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2 @c This file is part of lilypond-learning.tely
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11 @chapter Tweaking output
13 This chapter discusses how to modify output. LilyPond is extremely
14 configurable; virtually every fragment of output may be changed.
19 * The Internals Reference manual::
20 * Appearance of objects::
21 * Placement of objects::
22 * Collisions of objects::
27 @section Tweaking basics
30 * Introduction to tweaks::
31 * Objects and interfaces::
32 * Naming conventions of objects and properties::
36 @node Introduction to tweaks
37 @subsection Introduction to tweaks
39 @q{Tweaking} is a LilyPond term for the various methods available
40 to the user for modifying the actions taken during interpretation
41 of the input file and modifying the appearance of the printed
42 output. Some tweaks are very easy to use; others are more
43 complex. But taken together the methods available for tweaking
44 permit almost any desired appearance of the printed music to be
47 In this section we cover the basic concepts required to understand
48 tweaking. Later we give a variety of ready-made commands which can
49 simply be copied to obtain the same effect in your own scores, and
50 at the same time we show how these commands may be constructed so
51 that you may learn how to develop your own tweaks.
53 Before starting on this Chapter you may wish to review the section
54 @ref{Contexts and engravers}, as Contexts, Engravers, and the
55 Properties contained within them are fundamental to understanding
56 and constructing Tweaks.
58 @node Objects and interfaces
59 @subsection Objects and interfaces
66 Tweaking involves modifying the internal operation and structures
67 of the LilyPond program, so we must first introduce some terms
68 which are used to describe those internal operations and
71 The term @q{Object} is a generic term used to refer to the
72 multitude of internal structures built by LilyPond during the
73 processing of an input file. So when a command like @code{\new
74 Staff} is encountered a new object of type @code{Staff} is
75 constructed. That @code{Staff} object then holds all the
76 properties associated with that particular staff, for example, its
77 name and its key signature, together with details of the engravers
78 which have been assigned to operate within that staff's context.
79 Similarly, there are objects to hold the properties of all other
80 contexts, such as @code{Voice} objects, @code{Score} objects,
81 @code{Lyrics} objects, as well as objects to represent all
82 notational elements such as bar lines,
83 note heads, ties, dynamics, etc. Every object has its own set of
86 Some types of object are given special names. Objects which
87 represent items of notation on the printed output such as
88 note heads, stems, slurs, ties, fingering, clefs, etc are called
89 @q{Layout objects}, often known as @q{Graphical Objects}, or
90 @q{Grobs} for short. These are still objects in the generic sense
91 above, and so they too all have properties associated with them,
92 such as their position, size, color, etc.
94 Some layout objects are still more specialized. Phrasing slurs,
95 crescendo hairpins, ottava marks, and many other grobs are not
96 localized in a single place -- they have a starting point, an
97 ending point, and maybe other properties concerned with their
98 shape. Objects with an extended shape like these are called
101 It remains to explain what @q{Interfaces} are. Many objects,
102 even though they are quite different, share common features
103 which need to be processed in the same way.
104 For example, all grobs have a color, a size, a position, etc,
105 and all these properties are processed in the same way during
107 interpretation of the input file. To simplify these internal
108 operations these common actions and properties are grouped
109 together in an object called a @code{grob-interface}. There
110 are many other groupings of common properties like this, each
111 one given a name ending in @code{interface}. In total there
112 are over 100 such interfaces. We shall see later why this is
113 of interest and use to the user.
115 These, then, are the main terms relating to objects which we
116 shall use in this chapter.
118 @node Naming conventions of objects and properties
119 @subsection Naming conventions of objects and properties
121 We met some object naming conventions previously, in
122 @ref{Contexts and engravers}. Here for reference is a list
123 of the most common object and property types together with
124 the conventions for naming them and a couple of examples of
125 some real names. We have used A to stand for any capitalized
126 alphabetic character and aaa to stand for any number of
127 lower-case alphabetic characters. Other characters are used
130 @multitable @columnfractions .33 .33 .33
131 @headitem Object/property type
132 @tab Naming convention
135 @tab Aaaa or AaaaAaaaAaaa
136 @tab Staff, GrandStaff
138 @tab Aaaa or AaaaAaaaAaaa
141 @tab Aaaa_aaa_engraver
142 @tab Clef_engraver, Note_heads_engraver
144 @tab aaa-aaa-interface
145 @tab grob-interface, break-aligned-interface
146 @item Context Properties
147 @tab aaa or aaaAaaaAaaa
148 @tab alignAboveContext, skipBars
149 @item Layout Object Properties
150 @tab aaa or aaa-aaa-aaa
151 @tab direction, beam-thickness
154 As we shall see shortly, the properties of different types of
155 object are modified by different commands, so it is useful to
156 be able to recognize the type of object from the names of its
160 @node Tweaking methods
161 @subsection Tweaking methods
163 @strong{\override command}
165 @cindex override command
168 We have already met the commands @code{\set} and @code{\with},
169 used to change the properties of @strong{contexts} and to remove
170 and add @strong{engravers}, in
171 @ref{Modifying context properties} and @ref{Adding
172 and removing engravers}. We now must meet some more important
175 The command to change the properties of @strong{layout objects} is
176 @code{\override}. Because this command has to modify
177 internal properties deep within LilyPond its syntax is not
178 as simple as the commands you have met so far. It needs to
179 know precisely which property of which object in which context
180 has to be modified, and what its new value is to be. Let's see
183 The general syntax of this command is:
186 \override @emph{context}.@emph{layout_object}
187 #'@emph{layout_property} = #@emph{value}
191 This will set the property with the name @emph{layout_property}
192 of the layout object with the name
193 @emph{layout_object}, which is a member of the @emph{context}
194 context, to the value @emph{value}.
196 The @emph{context} can be omitted (and usually is) when the
197 required context is unambiguously implied and is one of lowest
198 level contexts, i.e., @code{Voice}, @code{ChordNames} or
199 @code{Lyrics}, and we shall omit it in many of the following
200 examples. We shall see later when it must be specified.
202 Later sections deal comprehensively with properties and their
203 values, but to illustrate the format and use of these commands
204 we shall use just a few simple properties and values which are
207 For now, don't worry about the @code{#'}, which must precede the
208 layout property, and the @code{#}, which must precede the value.
209 These must always be present in exactly this form. This is the
210 most common command used in tweaking, and most of the rest of
211 this chapter will be directed to presenting examples of how it is
212 used. Here is a simple example to change the color of the
215 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
217 \override NoteHead #'color = #red
219 \override NoteHead #'color = #green
223 @strong{\revert command}
225 @cindex revert command
228 Once overridden, the property retains its new value until it is
229 overridden again or a @code{\revert} command is encountered.
230 The @code{\revert} command has the following syntax and causes
231 the value of the property to revert to its original default
232 value; note, not its previous value if several @code{\override}
233 commands have been issued.
236 \revert @emph{context}.@emph{layout_object} #'@emph{layout_property}
239 Again, just like @emph{context} in the @code{\override} command,
240 @emph{context} is often not needed. It will be omitted
241 in many of the following examples. Here we revert the color
242 of the note head to the default value for the final two notes:
244 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
246 \override NoteHead #'color = #red
248 \override NoteHead #'color = #green
250 \revert NoteHead #'color
254 @strong{\once prefix}
256 Both the @code{\override} and the @code{\set} commands may be
257 prefixed by @code{\once}. This causes the following
258 @code{\override} or @code{\set} command to be effective only
259 during the current musical moment before the property reverts
260 back to its default value. Using the same example, we can
261 change the color of a single note like this:
263 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
265 \once \override NoteHead #'color = #red
267 \once \override NoteHead #'color = #green
271 @strong{\overrideProperty command}
273 @cindex overrideProperty command
274 @funindex \overrideProperty
276 There is another form of the override command,
277 @code{\overrideProperty}, which is occasionally required.
278 We mention it here for completeness, but for details see
279 @ruser{Difficult tweaks}.
280 @c Maybe explain in a later iteration -td
282 @strong{\tweak command}
284 @cindex tweak command
287 The final tweaking command which is available is @code{\tweak}.
288 This should be used to change the properties of objects which
289 occur at the same musical moment, such as the notes within a
290 chord. Using @code{\override} would affect all the notes
291 within a chord, whereas @code{\tweak} affects just the following
292 item in the input stream.
294 Here's an example. Suppose we wish to change the size of the
295 middle note (the E) in a C major chord. Let's first see what
296 @code{\once \override} would do:
298 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
300 \once \override NoteHead #'font-size = #-3
305 We see the override affects @emph{all} the notes in the chord.
306 This is because all the notes of a chord occur at the same
307 @emph{musical moment}, and the action of @code{\once} is to
308 apply the override to all layout objects of the type specified
309 which occur at the same musical moment as the @code{\override}
312 The @code{\tweak} command operates in a different way. It acts
313 on the immediately following item in the input stream. However,
314 it is effective only on objects which are created directly from
315 the input stream, essentially note heads and articulations.
316 (Objects such as stems and accidentals are created later and
317 cannot be tweaked in this way). Furthermore, when it is applied
318 to note heads these @emph{must} be within a chord, i.e., within
319 single angle brackets, so to tweak a single note the @code{\tweak}
320 command must be placed inside single angle brackets with the
323 So to return to our example, the size of the middle note of
324 a chord would be changed in this way:
326 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
328 <c \tweak #'font-size #-3 e g>4
331 Note that the syntax of @code{\tweak} is different from that
332 of the @code{\override} command. Neither the context nor the
333 layout object should be specified; in fact, it would generate
334 an error to do so. These are both implied by the following
335 item in the input stream. So the general syntax of the
336 @code{\tweak} command is simply:
339 \tweak #'@emph{layout_property} = #@emph{value}
342 A @code{\tweak} command can also be used to modify just one in
343 a series of articulations, as shown here:
345 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
347 -\tweak #'color #red ^Red
348 -\tweak #'color #green _Green
351 Note that the @code{\tweak} command must be preceded by an
352 articulation mark as if it were an articulation itself.
354 @cindex tuplets, nested
355 @cindex triplets, nested
356 @cindex bracket, tuplet
357 @cindex tuplet bracket
358 @cindex triplet bracket
359 @funindex TupletBracket
361 The @code{\tweak} command must also be used to change the
362 appearance of one of a set of nested tuplets which begin at the
363 same musical moment. In the following example, the long tuplet
364 bracket and the first of the three short brackets begin at the
365 same musical moment, so any @code{\override} command would apply
366 to both of them. In the example, @code{\tweak} is used to
367 distinguish between them. The first @code{\tweak} command
368 specifies that the long tuplet bracket is to be placed above the
369 notes and the second one specifies that the tuplet number is to be
370 printed in red on the first short tuplet bracket.
372 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
373 \tweak #'direction #up
376 \times 2/3 { c8[ c8 c8] }
377 \times 2/3 { c8[ c8 c8] }
378 \times 2/3 { c8[ c8 c8] }
382 You can find more details of the @code{\tweak} command in
383 @ruser{Objects connected to the input}.
385 If nested tuplets do not begin at the same moment their
386 appearance may be modified in the usual way with
387 @code{\override} commands:
389 @c NOTE Tuplet brackets collide if notes are high on staff
391 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=1]
392 \times 2/3 { c8[ c c]}
393 \once \override TupletNumber
394 #'text = #tuplet-number::calc-fraction-text
398 \once \override TupletNumber #'transparent = ##t
399 \times 2/3 { c8[ c c] }
400 \times 2/3 { c8[ c c]}
405 @node The Internals Reference manual
406 @section The Internals Reference manual
408 @cindex Internals Reference
411 * Properties of layout objects::
412 * Properties found in interfaces::
413 * Types of properties::
416 @node Properties of layout objects
417 @subsection Properties of layout objects
419 @cindex properties of layout objects
420 @cindex properties of grobs
421 @cindex grobs, properties of
422 @cindex layout objects, properties of
424 Suppose you have a slur in a score which, to your mind,
425 appears too thin and you'd like to draw it a little heavier.
