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14 @chapter Tweaking output
16 This chapter discusses how to modify output. LilyPond is extremely
17 configurable; virtually every fragment of output may be changed.
22 * The Internals Reference manual::
23 * Appearance of objects::
24 * Placement of objects::
25 * Collisions of objects::
30 @section Tweaking basics
33 * Introduction to tweaks::
34 * Objects and interfaces::
35 * Naming conventions of objects and properties::
39 @node Introduction to tweaks
40 @subsection Introduction to tweaks
42 @q{Tweaking} is a LilyPond term for the various methods available
43 to the user for modifying the actions taken during interpretation
44 of the input file and modifying the appearance of the printed
45 output. Some tweaks are very easy to use; others are more
46 complex. But taken together the methods available for tweaking
47 permit almost any desired appearance of the printed music to be
50 In this section we cover the basic concepts required to understand
51 tweaking. Later we give a variety of ready-made commands which can
52 simply be copied to obtain the same effect in your own scores, and
53 at the same time we show how these commands may be constructed so
54 that you may learn how to develop your own tweaks.
56 Before starting on this Chapter you may wish to review the section
57 @ref{Contexts and engravers}, as Contexts, Engravers, and the
58 Properties contained within them are fundamental to understanding
59 and constructing Tweaks.
61 @node Objects and interfaces
62 @subsection Objects and interfaces
68 @cindex properties, object
69 @cindex object properties
71 @cindex object, layout
74 Tweaking involves modifying the internal operation and structures
75 of the LilyPond program, so we must first introduce some terms
76 which are used to describe those internal operations and
79 The term @q{Object} is a generic term used to refer to the
80 multitude of internal structures built by LilyPond during the
81 processing of an input file. So when a command like @code{\new
82 Staff} is encountered a new object of type @code{Staff} is
83 constructed. That @code{Staff} object then holds all the
84 properties associated with that particular staff, for example, its
85 name and its key signature, together with details of the engravers
86 which have been assigned to operate within that staff's context.
87 Similarly, there are objects to hold the properties of all other
88 contexts, such as @code{Voice} objects, @code{Score} objects,
89 @code{Lyrics} objects, as well as objects to represent all
90 notational elements such as bar lines,
91 note heads, ties, dynamics, etc. Every object has its own set of
94 Some types of object are given special names. Objects which represent
95 items of notation on the printed output such as note heads, stems,
96 slurs, ties, fingering, clefs, etc are called @q{Layout objects},
97 often known as @q{Graphical Objects}, or @q{Grobs} for short. These
98 are still objects in the generic sense above, and so they too all have
99 properties associated with them, such as their position, size, color,
102 Some layout objects are still more specialized. Phrasing slurs,
103 crescendo hairpins, ottava marks, and many other grobs are not
104 localized in a single place -- they have a starting point, an
105 ending point, and maybe other properties concerned with their
106 shape. Objects with an extended shape like these are called
109 It remains to explain what @q{Interfaces} are. Many objects, even
110 though they are quite different, share common features which need to
111 be processed in the same way. For example, all grobs have a color, a
112 size, a position, etc, and all these properties are processed in the
113 same way during LilyPond's interpretation of the input file. To
114 simplify these internal operations these common actions and properties
115 are grouped together in an object called a @code{grob-interface}.
116 There are many other groupings of common properties like this, each
117 one given a name ending in @code{interface}. In total there are over
118 100 such interfaces. We shall see later why this is of interest and
121 These, then, are the main terms relating to objects which we
122 shall use in this chapter.
124 @node Naming conventions of objects and properties
125 @subsection Naming conventions of objects and properties
127 @cindex naming conventions for objects
128 @cindex naming conventions for properties
129 @cindex objects, naming conventions
130 @cindex properties, naming conventions
132 We met some object naming conventions previously, in
133 @ref{Contexts and engravers}. Here for reference is a list
134 of the most common object and property types together with
135 the conventions for naming them and a couple of examples of
136 some real names. We have used @q{A} to stand for any capitalized
137 alphabetic character and @q{aaa} to stand for any number of
138 lower-case alphabetic characters. Other characters are used
141 @multitable @columnfractions .33 .33 .33
142 @headitem Object/property type
143 @tab Naming convention
146 @tab Aaaa or AaaaAaaaAaaa
147 @tab Staff, GrandStaff
149 @tab Aaaa or AaaaAaaaAaaa
152 @tab Aaaa_aaa_engraver
153 @tab Clef_engraver, Note_heads_engraver
155 @tab aaa-aaa-interface
156 @tab grob-interface, break-aligned-interface
157 @item Context Properties
158 @tab aaa or aaaAaaaAaaa
159 @tab alignAboveContext, skipBars
160 @item Layout Object Properties
161 @tab aaa or aaa-aaa-aaa
162 @tab direction, beam-thickness
165 As we shall see shortly, the properties of different types of
166 object are modified by different commands, so it is useful to
167 be able to recognize the type of object from the names of its
171 @node Tweaking methods
172 @subsection Tweaking methods
174 @cindex tweaking methods
176 @strong{\override command}
178 @cindex override command
179 @cindex override syntax
184 We have already met the commands @code{\set} and @code{\with}, used to
185 change the properties of @strong{contexts} and to remove and add
186 @strong{engravers}, in @ref{Modifying context properties}, and
187 @ref{Adding and removing engravers}. We must now introduce some more
190 The command to change the properties of @strong{layout objects} is
191 @code{\override}. Because this command has to modify
192 internal properties deep within LilyPond its syntax is not
193 as simple as the commands you have used so far. It needs to
194 know precisely which property of which object in which context
195 has to be modified, and what its new value is to be. Let's see
198 The general syntax of this command is:
201 \override @var{Context}.@var{LayoutObject} #'@var{layout-property} =
206 This will set the property with the name @var{layout-property} of the
207 layout object with the name @var{LayoutObject}, which is a member of
208 the @var{Context} context, to the value @var{value}.
