \mergeDifferentlyHeadedOff
3235 \mergeDifferentlyDottedOff
3239 lhMusic = \relative c' {
3241 <d g, d>1)\arpeggio |
3248 \new Staff = "RH" <<
3252 \new Staff = "LH" <<
3261 Nearly there. Only two problems remain: The downward stem on the
3262 merged D should not be there, and the C would be better positioned
3263 to the right of the D's. We know how to do both of these from the
3264 earlier tweaks: we make the stem transparent, and move the C with
3265 the @code{force-hshift} property. Here's the final result:
3267 @cindex NoteColumn, example of overriding
3268 @cindex force-hshift property, example
3269 @cindex Stem, example of overriding
3270 @cindex transparent property, example
3272 @c line-width ensures no break
3273 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right,line-width=5.5\in]
3274 rhMusic = \relative c'' {
3277 \once \override Tie #'staff-position = #3.5
3281 bes2.^\markup {\bold "Moderato"} r8
3282 \mergeDifferentlyHeadedOn
3283 \mergeDifferentlyDottedOn
3285 {c,8 d fis bes a | }
3287 % Reposition the c2 to the right of the merged note
3288 {c,8~ \once \override NoteColumn #'force-hshift = #1.0
3289 % Move the c2 out of the main note column so the merge will work
3292 % Stem on the d2 must be down to permit merging
3293 {s8 \stemDown \once \override Stem #'transparent = ##t d2}
3297 \mergeDifferentlyHeadedOff
3298 \mergeDifferentlyDottedOff
3302 lhMusic = \relative c' {
3304 <d g, d>1)\arpeggio |
3311 \new Staff = "RH" <<
3315 \new Staff = "LH" <<
3325 @node Further tweaking
3326 @section Further tweaking
3329 * Other uses for tweaks::
3330 * Using variables for tweaks::
3332 * Other sources of information::
3333 * Avoiding tweaks with slower processing::
3334 * Advanced tweaks with Scheme::
3337 @node Other uses for tweaks
3338 @subsection Other uses for tweaks
3340 @cindex transparent property, use of
3341 @cindex objects, making invisible
3342 @cindex removing objects
3343 @cindex objects, removing
3344 @cindex hiding objects
3345 @cindex objects, hiding
3346 @cindex invisible objects
3347 @cindex objects, invisible
3348 @cindex tying notes across voices
3350 @subheading Tying notes across voices
3352 The following example demonstrates how to connect notes in
3353 different voices using ties. Normally, only two notes in the
3354 same voice can be connected with ties. By using two voices,
3355 with the tied notes in one of them
3357 @lilypond[quote,fragment,relative=2]
3358 << { b8~ b8\noBeam }
3364 and blanking the first up-stem in that voice, the tie appears to
3367 @cindex Stem, example of overriding
3368 @cindex transparent property, example
3370 @lilypond[quote,fragment,relative=2,verbatim]
3373 \once \override Stem #'transparent = ##t
3381 To make sure that the just-blanked stem doesn't squeeze the tie
3382 too much, we can lengthen the stem by setting the
3383 @code{length} to @code{8},
3385 @lilypond[quote,fragment,relative=2,verbatim]
3388 \once \override Stem #'transparent = ##t
3389 \once \override Stem #'length = #8
3397 @subheading Simulating a fermata in MIDI
3399 @cindex stencil property, use of
3400 @cindex fermata, implementing in MIDI
3402 For outside-staff objects it is usually better to override the
3403 object's @code{stencil} property rather than its @code{transparent}
3404 property when you wish to remove it from the printed output.
3405 Setting the @code{stencil} property of an object to @code{#f} will
3406 remove that object entirely from the printed output. This means it
3407 has no effect on the placement of other objects placed relative to
3410 For example, if we wished to change the metronome setting in order
3411 to simulate a fermata in the MIDI output we would not want the
3412 metronome markings to appear in the printed output, and we would
3413 not want it to influence the spacing between the two systems or
3414 the positions of adjacent annotations on the staff. So setting
3415 its @code{stencil} property to @code{#f} would be the best way.
3416 We show here the effect of the two methods:
3418 @cindex MetronomeMark, example of overriding
3419 @cindex transparent property, example
3421 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
3424 % Visible tempo marking
3427 \once \override Score.MetronomeMark #'transparent = ##t
3428 % Invisible tempo marking to lengthen fermata in MIDI
3431 % New tempo for next section
3440 @cindex MetronomeMark, example of overriding
3441 @cindex stencil property, example
3443 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
3446 % Visible tempo marking
3449 \once \override Score.MetronomeMark #'stencil = ##f
3450 % Invisible tempo marking to lengthen fermata in MIDI
3453 % New tempo for next section
3463 Both methods remove the metronome mark which lengthens the fermata
3464 from the printed output, and both affect the MIDI timing as
3465 required, but the transparent metronome mark in the first line
3466 forces the following tempo indication too high while the
3467 second (with the stencil removed) does not.
