@c -*- coding: utf-8; mode: texinfo; -*- @c This file is part of lilypond-learning.tely @node Fundamental concepts @chapter Fundamental concepts You've seen in the Tutorial how to produce beautifully printed music from a simple text file. This section introduces the concepts and techniques required to produce equally beautiful but more complex scores. @menu * How LilyPond files work:: * Voices contain music:: * Contexts and engravers:: * Extending the templates:: @end menu @node How LilyPond files work @section How LilyPond files work The LilyPond input format is quite free-form, giving experienced users a lot of flexibility to structure their files however they wish. But this flexibility can make things confusing for new users. This section will explain some of this structure, but may gloss over some details in favor of simplicity. For a complete description of the input format, see @ruser{File structure}. @menu * Introduction to the LilyPond file structure:: * Score is a (single) compound musical expression:: * Nesting music expressions:: * On the un-nestedness of brackets and ties:: @end menu @node Introduction to the LilyPond file structure @subsection Introduction to the LilyPond file structure A basic example of a lilypond input file is @example \version "2.11.23" \score @{ @var{...compound music expression...} % all the music goes here! \header @{ @} \layout @{ @} \midi @{ @} @} @end example @noindent There are many variations of this basic pattern, but this example serves as a useful starting place. Up to this point none of the examples you have seen have used a @code{\score@{@}} command. This is because LilyPond automatically adds the extra commands which are needed when you give it simple input. LilyPond treats input like this: @example \relative c'' @{ c4 a d c @} @end example @noindent as shorthand for this: @example \book @{ \score @{ \new Staff @{ \new Voice @{ \relative c'' @{ c4 a b c @} @} @} \layout @{ @} @} @} @end example In other words, if the input contains a single music expression, LilyPond will interpret the file as though the music expression was wrapped up inside the commands shown above. For now, though, let us return to the first example and examine the @code{\score} command, leaving the others to default. A @code{\score} block must always contain just one music expression, and this must appear first within the @code{\score @{..@}} block. Remember that a music expression could be anything from a single note to a huge compound expression like @example @{ \new GrandStaff << @var{...insert the whole score of a Wagner opera in here...} >> @} @end example @noindent Since everything is inside @code{@{ ... @}}, it counts as one music expression. As we saw previously, the @code{\score} can contain other things, such as @example \score @{ @{ c'4 a b c' @} \header @{ @} \layout @{ @} \midi @{ @} @} @end example @noindent Some people put some of those commands outside the @code{\score} block -- for example, @code{\header} is often placed above the @code{\score}. That's just another shorthand that LilyPond accepts. Two more commands you have not previously seen are @code{\layout @{ @}} and @code{\midi @{@}}. If these appear as shown they will cause LilyPond to produce a printed output and a MIDI output respectively. They are described fully in the Notation Reference -- @ruser{Score layout} and @ruser{Creating MIDI files}. The @code{\book} command allows several @code{\score} blocks to be combined into one output. If there are several @code{\book} blocks each one produces a separate output file. For details see @ruser{Multiple scores in a book}. @cindex variables Another great shorthand is the ability to define variables. All the templates use this @example melody = \relative c' @{ c4 a b c @} \score @{ \melody @} @end example When LilyPond looks at this file, it takes the value of @code{melody} (everything after the equals sign) and inserts it whenever it sees @code{\melody}. There's nothing special about the names -- it could be @code{melody}, @code{global}, @code{TimeKey}, @code{pianorighthand}, or @code{foofoobarbaz}. For more details, see @ref{Saving typing with variables and functions}. Remember that you can use almost any name you like as long as it contains just alphabetic characters and is distinct from LilyPond command names. The exact limitations on variable names are detailed in @ruser{File structure}. @seealso For a complete definition of the input format, see @ruser{File structure}. @node Score is a (single) compound musical expression @subsection Score is a (single) compound musical expression @cindex Compound music expression @cindex Music expression, compound We saw the general organization of LilyPond input files in the previous section, @ref{How LilyPond files work}. But we seemed to skip over the most important part: how do we figure out what to write after @code{\score}? We didn't skip over it at all. The big mystery is simply that there @emph{is} no mystery. This line explains it all: @quotation @emph{A @code{\score} must begin with a compound music expression.} @end quotation @noindent You may find it useful to review @ref{Music expressions explained}. In that section, we saw how to build big music expressions from small pieces -- we started from notes, then chords, etc. Now we're going to start from a big music expression and work our way down. @example \score @{ @{ % this brace begins the overall compound music expression \new GrandStaff << @var{...insert the whole score of a Wagner opera in here...} >> @} % this brace ends the overall compound music expression \layout @{ @} @} @end example A whole Wagner opera would easily double the length of this manual, so let's just add a singer and piano. We don't need a @code{GrandStaff} for this ensemble, which simply groups a number of staves together with a brace at the left, so we shall remove it. We @emph{do} need a singer and a piano, though. @example \score @{ << \new Staff = "singer" << >> \new PianoStaff = piano << >> >> \layout @{ @} @} @end example Remember that we use @code{<<} and @code{>>} to show simultaneous music. And we definitely want to show the vocal part and piano part at the same time, not one after the other! However, the @code{<< .. >>} construct is not really necessary for the Singer staff, as it contains only one music expression, but Staves often do require simultaneous Voices within them, so using @code{<< .. >>} rather than braces is a good habit to adopt. We'll add some real music later; for now let's just put in some dummy notes and lyrics. @lilypond[verbatim,quote,ragged-right] \score { << \new Staff = "singer" << \new Voice = "vocal" { c'1 } \addlyrics { One } >> \new PianoStaff = "piano" << \new Staff = "upper" { c'1 } \new Staff = "lower" { c'1 } >> >> \layout { } } @end lilypond Now we have a lot more details. We have the singer's staff: it contains a @code{Voice} (in LilyPond, this term refers to a set of notes, not necessarily vocal notes -- for example, a violin generally plays one voice) and some lyrics. We also have a piano staff: it contains an upper staff (right hand) and a lower staff (left hand). At this stage, we could start filling in notes. Inside the curly braces next to @code{\new Voice = vocal}, we could start writing @example \relative c'' @{ a4 b c d @} @end example But if we did that, the @code{\score} section would get pretty long, and it would be harder to understand what was happening. So let's use variables instead. These were introduced at the end of the previous section, remember? So, adding a few notes, we now have a piece of real music: @lilypond[verbatim,quote,ragged-right] melody = \relative c'' { r4 d8\noBeam g, c r4 } text = \lyricmode { And God said, } upper = \relative c'' { 2~ } lower = \relative c { b2 e2 } \score { << \new Staff = "singer" << \new Voice = "vocal" { \melody } \addlyrics { \text } >> \new PianoStaff = "piano" << \new Staff = "upper" { \upper } \new Staff = "lower" { \clef "bass" \lower } >> >> \layout { } } @end lilypond Be careful about the difference between notes, which are introduced with @code{\relative}, and lyrics, which are introduced with @code{\lyricmode}. These are essential to tell LilyPond to interpret the following content as music and text respectively. When writing (or reading) a @code{\score} section, just take it slowly and carefully. Start with the outer