210 The @var{Context} can be omitted (and usually is) when the
211 required context is unambiguously implied and is one of lowest
212 level contexts, i.e., @code{Voice}, @code{ChordNames} or
213 @code{Lyrics}, and we shall omit it in many of the following
214 examples. We shall see later when it must be specified.
216 Later sections deal comprehensively with properties and their
217 values, but to illustrate the format and use of these commands
218 we shall use just a few simple properties and values which are
221 For now, don't worry about the @code{#'}, which must precede the
222 layout property, and the@tie{}@code{#}, which must precede the value.
223 These must always be present in exactly this form. This is the
224 most common command used in tweaking, and most of the rest of
225 this chapter will be directed to presenting examples of how it is
226 used. Here is a simple example to change the color of the
229 @cindex color property, example
230 @cindex NoteHead, example of overriding
232 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
234 \override NoteHead #'color = #red
236 \override NoteHead #'color = #green
240 @strong{\revert command}
242 @cindex revert command
247 Once overridden, the property retains its new value until it is
248 overridden again or a @code{\revert} command is encountered.
249 The @code{\revert} command has the following syntax and causes
250 the value of the property to revert to its original default
251 value; note, not its previous value if several @code{\override}
252 commands have been issued.
255 \revert @var{Context}.@var{LayoutObject} #'@var{layout-property}
258 Again, just like @var{Context} in the @code{\override} command,
259 @var{Context} is often not needed. It will be omitted
260 in many of the following examples. Here we revert the color
261 of the note head to the default value for the final two notes:
263 @cindex color property, example
264 @cindex NoteHead, example of overriding
266 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
268 \override NoteHead #'color = #red
270 \override NoteHead #'color = #green
272 \revert NoteHead #'color
276 @strong{\once prefix}
281 Both the @code{\override} and the @code{\set} commands may be prefixed
282 by @code{\once}. This causes the following @code{\override} or
283 @code{\set} command to be effective only during the current musical
284 moment before the property reverts back to its previous value (this can
285 be different from the default if another @code{\override} is still in
286 effect). Using the same example, we can change the color of a single
289 @cindex color property, example
290 @cindex NoteHead, example of overriding
292 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
294 \override NoteHead #'color = #red
296 \once \override NoteHead #'color = #green
298 \revert NoteHead #'color
302 @strong{\overrideProperty command}
304 @cindex overrideProperty command
306 @funindex \overrideProperty
307 @funindex overrideProperty
309 There is another form of the override command,
310 @code{\overrideProperty}, which is occasionally required.
311 We mention it here for completeness, but for details see
312 @rextend{Difficult tweaks}.
313 @c Maybe explain in a later iteration -td
315 @strong{\tweak command}
317 @cindex tweak command
322 The final tweaking command which is available is @code{\tweak}.
323 This should be used to change the properties of objects which
324 occur at the same musical moment, such as the notes within a
325 chord. Using @code{\override} would affect all the notes
326 within a chord, whereas @code{\tweak} affects just the following
327 item in the input stream.
329 Here's an example. Suppose we wish to change the size of the
330 middle note head (the E) in a C major chord. Let's first see what
331 @code{\once \override} would do:
333 @cindex font-size property, example
334 @cindex NoteHead, example of overriding
336 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
338 \once \override NoteHead #'font-size = #-3
343 We see the override affects @emph{all} the note heads in the chord.
344 This is because all the notes of a chord occur at the same
345 @emph{musical moment}, and the action of @code{\once} is to
346 apply the override to all layout objects of the type specified
347 which occur at the same musical moment as the @code{\override}
350 The @code{\tweak} command operates in a different way. It acts
351 on the immediately following item in the input stream. However,
352 it is effective only on objects which are created directly from
353 the input stream, essentially note heads and articulations;
354 objects such as stems and accidentals are created later and
355 cannot be tweaked in this way. Furthermore, when it is applied
356 to note heads these @emph{must} be within a chord, i.e., within
357 single angle brackets, so to tweak a single note the @code{\tweak}
358 command must be placed inside single angle brackets with the
361 So to return to our example, the size of the middle note of
362 a chord would be changed in this way:
364 @cindex font-size property, example
365 @cindex @code{\tweak}, example
367 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
369 <c \tweak #'font-size #-3 e g>4
372 Note that the syntax of @code{\tweak} is different from that
373 of the @code{\override} command. Neither the context nor the
374 layout object should be specified; in fact, it would generate
375 an error to do so. These are both implied by the following
376 item in the input stream. Note also that an equals sign should
377 not be present. So the general syntax of the
378 @code{\tweak} command is simply
381 \tweak #'@var{layout-property} #@var{value}
384 A @code{\tweak} command can also be used to modify just one in
385 a series of articulations, as shown here:
387 @cindex color property, example
388 @cindex @code{\tweak}, example
390 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
392 -\tweak #'color #red ^"Red"
393 -\tweak #'color #green _"Green"
397 Note that the @code{\tweak} command must be preceded by an
398 articulation mark as if it were an articulation itself.