426 How do you go about doing this? You know from the statements
427 earlier about the flexibility of LilyPond that such a thing
428 should be possible, and you would probably guess that an
429 @code{\override} command would be needed. But is there a
430 heaviness property for a slur, and if there is, how might it
431 be modified? This is where the Internals Reference manual
432 comes in. It contains all the information you might need to
433 construct this and all other @code{\override} commands.
435 Before we look at the Internals Reference a word of warning.
436 This is a @strong{reference} document, which means there is
437 little or no explanation contained within it: its purpose is
438 to present information precisely and concisely. This
439 means it might look daunting at first sight. Don't worry!
440 The guidance and explanation presented here will enable you
441 to extract the information from the Internals Reference for
442 yourself with just a little practice.
444 @cindex override example
445 @cindex Internals Reference, example of using
447 Let's use a concrete example with a simple fragment of real
450 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
455 g[( e]) e d[( f]) a |
459 The man who feels love's sweet e -- mo -- tion
464 Suppose now that we decide we would like the slurs to be a
465 little heavier. Is this possible? The slur is certainly a
466 layout object, so the question is, @q{Is there a property
467 belonging to a slur which controls the heaviness?} To answer
468 this we must look in the Internals Reference, or IR for short.
470 The IR for the version of LilyPond you are using may be found
471 on the LilyPond website at @uref{http://lilypond.org}. Go to the
472 documentation page and click on the Internals Reference link.
473 For learning purposes you should use the standard html version,
474 not the @q{one big page} or the PDF. For the next few
475 paragraphs to make sense you will need to actually do this
478 Under the heading @strong{Top} you will see five links. Select
479 the link to the @emph{Backend}, which is where information about
480 layout objects is to be found. There, under the heading
481 @strong{Backend}, select the link to @emph{All layout objects}.
482 The page that appears lists all the layout objects used in your
483 version of LilyPond, in alphabetic order. Select the link to
484 Slur, and the properties of Slurs are listed.
486 (An alternative way of finding this page is from the Notation
487 Reference. On one of the pages that deals with slurs you may
488 find a link to the Internals Reference. This link will
489 take you directly to this page, but often it is easier to go
490 straight to the IR and search there.)
492 This Slur page in the IR tells us first that Slur objects are
494 Slur_engraver. Then it lists the standard settings. Note
495 these are @strong{not} in alphabetic order. Browse down
496 them looking for a property that might control the heaviness
497 of slurs, and you should find
500 @code{thickness} (number)
502 Line thickness, generally measured in @code{line-thickness}
505 This looks a good bet to change the heaviness. It tells us that
506 the value of @code{thickness} is a simple @emph{number},
507 that the default value is 1.2, and that the units are
508 in another property called @code{line-thickness}.
510 As we said earlier, there are few to no explanations in the IR,
511 but we already have enough information to try changing the
512 slur thickness. We see that the name of the layout object
513 is @code{Slur}, that the name of the property to change is
514 @code{thickness} and that the new value should be a number
515 somewhat larger than 1.2 if we are to make slurs thicker.
517 We can now construct the @code{\override} command by simply
518 substituting the values we have found for the names, omitting
519 the context. Let's use a very large value for the thickness
520 at first, so we can be sure the command is working. We get:
523 \override Slur #'thickness = #5.0
526 Don't forget the @code{#'} preceding the
527 property name and and @code{#} preceding the new value!
529 The final question is, @q{Where should this command be
530 placed?} While you are unsure and learning, the best
531 answer is, @q{Within the music, before the first slur and
532 close to it.} Let's do that:
534 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
538 % Increase thickness of all following slurs from 1.2 to 5.0
539 \override Slur #'thickness = #5.0
541 g[( e]) e d[( f]) a |
545 The man who feels love's sweet e -- mo -- tion
551 and we see that the slur is indeed heavier.
553 So this is the basic way of constructing @code{\override}
554 commands. There are a few more complications that we
555 shall meet in later sections, but you now know all the
556 essentials required to make up your own -- but you will
557 still need some practice. This is provided in the examples
560 @subheading Finding the context
561 @cindex context, finding
563 But first, what if we had needed to specify the Context?
564 What should it be? We could guess that slurs are in
565 the Voice context, as they are clearly closely associated
566 with individual lines of music, but can we be sure? To
567 find out, go back to the top of the IR page describing the
568 Slur, where it says @q{Slur objects are created by: Slur
569 engraver}. So slurs will be created in whichever context
570 the @code{Slur_engraver} is in. Follow the link to the
571 @code{Slur_engraver} page. At the very bottom it tells
572 us that @code{Slur_engraver} is part of five Voice contexts,
573 including the standard voice context, @code{Voice}, so our
574 guess was correct. And because @code{Voice} is one of the
575 lowest level contexts which is implied unambiguously by
576 the fact that we are entering notes, we can omit it in this
579 @subheading Overriding once only
581 @cindex overriding once only
582 @cindex once override
585 As you can see, @emph{all} the slurs are thicker in the
586 final example above. But what if we
587 wanted just the first slur to be thicker? This is achieved
588 with the @code{\once} command. Placed immediately before
589 the @code{\override} command it causes it to change only the
590 slur which begins on the @strong{immediately following} note.
592 immediately following note does not begin a slur the command
593 has no effect at all -- it is not remembered until a slur
594 is encountered, it is simply discarded. So the command with
596 repositioned as follows:
598 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
603 % Increase thickness of immediately following slur only
604 \once \override Slur #'thickness = #5.0
606 g[( e]) e d[( f]) a |
610 The man who feels love's sweet e -- mo -- tion
616 Now only the first slur is made heavier.
618 The @code{\once} command can also be used before the @code{\set}
621 @subheading Reverting
624 @cindex default properties, reverting
627 Finally, what if we wanted just the first two slurs to be
628 heavier? Well, we could use two commands, each preceded by
629 @code{\once} placed immediately before each of the notes where
632 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
637 % Increase thickness of immediately following slur only
638 \once \override Slur #'thickness = #5.0
640 % Increase thickness of immediately following slur only
641 \once \override Slur #'thickness = #5.0
642 g[( e]) e d[( f]) a |
646 The man who feels love's sweet e -- mo -- tion
652 or we could omit the @code{\once} command and use the
653 @code{\revert} command
654 to return the @code{thickness} property to its default value
655 after the second slur:
657 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
662 % Increase thickness of all following slurs from 1.2 to 5.0
663 \override Slur #'thickness = #5.0
666 % Revert thickness of all following slurs to default of 1.2
667 \revert Slur #'thickness
672 The man who feels love's sweet e -- mo -- tion
678 The @code{\revert} command can be used to return any property
679 changed with @code{\override} back to its default value.
680 You may use whichever method best suits what you want to do.
682 That concludes our introduction to the IR, and the basic
683 method of tweaking. Several examples follow in the later
684 sections of this Chapter, partly to introduce you to some of the
685 additional features of the IR, and partly to give you more
686 practice in extracting information from it. These examples will
687 contain progressively fewer words of guidance and explanation.
689 @node Properties found in interfaces
690 @subsection Properties found in interfaces
692 @cindex interface properties
693 @cindex properties in interfaces
695 Suppose now that we wish to print the lyrics in italics. What
696 form of @code{\override} command do we need to do this?
697 We first look in the IR page listing @q{All layout objects}, as
698 before, and look for an object that might control lyrics. We
699 find @code{LyricText}, which looks right. Clicking on this shows
700 the settable properties for lyric text. These include the
701 @code{font-series} and @code{font-size}, but nothing that might
702 give an italic shape.
703 This is because the shape property is one that is common to all
704 font objects, so, rather than including it in every layout
705 object, it is grouped together with other similar common
706 properties and placed in an @strong{Interface}, the
707 @code{font-interface}.
709 So now we need to learn how to find the properties of interfaces,
710 and to discover what objects use these interface properties.
712 Look again at the IR page which describes LyricText. At the
713 bottom of the page is a list of clickable (in the html versions
714 of the IR) interfaces which LyricText supports. The list has
715 seven items, including @code{font-interface}.
716 Clicking on this brings up the properties associated
717 with this interface, which are also properties of all the objects
718 which support it, including LyricText.
720 Now we see all the user-settable properties which control fonts,
721 including @code{font-shape(symbol)}, where @code{symbol} can be
722 set to @code{upright}, @code{italics} or @code{caps}.
724 You will notice that @code{font-series} and @code{font-size}
725 are also listed there.
726 This immediately raises the question: Why are the common font
727 properties @code{font-series} and @code{font-size} listed under
728 @code{LyricText} as well as under the interface
729 @code{font-interface} but @code{font-shape} is not? The answer
730 is that @code{font-series} and @code{font-size} are changed
731 from their global default values when a @code{LyricText} object
732 is created, but @code{font-shape} is not. The entries in
733 @code{LyricText} then tell you the values for those two
734 properties which apply to @code{LyricText}. Other objects
735 which support @code{font-interface} will set these
736 properties differently when they are created.
738 Let's see if we can now construct the @code{\override} command
739 to change the lyrics to italics. The object is @code{LyricText},
740 the property is @code{font-shape} and the value is
741 @code{italic}. As before, we'll omit the context.
743 As an aside, although it is an important one, note that because
745 @code{font-shape} are symbols they must be introduced with a
746 single apostrophe, @code{'}. That is why apostrophes
747 are needed before @code{thickness} in the earlier example
748 and @code{font-shape}. These are both symbols too.
749 Symbols are special names which are known internally to
750 LilyPond. Some of them are the names of properties,
751 like @code{thickness} or @code{font-shape}, others are in
752 effect special values that can be given to properties, like
753 @code{italic}. Note the distinction from arbitrary
754 text strings, which would appear as @code{"a text string"}.
756 Ok, so the @code{\override} command we need to print the lyrics
760 \override LyricText #'font-shape = #'italic
764 and this should be placed just in front of and close to the
765 lyrics which it should affect, like this:
767 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
772 g[( e]) e d[( f]) a |
776 \override LyricText #'font-shape = #'italic
777 The man who feels love's sweet e -- mo -- tion
783 and the lyrics are all printed in italics.
785 @subheading Specifying the context in lyric mode
786 @cindex context, specifying in lyric mode
788 In the case of lyrics, if you try specifying the context in the
789 format given earlier the command will fail. A syllable
790 entered in lyricmode is terminated by either a space,
791 a newline or a digit. All other characters are included
792 as part of the syllable. For this reason a space or newline
793 must appear before the terminating @code{@}} to prevent it being
794 included as part of the final syllable. Similarly,
795 spaces must be inserted before and after the
796 period or dot, @q{.}, separating the context name from the
797 object name, as otherwise the two names are run together and
798 the interpreter cannot recognize them. So the command should be:
801 \override Lyrics . LyricText #'font-shape = #'italic
804 @warning{In lyrics always leave whitespace between the final
805 syllable and the terminating brace.}
807 @warning{In overrides in lyrics always place spaces around
808 the dot between the context name and the object name.}
810 @node Types of properties
811 @subsection Types of properties
813 @cindex Property types
815 So far we have seen two types of property: @code{number} and
816 @code{symbol}. To be valid, the value given to a property
817 must be of the correct type and obey the rules for that type.
818 The type of property is always shown in brackets after the
819 property name in the IR. Here is a list of the types you may
820 need, together with the rules for that type, and some examples.
821 You must always add a hash symbol, @code{#}, of course,
822 to the front of these values when they are entered in the
823 @code{\override} command.