layer, then work on each smaller layer. It also really helps to be strict with indentation -- make sure that each item on the same layer starts on the same horizontal position in your text editor. @node Nesting music expressions @subsection Nesting music expressions It is not essential to declare all staves at the beginning; they may be introduced temporarily at any point. This is particularly useful for creating ossia sections (see @rglos{ossia}). Here is a simple example showing how to introduce a new staff temporarily for the duration of three notes: @lilypond[verbatim,quote,ragged-right] \new Staff { \relative g' { r4 g8 g c4 c8 d | e4 r8 << { f c c } \new Staff { f8 f c } >> r4 | } } @end lilypond @noindent Note that the size of the clef is the same as a clef printed following a clef change -- slightly smaller than the clef at the begining of the line. This is usual for clefs printed in the middle of a line. The ossia section may be placed above the staff as follows: @lilypond[verbatim,quote,ragged-right] \new Staff ="main" { \relative g' { r4 g8 g c4 c8 d | e4 r8 << { f c c } \new Staff \with { alignAboveContext = "main" } { f8 f c } >> r4 | } } @end lilypond This example uses @code{\with}, which will be explained more fully later. It is a means of modifying the default behaviour of a single Staff. Here it says that the new staff should be placed above the staff called @qq{main} instead of the default position which is below. Ossia are often written without clef and without time signature and are usually in a smaller font. These require further commands which have not yet been introduced. See @ref{Size of objects} @node On the un-nestedness of brackets and ties @subsection On the un-nestedness of brackets and ties You have already met a number of different types of bracket in writing the input file to LilyPond. These obey different rules which can be confusing at first. Before we explain the rules let's first review the different types of bracket. @c attempt to force this onto a new page @need 50 @multitable @columnfractions .3 .7 @headitem Bracket Type @tab Function @item @code{@{ .. @}} @tab Encloses a sequential segment of music @item @code{< .. >} @tab Encloses the notes of a chord @item @code{<< .. >>} @tab Encloses concurrent or simultaneous sections @item @code{( .. )} @tab Marks the start and end of a slur @item @code{\( .. \)} @tab Marks the start and end of a phrase mark @item @code{[ .. ]} @tab Marks the start and end of a manual beam @end multitable To these we should add other constructs which generate lines between or across notes: ties (marked by a tilde, @code{~}), tuplets written as @code{\times x/y @{..@}}, and grace notes written as @code{\grace@{..@}}. Outside LilyPond, the conventional use of brackets requires the different types to be properly nested, like this, @code{<< [ @{ ( .. ) @} ] >>}, with the closing brackets being encountered in exactly the opposite order to the opening brackets. This @strong{is} a requirement for the three types of bracket described by the word @q{Encloses} in the table above -- they must nest properly. However, the remaining brackets, described with the word @q{Marks} in the table above together with ties and tuplets, do @strong{not} have to nest properly with any of the brackets. In fact, these are not brackets in the sense that they enclose something -- they are simply markers to indicate where something starts and ends. So, for example, a phrasing slur can start before a manually inserted beam and end before the end of the beam -- not very musical, perhaps, but possible: @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right,relative=2] { g8\( a b[ c b\) a] } @end lilypond In general, different kinds of brackets, and those implied by tuplets, ties and grace notes, may be mixed freely. This example shows a beam extending into a tuplet (line 1), a slur extending into a tuplet (line 2), a beam and a slur extending into a tuplet, a tie crossing two tuplets, and a phrasing slur extending out of a tuplet (lines 3 and 4). @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right] { r16[ g16 \times 2/3 {r16 e'8] } g16( a \times 2/3 {b d) e' } g8[( a \times 2/3 {b d') e'~]} \times 4/5 {e'32\( a b d' e'} a'4.\) } @end lilypond @node Voices contain music @section Voices contain music Singers need voices to sing, and so does LilyPond. The actual music for all instruments in a score is contained in Voices -- the most fundamental of all LilyPond's concepts. @menu * I'm hearing Voices:: * Explicitly instantiating voices:: * Voices and vocals:: @end menu @node I'm hearing Voices @subsection I'm hearing Voices @cindex polyphony @cindex layers @cindex Voice context The lowest, most fundamental or innermost layers in a LilyPond score are called @q{Voice contexts} or just @q{Voices} for short. Voices are sometimes called @q{layers} in other notation packages. In fact, a Voice layer or context is the only one which can contain music. If a Voice context is not explicitly declared one is created automatically, as we saw at the beginning of this chapter. Some instruments such as an Oboe can play only one note at a time. Music written for such instruments is monophonic and requires just a single voice. Instruments which can play more than one note at a time like the piano will often require multiple voices to encode the different concurrent notes and rhythms they are capable of playing. A single voice can contain many notes in a chord, of course, so when exactly are multiple voices needed? Look first at this example of four chords: @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right,relative=1] \key g \major 4 @end lilypond This can be expressed using just the single angle bracket chord symbols, @code{< ... >}, and for this just a single voice is needed. But suppose the F-sharp were actually an eighth-note followed by an eighth-note G, a passing note on the way to the A? Now we have two notes which start at the same time but have different durations: the quarter-note D and the eighth-note F-sharp. How are these to be coded? They cannot be written as a chord because all the notes in a chord must have the same duration. And they cannot be written as two separate notes as they need to start at the same time. This is when two voices are required. Let us see how this is done in LilyPond input syntax. @funindex << \\ >> @funindex \\ The easiest way to enter fragments with more than one voice on a staff is to enter each voice as a sequence (with @code{@{...@}}), and combine them simultaneously with angle brackets, @code{<<...>>}. The fragments must also be separated with double backward slashes, @code{\\}, to place them in separate voices. Without these, the notes would be entered into a single voice, which would usually cause errors. This technique is particularly suited to pieces of music which are largely monophonic with occasional short sections of polyphony. Here's how we split the chords above into two voices and add both the passing note and a slur: @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right,relative=2] \key g \major % Voice "1" Voice "2" << { g4 fis8( g) a4 g } \\ { d4 d d d } >> | @end lilypond Notice how the stems of the second voice now point down. Here's another simple example: @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right,relative=2] \key d \minor % Voice "1" Voice "2" << { r4 g g4. a8 } \\ { d,2 d4 g } >> | << { bes4 bes c bes } \\ { g4 g g8( a) g4 } >> | << { a2. r4 } \\ { fis2. s4 } >> | @end lilypond It is not necessary to use a separate @code{<< \\ >>} construct for each bar. For music with few notes in each bar this layout can help the legibility of the code, but if there are many notes in each bar it may be better to split out each voice separately, like this: @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right,relative=2] \key d \minor << { % Voice "1" r4 g g4. a8 | bes4 bes c bes | a2. r4 | } \\ { % Voice "2" d,2 d4 g | g4 g g8( a) g4 | fis2. s4 | } >> @end lilypond This example has just two voices, but the same contruct may be used to encode three or more voices by adding more back-slash separators. The Voice contexts bear the names @code{"1"}, @code{"2"}, etc. In each of these contexts, the vertical direction of slurs, stems, ties, dynamics etc., is set appropriately. @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment] \new