400 @cindex tuplets, nested
401 @cindex triplets, nested
402 @cindex bracket, tuplet
403 @cindex bracket, triplet
404 @cindex tuplet bracket
405 @cindex triplet bracket
407 @funindex TupletBracket
409 The @code{\tweak} command must also be used to change the
410 appearance of one of a set of nested tuplets which begin at the
411 same musical moment. In the following example, the long tuplet
412 bracket and the first of the three short brackets begin at the
413 same musical moment, so any @code{\override} command would apply
414 to both of them. In the example, @code{\tweak} is used to
415 distinguish between them. The first @code{\tweak} command
416 specifies that the long tuplet bracket is to be placed above the
417 notes and the second one specifies that the tuplet number is to be
418 printed in red on the first short tuplet bracket.
420 @cindex @code{\tweak}, example
421 @cindex direction property, example
422 @cindex color property, example
424 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
425 \tweak #'direction #up
428 \times 2/3 { c8[ c c] }
429 \times 2/3 { c8[ c c] }
430 \times 2/3 { c8[ c c] }
434 If nested tuplets do not begin at the same moment, their
435 appearance may be modified in the usual way with
436 @code{\override} commands:
438 @cindex text property, example
439 @cindex tuplet-number function, example
440 @cindex transparent property, example
441 @cindex TupletNumber, example of overriding
443 @c NOTE Tuplet brackets collide if notes are high on staff
445 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=1]
446 \times 2/3 { c8[ c c] }
447 \once \override TupletNumber
448 #'text = #tuplet-number::calc-fraction-text
452 \once \override TupletNumber #'transparent = ##t
453 \times 2/3 { c8[ c c] }
454 \times 2/3 { c8[ c c] }
461 @ruser{The tweak command}.
464 @node The Internals Reference manual
465 @section The Internals Reference manual
467 @cindex Internals Reference
470 * Properties of layout objects::
471 * Properties found in interfaces::
472 * Types of properties::
475 @node Properties of layout objects
476 @subsection Properties of layout objects
478 @cindex properties of layout objects
479 @cindex properties of grobs
480 @cindex grobs, properties of
481 @cindex layout objects, properties of
482 @cindex Internals Reference manual
484 Suppose you have a slur in a score which, to your mind,
485 appears too thin and you'd like to draw it a little heavier.
486 How do you go about doing this? You know from the statements
487 earlier about the flexibility of LilyPond that such a thing
488 should be possible, and you would probably guess that an
489 @code{\override} command would be needed. But is there a
490 heaviness property for a slur, and if there is, how might it
491 be modified? This is where the Internals Reference manual
492 comes in. It contains all the information you might need to
493 construct this and all other @code{\override} commands.
495 Before we look at the Internals Reference a word of warning.
496 This is a @strong{reference} document, which means there is
497 little or no explanation contained within it: its purpose is
498 to present information precisely and concisely. This
499 means it might look daunting at first sight. Don't worry!
500 The guidance and explanation presented here will enable you
501 to extract the information from the Internals Reference for
502 yourself with just a little practice.
504 @cindex override example
505 @cindex Internals Reference, example of using
506 @cindex @code{\addlyrics} example
508 Let's use a concrete example with a simple fragment of real
511 @c Mozart, Die Zauberflöte Nr.7 Duett
513 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
518 r4 bes8 bes[( g]) g |
519 g8[( es]) es d[( f]) as |
523 The man who | feels love's sweet e -- | mo -- tion
528 Suppose now that we decide we would like the slurs to be a
529 little heavier. Is this possible? The slur is certainly a
530 layout object, so the question is, @q{Is there a property
531 belonging to a slur which controls the heaviness?} To answer
532 this we must look in the Internals Reference, or IR for short.
534 The IR for the version of LilyPond you are using may be found
535 on the LilyPond website at @uref{http://lilypond.org}. Go to the
536 documentation page and click on the Internals Reference link.
537 For learning purposes you should use the standard HTML version,
538 not the @q{one big page} or the PDF. For the next few
539 paragraphs to make sense you will need to actually do this
542 Under the heading @strong{Top} you will see five links. Select
543 the link to the @emph{Backend}, which is where information about
544 layout objects is to be found. There, under the heading
545 @strong{Backend}, select the link to @emph{All layout objects}.
546 The page that appears lists all the layout objects used in your
547 version of LilyPond, in alphabetic order. Select the link to
548 Slur, and the properties of Slurs are listed.
550 An alternative way of finding this page is from the Notation
551 Reference. On one of the pages that deals with slurs you may find a
552 link to the Internals Reference. This link will take you directly to
553 this page, but if you have an idea about the name of the layout object
554 to be tweaked, it is easier to go straight to the IR and search there.