825 @multitable @columnfractions .2 .45 .35
826 @headitem Property type
830 @tab Either True or False, represented by #t or #f
831 @tab @code{#t}, @code{#f}
832 @item Dimension (in staff space)
833 @tab A positive decimal number (in units of staff space)
834 @tab @code{2.5}, @code{0.34}
836 @tab A valid direction constant or its numerical equivalent
837 @tab @code{#LEFT}, @code{#CENTER}, @code{#UP},
840 @tab A positive whole number
841 @tab @code{3}, @code{1}
843 @tab A bracketed set of items separated by spaces,
844 preceded by an apostrophe
845 @tab @code{'(left-edge staff-bar)}, @code{'(1)},
846 @code{'(1.0 0.25 0.5)}
848 @tab Any valid markup
849 @tab @code{\markup @{ \italic "cresc." @}}
851 @tab A fraction of a whole note constructed with the
853 @tab @code{(ly:make-moment 1 4)},
854 @code{(ly:make-moment 3 8)}
856 @tab Any positive or negative decimal value
857 @tab @code{3.5}, @code{-2.45}
858 @item Pair (of numbers)
859 @tab Two numbers separated by a @q{space . space} and enclosed
860 in brackets preceded by an apostrophe
861 @tab @code{'(2 . 3.5)}, @code{'(0.1 . -3.2)}
863 @tab Any of the set of permitted symbols for that property,
864 preceded by an apostrophe
865 @tab @code{'italic}, @code{'inside}
867 @tab A procedure or @code{#f} (to cause no action)
868 @tab @code{bend::print}, @code{ly:text-interface::print},
871 @tab A list of three items enclosed in brackets and preceded
872 by a hash sign, @code{#}.
873 @tab @code{#(#t #t #f)}
876 @node Appearance of objects
877 @section Appearance of objects
879 Let us now put what we have learnt into practice with a few
880 examples which show how tweaks may be used to change the
881 appearance of the printed music.
884 * Visibility and color of objects::
886 * Length and thickness of objects::
889 @node Visibility and color of objects
890 @subsection Visibility and color of objects
892 In the educational use of music we might wish to print a score
893 with certain elements omitted as an exercise for the student,
894 who is required to supply them. As a simple example,
895 let us suppose the exercise is to supply the missing bar lines
896 in a piece of music. But the bar lines are normally inserted
897 automatically. How do we prevent them printing?
899 Before we tackle this, let us remember that object properties
900 are grouped in what are called @emph{interfaces} -- see
901 @ref{Properties found in interfaces}. This is simply to
902 group together those properties that are commonly required
903 together -- if one of them is required for an object, so are
904 the others. Some objects then need the properties in some
905 interfaces, others need them from other interfaces. The
906 interfaces which contain the properties required by a
907 particular grob are listed in the IR at the bottom of the
908 page describing that grob, and those properties may be
909 viewed by looking at those interfaces.
911 We explained how to find information about grobs in
912 @ref{Properties of layout objects}. Using the same approach,
913 we go to the IR to find the layout object which prints
914 bar lines. Going via @emph{Backend} and @emph{All layout objects}
916 is a layout object called @code{BarLine}. Its properties include
917 two that control its visibility: @code{break-visibility} and
918 @code{stencil}. Barline also supports a number of interfaces,
919 including the @code{grob-interface}, where we find the
920 @code{transparent} and the @code{color} properties. All
921 of these can affect the visibility of bar lines (and, of course,
922 by extension, many other layout objects too.) Let's consider
923 each of these in turn.
926 @cindex stencil property
928 This property controls the appearance of the bar lines by specifying
929 the symbol (glyph) which should be printed. In common
930 with many other properties, it can be set to print nothing by
931 setting its value to @code{#f}. Let's try it, as before, omitting
932 the implied Context, @code{Voice}:
934 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
937 \override BarLine #'stencil = ##f
944 The bar lines are still printed. What is wrong? Go back to the
945 IR and look again at the page giving the properties of BarLine.
946 At the top of the page it says @qq{Barline objects are created
947 by: Bar_engraver}. Go to the @code{Bar_engraver} page.
949 it gives a list of Contexts in which the bar engraver operates.
950 All of them are of the type @code{Staff}, so the reason the
951 @code{\override} command failed to work as expected is because
952 @code{Barline} is not in the default @code{Voice} context.
954 is specified wrongly, the command simply does not work. No
955 error message is produced, and nothing is logged in the log
956 file. Let's try correcting it by adding the correct context:
958 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
961 \override Staff.BarLine #'stencil = ##f
968 Now the bar lines have vanished.
970 @subheading break-visibility
972 @cindex break-visibility property
974 We see from the @code{BarLine} properties in the IR that the
975 @code{break-visibility} property requires a vector of three
977 These control respectively whether bar lines are printed at
978 the end of a line, in the middle of lines, and at the beginning
979 of lines. For our example we want all bar lines to be suppressed,
980 so the value we need is @code{#(#f #f #f)}.
981 Let's try that, remembering
982 to include the @code{Staff} context. Note also that in writing
983 this value we have two hash signs before the opening bracket.
984 One is required as part of the value to introduce a vector,
985 and one is required, as always, to precede the value itself in
986 the @code{\override} command.
988 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
991 \override Staff.BarLine #'break-visibility = ##(#f #f #f)
998 And we see this too removes all the bar lines.
1000 @subheading transparent
1001 @cindex transparent property
1003 We see from the properties specified in the @code{grob-interface}
1004 page in the IR that the @code{transparent} property is a boolean.
1006 should be set to @code{#t} to make the grob transparent.
1007 In this next example let us make the time signature invisible
1008 rather than the bar lines.
1009 To do this we need to find the grob name for the time signature.
1011 the @q{All layout objects} page in the IR to find the properties
1012 of the @code{TimeSignature} layout object. This is produced by
1013 the @code{Time_signature_engraver} which you can check also lives
1014 in the @code{Staff} context and also supports the
1015 @code{grob-interface}. So the command to make the time signature
1018 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1021 \override Staff.TimeSignature #'transparent = ##t
1023 g, a16 b8 c d4 e16 |
1029 The time signature is gone, but this command leaves a gap where
1030 the time signature should be. Maybe this is what is wanted for
1031 an exercise for the student to fill it in, but in other
1032 circumstances a gap might be undesirable. To remove it, the
1033 stencil for the time signature should be set to @code{#f}
1036 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1039 \override Staff.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f
1041 g, a16 b8 c d4 e16 |
1047 and the difference is obvious: setting the stencil to @code{#f}
1048 removes the object entirely; making the object @code{transparent}
1049 leaves it where it is, but makes it invisible.
1052 @cindex color property
1054 Finally we could make the bar lines invisible by coloring
1055 them white. The @code{grob-interface} specifies that the
1056 color property value is a list, but there is no
1057 explanation of what that list should be. The list it
1058 requires is actually a list of values in internal units,
1059 but, to avoid having to know what these are, several ways
1060 are provided to specify colors. The first way is to use one
1061 of the @q{normal} colors listed in the first table in
1062 @ruser{List of colors}. To set the bar lines to white
1065 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1068 \override Staff.BarLine #'color = #white
1070 g, a16 b8 c d4 e16 |
1076 and again, we see the bar lines are not visible. Note that
1077 @emph{white} is not preceded by an apostrophe -- it is not
1078 a symbol, but a @emph{function}. When called, it provides
1079 the list of internal values required to set the color to
1080 white. The other colors in the normal list are functions
1081 too. To convince yourself this is working you might like
1082 to change the color to one of the other functions in the
1088 The second way of changing the color is to use the list of
1089 X11 color names in the second list in @ruser{List of colors}.
1090 However, these must be preceded by another function, which
1091 converts X11 color names into the list of internal values,
1092 @code{x11-color}, like this:
1094 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1097 \override Staff.BarLine #'color = #(x11-color 'white)
1099 g, a16 b8 c d4 e16 |
1105 Note that in this case the function @code{x11-color} takes
1106 a symbol as an argument, so the symbol must be preceded by
1107 an apostrophe and the two enclosed in brackets.
1112 There is yet a third function, one which converts RGB values into
1113 internal colors -- the @code{rgb-color} function. This takes
1114 three arguments giving the intensities of the red, green and
1115 blue colors. These take values in the range 0 to 1. So to
1116 set the color to red the value should be @code{(rgb-color 1 0 0)}
1117 and to white it should be @code{(rgb-color 1 1 1)}:
1119 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1122 \override Staff.BarLine #'color = #(rgb-color 1 1 1)
1124 g, a16 b8 c d4 e16 |
1129 Finally, there is also a grey scale available as part of the
1130 X11 set of colors. These range from black, @code{'grey0'},
1131 to white, @code{'grey100}, in steps of 1. Let's illustrate
1132 this by setting all the layout objects in our example to
1133 various shades of grey:
1135 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1138 \override Staff.StaffSymbol #'color = #(x11-color 'grey30)
1139 \override Staff.TimeSignature #'color = #(x11-color 'grey60)
1140 \override Staff.Clef #'color = #(x11-color 'grey60)
1141 \override Voice.NoteHead #'color = #(x11-color 'grey85)
1142 \override Voice.Stem #'color = #(x11-color 'grey85)
1143 \override Staff.BarLine #'color = #(x11-color 'grey10)
1145 g, a16 b8 c d4 e16 |
1151 Note the contexts associated with each of the layout objects.
1152 It is important to get these right, or the commands will not
1153 work! Remember, the context is the one in which the appropriate
1154 engraver is placed. The default context for engravers can be
1155 found by starting from the layout object, going from there to
1156 the engraver which produces it, and on the engraver page in the
1157 IR it tells you in which context the engraver will normally be
1161 @node Size of objects
1162 @subsection Size of objects
1164 Let us begin by looking again at the earlier example
1165 see @ref{Nesting music expressions}) which showed
1166 how to introduce a new temporary staff, as in an @rglos{ossia}.
1168 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1169 \new Staff ="main" {
1176 alignAboveContext = "main" }
1184 Ossia are normally written without clef and time signature, and
1185 are usually printed slightly smaller than the main staff. We
1186 already know now how to remove the clef and time signature --
1187 we simply set the stencil of each to @code{#f}, as follows:
1189 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1190 \new Staff ="main" {
1197 alignAboveContext = "main"
1200 \override Staff.Clef #'stencil = ##f
1201 \override Staff.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f
1211 where the extra pair of braces after the @code{\with} clause are
1212 required to ensure the enclosed overrides and music are applied
1215 But what is the difference between modifying the staff context by
1216 using @code{\with} and modifying the stencils of the clef and the
1217 time signature with \override? The main difference is that
1218 changes made in a @code{\with} clause are made at the time the
1219 context is created, and remain in force as the @strong{default}
1220 values for the duration of that context, whereas
1221 @code{\set} or @code{\override} commands embedded in the
1222 music are dynamic -- they make changes synchronized with
1223 a particular point in the music. If changes are unset or
1224 reverted using @code{\unset} or @code{\revert} they return to
1225 their default values, which will be the ones set in the
1226 @code{\with} clause, or if none have been set there, the normal
1229 Some context properties
1230 can be modified only in @code{\with} clauses. These are those
1231 properties which cannot sensibly be changed after the context
1232 has been created. @code{alignAboveContext} and its partner,
1233 @code{alignBelowContext}, are two such properties -- once the
1234 staff has been created its alignment is decided and it would
1235 make no sense to try to change it later.
1237 The default values of layout object properties can also be set
1238 in @code{\with} clauses. Simply use the normal @code{\override}
1239 command leaving out the context name, since this is unambiguously
1240 defined as the context which the @code{\with} clause is modifying.
1241 If fact, an error will be generated if a context is specified
1244 So we could replace the example above with
1246 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1247 \new Staff ="main" {
1254 alignAboveContext = "main"
1255 % Don't print clefs in this staff
1256 \override Clef #'stencil = ##f
1257 % Don't print time signatures in this staff
1258 \override TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f
1267 Finally we come to changing the size of layout objects.
1269 Some layout objects are created as glyphs selected from
1270 a typeface font. These include note heads, accidentals, markup,
1271 clefs, time signatures, dynamics and lyrics.