Staff \relative c' { % Main voice c16 d e f % Voice "1" Voice "2" Voice "3" << { g4 f e } \\ { r8 e4 d c8 ~ } >> | << { d2 e2 } \\ { c8 b16 a b8 g ~ g2 } \\ { s4 b4 c2 } >> | } @end lilypond These voices are all separate from the main voice that contains the notes just outside the @code{<< .. >>} construct. Let's call this the @emph{simultaneous construct}. Slurs and ties may only connect notes within the same voice, so slurs and ties cannot go into or out of a simultaneous construct. Conversely, parallel voices from separate simultaneous constructs on the same staff are the same voice. Other voice-related properties also carry across simultaneous constructs. Here is the same example, with different colors and note heads for each voice. Note that changes in one voice do not affect other voices, but they do persist in the same voice later. Note also that tied notes may be split across the same voices in two constructs, shown here in the blue triangle voice. @lilypond[quote,verbatim] \new Staff \relative c' { % Main voice c16 d e f << % Bar 1 { \voiceOneStyle g4 f e } \\ { \voiceTwoStyle r8 e4 d c8 ~ } >> << % Bar 2 % Voice 1 continues { d2 e2 } \\ % Voice 2 continues { c8 b16 a b8 g ~ g2 } \\ { \voiceThreeStyle s4 b4 c2 } >> } @end lilypond The commands @code{\voiceXXXStyle} are mainly intended for use in educational documents such as this one. They modify the color of the note head, the stem and the beams, and the style of the note head, so that the voices may be easily distinguished. Voice one is set to red diamonds, voice two to blue triangles, voice three to green crossed circles, and voice four (not used here) to magenta crosses. We shall see later how commands like these may be created by the user. See @ref{Visibility and color of objects} TODO Add link to using variables for tweaks Polyphony does not change the relationship of notes within a @code{\relative @{ @}} block. Each note is still calculated relative to the note immediately preceding it, or to the first note of the preceding chord. So in @example \relative c' @{ noteA << < noteB noteC > \\ noteD >> noteE @} @end example @noindent @code{noteB} is relative to @code{noteA} @* @code{noteC} is relative to @code{noteB}, not @code{noteA}; @* @code{noteD} is relative to @code{noteB}, not @code{noteA} or @code{noteC}. @* @code{noteE} is relative to @code{noteD}, not @code{noteA} An alternative way, which may be clearer if the notes in the voices are widely separated, is to place a @code{\relative} command at the start of each voice: @example \relative c' @{ noteA ... @} << \relative c'' @{ < noteB noteC > ... @} \\ \relative g' @{ noteD ... @} >> \relative c' @{ noteE ... @} @end example Let us finally analyse the voices in a more complex piece of music. Here are the notes from the first two bars of the second of Chopin's Deux Nocturnes, Op 32. This example will be used at later stages in this and the next chapter to illustrate several techniques for producing notation, so please ignore for now anything in the underlying code which looks mysterious and concentrate just on the music and the voices -- the complications will all be explained in later sections. @c The following should appear as music without code @lilypond[quote,ragged-right] \new Staff \relative c'' { \key aes \major << % Voice one { c2 aes4. bes8 } \\ % Voice two { aes2 f4 fes } \\ % No voice three \\ % Voice four { % Ignore these for now - they are explained in Ch 4 \once \override NoteColumn #'force-hshift = #0 2 \once \override NoteColumn #'force-hshift = #0.5 des2 } >> | 1 | } @end lilypond The direction of the stems is often used to indicate the continuity of two simultaneous melodic lines. Here the stems of the highest notes are all pointing up and the stems of the lower notes are all pointing down. This is the first indication that more than one voice is required. But the real need for multiple voices arises when notes which start at the same time have different durations. Look at the notes which start at beat three in the first bar. The A-flat is a dotted quarter note, the F is a quarter note and the D-flat is a half note. These cannot be written as a chord as all the notes in a chord must have the same duration. Neither can they be written as sequential notes, as they must start at the same time. This section of the bar requires three voices, and the normal practice would be to write the whole bar as three voices, as shown below, where we have used different note heads and colors for the three voices. Again, the code behind this example will be explained later, so ignore anything you do not understand. @c The following should appear as music without code @c The three voice styles should be defined in -init @lilypond[quote,ragged-right] \new Staff \relative c'' { \key aes \major << { % Voice one \voiceOneStyle c2 aes4. bes8 } \\ % Voice two { \voiceTwoStyle aes2 f4 fes } \\ % No Voice three (we want stems down) \\ % Voice four { \voiceThreeStyle % Ignore these for now - they are explained in Ch 4 \once \override NoteColumn #'force-hshift = #0 2 \once \override NoteColumn #'force-hshift = #0.5 des2 } >> | 1 | } @end lilypond Let us try to encode this music from scratch. As we shall see, this encounters some difficulties. We begin as we have learnt, using the @code{<< \\ >>} construct to enter the music of the first bar in three voices: @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right] \new Staff \relative c'' { \key aes \major << { c2 aes4. bes8 } \\ { aes2 f4 fes } \\ { 2 des2 } >> 1 } @end lilypond @cindex stem down @cindex stem up The stem directions are automatically assigned with the odd-numbered voices taking upward stems and the even-numbered voices downward ones. The stems for voices 1 and 2 are right, but the stems in voice 3 should go down in this particular piece of music. We can correct this simply by missing out voice three and placing the music in voice four: @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right] \new Staff \relative c'' { \key aes \major << % Voice one { c2 aes4. bes8 } \\ % Voice two { aes2 f4 fes } \\ % Omit Voice three \\ % Voice four { 2 des2 } >> | 1 | } @end lilypond @noindent and exposes a problem commonly encountered with multiple voices: the stems of notes can collide with note heads in other voices. In laying out the notes, LilyPond allows the notes or chords from two voices to occupy the same vertical note column provided the stems are in opposite directions, but the notes from a third voice are displaced to avoid the stems colliding. This often works well, but in this example the notes of the lowest voice are clearly not well placed by default. LilyPond provides several ways to adjust the horizontal placing of notes. We are not quite ready yet to see how to correct this, so we shall leave this problem until a later section (see @ref{Fixing overlapping notation} ) @node Explicitly instantiating voices @subsection Explicitly instantiating voices @funindex \voiceOne @funindex \voiceTwo @funindex \voiceThree @funindex \voiceFour Voice contexts can also be created manually inside a @code{<< >>} block to create polyphonic music, using @code{\voiceOne} ... @code{\voiceFour} to indicate the required directions of stems, slurs, etc. In longer scores this method is clearer, as it permits the voices to be separated and to be given more descriptive names. Specifically, the construct @code{<< \\ >>} which we used in the previous section: @example \new Staff @{ \relative c' @{ << @{ e4 f g a @} \\ @{ c,4 d e f @} >> @} @} @end example @noindent is equivalent to @example \new Staff << \new Voice = "1" @{ \voiceOne \relative c' @{ e4 f g a @} @} \new Voice = "2" @{ \voiceTwo \relative c' @{ c4 d e f @} @} >> @end example Both of the above would produce @c The following example should not display the code @lilypond[ragged-right,quote] \new Staff << \new Voice = "1" { \voiceOne \relative c' { e4 f g a } } \new Voice = "2" { \voiceTwo \relative c' { c4 d e f } } >> @end lilypond The @code{\voiceXXX} commands set the direction of stems, slurs, ties, articulations, text annotations, augmentation dots of dotted notes, and fingerings. @code{\voiceOne} and @code{\voiceThree} make these objects point upwards, while @code{\voiceTwo} and @code{\voiceFour} make them point downwards. These commands also generate a horizontal shift for each voice when this is required to avoid clashes