556 This Slur page in the IR tells us first that Slur objects are created
557 by the Slur_engraver. Then it lists the standard settings. Note
558 these are @strong{not} in alphabetic order. Browse down them looking
559 for a property that might control the heaviness of slurs, and you
563 @code{thickness} (number)
565 Line thickness, generally measured in @code{line-thickness}
568 This looks a good bet to change the heaviness. It tells us that
569 the value of @code{thickness} is a simple @emph{number},
570 that the default value is 1.2, and that the units are
571 in another property called @code{line-thickness}.
573 As we said earlier, there are few to no explanations in the IR,
574 but we already have enough information to try changing the
575 slur thickness. We see that the name of the layout object
576 is @code{Slur}, that the name of the property to change is
577 @code{thickness} and that the new value should be a number
578 somewhat larger than 1.2 if we are to make slurs thicker.
580 We can now construct the @code{\override} command by simply
581 substituting the values we have found for the names, omitting
582 the context. Let's use a very large value for the thickness
583 at first, so we can be sure the command is working. We get:
586 \override Slur #'thickness = #5.0
589 Don't forget the @code{#'} preceding the
590 property name and a@tie{}@code{#} preceding the new value!
592 The final question is, @q{Where should this command be
593 placed?} While you are unsure and learning, the best
594 answer is, @q{Within the music, before the first slur and
595 close to it.} Let's do that:
597 @cindex Slur example of overriding
598 @cindex thickness property, example
600 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
605 % Increase thickness of all following slurs from 1.2 to 5.0
606 \override Slur #'thickness = #5.0
607 r4 bes8 bes[( g]) g |
608 g8[( es]) es d[( f]) as |
612 The man who | feels love's sweet e -- | mo -- tion
618 and we see that the slur is indeed heavier.
620 So this is the basic way of constructing @code{\override}
621 commands. There are a few more complications that we
622 shall meet in later sections, but you now know all the
623 essentials required to make up your own -- but you will
624 still need some practice. This is provided in the examples
627 @subheading Finding the context
629 @cindex context, finding
630 @cindex context, identifying correct
632 But first, what if we had needed to specify the Context?
633 What should it be? We could guess that slurs are in
634 the Voice context, as they are clearly closely associated
635 with individual lines of music, but can we be sure? To
636 find out, go back to the top of the IR page describing the
637 Slur, where it says @q{Slur objects are created by: Slur
638 engraver}. So slurs will be created in whichever context
639 the @code{Slur_engraver} is in. Follow the link to the
640 @code{Slur_engraver} page. At the very bottom it tells
641 us that @code{Slur_engraver} is part of five Voice contexts,
642 including the standard voice context, @code{Voice}, so our
643 guess was correct. And because @code{Voice} is one of the
644 lowest level contexts which is implied unambiguously by
645 the fact that we are entering notes, we can omit it in this
648 @subheading Overriding once only
650 @cindex overriding once only
651 @cindex once override
656 As you can see, @emph{all} the slurs are thicker in the final example
657 above. But what if we wanted just the first slur to be thicker? This
658 is achieved with the @code{\once} command. Placed immediately before
659 the @code{\override} command it causes it to change only the slur
660 which begins on the @strong{immediately following} note. If the
661 immediately following note does not begin a slur the command has no
662 effect at all -- it is not remembered until a slur is encountered, it
663 is simply discarded. So the command with @code{\once} must be
664 repositioned as follows:
666 @cindex Slur, example of overriding
667 @cindex thickness property, example
669 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
675 % Increase thickness of immediately following slur only
676 \once \override Slur #'thickness = #5.0
678 g8[( es]) es d[( f]) as |
682 The man who | feels love's sweet e -- | mo -- tion
688 Now only the first slur is made heavier.
690 The @code{\once} command can also be used before the @code{\set}
693 @subheading Reverting
696 @cindex default properties, reverting to
701 Finally, what if we wanted just the first two slurs to be
702 heavier? Well, we could use two commands, each preceded by
703 @code{\once} placed immediately before each of the notes where
706 @cindex Slur, example of overriding
707 @cindex thickness property, example
709 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
715 % Increase thickness of immediately following slur only
716 \once \override Slur #'thickness = #5.0
718 % Increase thickness of immediately following slur only
719 \once \override Slur #'thickness = #5.0
720 g8[( es]) es d[( f]) as |
724 The man who | feels love's sweet e -- | mo -- tion
730 or we could omit the @code{\once} command and use the @code{\revert}
731 command to return the @code{thickness} property to its default value
732 after the second slur:
734 @cindex Slur, example of overriding
735 @cindex thickness property, example
737 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
743 % Increase thickness of all following slurs from 1.2 to 5.0
744 \override Slur #'thickness = #5.0
747 % Revert thickness of all following slurs to default of 1.2
748 \revert Slur #'thickness
753 The man who | feels love's sweet e -- | mo -- tion
759 The @code{\revert} command can be used to return any property
760 changed with @code{\override} back to its default value.
761 You may use whichever method best suits what you want to do.
763 That concludes our introduction to the IR, and the basic
764 method of tweaking. Several examples follow in the later
765 sections of this Chapter, partly to introduce you to some of the
766 additional features of the IR, and partly to give you more
767 practice in extracting information from it. These examples will
768 contain progressively fewer words of guidance and explanation.