1272 Their size is changed by modifying the
1273 @code{font-size} property, as we shall shortly see. Other
1274 layout objects such as slurs and ties -- in general, spanner
1275 objects -- are drawn individually, so there is no
1277 associated with them. These objects generally derive their
1278 size from the objects to which they are attached, so usually
1279 there is no need to change their size manually. Still other
1280 properties such as the length of stems and bar lines, thickness
1281 of beams and other lines, and the separation of staff lines all
1282 need to be modified in special ways.
1284 Returning to the ossia example, let us first change the font-size.
1285 We can do this in two ways. We can either change the size of the
1286 fonts of each object type, like @code{NoteHead}s with commands
1290 \override NoteHead #'font-size = #-2
1293 or we can change the size of all fonts by setting a special
1294 property, @code{fontSize}, using @code{\set}, or by including
1295 it in a @code{\with} clause (but without the @code{\set}).
1301 Both of these statements would cause the font size to be reduced
1302 by 2 steps from its previous value, where each
1303 step reduces or increases the size by approximately 12%.
1305 Let's try it in our ossia example:
1307 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1308 \new Staff ="main" {
1315 alignAboveContext = "main"
1316 \override Clef #'stencil = ##f
1317 \override TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f
1318 % Reduce all font sizes by ~24%
1328 This is still not quite right. The note heads and flags are
1329 smaller, but the stems are too long in proportion and the
1330 staff lines are spaced too widely apart. These need to be
1331 scaled down in proportion to the font reduction. The next
1332 sub-section discusses how this is done.
1334 @node Length and thickness of objects
1335 @subsection Length and thickness of objects
1341 @cindex size, changing
1342 @cindex stem length, changing
1343 @cindex staff line spacing, changing
1345 Distances and lengths in LilyPond are generally measured in
1346 staff-spaces, the distance between adjacent lines in the staff,
1347 (or occasionally half staff spaces) while most @code{thickness}
1348 properties are measured in units of an internal property called
1349 @code{line-thickness.} For example, by default, the lines of
1350 hairpins are given a thickness of 1 unit of @code{line-thickness},
1351 while the @code{thickness} of a note stem is 1.3. Note, though,
1352 that some thickness properties are different; for example, the
1353 thickness of beams is measured in staff-spaces.
1355 So how are lengths to be scaled in proportion to the font size?
1356 This can be done with the help of a special function called
1357 @code{magstep} provided for exactly this purpose. It takes
1358 one argument, the change in font size (#-2 in the example above)
1359 and returns a scaling factor suitable for reducing other
1360 objects in proportion. It is used like this:
1362 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1363 \new Staff ="main" {
1370 alignAboveContext = "main"
1371 \override Clef #'stencil = ##f
1372 \override TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f
1374 % Reduce stem length and line spacing to match
1375 \override StaffSymbol #'staff-space = #(magstep -2)
1385 Since the length of stems and many other length-related properties
1386 are always calculated relative to the
1387 value of the @code{staff-space} property these are automatically
1388 scaled down in length too. Note that this affects only the
1389 vertical scale of the ossia -- the horizontal scale is determined
1390 by the layout of the main music in order to remain synchronized
1391 with it, so it is not affected by any of these changes in size.
1392 Of course, if the scale of all the main music were changed in this
1393 way then the horizontal spacing would be affected. This is
1394 discussed later in the layout section.
1396 This, then, completes the creation of an ossia. The sizes and
1397 lengths of all other objects may be modified in analogous ways.
1399 For small changes in scale, as in the example above, the
1400 thickness of the various drawn lines such as bar lines,
1401 beams, hairpins, slurs, etc does not usually require global
1402 adjustment. If the thickness of any particular layout object
1403 needs to be adjusted this can be best achieved by overriding its
1404 @code{thickness} property. An example of changing the thickness
1405 of slurs was shown above in @ref{Properties of layout objects}.
1406 The thickness of all drawn objects (i.e., those not produced
1407 from a font) may be changed in the same way.
1410 @node Placement of objects
1411 @section Placement of objects
1414 * Automatic behavior::
1415 * Within-staff objects::
1416 * Outside staff objects::
1420 @node Automatic behavior
1421 @subsection Automatic behavior
1423 There are some objects in musical notation that belong to
1424 the staff and there are other objects that should be
1425 placed outside the staff. These are called within-staff
1426 objects and outside-staff objects respectively.
1428 Within-staff objects are those that are located on the staff
1429 -- note heads, stems, accidentals, etc. The positions of
1430 these are usually fixed by the music itself -- they are
1431 vertically positioned on specific lines of the staff or are
1432 tied to other objects that are so positioned. Collisions of
1433 note heads, stems and accidentals in closely set chords are
1434 normally avoided automatically. There are commands and
1435 overrides which can modify this automatic behavior, as we
1438 Objects belonging outside the staff include things such as
1439 rehearsal marks, text and dynamic markings. LilyPond's rule for
1440 the vertical placement of outside-staff objects is to place them
1441 as close to the staff as possible but not so close that they
1442 collide with any other object. LilyPond uses the
1443 @code{outside-staff-priority} property to determine the order in
1444 which the objects should be placed, as follows.
1446 First, LilyPond places all the within-staff objects.
1447 Then it sorts the outside-staff objects according to their
1448 @code{outside-staff-priority}. The outside-staff objects are
1449 taken one by one, beginning with the object with the lowest
1450 @code{outside-staff-priority}, and placed so that they do not
1451 collide with any objects that have already been placed. That is,
1452 if two outside-staff grobs are competing for the same space, the
1453 one with the lower @code{outside-staff-priority} will be placed
1454 closer to the staff. If two objects have the same
1455 @code{outside-staff-priority} the one encountered first will be
1456 placed closer to the staff.
1458 In the following example all the markup texts have the same
1459 priority (since it is not explicitly set). Note that @q{Text3}
1460 is automatically positioned close to the staff again, nestling
1463 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1470 Staves are also positioned, by default, as closely together as
1471 possible (subject to a minimum separation). If notes project
1472 a long way towards an adjacent staff they will force the
1473 staves further apart only if an overlap of the notation
1474 would otherwise occur. The following example demonstrates
1475 this @q{nestling} of the notes on adjacent staves:
1477 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
1480 \relative c' { c a, }
1483 \relative c'''' { c a, }
1489 @node Within-staff objects
1490 @subsection Within-staff objects
1492 We have already seen how the commands @code{\voiceXXX} affect
1493 the direction of slurs, ties, fingering and
1494 everything else which depends on the direction of the stems.
1495 These commands are essential when writing polyphonic music to
1496 permit interweaving melodic lines to be distinguished.
1497 But occasionally it may be necessary to override this automatic
1498 behavior. This can be done for whole sections of music or even
1499 for an individual note. The property which controls this
1500 behavior is the @code{direction} property of each layout object.
1501 We first explain what this does, and then introduce a number of
1502 ready-made commands which avoid your having to code explicit
1503 overrides for the more common modifications.
1505 Some layout objects like slurs and ties curve, bend or point
1506 either up or down; others like stems and flags also move to
1507 right or left when they point up or down. This is controlled
1508 automatically when @code{direction} is set.
1510 The following example shows in bar 1 the default behavior of
1512 with those on high notes pointing down and those on low notes
1513 pointing up, followed by four notes with all stems forced down,
1514 four notes with all stems forced up, and finally four notes
1515 reverted back to the default behavior.
1517 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1519 \override Stem #'direction = #DOWN
1521 \override Stem #'direction = #UP
1523 \revert Stem #'direction
1527 Here we use the constants @code{DOWN} and @code{UP}.
1528 These have the values @code{-1} and @code{+1} respectively, and
1529 these numerical values may be used instead. The value @code{0}
1530 may also be used in some cases. It is simply treated as meaning
1531 @code{UP} for stems, but for some objects it means @q{center}.
1532 There is a constant, @code{CENTER} which has the value @code{0}.
1534 However, these explicit overrides are not usually used, as there
1535 are simpler equivalent predefined commands available.
1536 Here is a table of the commonest. The meaning of each is stated
1537 where it is not obvious.
1539 @multitable @columnfractions .2 .2 .2 .4
1544 @item @code{\arpeggioDown}
1545 @tab @code{\arpeggioUp}
1546 @tab @code{\arpeggioNeutral}
1547 @tab Arrow is at bottom, at top, or no arrow
1548 @item @code{\dotsDown}
1550 @tab @code{\dotsNeutral}
1551 @tab Direction of movement to avoid staff lines
1552 @item @code{\dynamicDown}
1553 @tab @code{\dynamicUp}
1554 @tab @code{\dynamicNeutral}
1556 @item @code{\phrasingSlurDown}
1557 @tab @code{\phrasingSlurUp}
1558 @tab @code{\phrasingSlurNeutral}
1559 @tab Note: distinct from slur commands
1560 @item @code{\slurDown}
1562 @tab @code{\slurNeutral}
1564 @item @code{\stemDown}
1566 @tab @code{\stemNeutral}
1568 @item @code{\textSpannerDown}
1569 @tab @code{\textSpannerUp}
1570 @tab @code{\textSpannerNeutral}
1571 @tab Text entered as spanner is below/above staff
1572 @item @code{\tieDown}
1574 @tab @code{\tieNeutral}
1576 @item @code{\tupletDown}
1577 @tab @code{\tupletUp}
1578 @tab @code{\tupletNeutral}
1579 @tab Tuplets are below/above notes
1582 Note that these predefined commands may @strong{not} be
1583 preceded by @code{\once}. If you wish to limit the
1584 effect to a single note you must either use the equivalent
1585 @code{\once \override} command or use the predefined command
1586 followed after the affected note by the corresponding
1587 @code{\xxxNeutral} command.
1589 @subheading Fingering
1590 @cindex fingering, placement
1592 The placement of fingering is also affected by the value
1593 of its @code{direction} property, but there are special
1594 commands which allow the fingering of individual notes
1595 of chords to be controlled, with the fingering being placed
1596 above, below, to the left or to the right of each note.
1598 First, here's the effect of @code{direction} on fingering,
1599 the first bar shows the default, then the effect of specifying
1600 @code{DOWN} and @code{UP}:
1602 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1604 \override Fingering #'direction = #DOWN
1606 \override Fingering #'direction = #UP
1610 This is how to control fingering on single notes, but the
1612 property is ignored for chords. Instead, by default, the
1613 fingering is automatically placed both above and below the
1614 notes of a chord, as shown:
1616 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1622 Greater control over the placement of fingering of the
1623 individual notes in a chord is possible by using
1624 the @code{\set fingeringOrientations} command. The format of
1628 @code{\set fingeringOrientations = #'([up] [left/right] [down])}
1632 @code{\set} is used because @code{fingeringOrientations} is a
1633 property of the @code{Voice} context, created and used by the
1634 @code{New_fingering_engraver}.
1636 The property may be set to a list of one to three values.
1637 It controls whether fingerings may be placed above (if
1638 @code{up} appears in the list), below (if @code{down} appears),
1639 to the left (if @code{left} appears, or to the right
1640 (if @code{right} appears). Conversely, if a location is not
1641 listed, no fingering is placed there. LilyPond takes these
1642 constraints and works out the best placement for the fingering
1643 of the notes of the following chords. Note that @code{left} and
1644 @code{right} are mutually exclusive -- fingering may be placed
1645 only on one side or the other, not both.
1647 To control the placement of the fingering of a single note
1648 using this command it is necessary to write it as a single
1649 note chord by placing angle brackets round it.