of note heads. The command @code{\oneVoice} reverts the settings back to the normal values for a single voice. Let us see in some simple examples exactly what effect @code{\oneVoice}, @code{\voiceOne} and @code{voiceTwo} have on markup, ties, slurs, and dynamics: @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim] \relative c'{ % Default behaviour or behaviour after \oneVoice c d8 ~ d e4 ( f g a ) b-> c } @end lilypond @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim] \relative c'{ \voiceOne c d8 ~ d e4 ( f g a ) b-> c \oneVoice c, d8 ~ d e4 ( f g a ) b-> c } @end lilypond @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim] \relative c'{ \voiceTwo c d8 ~ d e4 ( f g a ) b-> c \oneVoice c, d8 ~ d e4 ( f g a ) b-> c } @end lilypond An expression that appears directly inside a @code{<< >>} belongs to the main voice (but, note, @strong{not} in a @code{<< \\ >>} construct). This is useful when extra voices appear while the main voice is playing. Here is a more correct rendition of the example from the previous section. The red diamond-shaped notes demonstrate that the main melody is now in a single voice context, permitting a phrasing slur to be drawn over them. @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim] \new Staff \relative c' { \voiceOneStyle % The following notes are monophonic c16^( d e f % Start simultaneous section of three voices << % Continue the main voice in parallel { g4 f e | d2 e2) } % Initiate second voice \new Voice { % Set stems, etc, down \voiceTwo r8 e4 d c8 ~ | c8 b16 a b8 g ~ g2 } % Initiate third voice \new Voice { % Set stems, etc, up \voiceThree s2. | s4 b4 c2 } >> } @end lilypond @cindex nesting music expressions @cindex nesting simultaneous constructs More deeply nested polyphony constructs are possible, and if a voice appears only briefly this might be a more natural way to typeset the music. @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim] \new Staff \relative c' { c16^( d e f << { g4 f e | d2 e2) } \new Voice { \voiceTwo r8 e4 d c8 ~ | << {c8 b16 a b8 g ~ g2} \new Voice { \voiceThree s4 b4 c2 } >> } >> } @end lilypond This method of nesting new voices briefly is useful when only small sections of the music are polyphonic, but when the whole staff is largely polyphonic it can be clearer to use multiple voices throughout, using spacing notes to step over sections where the voice is silent, as here: @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim] \new Staff \relative c' << % Initiate first voice \new Voice { \voiceOne c16^( d e f g4 f e | d2 e2) | } % Initiate second voice \new Voice { % set stems, etc down \voiceTwo s4 r8 e4 d c8 ~ | c8 b16 a b8 g ~ g2 | } % Initiate third voice \new Voice { % set stems, etc up \voiceThree s1 | s4 b4 c2 | } >> @end lilypond @cindex note column @cindex shift commands @funindex \shiftOff @funindex \shiftOn @funindex \shiftOnn @funindex \shiftOnnn Closely spaced notes in a chord, or notes occuring at the same time in different voices, are arranged in two, occasionally more, columns to prevent the note heads overlapping. These are called note columns. There are separate columns for each voice, and the currently specified voice-dependent shift is applied to the note column if there would otherwise be a collision. This can be seen in the example above. In bar 2 the C in voice two is shifted to the right relative to the D in voice one, and in the final chord the C in voice three is also shifted to the right relative to the other notes. The @code{\shiftOn}, @code{\shiftOnn}, @code{\shiftOnnn}, and @code{\shiftOff} commands specify the degree to which notes and chords of the voice should be shifted if a collision would otherwise occur. By default, the outer voices (normally voices one and two) have @code{\shiftOff} specified, while the inner voices (three and four) have @code{\shiftOn} specified. When a shift is applied, Voices one and three are shifted to the right and voices two and four to the left. @code{\shiftOnn} and @code{\shiftOnnn} define further shift levels which may be specified temporarily to resolve collisions in complex situations -- see @ref{Real music example}. A note column can contain just one note (or chord) from a voice with stems up and one note (or chord) from a voice with stems down. If notes from two voices which have their stems in the same direction are placed at the same position and both voices have no shift or the same shift specified, the error message @qq{Too many clashing note columns} will be produced. @node Voices and vocals @subsection Voices and vocals Vocal music presents a special difficulty: we need to combine two expressions -- notes and lyrics. You have already seen the @code{\addlyrics@{@}} command, which handles simple scores well. However, this technique is quite limited. For more complex music, you must introduce the lyrics in a @code{Lyrics} context using @code{\new Lyrics} and explicitly link the lyrics to the notes with @code{\lyricsto@{@}}, using the name assigned to the Voice. @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment] << \new Voice = "one" \relative c'' { \autoBeamOff \time 2/4 c4 b8. a16 g4. f8 e4 d c2 } \new Lyrics \lyricsto "one" { No more let sins and sor -- rows grow. } >> @end lilypond The automatic beaming which LilyPond uses by default works well for instrumental music, but not so well for music with lyrics, where beaming is either not required at all or is used to indicate melismata in the lyrics. In the example above we use the command @code{\autoBeamOff} to turn off the automatic beaming. Let us reuse the earlier example from Judas Maccabæus to illustrate this more flexible technique. We first recast it to use variables so the music and lyrics can be separated from the staff structure. We also introduce a ChoirStaff bracket. The lyrics themselves must be introduced with @code{\lyricmode} to ensure they are interpreted as lyrics rather than music. @lilypond[quote,verbatim] global = { \time 6/8 \partial 8 \key f \major} SopOneMusic = \relative c'' { c8 | c([ bes)] a a([ g)] f | f'4. b, | c4.~ c4 } SopTwoMusic = \relative c' { r8 | r4. r4 c8 | a'([ g)] f f([ e)] d | e([ d)] c bes' } SopOneLyrics = \lyricmode { Let | flee -- cy flocks the | hills a -- dorn, __ } SopTwoLyrics = \lyricmode { Let | flee -- cy flocks the | hills a -- dorn, } \score { \new ChoirStaff << \new Staff << \new Voice = "SopOne" { \global \SopOneMusic } \new Lyrics \lyricsto "SopOne" { \SopOneLyrics } >> \new Staff << \new Voice = "SopTwo" { \SopTwoMusic } \new Lyrics \lyricsto "SopTwo" { \SopTwoLyrics } >> >> } @end lilypond This is the basic structure of all vocal scores. More staves may be added as required, more voices may be added to the staves, more verses may be added to the lyrics, and the variables containing the music can easily be placed in separate files should they become too long. Here is a final example of the first line of a hymn with four verses, set for SATB. In this case the words for all four parts are the same. @lilypond[quote,verbatim] TimeKey = { \time 4/4 \partial 4 \key c \major} SopMusic = \relative c' { c4 | e4. e8 g4 g | a a g } AltoMusic = \relative c' { c4 | c4. c8 e4 e | f f e } TenorMusic = \relative c { e4 | g4. g8 c4. b8 | a8 b c d e4 } BassMusic = \relative c { c4 | c4. c8 c4 c | f8 g a b c4 } VerseOne = \lyricmode { E -- | ter -- nal fa -- ther, | strong to save, } VerseTwo = \lyricmode { O | Christ, whose voice the | wa -- ters heard, } VerseThree = \lyricmode { O | Ho -- ly Spi -- rit, | who didst brood } VerseFour = \lyricmode { O | Tri -- ni -- ty of | love and pow'r } \score { \new ChoirStaff << \new Staff << \clef "treble" \new Voice = "Sop" { \voiceOne \TimeKey \SopMusic } \new Voice = "Alto" { \voiceTwo \AltoMusic } \new Lyrics \lyricsto "Sop" { \VerseOne } \new Lyrics \lyricsto "Sop" { \VerseTwo } \new Lyrics \lyricsto "Sop" { \VerseThree } \new Lyrics \lyricsto "Sop" { \VerseFour } >> \new Staff << \clef "bass" \new Voice = "Tenor" { \voiceOne \TenorMusic } \new Voice = "Bass" { \voiceTwo \BassMusic } >> >> } @end lilypond @node Contexts and engravers @section Contexts and engravers Contexts and engravers have been mentioned informally in earlier sections; we now must look at these concepts in more detail, as they are important in the fine-tuning of LilyPond output. @menu * Contexts explained:: * Creating contexts:: * Engravers explained:: * Modifying