771 @node Properties found in interfaces
772 @subsection Properties found in interfaces
775 @cindex interface properties
776 @cindex properties in interfaces
778 Suppose now that we wish to print the lyrics in italics. What form of
779 @code{\override} command do we need to do this? We first look in the
780 IR page listing @q{All layout objects}, as before, and look for an
781 object that might control lyrics. We find @code{LyricText}, which
782 looks right. Clicking on this shows the settable properties for lyric
783 text. These include the @code{font-series} and @code{font-size}, but
784 nothing that might give an italic shape. This is because the shape
785 property is one that is common to all font objects, so, rather than
786 including it in every layout object, it is grouped together with other
787 similar common properties and placed in an @strong{Interface}, the
788 @code{font-interface}.
790 So now we need to learn how to find the properties of interfaces,
791 and to discover what objects use these interface properties.
793 Look again at the IR page which describes LyricText. At the bottom of
794 the page is a list of clickable interfaces which LyricText supports.
795 The list has several items, including @code{font-interface}. Clicking
796 on this brings up the properties associated with this interface, which
797 are also properties of all the objects which support it, including
800 Now we see all the user-settable properties which control fonts,
801 including @code{font-shape(symbol)}, where @code{symbol} can be
802 set to @code{upright}, @code{italics} or @code{caps}.
804 You will notice that @code{font-series} and @code{font-size} are also
805 listed there. This immediately raises the question: Why are the
806 common font properties @code{font-series} and @code{font-size} listed
807 under @code{LyricText} as well as under the interface
808 @code{font-interface} but @code{font-shape} is not? The answer is
809 that @code{font-series} and @code{font-size} are changed from their
810 global default values when a @code{LyricText} object is created, but
811 @code{font-shape} is not. The entries in @code{LyricText} then tell
812 you the values for those two properties which apply to
813 @code{LyricText}. Other objects which support @code{font-interface}
814 will set these properties differently when they are created.
816 Let's see if we can now construct the @code{\override} command
817 to change the lyrics to italics. The object is @code{LyricText},
818 the property is @code{font-shape} and the value is
819 @code{italic}. As before, we'll omit the context.
821 As an aside, although it is an important one, note that because the
822 values of @code{font-shape} are symbols they must be introduced with a
823 single apostrophe, @code{'}. That is why apostrophes are needed
824 before @code{thickness} in the earlier example and @code{font-shape}.
825 These are both symbols too. Symbols are then read internally by
826 LilyPond. Some of them are the names of properties, like
827 @code{thickness} or @code{font-shape}, others are used as values that
828 can be given to properties, like @code{italic}. Note the distinction
829 from arbitrary text strings, which would appear as @code{"a text
830 string"}; for more details about symbols and strings, see
831 @rextend{Scheme tutorial}.
833 So we see that the @code{\override} command needed to print the lyrics
837 \override LyricText #'font-shape = #'italic
841 This should be placed just in front of the lyrics we wish to affect,
844 @cindex font-shape property, example
845 @cindex italic, example
846 @cindex LyricText, example of overriding
847 @cindex @code{\addlyrics}, example
849 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
854 r4 bes8 bes[( g]) g |
855 g8[( es]) es d[( f]) as |
859 \override LyricText #'font-shape = #'italic
860 The man who | feels love's sweet e -- | mo -- tion
866 and the lyrics are all printed in italics.
868 @subheading Specifying the context in lyric mode
870 @cindex context, specifying in lyric mode
871 @cindex lyric mode, specifying context
873 In the case of lyrics, if you try specifying the context in the
874 format given earlier the command will fail. A syllable
875 entered in lyricmode is terminated by either a space,
876 a newline or a digit. All other characters are included
877 as part of the syllable. For this reason a space or newline
878 must appear before the terminating @code{@}} to prevent it being
879 included as part of the final syllable. Similarly,
880 spaces must be inserted before and after the
881 period or dot, @q{.}, separating the context name from the
882 object name, as otherwise the two names are run together and
883 the interpreter cannot recognize them. So the command should be:
886 \override Lyrics . LyricText #'font-shape = #'italic
889 @warning{In lyrics always leave whitespace between the final
890 syllable and the terminating brace.}
892 @warning{In overrides in lyrics always place spaces around
893 the dot between the context name and the object name.}
897 Extending: @rextend{Scheme tutorial}.
900 @node Types of properties
901 @subsection Types of properties
903 @cindex property types
905 So far we have seen two types of property: @code{number} and
906 @code{symbol}. To be valid, the value given to a property
907 must be of the correct type and obey the rules for that type.
908 The type of property is always shown in brackets after the
909 property name in the IR. Here is a list of the types you may
910 need, together with the rules for that type, and some examples.
911 You must always add a hash symbol, @code{#}, of course,
912 to the front of these values when they are entered in the
913 @code{\override} command.