1651 Here are a few examples:
1653 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
1654 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(left)
1656 < c-1 e-2 g-3 b-5 > 4
1657 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(left)
1659 < c-1 e-2 g-3 b-5 > 4
1660 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(up left down)
1662 < c-1 e-2 g-3 b-5 > 4
1663 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(up left)
1665 < c-1 e-2 g-3 b-5 > 4
1666 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
1668 < c-1 e-2 g-3 b-5 > 4
1672 If the fingering seems a little crowded the @code{font-size}
1673 could be reduced. The default value can be seen from the
1674 @code{Fingering} object in the IR to be @code{-5}, so let's
1677 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
1678 \override Fingering #'font-size = #-7
1679 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(left)
1681 < c-1 e-2 g-3 b-5 > 4
1682 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(left)
1684 < c-1 e-2 g-3 b-5 > 4
1685 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(up left down)
1687 < c-1 e-2 g-3 b-5 > 4
1688 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(up left)
1690 < c-1 e-2 g-3 b-5 > 4
1691 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
1693 < c-1 e-2 g-3 b-5 > 4
1696 @node Outside staff objects
1697 @subsection Outside staff objects
1699 Outside-staff objects are automatically placed to avoid collisions.
1700 Objects with the lower value of the @code{outside-staff-priority}
1701 property are placed nearer to the staff, and other outside-staff
1702 objects are then raised as far as necessary to avoid collisions.
1703 The @code{outside-staff-priority} is defined in the
1704 @code{grob-interface} and so is a property of all layout objects.
1705 By default it is set to @code{#f} for all within-staff objects,
1706 and to a numerical value appropriate to each outside-staff object
1707 when the object is created. The following table shows
1708 the default numerical values for some of the commonest
1709 outside-staff objects which are, by default, placed in the
1710 @code{Staff} or @code{Voice} contexts.
1712 @multitable @columnfractions .3 .3 .3
1713 @headitem Layout Object
1715 @tab Controls position of:
1716 @item @code{MultiMeasureRestText}
1718 @tab Text over full-bar rests
1719 @item @code{TextScript}
1722 @item @code{OttavaBracket}
1724 @tab Ottava brackets
1725 @item @code{TextSpanner}
1728 @item @code{DynamicLineSpanner}
1730 @tab All dynamic markings
1731 @item @code{VoltaBracketSpanner}
1734 @item @code{TrillSpanner}
1736 @tab Spanning trills
1739 Here is an example showing the default placement of some of
1742 @cindex text spanner
1743 @funindex \startTextSpan
1744 @funindex \stopTextSpan
1745 @cindex ottava bracket
1747 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
1748 % Set details for later Text Spanner
1749 \override TextSpanner #'bound-details #'left #'text
1750 = \markup { \small \bold Slower }
1751 % Place dynamics above staff
1753 % Start Ottava Bracket
1758 % Add Dynamic Line Spanner
1764 c\ff c \stopTextSpan
1765 % Stop Ottava Bracket
1770 This example also shows how to create Text Spanners --
1771 text with extender lines above a section of music. The
1772 spanner extends from the @code{\startTextSpan} command to
1773 the @code{\stopTextSpan} command, and the format of the
1774 text is defined by the @code{\override TextSpanner} command.
1775 For more details see @ruser{Text spanners}.
1777 It also shows how ottava brackets are created.
1779 Note that bar numbers, metronome marks and rehearsal marks
1780 are not shown. By default these are created in the
1781 @code{Score} context and their @code{outside-staff-priority}
1782 is ignored relative to the layout objects which are created
1783 in the @code{Staff} context.
1784 If you wish to place bar numbers, metronome marks or rehearsal
1785 marks in accordance with the value of their
1786 @code{outside-staff-priority} the @code{Bar_number_engraver},
1787 @code{Metronome_mark_engraver} or @code{Mark_engraver} respectively
1788 should be removed from the @code{Score} context and placed in the
1789 top @code{Staff} context. If this is done, these marks will be
1790 given the following default @code{outside-staff-priority} values:
1792 @multitable @columnfractions .3 .3
1793 @headitem Layout Object @tab Priority
1794 @item @code{RehearsalMark} @tab @code{1500}
1795 @item @code{MetronomeMark} @tab @code{1000}
1796 @item @code{BarNumber} @tab @code{ 100}
1799 If the default values of @code{outside-staff-priority} do not
1800 give you the placing you want, the priority of any of the objects
1801 may be overridden. Suppose we would
1802 like the ottava bracket to be placed below the text spanner in the
1803 example above. All we need to do is to look up the priority of
1804 @code{OttavaBracket} in the IR or in the tables above, and reduce
1805 it to a value lower than that of a @code{TextSpanner}, remembering
1806 that @code{OttavaBracket} is created in the @code{Staff} context:
1808 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
1809 % Set details for later Text Spanner
1810 \override TextSpanner #'bound-details #'left #'text
1811 = \markup { \small \bold Slower }
1812 % Place dynamics above staff
1814 %Place following Ottava Bracket below Text Spanners
1815 \once \override Staff.OttavaBracket #'outside-staff-priority = #340
1816 % Start Ottava Bracket
1821 % Add Dynamic Line Spanner
1827 c\ff c \stopTextSpan
1828 % Stop Ottava Bracket
1833 Changing the @code{outside-staff-priority} can also be used to
1834 control the vertical placement of individual objects, although
1835 the results may not always be desirable. Suppose we would
1836 like @qq{Text3} to be placed above @qq{Text4} in the example
1837 under Automatic behavior, above (see @ref{Automatic behavior}).
1838 All we need to do is to look up the priority of @code{TextScript}
1839 in the IR or in the tables above, and increase the priority of
1840 @qq{Text3} to a higher value:
1842 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1845 \once \override TextScript #'outside-staff-priority = #500
1850 This certainly lifts @qq{Text3} above @qq{Text4} but it also
1851 lifts it above @qq{Text2}, and @qq{Text4} now drops down.
1852 Perhaps this is not so good. What we would really like to do
1853 is to position all the annotation at the same distance above
1854 the staff? To do this, we clearly
1855 will need to space the notes out horizontally to make more
1856 room for the text. This is done using the @code{textLengthOn}
1859 @subheading \textLengthOn
1861 @funindex \textLengthOn
1862 @cindex notes, spreading out with text
1864 By default, text produced by markup takes up no horizontal space
1865 as far as laying out the music is concerned. The @code{\textLengthOn}
1866 command reverses this behavior, causing the notes to be spaced
1867 out as far as is necessary to accommodate the text:
1869 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1870 \textLengthOn % Cause notes to space out to accommodate text
1877 The command to revert to the default behavior is
1878 @code{\textLengthOff}. Remember @code{\once} only works with
1879 @code{\override}, @code{\set}, @code{\revert} or @code{unset},
1880 so cannot be used with @code{\textLengthOn}.
1882 Markup text will also avoid notes which project above the staff.
1883 If this is not desired, the automatic displacement upwards may
1884 be turned off by setting the priority to @code{#f}. Here's an
1885 example to show how markup text interacts with such notes.
1887 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1888 % This markup is short enough to fit without collision
1892 % This is too long to fit, so it is displaced upwards
1896 % Turn off collision avoidance
1897 \once \override TextScript #'outside-staff-priority = ##f
1901 % Turn off collision avoidance
1902 \once \override TextScript #'outside-staff-priority = ##f
1903 \textLengthOn % and turn on textLengthOn
1904 c,,2^"Long Text " % Spaces at end are honored
1909 @subheading Dynamics
1911 Dynamic markings will normally be positioned beneath the
1912 staff, but may be positioned above with the @code{dynamicUp}
1913 command. They will be positioned vertically relative to the
1914 note to which they are attached, and will float below (or above)
1915 all within-staff objects such as phrasing slurs and bar numbers.
1916 This can give quite acceptable results, as this example
1919 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
1924 bes4.~\f\< \( bes4 bes8 des4\ff\> c16 bes\! |
1925 ees,2.~\)\mf ees4 r8 |
1928 However, if the notes and attached dynamics are close
1929 together the automatic placement will avoid collisions
1930 by displacing later dynamic markings further away, but this may
1931 not be the optimum placement, as this rather artificial example
1934 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1940 Should a similar situation arise in @q{real} music, it may
1941 be preferable to space out the notes
1942 a little further, so the dynamic markings can all fit at the
1943 same vertical distance from the staff. We were able to do this
1944 for markup text by using the @code{\textLengthOn} command, but there
1945 is no equivalent command for dynamic marks. So we shall have to
1946 work out how to do this using @code{\override} commands.
1948 @subheading Grob sizing
1951 @cindex sizing grobs
1952 @cindex @code{X-offset}
1953 @cindex @code{Y-offset}
1954 @cindex @code{X-extent}
1955 @cindex @code{Y-extent}
1957 First we must learn how grobs are sized. All grobs have a
1958 reference point defined within them which is used to position
1959 them relative to their parent object. This point in the grob
1960 is then positioned at a horizontal distance, @code{X-offset},
1961 and at a vertical distance, @code{Y-offset}, from its parent.
1962 The horizontal extent of the object is given by a pair of
1963 numbers, @code{X-extent}, which say where the left and right
1964 edges are relative to the reference point. The vertical extent
1965 is similarly defined by a pair of numbers, @code{Y-extent}.
1966 These are properties of all grobs which support the
1967 @code{grob-interface}.
1969 @cindex @code{extra-spacing-width}
1971 By default, outside-staff objects are given a width of zero so
1972 that they may overlap in the horizontal direction. This is done
1973 by the trick of adding infinity to the leftmost extent and
1974 minus infinity to the rightmost extent by setting the
1975 @code{extra-spacing-width} to @code{'(+inf.0 . -inf.0)}. So
1976 to ensure they do not overlap in the horizontal direction we
1977 must override this value of @code{extra-spacing-width} to
1978 @code{'(0 . 0)} so the true width shines through. This is
1979 the command to do this for dynamic text:
1982 \override DynamicText #'extra-spacing-width = #'(0 . 0)
1986 Let's see if this works in our previous example:
1988 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1990 \override DynamicText #'extra-spacing-width = #'(0 . 0)
1995 Well, it has certainly stopped the dynamic marks being
1996 displaced, but two problems remain. The marks should be
1997 spaced a little further apart and it would be better
1998 if they were all the same distance from the staff.
1999 We can solve the first problem easily. Instead of making
2000 the @code{extra-spacing-width} zero we could add a little
2001 more to it. The units are the space between two staff
2002 lines, so moving the left edge half a unit to the left and the
2003 right edge half a unit to the right should do it:
2005 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
2007 % Extend width by 1 staff space
2008 \override DynamicText #'extra-spacing-width = #'(-0.5 . 0.5)
2013 This looks better, but maybe we would prefer the dynamic marks
2014 to be aligned along the same baseline rather than going up and
2015 down with the notes. The property to do this is
2016 @code{staff-padding} which is covered in the following section.
2019 @node Collisions of objects
2020 @section Collisions of objects
2024 * Fixing overlapping notation::
2025 * Real music example::
2028 @node Moving objects
2029 @subsection Moving objects
2031 This may come as a surprise, but LilyPond is not perfect. Some
2032 notation elements can overlap. This is unfortunate, but in fact
2033 rather rare. Usually the need to move objects is for clarity or
2034 aesthetic reasons -- they would look better with a little more
2035 or a little less space around them.
2037 There are three main approaches to resolving overlapping
2038 notation. They should be considered in the following order:
2042 The @strong{direction} of one of the overlapping objects may
2043 be changed using the predefined commands listed above for
2044 within-staff objects (see @ref{Within-staff objects}).
2045 Stems, slurs, beams, ties, dynamics, text and tuplets may be
2046 repositioned easily in this way. The limitation is that you
2047 have a choice of only two positions, and neither may be
2051 The @strong{object properties}, which LilyPond uses
2052 when positioning layout objects, may be modified using
2053 @code{\override}. The advantages
2054 of making changes to this type of property are (a) that some
2055 other objects will be moved automatically if necessary to make
2056 room and (b) the single override can apply to all instances of
2057 the same type of object. Such properties include:
2063 This has already been covered in some detail -- see
2064 @ref{Within-staff objects}.