context properties:: * Adding and removing engravers:: @end menu @node Contexts explained @subsection Contexts explained When music is printed, many notational elements which do not appear explicitly in the input file must be added to the output. For example, compare the input and output of the following example: @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2,fragment] cis4 cis2. g4 @end lilypond The input is rather sparse, but in the output, bar lines, accidentals, clef, and time signature have been added. When LilyPond @emph{interprets} the input the musical information is inspected in time order, similar to reading a score from left to right. While reading the input, the program remembers where measure boundaries are, and which pitches require explicit accidentals. This information must be held on several levels. For example, the effect of an accidental is limited to a single staff, while a bar line must be synchronized across the entire score. Within LilyPond, these rules and bits of information are grouped in @emph{Contexts}. We have already met the @code{Voice} context. Others are the @code{Staff} and @code{Score} contexts. Contexts are hierarchical to reflect the heirarchical nature of a musical score. For example: a @code{Staff} context can contain many @code{Voice} contexts, and a @code{Score} context can contain many @code{Staff} contexts. @quotation @image{context-example,5cm,,} @end quotation Each context has the responsibility for enforcing some notation rules, creating some notation objects and maintaining the associated properties. For example, the @code{Voice} context may introduce an accidental and then the @code{Staff} context maintains the rule to show or suppress the accidental for the remainder of the measure. As another example, the synchronization of bar lines is, by default, handled in the @code{Score} context. However, in some music we may not want the bar lines to be synchronized -- consider a polymetric score in 4/4 and 3/4 time. In such cases, we must modify the default settings of the @code{Score} and @code{Staff} contexts. For very simple scores, contexts are created implicitly, and you need not be aware of them. For larger pieces, such as anything with more than one staff, they must be created explicitly to make sure that you get as many staves as you need, and that they are in the correct order. For typesetting pieces with specialized notation, it is usual to modify existing, or even to define totally new, contexts. In addition to the @code{Score,} @code{Staff} and @code{Voice} contexts there are contexts which fit between the score and staff levels to control staff groups, such as the @code{PianoStaff} and @code{ChoirStaff} contexts. There are also alternative staff and voice contexts, and contexts for lyrics, percussion, fret boards, figured bass, etc. A complete list is shown in the Notation Reference. TODO: Add link The names of all context types are formed from one or more words, each word being capitalised and joined immediately to the preceding word with no hyphen or underscore, e.g., @code{GregorianTranscriptionStaff}. @node Creating contexts @subsection Creating contexts There can be only one top level context: the @code{Score} context. This is created with the @code{\score} command, or, in simple scores, it is created automatically. For scores with only one voice and one staff, the @code{Voice} and @code{Staff} contexts may be left to be created automatically, but for more complex scores it is necessary to create them by hand. The simplest command that does this is @code{\new}. It is prepended to a music expression, for example @funindex \new @cindex new contexts @cindex Context, creating @example \new @var{type} @var{music-expression} @end example @noindent where @var{type} is a context name (like @code{Staff} or @code{Voice}). This command creates a new context, and starts interpreting the @var{music-expression} within that context. Note that there is no @code{\new Score} command; the single top-level @code{Score} context is introduced with @code{\score}. The @code{\new} command may also give a identifying name to the context to distinguish it from other contexts of the same type, @example \new @var{type} = @var{id} @var{music-expression} @end example Note the distinction between the name of the context type, @code{Staff}, @code{Voice}, etc, and the identifying name of a particular instance of that type, which can be any sequence of letters invented by the user. The identifying name is used to refer back to that particular instance of a context. We saw this in use in the section on lyrics in @ref{Voices and vocals}. @node Engravers explained @subsection Engravers explained @cindex engravers Every mark on the printed output of a score produced by LilyPond is produced by an @code{Engraver}. Thus there is an engraver to print staves, one to print note heads, one for stems, one for beams, etc, etc. In total there are over 120 such engravers! Fortunately, for most scores it is not necessary to know about more than a few, and for simple scores you do not need to know about any. Engravers live and operate in Contexts. Engravers such as the @code{Metronome_mark_engraver}, whose action and output applies to the score as a whole, operate in the highest level context -- the @code{Score} context. The @code{Clef_engraver} and @code{Key_engraver} are to be found in every Staff Context, as different staves may require different clefs and keys. The @code{Note_heads_engraver} and @code{Stem_engraver} live in every @code{Voice} context, the lowest level context of all. Each engraver processes the particular objects associated with its function, and maintains the properties that relate to that function. These properties, like the properties associated with contexts, may be modified to change the operation of the engraver or the appearance of those elements in the printed score. Engravers all have compound names formed from words which describe their function. Just the first word is capitalised, and the remainder are joined to it with underscores. Thus the @code{Staff_symbol_engraver} is responsible for creating the lines of the staff, the @code{Clef_engraver} determines and sets the pitch reference point on the staff by drawing a clef symbol. Here are some of the most common engravers together with their function. You will see it is easy to guess the function from the name, or vice versa. @multitable @columnfractions .3 .7 @headitem Engraver @tab Function @item Accidental_engraver @tab Makes accidentals, cautionary and suggested accidentals @item Beam_engraver @tab Engraves beams @item Clef_engraver @tab Engraves clefs @item Dynamic_engraver @tab Creates hairpins and dynamic texts @item Key_engraver @tab Creates the key signature @item Metronome_mark_engraver @tab Engraves metronome marking @item Note_heads_engraver @tab Engraves note heads @item Rest_engraver @tab Engraves rests @item Staff_symbol_engraver @tab Engraves the five (by default) lines of the staff @item Stem_engraver @tab Creates stems and single-stem tremulos @item Time_signature_engraver @tab Creates time signatures @end multitable @smallspace We shall see later how the output of LilyPond can be changed by modifying the action of Engravers. @node Modifying context properties @subsection Modifying context properties @cindex context properties @funindex \set @funindex \unset Contexts are responsible for holding the values of a number of context @emph{properties}. Many of them can be changed to influence the interpretation of the input and so change the appearance of the output. They are changed by the @code{\set} command. This takes the form @example \set @emph{ContextName}.