915 @multitable @columnfractions .2 .45 .35
916 @headitem Property type
920 @tab Either True or False, represented by #t or #f
921 @tab @code{#t}, @code{#f}
922 @item Dimension (in staff space)
923 @tab A positive decimal number (in units of staff space)
924 @tab @code{2.5}, @code{0.34}
926 @tab A valid direction constant or its numerical equivalent (decimal
927 values between -1 and 1 are allowed)
928 @tab @code{LEFT}, @code{CENTER}, @code{UP},
929 @code{1}, @w{@code{-1}}
931 @tab A positive whole number
932 @tab @code{3}, @code{1}
934 @tab A set of values separated by spaces, enclosed in parentheses
935 and preceded by an apostrophe
936 @tab @code{'(left-edge staff-bar)}, @code{'(1)},
937 @code{'(1.0 0.25 0.5)}
939 @tab Any valid markup
940 @tab @code{\markup @{ \italic "cresc." @}}
942 @tab A fraction of a whole note constructed with the
944 @tab @code{(ly:make-moment 1 4)},
945 @code{(ly:make-moment 3 8)}
947 @tab Any positive or negative decimal value
948 @tab @code{3.5}, @w{@code{-2.45}}
949 @item Pair (of numbers)
950 @tab Two numbers separated by a @q{space . space} and enclosed
951 in brackets preceded by an apostrophe
952 @tab @code{'(2 . 3.5)}, @code{'(0.1 . -3.2)}
954 @tab Any of the set of permitted symbols for that property,
955 preceded by an apostrophe
956 @tab @code{'italic}, @code{'inside}
958 @tab A procedure, or @code{#f} to cause no action
959 @tab @code{bend::print}, @code{ly:text-interface::print},
962 @tab A list of three items enclosed in parentheses and preceded
963 by apostrophe-hash, @code{'#}.
964 @tab @code{'#(#t #t #f)}
969 Extending: @rextend{Scheme tutorial}.
972 @node Appearance of objects
973 @section Appearance of objects
975 Let us now put what we have learned into practice with a few
976 examples which show how tweaks may be used to change the
977 appearance of the printed music.
980 * Visibility and color of objects::
982 * Length and thickness of objects::
985 @node Visibility and color of objects
986 @subsection Visibility and color of objects
988 In the educational use of music we might wish to print a score
989 with certain elements omitted as an exercise for the student,
990 who is required to supply them. As a simple example,
991 let us suppose the exercise is to supply the missing bar lines
992 in a piece of music. But the bar lines are normally inserted
993 automatically. How do we prevent them printing?
995 Before we tackle this, let us remember that object properties are
996 grouped in what are called @emph{interfaces} -- see @ref{Properties
997 found in interfaces}. This is simply to group together those
998 properties that may be used together to tweak a graphical object -- if
999 one of them is allowed for an object, so are the others. Some objects
1000 then use the properties in some interfaces, others use them from other
1001 interfaces. The interfaces which contain the properties used by a
1002 particular grob are listed in the IR at the bottom of the page
1003 describing that grob, and those properties may be viewed by looking at
1006 We explained how to find information about grobs in @ref{Properties of
1007 layout objects}. Using the same approach, we go to the IR to find the
1008 layout object which prints bar lines. Going via @emph{Backend} and
1009 @emph{All layout objects} we find there is a layout object called
1010 @code{BarLine}. Its properties include two that control its
1011 visibility: @code{break-visibility} and @code{stencil}. Barline also
1012 supports a number of interfaces, including the @code{grob-interface},
1013 where we find the @code{transparent} and the @code{color} properties.
1014 All of these can affect the visibility of bar lines (and, of course,
1015 by extension, many other layout objects too.) Let's consider each of
1020 @cindex stencil property
1022 This property controls the appearance of the bar lines by specifying
1023 the symbol (glyph) which should be printed. In common
1024 with many other properties, it can be set to print nothing by
1025 setting its value to @code{#f}. Let's try it, as before, omitting
1026 the implied Context, @code{Voice}:
1028 @cindex BarLine, example of overriding
1029 @cindex stencil property, example
1031 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1034 \override BarLine #'stencil = ##f
1036 g,8 a16 b8 c d4 e16 |
1041 The bar lines are still printed. What is wrong? Go back to the IR
1042 and look again at the page giving the properties of BarLine. At the
1043 top of the page it says @qq{Barline objects are created by:
1044 Bar_engraver}. Go to the @code{Bar_engraver} page. At the bottom it
1045 gives a list of Contexts in which the bar engraver operates. All of
1046 them are of the type @code{Staff}, so the reason the @code{\override}
1047 command failed to work as expected is because @code{Barline} is not in
1048 the default @code{Voice} context. If the context is specified
1049 incorrectly, the command simply does not work. No error message is
1050 produced, and nothing is logged in the log file. Let's try correcting
1051 it by adding the correct context:
1053 @cindex BarLine, example of overriding
1054 @cindex stencil property, example
1056 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1059 \override Staff.BarLine #'stencil = ##f
1061 g,8 a16 b8 c d4 e16 |
1066 Now the bar lines have vanished.
1068 Note, though, that setting the @code{stencil} property to @code{#f}
1069 will cause errors when the dimensions of the object are required for
1070 correct processing. For example, errors will be generated if the
1071 @code{stencil} property of the @code{NoteHead} object is set to
1072 @code{#f}. If this is the case, you can instead use the
1073 @code{point-stencil} function, which sets the stencil to a object
1076 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
1079 \once \override NoteHead #'stencil = #point-stencil
1084 @subheading break-visibility
1086 @cindex break-visibility property
1088 We see from the @code{BarLine} properties in the IR that the
1089 @code{break-visibility} property requires a vector of three booleans.