2067 @code{padding}, @code{left-padding},
2068 @code{right-padding}, @code{staff-padding}
2070 @cindex left-padding property
2071 @cindex padding property
2072 @cindex right-padding property
2073 @cindex staff-padding property
2074 As an object is being positioned the value of its @code{padding}
2075 property specifies the gap that must be left between itself and
2076 the nearest edge of the object against which it is being
2077 positioned. Note that it is the @code{padding} value of the object
2078 @strong{being placed} that is used;
2079 the @code{padding} value of the object which is already placed is
2080 ignored. Gaps specified by @code{padding} can be applied
2081 to all objects which support the @code{side-position-interface}.
2083 Instead of @code{padding}, the placement of groups of accidentals
2084 is controlled by @code{left-padding} and @code{right-padding}.
2085 These properties are to be found in the @code{AccidentalPlacement}
2086 object which, note, lives in the @strong{staff} context. Because
2087 accidentals are always positioned after and to the left of
2088 note heads only the @code{right-padding} property has any effect.
2090 The @code{staff-padding} property is closely related to the
2091 @code{padding} property: @code{padding}
2092 controls the minimum amount of space between any object which
2093 supports the @code{side-position-interface} and the nearest
2094 other object (generally the note or the staff lines);
2095 @code{staff-padding} applies only to those objects which are always
2096 set outside the staff -- it controls the minimum amount of space
2097 that should be inserted between that object and the staff. Note
2098 that @code{staff-padding} has no effect on objects which are
2099 positioned relative to the note rather than the staff, even though
2100 it may be overridden without error for such objects -- it is simply
2103 To discover which padding property is required for the object
2104 you wish to reposition, you
2105 need to return to the IR and look up the object's properties.
2106 Be aware that the padding properties might not be located in the
2107 obvious object, so look in objects that appear to be related.
2109 All padding values are measured in staff spaces. For most
2110 objects, this value is set by default to be around 1.0 or less
2111 (it varies with each object). It may be overridden if a larger
2112 (or smaller) gap is required.
2115 @code{self-alignment-X}
2117 @cindex self-alignment-X property
2118 This property can be used to align the object to the left, to
2119 the right, or to center it with respect to the parent object's
2120 reference point. It may be used with all objects which support
2121 the @code{self-alignment-interface}. In general these are objects
2122 that contain text. The values are @code{LEFT}, @code{RIGHT}
2123 or @code{CENTER}. Alternatively, a numerical value between
2124 @code{-1} and @code{+1} may be specified, where @code{-1} is
2125 left-aligned, @code{+1} is right-aligned, and numbers in between
2126 move the text progressively from left-aligned to right-aligned.
2127 Numerical values greater than @code{1} may be specified to move
2128 the text even further to the left, or less than @code{-1} to
2129 move the text even further to the right. A change of @code{1}
2130 in the value corresponds to a movement of half the text's length.
2133 @code{extra-spacing-width}
2135 @cindex extra-spacing-width property
2136 This property is available for all objects which support the
2137 @code{item-interface}. It takes two numbers, the first is added
2138 to the leftmost extent and the second is added to the rightmost
2139 extent. Negative numbers move the edge to the left, positive to
2140 the right, so to widen an object the first number must be negative,
2141 the second positive. Note that not all objects honor both
2142 numbers. For example, the @code{Accidental} object only takes
2143 notice of the first (left edge) number.
2146 @code{staff-position}
2148 @cindex staff-position property
2149 @code{staff-position} is a property of the
2150 @code{staff-symbol-referencer-interface}, which is supported by
2151 objects which are positioned relative to the staff. It specifies
2152 the vertical position of the object relative to the center line
2153 of the staff in half staff-spaces. It is useful in resolving
2154 collisions between layout objects like multi-measure rests, ties
2155 and notes in different voices.
2160 @cindex force-hshift property
2162 Closely spaced notes in a chord, or notes occurring at the same
2163 time in different voices, are arranged in two, occasionally more,
2164 columns to prevent the note heads overlapping. These are called
2165 note columns, and an object called @code{NoteColumn} is created
2166 to lay out the notes in that column.
2168 The @code{force-hshift}
2169 property is a property of a @code{NoteColumn} (actually of the
2170 @code{note-column-interface}). Changing it permits a note column
2171 to be moved in units appropriate to a note column, viz. the note
2172 head width of the first voice note. It should be used in
2173 complex situations where the normal @code{\shiftOn} commands (see
2174 @ref{Explicitly instantiating voices}) do
2175 not resolve the note conflict. It is preferable to the
2176 @code{extra-offset} property for this purpose as there is no need
2177 to work out the distance in staff-spaces, and moving the notes
2178 into or out of a @code{NoteColumn} affects other actions such as
2184 Finally, when all else fails, objects may be manually repositioned
2185 relative to the staff center line vertically, or by
2186 displacing them by any distance to a new position. The
2187 disadvantages are that the correct values for the repositioning
2188 have to be worked out, often by trial and error, for every object
2189 individually, and, because the movement is done after LilyPond has
2190 placed all other objects, the user is responsible for avoiding any
2191 collisions that might ensue. But the main difficulty with this
2192 approach is that the repositioning values may need to be reworked
2193 if the music is later modified. The properties that can be used
2194 for this type of manual repositioning are:
2198 @cindex extra-offset property
2199 This property applies to any layout object
2200 supporting the @code{grob-interface}. It takes a pair of
2201 numbers which specify the extra displacement in the horizontal and
2202 vertical directions. Negative numbers move the object to
2203 the left or down. The units are staff-spaces. The extra
2204 displacement is made after the typesetting of objects is
2205 finished, so an object may be repositioned anywhere without
2206 affecting anything else.
2209 @cindex positions property
2210 This is most useful for manually adjusting the slope and height
2211 of beams, slurs, and tuplets. It takes a pair of numbers
2212 giving the position of the left and right ends of the beam, slur,
2213 etc. relative to the center line of the staff. Units are
2214 staff-spaces. Note, though, that slurs and phrasing slurs cannot
2215 be repositioned by arbitrarily large amounts. LilyPond first
2216 generates a list of possible positions for the slur and by default
2217 finds the slur that @qq{looks best}. If the @code{positions}
2218 property has been overridden the slur that is closest to the
2219 requested positions is selected from the list.
2224 A particular object may not have all of these properties.
2225 It is necessary to go to the IR to look up which properties
2226 are available for the object in question.
2228 Here is a list of the objects which are most likely to be
2229 involved in collisions, together with the name of the object which
2230 should be looked up in the IR in order to discover which properties
2231 should be used to move them.
2233 @multitable @columnfractions .5 .5
2234 @headitem Object type @tab Object name
2235 @item Articulations @tab @code{Script}
2236 @item Beams @tab @code{Beam}
2237 @item Dynamics (vertically) @tab @code{DynamicLineSpanner}
2238 @item Dynamics (horizontally) @tab @code{DynamicText}
2239 @item Fingerings @tab @code{Fingering}
2240 @item Rehearsal / Text marks @tab @code{RehearsalMark}
2241 @item Slurs @tab @code{Slur}
2242 @item Text e.g. @code{^"text"} @tab @code{TextScript}
2243 @item Ties @tab @code{Tie}
2244 @item Tuplets @tab @code{TupletBracket}
2248 @node Fixing overlapping notation
2249 @subsection Fixing overlapping notation
2251 Let's now see how the properties in the previous section can
2252 help to resolve overlapping notation.
2254 @subheading padding property
2255 @cindex padding property
2257 The @code{padding} property can be set to increase
2258 (or decrease) the distance between symbols that are printed
2259 above or below notes.
2261 @lilypond[quote,fragment,relative=1,verbatim]
2263 \override Script #'padding = #3
2267 @lilypond[quote,fragment,relative=1,verbatim]
2268 % This will not work, see below:
2269 \override MetronomeMark #'padding = #3
2273 \override Score.MetronomeMark #'padding = #3
2278 Note in the second example how important it is to figure out what
2279 context handles a certain object. Since the @code{MetronomeMark}
2281 is handled in the @code{Score} context, property changes in the
2282 @code{Voice} context will not be noticed. For more details, see
2283 @ruser{Constructing a tweak}.
2285 If the @code{padding} property of an object is increased when that
2286 object is in a stack of objects being positioned according to
2287 their @code{outside-staff-priority}, then that object and all
2288 objects outside it are moved.
2291 @subheading left-padding and right-padding
2292 @cindex left-padding property
2293 @cindex right-padding property
2295 The @code{right-padding} property affects the spacing between the
2296 accidental and the note to which it applies. It is not often
2297 required, but the following example shows one situation where it
2298 is needed. Suppose we wish to show a chord containing both
2299 a B-natural and a B-flat. To avoid ambiguity we would like to
2300 precede the notes with both a natural and a flat sign. Here
2301 are a few attempts to do this:
2303 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
2309 None work, with the second two showing bad collisions between
2312 One way of achieving this is to override the accidental stencil
2313 with a markup containing the natural and flat symbols in the
2314 order we would like, like this:
2316 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
2317 naturalplusflat = \markup { \natural \flat }
2319 \once \override Accidental
2320 #'stencil = #ly:text-interface::print
2321 \once \override Accidental #'text = #naturalplusflat
2322 \once \override Score.AccidentalPlacement #'right-padding = #1.5
2328 This necessarily uses an override for the accidental stencil which
2329 will not be covered until later. The stencil type must be a
2330 procedure, here changed to print the contents of the @code{text}
2331 property of @code{Accidental}, which itself is set to be a natural
2332 sign followed by a flat sign. These are then moved further away
2333 from the note head by overriding @code{right-padding}.
2337 @subheading staff-padding property
2338 @cindex staff-padding property
2340 @code{staff-padding} can be used to align objects such as dynamics
2341 along a baseline at a fixed height above the staff, rather than
2342 at a height dependent on the position of the note to which they
2343 are attached. It is not a property of
2344 @code{DynamicText} but of @code{DynamicLineSpanner}.
2345 This is because the baseline should apply equally to @strong{all}
2346 dynamics, including those created as extended spanners.
2347 So this is the way to align the dynamic marks in the example
2348 taken from the previous section:
2350 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
2352 % Extend width by 1 unit
2353 \override DynamicText #'extra-spacing-width = #'(-0.5 . 0.5)
2354 % Align dynamics to a base line 2 units above staff
2355 \override DynamicLineSpanner #'staff-padding = #2
2360 @subheading self-alignment-X property
2361 @cindex self-alignment-X property
2363 The following example shows how this can resolve the collision
2364 of a string fingering object with a note's stem by aligning the
2365 right edge with the reference point of the parent note:
2367 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=3]
2370 \once \override StringNumber #'self-alignment-X = #RIGHT
2374 @subheading staff-position property
2375 @cindex staff-position property
2377 Multimeasure rests in one voice can collide with notes in another.
2378 Since these rests are typeset centered between the bar lines, it
2379 would require significant effort for LilyPond to figure out which
2380 other notes might collide with it, since all the current collision
2381 handling between notes and between notes and rests is done only
2382 for notes and rests that occur at the same time. Here's an
2383 example of a collision of this type:
2385 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right, relative=1]
2386 << {c c c c} \\ {R1} >>
2389 The best solution here is to move the multimeasure rest down,
2390 since the rest is in voice two.
2391 The default in @code{\voiceTwo} (i.e. in the second voice of a
2392 @code{<<@{...@} \\ @{...@}>>} construct)
2393 is that @code{staff-position} is set to -4 for MultiMeasureRest,
2394 so we need to move it, say, four half-staff spaces down to
2397 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right, relative=1]
2401 \override MultiMeasureRest #'staff-position = #-8
2406 This is better than using, for example, @code{extra-offset},
2407 because the ledger line above the rest is inserted automatically.