@emph{propertyName} = #@emph{value} @end example Where the @emph{ContextName} is usually @code{Score}, @code{Staff} or @code{Voice}. It may be omitted, in which case @code{Voice} is assumed. The names of context properties consist of words joined together with no hyphens or underscores, all except the first having a capital letter. Here are a few examples of some commonly used ones. There are many more. @c attempt to force this onto a new page @need 50 @multitable @columnfractions .25 .15 .45 .15 @headitem propertyName @tab Type @tab Function @tab Example Value @item extraNatural @tab Boolean @tab If true, set extra natural signs before accidentals @tab @code{#t}, @code{#f} @item currentBarNumber @tab Integer @tab Set the current bar number @tab @code{50} @item doubleSlurs @tab Boolean @tab If true, print slurs both above and below notes @tab @code{#t}, @code{#f} @item instrumentName @tab Text @tab Set the name to be placed at the start of the staff @tab @code{"Cello I"} @item fontSize @tab Real @tab Increase or decrease the font size @tab @code{2.4} @item stanza @tab Text @tab Set the text to print before the start of a verse @tab @code{"2"} @end multitable @noindent where a Boolean is either True (@code{#t}) or False (@code{#f}), an Integer is a positive whole number, a Real is a positive or negative decimal number, and text is enclosed in double apostrophes. Note the occurrence of hash signs, (@code{#}), in two different places -- as part of the Boolean value before the @code{t} or @code{f}, and before @emph{value} in the @code{\set} statement. So when a Boolean is being entered you need to code two hash signs, e.g., @code{##t}. Before we can set any of these properties we need to know in which context they operate. Sometimes this is obvious, but occasionally it can be tricky. If the wrong context is specified, no error message is produced, but the expected action will not take place. For example, the @code{instrumentName} clearly lives in the Staff context, since it is the staff that is to be named. In this example the first staff is labelled, but not the second, because we omitted the context name. @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right] << \new Staff \relative c'' { \set Staff.instrumentName = "Soprano" c4 c } \new Staff \relative c' { \set instrumentName = "Alto" % Wrong! d4 d } >> @end lilypond Remember the default context name is Voice, so the second @code{\set} command set the property @code{instrumentName} in the Voice context to @qq{Alto}, but as LilyPond does not look for any such property in the @code{Voice} context, no further action took place. This is not an error, and no error message is logged in the log file. Similarly, if the property name is mis-spelt no error message is produced, and clearly the expected action cannot be performed. If fact, you can set any (fictitious) @q{property} using any name you like in any context that exists by using the @code{\set} command. But if the name is not known to LilyPond it will not cause any action to be taken. This is one of the reasons why it is highly recommended to use a context-sensitive editor with syntax highlighting for editing LilyPond files, such as Vim, Jedit, ConTEXT or Emacs, since unknown property names will be highlighted differently. The @code{instrumentName} property will take effect only if it is set in the @code{Staff} context, but some properties can be set in more than one context. For example, the property @code{extraNatural} is by default set to ##t (true) for all staves. If it is set to ##f (false) in the @code{Staff} context it applies just to the accidentals on that staff. If it is set to false in the @code{Score} context it applies to all staves. So this turns off extra naturals in one staff: @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right] << \new Staff \relative c'' { ais4 aes } \new Staff \relative c'' { \set Staff.extraNatural = ##f ais4 aes } >> @end lilypond @noindent and this turns them off in all staves: @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right] << \new Staff \relative c'' { ais4 aes } \new Staff \relative c'' { \set Score.extraNatural = ##f ais4 aes } >> @end lilypond The value of every property set in this way can be reset to its original value with the @code{\unset} command. The @code{\set} and @code{\unset} commands can appear anywhere in the input file and will take effect from the time they are encountered until the end of the score or until the property is @code{\set} or @code{\unset} again. Let's try changing the font size, which affects the size of the note heads (among other things) several times. @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right,relative=1,fragment] c4 % make note heads smaller \set fontSize = #-4 d e % make note heads larger \set fontSize = #2.5 f g % return to original size \unset fontSize a b @end lilypond We have now seen how to set the values of several different types of property. Note that integers and numbers are alway preceded by a hash sign, @code{#}, while a true or false value is specified by ##t and ##f, with two hash signs. A text property should be enclosed in double quotation signs, as above, although we shall see later that text can actually be specified in a much more general way by using the very powerful @code{markup} command. @funindex \with Context properties may also be set at the time the context is created. Sometimes this is a clearer way of specifying a property value if it is to remain fixed for the duration of the context. When a context is created with a @code{\new} command it may be followed immediately by a @code{\with @{ .. @}} block in which the property values are set. For example, if we wish to suppress the printing of extra naturals for the duration of a staff we would write: @example \new Staff \with @{ extraNatural = ##f @} @end example @noindent like this: @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right] << \new Staff \relative c'' { gis ges aes ais } \new Staff \with { extraNatural = ##f } \relative c'' { gis ges aes ais } >> @end lilypond In effect this overrides the default value of the property. It may still be changed dynamically using @code{\set} and returned to its (new) default value with @code{\unset}. @node Adding and removing engravers @subsection Adding and removing engravers @cindex Engravers, adding @cindex Engravers, removing @funindex \consists @funindex \remove We have seen that contexts each contain several engravers, each of which is responsible for producing a particular part of the output, like bar lines, staves, note heads, stems, etc. If an engraver is removed from a context it can no longer produce its output. This is a crude way of modifying the output, but it can sometimes be useful. @unnumberedsubsubsec Changing a single context To remove an engraver from a single context we use the @code{\with} command placed immediately after the context creation command, as in the previous section. As an illustration let's repeat an example from the previous section with the staff lines removed. Remember that the staff lines are produced by the Staff_symbol_engraver. @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right] \new Staff \with { \remove Staff_symbol_engraver } \relative c' { c4 \set fontSize = #-4 % make note heads smaller d e \set fontSize = #2.5 % make note heads larger f g \unset fontSize % return to original size a b } @end lilypond @cindex ambitus engraver Engravers can also be added to individual contexts. The command to do this is @code{\consists @emph{Engraver_name}}, placed inside a @code{\with} block. Some vocal scores have an @rglos{ambitus} placed at the beginning of a staff to indicate the range of notes in that staff. The ambitus is produced by the @code{Ambitus_engraver}, which is not normally included in any context. If we add it to the @code{Voice} context it calculates the range from that voice only: @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right] \new Staff << \new Voice \with { \consists Ambitus_engraver } \relative c'' { \voiceOne c a b g } \new Voice \relative c' { \voiceTwo c e d f } >> @end lilypond @noindent but if we add the Ambitus engraver to the @code{Staff} context it calculates the range from all the notes in all the voices on that staff: @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right] \new Staff \with { \consists Ambitus_engraver } << \new Voice \relative c'' { \voiceOne c a b g } \new Voice \relative c' { \voiceTwo c e d f } >> @end lilypond @unnumberedsubsubsec Changing all contexts of the same type The examples above show how to remove or add engravers to individual contexts. It is also possible to remove or add engravers to every context of a specific type by placing the commands in the appropriate context in a @code{\layout} block. For example, If we wanted to show ambiti for every staff in a four-staff score we could write @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right] \score { << \new Staff << \relative c'' { c a b g } >> \new Staff << \relative c' { c a b g } >> \new