1090 These control respectively whether bar lines are printed at the end of
1091 a line, in the middle of lines, and at the beginning of lines. For
1092 our example we want all bar lines to be suppressed, so the value we
1093 need is @code{'#(#f #f #f)}. Let's try that, remembering to include
1094 the @code{Staff} context. Note also that in writing this value we
1095 have @code{#'#} before the opening bracket. The @code{'#} is required
1096 as part of the value to introduce a vector, and the first@tie{}@code{#} is
1097 required, as always, to precede the value itself in the
1098 @code{\override} command.
1100 @cindex BarLine, example of overriding
1101 @cindex break-visibility property, example
1103 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1106 \override Staff.BarLine #'break-visibility = #'#(#f #f #f)
1108 g,8 a16 b8 c d4 e16 |
1113 And we see this too removes all the bar lines.
1115 @subheading transparent
1117 @cindex transparent property
1118 @cindex transparency
1120 We see from the properties specified in the @code{grob-interface} page
1121 in the IR that the @code{transparent} property is a boolean. This
1122 should be set to @code{#t} to make the grob transparent. In this next
1123 example let us make the time signature invisible rather than the bar
1124 lines. To do this we need to find the grob name for the time
1125 signature. Back to the @q{All layout objects} page in the IR to find
1126 the properties of the @code{TimeSignature} layout object. This is
1127 produced by the @code{Time_signature_engraver} which you can check
1128 also lives in the @code{Staff} context and also supports the
1129 @code{grob-interface}. So the command to make the time signature
1132 @cindex TimeSignature, example of overriding
1133 @cindex transparent property, example
1135 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1138 \override Staff.TimeSignature #'transparent = ##t
1140 g,8 a16 b8 c d4 e16 |
1146 The time signature is gone, but this command leaves a gap where
1147 the time signature should be. Maybe this is what is wanted for
1148 an exercise for the student to fill it in, but in other
1149 circumstances a gap might be undesirable. To remove it, the
1150 stencil for the time signature should be set to @code{#f}
1153 @cindex TimeSignature, example of overriding
1154 @cindex stencil property, example
1156 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1159 \override Staff.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f
1161 g,8 a16 b8 c d4 e16 |
1167 and the difference is obvious: setting the stencil to @code{#f}
1168 removes the object entirely; making the object @code{transparent}
1169 leaves it where it is, but makes it invisible.
1173 @cindex color property
1175 Finally let us try making the bar lines invisible by coloring
1176 them white. (There is a difficulty with this in that the
1177 white bar line may or may not blank out the staff lines where
1178 they cross. You may see in some of the examples below that this
1179 happens unpredictably. The details of why this is so and how to
1180 control it are covered in @ruser{Painting objects white}. But at
1181 the moment we are learning about color, so please just accept this
1182 limitation for now.)
1184 The @code{grob-interface} specifies that the
1185 color property value is a list, but there is no
1186 explanation of what that list should be. The list it
1187 requires is actually a list of values in internal units,
1188 but, to avoid having to know what these are, several ways
1189 are provided to specify colors. The first way is to use one
1190 of the @q{normal} colors listed in the first table in
1191 @ruser{List of colors}. To set the bar lines to white
1194 @cindex BarLine, example of overriding
1195 @cindex color property, example
1197 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1200 \override Staff.BarLine #'color = #white
1202 g,8 a16 b8 c d4 e16 |
1208 and again, we see the bar lines are not visible. Note that
1209 @emph{white} is not preceded by an apostrophe -- it is not
1210 a symbol, but a @emph{function}. When called, it provides
1211 the list of internal values required to set the color to
1212 white. The other colors in the normal list are functions
1213 too. To convince yourself this is working you might like
1214 to change the color to one of the other functions in the
1222 The second way of changing the color is to use the list of
1223 X11 color names in the second list in @ruser{List of colors}.
1224 However, these must be preceded by another function, which
1225 converts X11 color names into the list of internal values,
1226 @code{x11-color}, like this:
1228 @cindex BarLine, example of overriding
1229 @cindex color property, example
1231 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1234 \override Staff.BarLine #'color = #(x11-color 'white)
1236 g,8 a16 b8 c d4 e16 |
1242 Note that in this case the function @code{x11-color} takes
1243 a symbol as an argument, so the symbol must be preceded by
1244 an apostrophe and the two enclosed in brackets.
1251 There is yet a third function, one which converts RGB values into
1252 internal colors -- the @code{rgb-color} function. This takes
1253 three arguments giving the intensities of the red, green and
1254 blue colors. These take values in the range 0 to 1. So to
1255 set the color to red the value should be @code{(rgb-color 1 0 0)}
1256 and to white it should be @code{(rgb-color 1 1 1)}:
1258 @cindex BarLine, example of overriding
1259 @cindex color property, example
1261 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1264 \override Staff.BarLine #'color = #(rgb-color 1 1 1)
1266 g,8 a16 b8 c d4 e16 |
1271 Finally, there is also a grey scale available as part of the
1272 X11 set of colors. These range from black, @code{'grey0'},
1273 to white, @code{'grey100}, in steps of 1. Let's illustrate
1274 this by setting all the layout objects in our example to
1275 various shades of grey:
1277 @cindex StaffSymbol, example of overriding
1278 @cindex TimeSignature, example of overriding
1279 @cindex Clef, example of overriding
1280 @cindex NoteHead, example of overriding
1281 @cindex Stem, example of overriding
1282 @cindex BarLine, example of overriding
1283 @cindex color property, example
1284 @cindex x11-color, example of using
1286 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1289 \override Staff.StaffSymbol #'color = #(x11-color 'grey30)
1290 \override Staff.TimeSignature #'color = #(x11-color 'grey60)
1291 \override Staff.Clef #'color = #(x11-color 'grey60)
1292 \override Voice.NoteHead #'color = #(x11-color 'grey85)
1293 \override Voice.Stem #'color = #(x11-color 'grey85)
1294 \override Staff.BarLine #'color = #(x11-color 'grey10)