3469 @node Using variables for tweaks
3470 @subsection Using variables for tweaks
3472 @cindex variables, using for tweaks
3473 @cindex using variables for tweaks
3474 @cindex tweaks, using variables for
3476 Override commands are often long and tedious to type, and they
3477 have to be absolutely correct. If the same overrides are to be
3478 used many times it may be worth defining variables to hold them.
3480 Suppose we wish to emphasize certain words in lyrics by printing
3481 them in bold italics. The @code{\italic} and @code{\bold}
3482 commands only work within lyrics if they are embedded, together with
3483 the word or words to be modified, within a @code{\markup} block,
3484 which makes them tedious to enter. The need to embed the words
3485 themselves prevents their use in simple variables. As an
3486 alternative can we use @code{\override} and @code{\revert} commands?
3489 @code{\override Lyrics . LyricText #'font-shape = #'italic}
3490 @code{\override Lyrics . LyricText #'font-series = #'bold}
3492 @code{\revert Lyrics . LyricText #'font-shape}
3493 @code{\revert Lyrics . LyricText #'font-series}
3496 These would also be extremely tedious to enter if there were many
3497 words requiring emphasis. But we @emph{can} define these as two
3498 variables and use those to bracket the words to be emphasized.
3499 Another advantage of using variables for these overrides is that
3500 the spaces around the dot are not necessary, since they are not
3501 being interpreted in @code{\lyricmode} directly. Here's an example
3502 of this, although in practice we would choose shorter names
3503 for the variables to make them quicker to type:
3505 @cindex LyricText, example of overriding
3506 @cindex font-shape property, example
3507 @cindex font-series property, example
3509 @lilypond[quote,verbatim]
3511 \override Lyrics.LyricText #'font-shape = #'italic
3512 \override Lyrics.LyricText #'font-series = #'bold
3515 \revert Lyrics.LyricText #'font-shape
3516 \revert Lyrics.LyricText #'font-series
3519 global = { \time 4/4 \partial 4 \key c \major}
3520 SopranoMusic = \relative c' { c4 | e4. e8 g4 g | a a g }
3521 AltoMusic = \relative c' { c4 | c4. c8 e4 e | f f e }
3522 TenorMusic = \relative c { e4 | g4. g8 c4. b8 | a8 b c d e4 }
3523 BassMusic = \relative c { c4 | c4. c8 c4 c | f8 g a b c4 }
3524 VerseOne = \lyrics { E -- | ter -- nal \emphasize Fa -- ther, \normal | strong to save, }
3525 VerseTwo = \lyricmode { O | \emphasize Christ, \normal whose voice the | wa -- ters heard, }
3526 VerseThree = \lyricmode { O | \emphasize Ho -- ly Spi -- rit, \normal | who didst brood }
3527 VerseFour = \lyricmode { O | \emphasize Tri -- ni -- ty \normal of | love and pow'r }
3533 \new Voice = "Soprano" { \voiceOne \global \SopranoMusic }
3534 \new Voice = "Alto" { \voiceTwo \AltoMusic }
3535 \new Lyrics \lyricsto "Soprano" { \VerseOne }
3536 \new Lyrics \lyricsto "Soprano" { \VerseTwo }
3537 \new Lyrics \lyricsto "Soprano" { \VerseThree }
3538 \new Lyrics \lyricsto "Soprano" { \VerseFour }
3542 \new Voice = "Tenor" { \voiceOne \TenorMusic }
3543 \new Voice = "Bass" { \voiceTwo \BassMusic }
3551 @subsection Style sheets
3553 The output that LilyPond produces can be heavily modified; see
3554 @ref{Tweaking output}, for details. But what if you have many
3555 input files that you want to apply your tweaks to? Or what if you
3556 simply want to separate your tweaks from the actual music? This
3557 is quite easy to do.
3559 Let's look at an example. Don't worry if you don't understand
3560 the parts with all the @code{#()}. This is explained in
3561 @ref{Advanced tweaks with Scheme}.
3563 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
3564 mpdolce = #(make-dynamic-script (markup #:hspace 0 #:translate '(5 . 0)
3565 #:line(#:dynamic "mp" #:text #:italic "dolce" )))
3567 inst = #(define-music-function (parser location string) (string?)