2409 @subheading extra-offset property
2410 @cindex extra-offset property
2412 The @code{extra-offset} property provides complete control over the
2413 positioning of an object both horizontally and vertically.
2415 In the following example, the second fingering is moved a little to
2416 the left, and 1.8 staff space downwards:
2418 @lilypond[quote,fragment,relative=1,verbatim]
2421 \once \override Fingering
2422 #'extra-offset = #'(-0.3 . -1.8)
2427 @subheading positions property
2428 @cindex positions property
2430 The @code{positions} property allows the position and slope of
2431 tuplets, slurs, phrasing slurs and beams to be controlled
2432 manually. Here's an example which has an ugly phrasing slur
2433 due to its trying to avoid the slur on the acciaccatura.
2435 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right,relative=1]
2436 r4 \acciaccatura e8\( d8 c ~c d c d\)
2440 We could simply move the phrasing slur above the notes, and this
2441 would be the preferred solution:
2443 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right,relative=1]
2446 \acciaccatura e8\( d8 c ~c d c d\)
2450 but if there were some reason why this could not be done the
2451 other alternative would be to move the left end of the phrasing
2452 slur down a little using the @code{positions} property. This
2453 also resolves the rather nasty shape.
2455 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right,relative=1]
2457 \once \override PhrasingSlur #'positions = #'(-4 . -3)
2459 e8\( d8 c ~c d c d\)
2462 Here's a further example taken from the opening of the left-hand
2463 staff of Chopin's Prelude Op 28 No. 2. We see that the beam
2464 collides with the upper notes:
2466 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right]
2469 << {b,8 ais, b, g,} \\ {e, g e, g} >>
2470 << {b,8 ais, b, g,} \\ {e, g e, g} >>
2475 This can be resolved by manually moving both ends of the beam
2476 up from their position at 2 staff-spaces above the center line to,
2479 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right]
2483 \override Beam #'positions = #'(3 . 3)
2488 << {b,8 ais, b, g,} \\ {e, g e, g} >>
2493 Note that the override continues to apply in the first voice of
2494 the second block of quavers, but not to any of the beams in the
2497 @subheading force-hshift property
2498 @cindex force-hshift property
2499 @c FIXME: formatting stuff (ie not important right now IMO)
2500 @c @a nchor Chopin finally corrected TODOgp
2502 We can now see how to apply the final corrections to the Chopin
2503 example introduced at the end of @ref{I'm hearing Voices}, which
2504 was left looking like this:
2506 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right]
2507 \new Staff \relative c'' {
2510 { c2 aes4. bes8 } \\
2522 The lower two notes of the first chord (i.e,
2523 those in the third voice) should not be shifted away from the
2524 note column of the higher two notes. To correct this we set
2525 @code{force-hshift}, which is a property of
2526 @code{NoteColumn}, of these notes to zero.
2527 The lower note of the second chord is best placed just to the
2528 right of the higher notes. We achieve this by setting
2529 @code{force-hshift} of this note to 0.5, ie half a note head's
2530 width to the right of the note column of the higher notes.
2532 Here's the final result:
2534 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right]
2535 \new Staff \relative c'' {
2538 { c2 aes4. bes8 } \\
2541 \once \override NoteColumn #'force-hshift = #0 <ees c>2
2542 \once \override NoteColumn #'force-hshift = #0.5 des2
2550 @node Real music example
2551 @subsection Real music example
2553 We end this section on Tweaks by showing the steps to be taken to
2554 deal with a tricky example which needs several tweaks to produce
2555 the desired output. The example has been deliberately chosen to
2556 illustrate the use of the Notation Reference to resolve unusual
2557 problems with notation. It is not representative of more usual
2558 engraving process, so please do not let these difficulties put
2559 you off! Fortunately, difficulties like these are not very common!
2561 The example is from Chopin's Première Ballade, Op. 23, bars 6 to
2562 9, the transition from the opening Lento to Moderato.
2563 Here, first, is what we want the output to look like, but to avoid
2564 over-complicating the example too much we have left out the
2565 dynamics, fingering and pedalling.
2567 @c The following should appear as music without code
2568 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right]
2569 rhMusic = \relative c'' {
2572 \once \override Tie #'staff-position = #3.5
2576 \override Staff.NoteCollision #'merge-differently-headed = ##t
2577 \override Staff.NoteCollision #'merge-differently-dotted = ##t
2578 bes2.^\markup {\bold "Moderato"} r8
2580 {c,8[ d fis bes a] | }
2582 % Reposition the c2 to the right of the merged note
2583 {c,8~ \once \override NoteColumn #'force-hshift = #1.0
2584 % Move the c2 out of the main note column so the merge will work
2587 % Stem on the d2 must be down to permit merging
2588 {s8 \stemDown \once \override Stem #'transparent = ##t d2}
2592 \revert Staff.NoteCollision #'merge-differently-headed
2593 \revert Staff.NoteCollision #'merge-differently-dotted
2597 lhMusic = \relative c' {
2599 <d g, d>1)\arpeggio |
2606 \new Staff = "RH" <<
2610 \new Staff = "LH" <<
2619 We note first that the right hand part in the third bar
2620 requires four voices. These are the five beamed eighth notes,
2621 the tied C, the half-note D which is merged with the eighth note
2622 D, and the dotted quarter note F-sharp, which is also merged with
2623 the eighth note at the same pitch. Everything else is in a single
2624 voice, so the easiest way is to introduce these four voices
2625 temporarily at the time they are needed. If you have forgotten
2626 how to do this, look at @ref{I'm hearing Voices}. Let us begin
2627 by entering the notes as two variables and setting up the staff
2628 structure in a score block, and see what LilyPond produces by
2631 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
2632 rhMusic = \relative c'' {
2637 % Start polyphonic section of four voices
2639 {c,8 d fis bes a | }
2650 lhMusic = \relative c' {
2659 \new Staff = "RH" <<
2663 \new Staff = "LH" <<
2672 All the notes are right, but the appearance is far from
2673 satisfactory. The tie clashes with the change in time signature,
2674 the beaming in the third bar is wrong, the notes are not
2675 merged together, and several notation elements are missing.
2676 Let's first deal with the easier things.
2677 We can correct the beaming by inserting a beam
2678 manually, and we can easily add the left hand slur and the right
2679 hand phrasing slur, since these were all covered in the Tutorial.
2682 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
2683 rhMusic = \relative c'' {
2688 % Start polyphonic section of four voices
2690 {c,8[ d fis bes a] | }
2701 lhMusic = \relative c' {
2710 \new Staff = "RH" <<
2714 \new Staff = "LH" <<
2723 The first bar is now correct. The second bar contains an arpeggio
2724 and is terminated by a double bar line. How do we do these, as they
2725 have not been mentioned in this Learning Manual? This is where
2726 we need to turn to the Notation Reference. Looking up @q{arpeggio}
2727 and @q{bar line} in the
2728 index quickly shows us that an arpeggio is produced by appending
2729 @code{\arpeggio} to a chord, and a double bar line is produced by
2730 the @code{\bar "||"} command. That's easily done. We next need
2731 to correct the collision of the tie with the time signature. This
2732 is best done by moving the tie upwards. Moving objects was covered
2733 earlier in @ref{Moving objects}, which says that objects positioned
2734 relative to the staff can be moved by overriding their
2735 @code{staff-position} property, which is specified in half staff
2736 spaces relative to the center line of the staff. So the following
2737 override placed just before the first tied note would move the tie
2738 up to 3.5 half staff spaces above the center line:
2740 @code{\once \override Tie #'staff-position = #3.5}
2742 This completes bar two, giving:
2744 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
2745 rhMusic = \relative c'' {
2747 \once \override Tie #'staff-position = #3.5
2752 % Start polyphonic section of four voices
2754 {c,8[ d fis bes a] | }
2765 lhMusic = \relative c' {
2767 <d g, d>1)\arpeggio |
2774 \new Staff = "RH" <<
2778 \new Staff = "LH" <<
2787 On to bar three and the start of the Moderato section. The
2788 tutorial showed how to add embolded text with the
2789 @code{\markup} command, so adding @q{Moderato} in bold is easy.
2790 But how do we merge notes in different voices together? The
2791 index in the Notation Reference does not mention merging,
2792 but a search of the text for @q{merge} quickly leads us to
2793 the overrides for merging differently headed and differently
2794 dotted notes in @ruser{Collision Resolution}. In our
2795 example we need to merge both types of note for the duration
2796 of the polyphonic section in bar 3, so using the information
2797 in the Notation Reference we add
2800 \override Staff.NoteCollision #'merge-differently-headed = ##t
2801 \override Staff.NoteCollision #'merge-differently-dotted = ##t
2805 to the start of that section and
2808 \revert Staff.NoteCollision #'merge-differently-headed
2809 \revert Staff.NoteCollision #'merge-differently-dotted
2815 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
2816 rhMusic = \relative c'' {
2818 \once \override Tie #'staff-position = #3.5
2822 bes2.^\markup {\bold "Moderato"} r8
2823 \override Staff.NoteCollision #'merge-differently-headed = ##t
2824 \override Staff.NoteCollision #'merge-differently-dotted = ##t
2825 % Start polyphonic section of four voices
2827 {c,8[ d fis bes a] | }
2835 \revert Staff.NoteCollision #'merge-differently-headed
2836 \revert Staff.NoteCollision #'merge-differently-dotted
2840 lhMusic = \relative c' {
2842 <d g, d>1)\arpeggio |
2849 \new Staff = "RH" <<
2853 \new Staff = "LH" <<
2862 These overrides have merged the two F-sharp notes, but not the two
2863 on D. Why not? The answer is there in the same section in the
2864 Notation Reference -- notes being merged must have stems in
2865 opposite directions and two notes cannot be merged successfully if
2866 there is a third note in the same note column. Here the two D's
2867 both have upward stems and there is a third note -- the C. We know
2868 how to change the stem direction using @code{\stemDown}, and
2869 the Notation Reference also says how to move the C -- apply a shift
2870 using one of the @code{\shift} commands. But which one?
2871 The C is in voice two which has shift off, and the two D's are in
2872 voices one and three, which have shift off and shift on,
2873 respectively. So we have to shift the C a further level still
2874 using @code{\shiftOnn} to avoid it interfering with the two D's.