Staff << \clef "G_8" \relative c' { c a b g } >> \new Staff << \clef "bass" \relative c { c a b g } >> >> \layout { \context { \Staff \consists Ambitus_engraver } } } @end lilypond @noindent The default values of context properties may also be set for all contexts of a particular type by including the @code{\set} command in a @code{\context} block in the same way. @node Extending the templates @section Extending the templates You've read the tutorial, you know how to write music, you understand the fundamental concepts. But how can you get the staves that you want? Well, you can find lots of templates (see @ref{Templates}) which may give you a start. But what if you want something that isn't covered there? Read on. TODO Add links to templates after they have been moved to LSR @menu * Soprano and cello:: * Four-part SATB vocal score:: * Building a score from scratch:: @end menu @node Soprano and cello @subsection Soprano and cello Start off with the template that seems closest to what you want to end up with. Let's say that you want to write something for soprano and cello. In this case, we would start with @q{Notes and lyrics} (for the soprano part). @example \version "2.11.23" melody = \relative c' @{ \clef treble \key c \major \time 4/4 a4 b c d @} text = \lyricmode @{ Aaa Bee Cee Dee @} \score @{ << \new Voice = "one" @{ \autoBeamOff \melody @} \new Lyrics \lyricsto "one" \text >> \layout @{ @} \midi @{ @} @} @end example Now we want to add a cello part. Let's look at the @q{Notes only} example: @example \version "2.11.23" melody = \relative c' @{ \clef treble \key c \major \time 4/4 a4 b c d @} \score @{ \new Staff \melody \layout @{ @} \midi @{ @} @} @end example We don't need two @code{\version} commands. We'll need the @code{melody} section. We don't want two @code{\score} sections -- if we had two @code{\score}s, we'd get the two parts separately. We want them together, as a duet. Within the @code{\score} section, we don't need two @code{\layout} or @code{\midi}. If we simply cut and paste the @code{melody} section, we would end up with two @code{melody} sections. So let's rename them. We'll call the section for the soprano @code{sopranoMusic} and the section for the cello @code{celloMusic}. While we're doing this, let's rename @code{text} to be @code{sopranoLyrics}. Remember to rename both instances of all these names -- both the initial definition (the @code{melody = relative c' @{ } part) and the name's use (in the @code{\score} section). While we're doing this, let's change the cello part's staff -- celli normally use bass clef. We'll also give the cello some different notes. @example \version "2.11.23" sopranoMusic = \relative c' @{ \clef treble \key c \major \time 4/4 a4 b c d @} sopranoLyrics = \lyricmode @{ Aaa Bee Cee Dee @} celloMusic = \relative c @{ \clef bass \key c \major \time 4/4 d4 g fis8 e d4 @} \score @{ << \new Voice = "one" @{ \autoBeamOff \sopranoMusic @} \new Lyrics \lyricsto "one" \sopranoLyrics >> \layout @{ @} \midi @{ @} @} @end example This is looking promising, but the cello part won't appear in the score -- we haven't used it in the @code{\score} section. If we want the cello part to appear under the soprano part, we need to add @example \new Staff \celloMusic @end example @noindent underneath the soprano stuff. We also need to add @code{<<} and @code{>>} around the music -- that tells LilyPond that there's more than one thing (in this case, two @code{Staves}) happening at once. The @code{\score} looks like this now @c Indentation in this example is deliberately poor @example \score @{ << << \new Voice = "one" @{ \autoBeamOff \sopranoMusic @} \new Lyrics \lyricsto "one" \sopranoLyrics >> \new Staff \celloMusic >> \layout @{ @} \midi @{ @} @} @end example @noindent This looks a bit messy; the indentation is messed up now. That is easily fixed. Here's the complete soprano and cello template. @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right] \version "2.11.23" sopranoMusic = \relative c' { \clef treble \key c \major \time 4/4 a4 b c d } sopranoLyrics = \lyricmode { Aaa Bee Cee Dee } celloMusic = \relative c { \clef bass \key c \major \time 4/4 d4 g fis8 e d4 } \score { << << \new Voice = "one" { \autoBeamOff \sopranoMusic } \new Lyrics \lyricsto "one" \sopranoLyrics >> \new Staff \celloMusic >> \layout { } \midi { } } @end lilypond @node Four-part SATB vocal score @subsection Four-part SATB vocal score Most vocal scores of music written for four-part mixed choir with orchestral accompaniment such as Mendelssohn's Elijah or Handel's Messiah have the choral music and words on four staves, one for each of SATB, with a piano reduction of the orchestral accompaniment underneath. Here's an example from Handel's Messiah: @c The following should appear as music without code @lilypond[quote,ragged-right] \version "2.11.23" global = { \key d \major \time 4/4 } sopMusic = \relative c'' { \clef "treble" r4 d2 a4 | d4. d8 a2 | cis4 d cis2 | } sopWords = \lyricmode { Wor -- thy is the lamb that was slain } altoMusic = \relative a' { \clef "treble" r4 a2 a4 | fis4. fis8 a2 | g4 fis fis2 | } altoWords = \sopWords tenorMusic = \relative c' { \clef "G_8" r4 fis2 e4 | d4. d8 d2 | e4 a, cis2 | } tenorWords = \sopWords bassMusic = \relative c' { \clef "bass" r4 d2 cis4 | b4. b8 fis2 | e4 d a'2 | } bassWords = \sopWords upper = \relative a' { \clef "treble" \global r4 2 4 | 4. 8 2 | 4 2 | } lower = \relative c, { \clef "bass" \global 4 2 4 | 4. 8 2 | 4 2 | } \score { << % combine ChoirStaff and PianoStaff in parallel \new ChoirStaff << \new Staff = "sopranos" << \set Staff.instrumentName = "Soprano" \new Voice = "sopranos" { \global \sopMusic } >> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "sopranos" { \sopWords } \new Staff = "altos" << \set Staff.instrumentName = "Alto" \new Voice = "altos" { \global \altoMusic } >> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "altos" { \altoWords } \new Staff = "tenors" << \set Staff.instrumentName = "Tenor" \new Voice = "tenors" { \global \tenorMusic } >> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "tenors" { \tenorWords } \new Staff = "basses" << \set Staff.instrumentName = "Bass" \new Voice = "basses" { \global \bassMusic } >> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "basses" { \bassWords } >> % end ChoirStaff \new PianoStaff << \set PianoStaff.instrumentName = "Piano " \new Staff = "upper" \upper \new Staff = "lower" \lower >> >> } @end lilypond None of the templates provides this layout exactly. The nearest is @q{SATB vocal score and automatic piano reduction}, but we need to change the layout and add a piano accompaniment which is not derived automatically from the vocal parts. The variables holding the music and words for the vocal parts are fine, but we shall need to add variables for the piano reduction. The order in which the contexts appear in the ChoirStaff of the template do not correspond with the order in the vocal score shown above. We need to rearrange them so there are four staves with the words written directly underneath the notes for each part. All the voices should be @code{\voiceOne}, which is the default, so the @code{\voiceXXX} commands should be removed. We also need to specify the tenor clef for the tenors. The way in which lyrics are specified in the template has not yet been encountered so we need to use the method with which we are familiar. We should also add the names of each staff. Doing this gives for our ChoirStaff: @example \new ChoirStaff << \new Staff = "sopranos" << \set Staff.instrumentName = "Soprano" \new Voice = "sopranos" @{ \global \sopMusic @} >> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "sopranos" @{ \sopWords @} \new Staff = "altos" << \set Staff.instrumentName = "Alto" \new Voice = "altos" @{ \global \altoMusic @} >> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "altos" @{ \altoWords @} \new Staff = "tenors" << \set Staff.instrumentName = "Tenor" \new Voice = "tenors" @{ \global \tenorMusic @} >> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "tenors" @{ \tenorWords @} \new Staff = "basses" << \set Staff.instrumentName = "Bass" \new Voice = "basses" @{ \global \bassMusic @} >> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "basses" @{ \bassWords @} >> % end ChoirStaff @end example Next we must work out the piano part. This is easy - we just pull out the piano part from