3571 'text (markup #:bold (#:box string))))
3575 a4.\mpdolce d8 cis4--\glissando a | b4 bes a2
3577 cis4.\< d8 e4 fis | g8(\! fis)-. e( d)-. cis2
3581 There are some problems with overlapping output; we'll fix those using
3582 the techniques in @ref{Moving objects}. But let's also
3583 do something about the @code{mpdolce} and @code{inst}
3584 definitions. They produce the output we desire, but we might want
3585 to use them in another piece. We could simply copy-and-paste them
3586 at the top of every file, but that's an annoyance. It also leaves
3587 those definitions in our input files, and I personally find all
3588 the @code{#()} somewhat ugly. Let's hide them in another file:
3591 %%% save this to a file called "definitions.ily"
3592 mpdolce = #(make-dynamic-script (markup #:hspace 0 #:translate '(5 . 0)
3593 #:line(#:dynamic "mp" #:text #:italic "dolce" )))
3595 inst = #(define-music-function (parser location string) (string?)
3599 'text (markup #:bold (#:box string))))
3602 We will refer to this file using the @code{\include} command near
3603 the top of the music file. (The extension @code{.ily} is used to
3604 distinguish this included file, which is not meant to be compiled
3605 on its own, from the main file.)
3606 Now let's modify our music (let's save this file as @file{"music.ly"}).
3608 @c We have to do this awkward example/lilypond-non-verbatim
3609 @c because we can't do the \include stuff in the manual.
3612 \include "definitions.ily"
3616 a4.\mpdolce d8 cis4--\glissando a | b4 bes a2
3618 cis4.\< d8 e4 fis | g8(\! fis)-. e( d)-. cis2
3622 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right]
3623 mpdolce = #(make-dynamic-script (markup #:hspace 0 #:translate '(5 . 0)
3624 #:line(#:dynamic "mp" #:text #:italic "dolce" )))
3626 inst = #(define-music-function (parser location string) (string?)
3630 'text (markup #:bold (#:box string))))
3634 a4.\mpdolce d8 cis4--\glissando a | b4 bes a2
3636 cis4.\< d8 e4 fis | g8(\! fis)-. e( d)-. cis2
3640 That looks better, but let's make a few changes. The glissando is hard
3641 to see, so let's make it thicker and closer to the note heads. Let's
3642 put the metronome marking above the clef, instead of over the first
3643 note. And finally, my composition professor hates @q{C} time signatures,
3644 so we'd better make that @q{4/4} instead.
3646 Don't change @file{music.ly}, though. Replace our @file{definitions.ily}
3651 mpdolce = #(make-dynamic-script (markup #:hspace 0 #:translate '(5 . 0)
3652 #:line( #:dynamic "mp" #:text #:italic "dolce" )))
3654 inst = #(define-music-function (parser location string) (string?)
3658 'text (markup #:bold (#:box string))))
3662 \override MetronomeMark #'extra-offset = #'(-9 . 0)
3663 \override MetronomeMark #'padding = #'3
3666 \override TimeSignature #'style = #'numbered
3669 \override Glissando #'thickness = #3
3670 \override Glissando #'gap = #0.1
3675 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right]
3676 mpdolce = #(make-dynamic-script (markup #:hspace 0 #:translate '(5 . 0)
3677 #:line( #:dynamic "mp" #:text #:italic "dolce" )))
3679 inst = #(define-music-function (parser location string) (string?)
3683 'text (markup #:bold (#:box string))))
3687 \override MetronomeMark #'extra-offset = #'(-9 . 0)
3688 \override MetronomeMark #'padding = #'3
3691 \override TimeSignature #'style = #'numbered
3694 \override Glissando #'thickness = #3
3695 \override Glissando #'gap = #0.1
3701 a4.\mpdolce d8 cis4--\glissando a | b4 bes a2
3703 cis4.\< d8 e4 fis | g8(\! fis)-. e( d)-. cis2
3707 That looks nicer! But now suppose that I want to publish this
3708 piece. My composition professor doesn't like @q{C} time
3709 signatures, but I'm somewhat fond of them. Let's copy the
3710 current @file{definitions.ily} to @file{web-publish.ily} and
3711 modify that. Since this music is aimed at producing a pdf which
3712 will be displayed on the screen, we'll also increase the
3713 overall size of the output.
3717 mpdolce = #(make-dynamic-script (markup #:hspace 0 #:translate '(5 . 0)
3718 #:line( #:dynamic "mp" #:text #:italic "dolce" )))
3720 inst = #(define-music-function (parser location string) (string?)