2875 Applying these changes gives:
2877 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
2878 rhMusic = \relative c'' {
2880 \once \override Tie #'staff-position = #3.5
2884 bes2.^\markup {\bold "Moderato"} r8
2885 \override Staff.NoteCollision #'merge-differently-headed = ##t
2886 \override Staff.NoteCollision #'merge-differently-dotted = ##t
2887 % Start polyphonic section of four voices
2889 {c,8[ d fis bes a] | }
2891 % Move the c2 out of the main note column so the merge will work
2892 {c,8~ \shiftOnn c2 | }
2894 % Stem on the d2 must be down to permit merging
2895 {s8 \stemDown d2 | }
2899 \revert Staff.NoteCollision #'merge-differently-headed
2900 \revert Staff.NoteCollision #'merge-differently-dotted
2904 lhMusic = \relative c' {
2906 <d g, d>1)\arpeggio |
2913 \new Staff = "RH" <<
2917 \new Staff = "LH" <<
2926 Nearly there. Only two problems remain: The downward stem on the
2927 merged D should not be there, and the C would be better positioned
2928 to the right of the D's. We know how to do both of these from the
2929 earlier tweaks: we make the stem transparent, and move the C with
2930 the @code{force-hshift} property. Here's the final result:
2932 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
2933 rhMusic = \relative c'' {
2936 \once \override Tie #'staff-position = #3.5
2940 bes2.^\markup {\bold "Moderato"} r8
2941 \override Staff.NoteCollision #'merge-differently-headed = ##t
2942 \override Staff.NoteCollision #'merge-differently-dotted = ##t
2944 {c,8[ d fis bes a] | }
2946 % Reposition the c2 to the right of the merged note
2947 {c,8~ \once \override NoteColumn #'force-hshift = #1.0
2948 % Move the c2 out of the main note column so the merge will work
2951 % Stem on the d2 must be down to permit merging
2952 {s8 \stemDown \once \override Stem #'transparent = ##t d2}
2956 \revert Staff.NoteCollision #'merge-differently-headed
2957 \revert Staff.NoteCollision #'merge-differently-dotted
2961 lhMusic = \relative c' {
2963 <d g, d>1)\arpeggio |
2970 \new Staff = "RH" <<
2974 \new Staff = "LH" <<
2984 @node Further tweaking
2985 @section Further tweaking
2988 * Other uses for tweaks::
2989 * Using variables for tweaks::
2990 * Other sources of information::
2991 * Avoiding tweaks with slower processing::
2992 * Advanced tweaks with Scheme::
2995 @node Other uses for tweaks
2996 @subsection Other uses for tweaks
3000 @cindex transparent property, use of
3001 @cindex objects, making invisible
3002 @cindex removing objects
3003 @cindex objects, removing
3004 @cindex hiding objects
3005 @cindex invisible objects
3006 @cindex tying notes across voices
3009 @subheading Tying notes across voices
3011 The following example demonstrates how to connect notes in
3012 different voices using ties. Normally, only two notes in the
3013 same voice can be connected with ties. By using two voices,
3014 with the tied notes in one of them
3016 @lilypond[quote,fragment,relative=2]
3017 << { b8~ b8\noBeam }
3023 and blanking the first up-stem in that voice, the tie appears to
3026 @lilypond[quote,fragment,relative=2,verbatim]
3029 \once \override Stem #'transparent = ##t
3037 To make sure that the just-blanked stem doesn't squeeze the tie
3038 too much, we can lengthen the stem by setting the
3039 @code{length} to @code{8},
3041 @lilypond[quote,fragment,relative=2,verbatim]
3044 \once \override Stem #'transparent = ##t
3045 \once \override Stem #'length = #8
3054 @subheading Simulating a fermata
3056 @cindex stencil property, use of
3057 @cindex fermata, implementing in MIDI
3059 For outside-staff objects it is usually better to override the
3060 object's @code{stencil} property rather than its @code{transparent}
3061 property when you wish to remove it from the printed output.
3062 Setting the @code{stencil} property of an object to @code{#f} will
3063 remove that object entirely from the printed output. This means it
3064 has no effect on the placement of other objects placed relative to
3067 For example, if we wished to change the metronome setting in order
3068 to simulate a fermata in the MIDI output we would not want the
3069 metronome markings to appear in the printed output, and we would
3070 not want it to influence the spacing between the two systems or
3071 the spacing of the notes on the staff. So setting its
3072 @code{stencil} property to @code{#f} would be the best way.
3073 We show here the effect of the two methods:
3075 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
3078 % Visible tempo marking
3081 \once \override Score.MetronomeMark #'transparent = ##t
3082 % Invisible tempo marking to lengthen fermata note in MIDI
3085 \once \override Score.MetronomeMark #'stencil = ##f
3086 % Invisible tempo marking to restore tempo in MIDI
3096 Both methods remove the metronome mark from the printed output,
3097 and both affect the MIDI timing as required, but the first
3098 (transparent) metronome mark still influences the note spacing
3099 while the second (with no stencil) does not.
3103 @node Using variables for tweaks
3104 @subsection Using variables for tweaks
3106 Override commands are often long and tedious to type, and they
3107 have to be absolutely correct. If the same overrides are to be
3108 used many times it may be worth defining variables to hold them.
3109 Suppose we wish to emphasize certain words in lyrics by printing
3110 them in bold italics. The @code{\italic} and @code{\bold}
3111 commands do not work within lyrics so we must instead use the
3112 following @code{\override} and @code{\revert} commands:
3115 @code{\override Lyrics . LyricText #'font-shape = #'italic}
3116 @code{\override Lyrics . LyricText #'font-series = #'bold}
3118 @code{\revert Lyrics . LyricText #'font-shape}
3119 @code{\revert Lyrics . LyricText #'font-series}
3122 These would be extremely tedious to enter if there were many words
3123 requiring emphasis. So instead we define these as two variables,
3124 and use them as follows:
3126 @lilypond[quote,verbatim]
3128 \override Lyrics . LyricText #'font-shape = #'italic
3129 \override Lyrics . LyricText #'font-series = #'bold
3132 \revert Lyrics . LyricText #'font-shape
3133 \revert Lyrics . LyricText #'font-series
3136 global = { \time 4/4 \partial 4 \key c \major}
3137 SopMusic = \relative c' { c4 | e4. e8 g4 g | a a g }
3138 AltoMusic = \relative c' { c4 | c4. c8 e4 e | f f e }
3139 TenorMusic = \relative c { e4 | g4. g8 c4. b8 | a8 b c d e4 }
3140 BassMusic = \relative c { c4 | c4. c8 c4 c | f8 g a b c4 }
3141 VerseOne = \lyrics { E -- | ter -- nal \emph Fa -- ther, \norm | strong to save, }
3142 VerseTwo = \lyricmode { O | \emph Christ, \norm whose voice the | wa -- ters heard, }
3143 VerseThree = \lyricmode { O | \emph Ho -- ly Spi -- rit, \norm | who didst brood }
3144 VerseFour = \lyricmode { O | \emph Tri -- ni -- ty \norm of | love and pow'r }
3150 \new Voice = "Sop" { \voiceOne \global \SopMusic }
3151 \new Voice = "Alto" { \voiceTwo \AltoMusic }
3152 \new Lyrics \lyricsto "Sop" { \VerseOne }
3153 \new Lyrics \lyricsto "Sop" { \VerseTwo }
3154 \new Lyrics \lyricsto "Sop" { \VerseThree }
3155 \new Lyrics \lyricsto "Sop" { \VerseFour }
3159 \new Voice = "Tenor" { \voiceOne \TenorMusic }
3160 \new Voice = "Bass" { \voiceTwo \BassMusic }
3168 @node Other sources of information
3169 @subsection Other sources of information
3171 The Internals Reference documentation contains a lot of information
3172 about LilyPond, but even more information can be gathered by
3173 looking at the internal LilyPond files. To explore these, first
3174 find the directory appropriate to your system, as follows:
3179 @file{@var{installdir}/lilypond/usr/share/lilypond/current/}
3184 @file{@var{installdir}/LilyPond.app/Contents/Resources/share/lilypond/current/}
3185 by either @code{cd}-ing into this directory from the
3186 Terminal, or control-clicking on the LilyPond application and
3187 selecting @q{Show Package Contents}.
3191 Using Windows Explorer, navigate to
3192 @file{@var{installdir}/LilyPond/usr/share/lilypond/current/}
3194 Within this directory the two interesting subdirectories are
3197 @item @file{../ly/ } - contains files in LilyPond format
3198 @item @file{../scm/} - contains files in Scheme format
3201 Let's begin by looking at some files in @file{../ly/}.
3202 Open @file{../ly/property-init.ly} in a text editor. The one
3203 you normally use for @code{.ly} files will be fine. This file
3204 contains the definitions of all the standard LilyPond built-in
3205 commands, such as @code{\stemUp} and @code{\slurDotted}. You will
3206 see that these are nothing more than definitions of variables
3207 containing one or a group of @code{\override} commands. For
3208 example, @code{/tieDotted} is defined to be:
3212 \override Tie #'dash-period = #0.75
3213 \override Tie #'dash-fraction = #0.1
3217 If you do not like the default values these built-in commands can
3218 be redefined easily, just like any other variable, at the
3219 head of your input file.
3221 The following are the most useful files to be found in
3224 @multitable @columnfractions .4 .6
3227 @item @file{../ly/engraver-init.ly}
3228 @tab Definitions of engraver Contexts
3229 @item @file{../ly/paper-defaults.ly}
3230 @tab Specifications of paper-related defaults
3231 @item @file{../ly/performer-init.ly}
3232 @tab Definitions of performer Contexts
3233 @item @file{../ly/property-init.ly}
3234 @tab Definitions of all common built-in commands
3237 Other settings (such as the definitions of markup commands) are
3238 stored as @code{.scm} (Scheme) files. The Scheme programming
3239 language is used to provide a programmable interface into
3240 LilyPond internal operation. Further explanation of these files
3241 is currently outside the scope of this manual, as a knowledge of
3242 the Scheme language is required. Users should be warned that
3243 a substantial amount of technical knowledge or time is required
3244 to understand Scheme and these files (see @ref{Scheme tutorial}).
3246 If you have this knowledge, the Scheme files which may be of
3249 @multitable @columnfractions .4 .6
3252 @item @file{../scm/auto-beam.scm}
3253 @tab Sub-beaming defaults
3254 @item @file{../scm/define-grobs.scm}
3255 @tab Default settings for grob properties
3256 @item @file{../scm/define-markup-commands.scm}
3257 @tab Specify all markup commands
3258 @item @file{../scm/midi.scm}
3259 @tab Default settings for MIDI output
3260 @item @file{../scm/output-lib.scm}
3261 @tab Settings that affect appearance of frets, colors,
3262 accidentals, bar lines, etc
3263 @item @file{../scm/parser-clef.scm}
3264 @tab Definitions of supported clefs
3265 @item @file{../scm/script.scm}
3266 @tab Default settings for articulations
3271 @node Avoiding tweaks with slower processing
3272 @subsection Avoiding tweaks with slower processing
3274 LilyPond can perform extra checks while it processes files. These
3275 checks will take extra time to perform, but fewer manual tweaks
3276 may be required to obtain an acceptable result. If a text script
3277 or part of the lyrics extends over the margins these checks will
3278 compress that line of the score just enough to fit within the
3281 To be effective under all circumstances these checks must be enabled
3282 by placing the overrides in a Score @code{\with} block, rather than
3283 in-line in music, as follows:
3287 % Makes sure text scripts and lyrics are within the paper margins
3288 \override PaperColumn #'keep-inside-line = ##t
3289 \override NonMusicalPaperColumn #'keep-inside-line = ##t
3295 @node Advanced tweaks with Scheme
3296 @subsection Advanced tweaks with Scheme
3298 Although many things are possible with the @code{\override} and
3299 @code{\tweak} commands, an even more powerful way of modifying
3300 the action of LilyPond is available through a programmable
3301 interface to the LilyPond internal operation. Code written in
3302 the Scheme programming language can be incorporated directly in
3303 the internal operation of LilyPond. Of course, at least a basic
3304 knowledge of programming in Scheme is required to do this, and an
3305 introduction is provided in the @ref{Scheme tutorial}.
3307 As an illustration of one of the many possibilities, instead of
3308 setting a property to a constant it can be set to a Scheme
3309 procedure which is then called whenever that property is accessed
3310 by LilyPond. The property can then be set dynamically to a value
3311 determined by the procedure at the time it is called. In this
3312 example we color the note head in accordance with its position on
3315 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
3316 #(define (color-notehead grob)
3317 "Color the notehead according to its position on the staff."
3318 (let ((mod-position (modulo (ly:grob-property grob 'staff-position) 7)))
3320 ;; Return rainbow colors
3321 ((1) (x11-color 'red )) ; for C
3322 ((2) (x11-color 'orange )) ; for D
3323 ((3) (x11-color 'yellow )) ; for E
3324 ((4) (x11-color 'green )) ; for F
3325 ((5) (x11-color 'blue )) ; for G
3326 ((6) (x11-color 'purple )) ; for A
3327 ((0) (x11-color 'violet )) ; for B
3333 % Arrange to obtain color from color-notehead procedure
3334 \override NoteHead #'color = #color-notehead
3341 Some -- where o -- ver the Rain -- bow way up high,
3345 Further examples showing the use of these programmable interfaces
3346 can be found in @ref{Tweaking with Scheme}.