the @q{Solo piano} template: @example \new PianoStaff << \set PianoStaff.instrumentName = "Piano " \new Staff = "upper" \upper \new Staff = "lower" \lower >> @end example and add the variable definitions for @code{upper} and @code{lower}. The ChoirStaff and PianoStaff must be combined using angle brackets as we want them to be stacked one above the other: @example << % combine ChoirStaff and PianoStaff one above the other \new ChoirStaff << \new Staff = "sopranos" << \new Voice = "sopranos" @{ \global \sopMusic @} >> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "sopranos" @{ \sopWords @} \new Staff = "altos" << \new Voice = "altos" @{ \global \altoMusic @} >> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "altos" @{ \altoWords @} \new Staff = "tenors" << \clef "G_8" % tenor clef \new Voice = "tenors" @{ \global \tenorMusic @} >> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "tenors" @{ \tenorWords @} \new Staff = "basses" << \clef "bass" \new Voice = "basses" @{ \global \bassMusic @} >> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "basses" @{ bassWords @} >> % end ChoirStaff \new PianoStaff << \set PianoStaff.instrumentName = "Piano " \new Staff = "upper" \upper \new Staff = "lower" \lower >> >> @end example Combining all these together and adding the music for the three bars of the example above gives: @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right] \version "2.11.23" global = { \key d \major \time 4/4 } sopMusic = \relative c'' { \clef "treble" r4 d2 a4 | d4. d8 a2 | cis4 d cis2 | } sopWords = \lyricmode { Wor -- thy is the lamb that was slain } altoMusic = \relative a' { \clef "treble" r4 a2 a4 | fis4. fis8 a2 | g4 fis fis2 | } altoWords = \sopWords tenorMusic = \relative c' { \clef "G_8" r4 fis2 e4 | d4. d8 d2 | e4 a, cis2 | } tenorWords = \sopWords bassMusic = \relative c' { \clef "bass" r4 d2 cis4 | b4. b8 fis2 | e4 d a'2 | } bassWords = \sopWords upper = \relative a' { \clef "treble" \global r4 2 4 | 4. 8 2 | 4 2 | } lower = \relative c, { \clef "bass" \global 4 2 4 | 4. 8 2 | 4 2 | } \score { << % combine ChoirStaff and PianoStaff in parallel \new ChoirStaff << \new Staff = "sopranos" << \set Staff.instrumentName = "Soprano" \new Voice = "sopranos" { \global \sopMusic } >> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "sopranos" { \sopWords } \new Staff = "altos" << \set Staff.instrumentName = "Alto" \new Voice = "altos" { \global \altoMusic } >> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "altos" { \altoWords } \new Staff = "tenors" << \set Staff.instrumentName = "Tenor" \new Voice = "tenors" { \global \tenorMusic } >> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "tenors" { \tenorWords } \new Staff = "basses" << \set Staff.instrumentName = "Bass" \new Voice = "basses" { \global \bassMusic } >> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "basses" { \bassWords } >> % end ChoirStaff \new PianoStaff << \set PianoStaff.instrumentName = "Piano " \new Staff = "upper" \upper \new Staff = "lower" \lower >> >> } @end lilypond @node Building a score from scratch @subsection Building a score from scratch After gaining some facility with writing LilyPond code you may find that it is easier to build a score from scratch rather than modifying one of the templates. You can also develop your own style this way to suit the sort of music you like. Let's see how to put together the score for an organ prelude as an example. We begin with a header section. Here go the title, name of composer, etc, then come any variable definitions, and finally the score block. Let's start with these in outline and fill in the details later. We'll use the first two bars of Bach's prelude based on @emph{Jesu, meine Freude} which is written for two manuals and pedal organ. You can see these two bars of music at the bottom of this section. The top manual part has two voices, the lower and pedal organ one each. So we need four music definitions and one to define the time signature and key: @example \version "2.11.23" \header @{ title = "Jesu, meine Freude" composer = "J S Bach" @} TimeKey = @{ \time 4/4 \key c \minor @} ManualOneVoiceOneMusic = @{s1@} ManualOneVoiceTwoMusic = @{s1@} ManualTwoMusic = @{s1@} PedalOrganMusic = @{s1@} \score @{ @} @end example For now we've just used a spacer note, @code{s1}, instead of the real music. We'll add that later. Next let's see what should go in the score block. We simply mirror the staff structure we want. Organ music is usually written on three staves, one for each manual and one for the pedals. The manual staves should be bracketed together so we need to use a PianoStaff for them. The first manual part needs two voices and the second manual part just one. @example \new PianoStaff << \new Staff = "ManualOne" << \new Voice @{ \ManualOneVoiceOneMusic @} \new Voice @{ \ManualOneVoiceTwoMusic @} >> % end ManualOne Staff context \new Staff = "ManualTwo" << \new Voice @{ \ManualTwoMusic @} >> % end ManualTwo Staff context >> % end PianoStaff context @end example Next we need to add a staff for the pedal organ. This goes underneath the PianoStaff, but it must be simultaneous with it, so we need angle brackets round the two. Missing these out would generate an error in the log file. It's a common mistake which you'll make sooner or later! Try copying the final example at the end of this section, remove these angle brackets, and compile it to see what errors it generates. @example << % PianoStaff and Pedal Staff must be simultaneous \new PianoStaff << \new Staff = "ManualOne" << \new Voice @{ \ManualOneVoiceOneMusic @} \new Voice @{ \ManualOneVoiceTwoMusic @} >> % end ManualOne Staff context \new Staff = "ManualTwo" << \new Voice @{ \ManualTwoMusic @} >> % end ManualTwo Staff context >> % end PianoStaff context \new Staff = "PedalOrgan" << \new Voice @{ \PedalOrganMusic @} >> >> @end example It is not strictly necessary to use the simultaneous construct @code{<< >>} for the manual two staff and the pedal organ staff, since they contain only one music expression, but it does no harm and always using angle brackets after @code{\new Staff} is a good habit to cultivate in case there are multiple voices. Let's add this structure to the score block, and adjust the indenting. We also add the appropriate clefs, ensure the second voice stems point down with @code{\voiceTwo} and enter the time signature and key to each staff using our predefined variable, @code{\TimeKey}. @example \score @{ << % PianoStaff and Pedal Staff must be simultaneous \new PianoStaff << \new Staff = "ManualOne" << \TimeKey % set time signature and key \clef "treble" \new Voice @{ \ManualOneVoiceOneMusic @} \new Voice @{ \voiceTwo \ManualOneVoiceTwoMusic @} >> % end ManualOne Staff context \new Staff = "ManualTwo" << \TimeKey \clef "bass" \new Voice @{ \ManualTwoMusic @} >> % end ManualTwo Staff context >> % end PianoStaff context \new Staff = "PedalOrgan" << \TimeKey \clef "bass" \new Voice @{ \PedalOrganMusic @} >> % end PedalOrgan Staff >> @} % end Score context @end example That completes the structure. Any three-staff organ music will have a similar structure, although the number of voices may vary. All that remains now is to add the music, and combine all the parts together. @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right] \version "2.11.23" \header { title = "Jesu, meine Freude" composer = "J S Bach" } TimeKey = { \time 4/4 \key c \minor } ManualOneVoiceOneMusic = \relative g' { g4 g f ees | d2 c2 | } ManualOneVoiceTwoMusic = \relative c' { ees16 d ees8~ ees16 f ees s c8 d~ d c~ | c c4 b8 c8. g16 c b c d | } ManualTwoMusic = \relative c' { c16 b c8~ c16 b c g a8 g~ g16 g aes ees | f ees f d g aes g f ees d e8~ ees16 f ees d | } PedalOrganMusic = \relative c { r8 c16 d ees d ees8~ ees16 a, b g c b c8 | r16 g ees f g f g8 c,2 | } \score { << % PianoStaff and Pedal Staff must be simultaneous \new PianoStaff << \new Staff = "ManualOne" << \TimeKey % set time signature and key \clef "treble" \new Voice { \ManualOneVoiceOneMusic } \new Voice { \voiceTwo \ManualOneVoiceTwoMusic } >> % end ManualOne Staff context \new Staff = "ManualTwo" << \TimeKey \clef "bass" \new Voice { \ManualTwoMusic } >> % end ManualTwo Staff context >> % end PianoStaff context \new Staff = "PedalOrgan" << \TimeKey \clef "bass" \new Voice { \PedalOrganMusic } >> % end PedalOrgan Staff >> } % end Score context @end lilypond