3724 'text (markup #:bold (#:box string))))
3726 #(set-global-staff-size 23)
3729 \override MetronomeMark #'extra-offset = #'(-9 . 0)
3730 \override MetronomeMark #'padding = #'3
3735 \override Glissando #'thickness = #3
3736 \override Glissando #'gap = #0.1
3741 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right]
3742 mpdolce = #(make-dynamic-script (markup #:hspace 0 #:translate '(5 . 0)
3743 #:line( #:dynamic "mp" #:text #:italic "dolce" )))
3745 inst = #(define-music-function (parser location string) (string?)
3749 'text (markup #:bold (#:box string))))
3751 #(set-global-staff-size 23)
3754 \override MetronomeMark #'extra-offset = #'(-9 . 0)
3755 \override MetronomeMark #'padding = #'3
3758 \override Glissando #'thickness = #3
3759 \override Glissando #'gap = #0.1
3765 a4.\mpdolce d8 cis4--\glissando a | b4 bes a2
3767 cis4.\< d8 e4 fis | g8(\! fis)-. e( d)-. cis2
3771 Now in our music, I simply replace
3772 @code{\include "definitions.ily"} with
3773 @code{\include "web-publish.ily"}. Of course, we could make this
3774 even more convenient. We could make a @file{definitions.ily} file which
3775 contains only the definitions of @code{mpdolce} and @code{inst}, a
3776 @file{web-publish.ily} file which contains only the @code{\layout}
3777 section listed above, and a @file{university.ily} file which
3778 contains only the tweaks to produce the output that my professor
3779 prefers. The top of @file{music.ly} would then look like this:
3782 \include "definitions.ily"
3784 %%% Only uncomment one of these two lines!
3785 \include "web-publish.ily"
3786 %\include "university.ily"
3789 This approach can be useful even if you are only producing
3790 one set of parts. I use half a dozen different
3791 @q{style sheet} files for my projects. I begin every music
3792 file with @code{\include "../global.ily"}, which contains
3796 \version @w{"@version{}"}
3797 #(ly:set-option 'point-and-click #f)
3798 \include "../init/init-defs.ly"
3799 \include "../init/init-layout.ly"
3800 \include "../init/init-headers.ly"
3801 \include "../init/init-paper.ly"
3805 @node Other sources of information
3806 @subsection Other sources of information
3808 The Internals Reference documentation contains a lot of information
3809 about LilyPond, but even more information can be gathered by
3810 looking at the internal LilyPond files. To explore these, you must
3811 first find the directory appropriate to your system. The location
3812 of this directory depends (a) on whether you obtained LilyPond
3813 by downloading a precompiled binary from lilypond.org
3814 or whether you installed it from a package manager (i.e.
3815 distributed with Linux, or installed under fink or cygwin) or
3816 compiled it from source, and (b) on which operating system it is
3819 @strong{Downloaded from lilypond.org}
3825 @file{@var{INSTALLDIR}/lilypond/usr/share/lilypond/current/}
3830 @file{@var{INSTALLDIR}/LilyPond.app/Contents/Resources/share/lilypond/current/}
3831 by either @code{cd}-ing into this directory from the
3832 Terminal, or control-clicking on the LilyPond application and
3833 selecting @q{Show Package Contents}.
3837 Using Windows Explorer, navigate to
3838 @file{@var{INSTALLDIR}/LilyPond/usr/share/lilypond/current/}
3842 @strong{Installed from a package manager or compiled from source}
3845 @file{@var{PREFIX}/share/lilypond/@var{X.Y.Z}/}, where
3846 @var{PREFIX} is set by your package manager or @code{configure}
3847 script, and @var{X.Y.Z} is the LilyPond version number.
3851 Within this directory the two interesting subdirectories are
3854 @item @file{ly/} - contains files in LilyPond format
3855 @item @file{scm/} - contains files in Scheme format
3858 Let's begin by looking at some files in @file{ly/}.
3859 Open @file{ly/property-init.ly} in a text editor. The one
3860 you normally use for @code{.ly} files will be fine. This file
3861 contains the definitions of all the standard LilyPond predefined
3862 commands, such as @code{\stemUp} and @code{\slurDotted}. You will
3863 see that these are nothing more than definitions of variables
3864 containing one or a group of @code{\override} commands. For
3865 example, @code{/tieDotted} is defined to be:
3869 \override Tie #'dash-period = #0.75
3870 \override Tie #'dash-fraction = #0.1
3874 If you do not like the default values these predefined commands can
3875 be redefined easily, just like any other variable, at the
3876 head of your input file.
3878 The following are the most useful files to be found in
3881 @multitable @columnfractions .4 .6
3884 @item @file{ly/engraver-init.ly}
3885 @tab Definitions of engraver Contexts
3886 @item @file{ly/paper-defaults-init.ly}
3887 @tab Specifications of paper-related defaults
3888 @item @file{ly/performer-init.ly}
3889 @tab Definitions of performer Contexts
3890 @item @file{ly/property-init.ly}
3891 @tab Definitions of all common predefined commands
3892 @item @file{ly/spanner-init.ly}
3893 @tab Definitions of spanner-related predefined commands
3896 Other settings (such as the definitions of markup commands) are
3897 stored as @code{.scm} (Scheme) files. The Scheme programming
3898 language is used to provide a programmable interface into
3899 LilyPond internal operation. Further explanation of these files
3900 is currently outside the scope of this manual, as a knowledge of
3901 the Scheme language is required. Users should be warned that
3902 a substantial amount of technical knowledge or time is required
3903 to understand Scheme and these files (see @ref{Scheme tutorial}).
3905 If you have this knowledge, the Scheme files which may be of
3908 @multitable @columnfractions .4 .6
3911 @item @file{scm/auto-beam.scm}
3912 @tab Sub-beaming defaults
3913 @item @file{scm/define-grobs.scm}
3914 @tab Default settings for grob properties
3915 @item @file{scm/define-markup-commands.scm}
3916 @tab Specify all markup commands
3917 @item @file{scm/midi.scm}
3918 @tab Default settings for MIDI output
3919 @item @file{scm/output-lib.scm}
3920 @tab Settings that affect appearance of frets, colors,
3921 accidentals, bar lines, etc
3922 @item @file{scm/parser-clef.scm}
3923 @tab Definitions of supported clefs
3924 @item @file{scm/script.scm}
3925 @tab Default settings for articulations
3930 @node Avoiding tweaks with slower processing
3931 @subsection Avoiding tweaks with slower processing
3933 LilyPond can perform extra checks while it processes input files. These
3934 checks will take extra time to perform, but fewer manual tweaks
3935 may be required to obtain an acceptable result. If a text script
3936 or part of the lyrics extends over the margins these checks will
3937 compress that line of the score just enough to fit within the
3940 To be effective under all circumstances these checks must be enabled
3941 by placing the overrides in a Score @code{\with} block, rather than
3942 in-line in music, as follows:
3946 % Makes sure text scripts and lyrics are within the paper margins
3947 \override PaperColumn #'keep-inside-line = ##t
3948 \override NonMusicalPaperColumn #'keep-inside-line = ##t
3954 @node Advanced tweaks with Scheme
3955 @subsection Advanced tweaks with Scheme
3957 Although many things are possible with the @code{\override} and
3958 @code{\tweak} commands, an even more powerful way of modifying
3959 the action of LilyPond is available through a programmable
3960 interface to the LilyPond internal operation. Code written in
3961 the Scheme programming language can be incorporated directly in
3962 the internal operation of LilyPond. Of course, at least a basic
3963 knowledge of programming in Scheme is required to do this, and an
3964 introduction is provided in the @ref{Scheme tutorial}.
3966 As an illustration of one of the many possibilities, instead of
3967 setting a property to a constant it can be set to a Scheme
3968 procedure which is then called whenever that property is accessed
3969 by LilyPond. The property can then be set dynamically to a value
3970 determined by the procedure at the time it is called. In this
3971 example we color the note head in accordance with its position on
3974 @cindex x11-color function, example of using
3975 @cindex NoteHead, example of overriding
3976 @cindex color property, setting to Scheme procedure
3978 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
3979 #(define (color-notehead grob)
3980 "Color the notehead according to its position on the staff."
3981 (let ((mod-position (modulo (ly:grob-property grob 'staff-position) 7)))
3983 ;; Return rainbow colors
3984 ((1) (x11-color 'red )) ; for C
3985 ((2) (x11-color 'orange )) ; for D
3986 ((3) (x11-color 'yellow )) ; for E
3987 ((4) (x11-color 'green )) ; for F
3988 ((5) (x11-color 'blue )) ; for G
3989 ((6) (x11-color 'purple )) ; for A
3990 ((0) (x11-color 'violet )) ; for B
3996 % Arrange to obtain color from color-notehead procedure
3997 \override NoteHead #'color = #color-notehead
4004 Some -- where o -- ver the Rain -- bow, way up high,
4008 Further examples showing the use of these programmable interfaces
4009 can be found in @ref{Tweaking with Scheme}.