1296 g,8 a16 b8 c d4 e16 |
1302 Note the contexts associated with each of the layout objects.
1303 It is important to get these right, or the commands will not
1304 work! Remember, the context is the one in which the appropriate
1305 engraver is placed. The default context for engravers can be
1306 found by starting from the layout object, going from there to
1307 the engraver which produces it, and on the engraver page in the
1308 IR it tells you in which context the engraver will normally be
1312 @node Size of objects
1313 @subsection Size of objects
1315 @cindex changing size of objects
1316 @cindex size of objects
1317 @cindex objects, size of
1318 @cindex objects, changing size of
1320 Let us begin by looking again at the earlier example
1321 see @ref{Nesting music expressions}) which showed
1322 how to introduce a new temporary staff, as in an @rglos{ossia}.
1324 @cindex alignAboveContext property, example
1325 @cindex @code{\with}, example
1327 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1328 \new Staff ="main" {
1335 alignAboveContext = #"main" }
1343 Ossia are normally written without clef and time signature, and
1344 are usually printed slightly smaller than the main staff. We
1345 already know now how to remove the clef and time signature --
1346 we simply set the stencil of each to @code{#f}, as follows:
1348 @cindex alignAboveContext property, example
1349 @cindex @code{\with}, example
1350 @cindex stencil property, example
1351 @cindex Clef, example of overriding
1352 @cindex TimeSignature, example of overriding
1354 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1355 \new Staff ="main" {
1362 alignAboveContext = #"main"
1365 \override Staff.Clef #'stencil = ##f
1366 \override Staff.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f
1376 where the extra pair of braces after the @code{\with} clause are
1377 required to ensure the enclosed overrides and music are applied
1380 But what is the difference between modifying the staff context by
1381 using @code{\with} and modifying the stencils of the clef and the
1382 time signature with \override? The main difference is that
1383 changes made in a @code{\with} clause are made at the time the
1384 context is created, and remain in force as the @strong{default}
1385 values for the duration of that context, whereas
1386 @code{\set} or @code{\override} commands embedded in the
1387 music are dynamic -- they make changes synchronized with
1388 a particular point in the music. If changes are unset or
1389 reverted using @code{\unset} or @code{\revert} they return to
1390 their default values, which will be the ones set in the
1391 @code{\with} clause, or if none have been set there, the normal
1394 Some context properties can be modified only in @code{\with} clauses.
1395 These are those properties which cannot sensibly be changed after the
1396 context has been created. @code{alignAboveContext} and its partner,
1397 @code{alignBelowContext}, are two such properties -- once the staff
1398 has been created its alignment is decided and it would make no sense
1399 to try to change it later.
1401 The default values of layout object properties can also be set
1402 in @code{\with} clauses. Simply use the normal @code{\override}
1403 command leaving out the context name, since this is unambiguously
1404 defined as the context which the @code{\with} clause is modifying.
1405 If fact, an error will be generated if a context is specified
1408 So we could replace the example above with
1410 @cindex alignAboveContext property, example
1411 @cindex @code{\with}, example
1412 @cindex Clef, example of overriding
1413 @cindex TimeSignature, example of overriding
1415 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1416 \new Staff ="main" {
1423 alignAboveContext = #"main"
1424 % Don't print clefs in this staff
1425 \override Clef #'stencil = ##f
1426 % Don't print time signatures in this staff
1427 \override TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f
1436 Finally we come to changing the size of layout objects.
1438 Some layout objects are created as glyphs selected from a typeface
1439 font. These include note heads, accidentals, markup, clefs, time
1440 signatures, dynamics and lyrics. Their size is changed by modifying
1441 the @code{font-size} property, as we shall shortly see. Other layout
1442 objects such as slurs and ties -- in general, spanner objects -- are
1443 drawn individually, so there is no @code{font-size} associated with
1444 them. These objects generally derive their size from the objects to
1445 which they are attached, so usually there is no need to change their
1446 size manually. Still other properties such as the length of stems and
1447 bar lines, thickness of beams and other lines, and the separation of
1448 staff lines all need to be modified in special ways.
1450 Returning to the ossia example, let us first change the font-size.
1451 We can do this in two ways. We can either change the size of the
1452 fonts of each object type, like @code{NoteHead}s with commands
1456 \override NoteHead #'font-size = #-2
1459 or we can change the size of all fonts by setting a special
1460 property, @code{fontSize}, using @code{\set}, or by including
1461 it in a @code{\with} clause (but without the @code{\set}).
1467 Both of these statements would cause the font size to be reduced
1468 by 2 steps from its previous value, where each
1469 step reduces or increases the size by approximately 12%.
1471 Let's try it in our ossia example:
1473 @cindex alignAboveContext property, example
1474 @cindex @code{\with}, example
1475 @cindex Clef, example of overriding
1476 @cindex TimeSignature, example of overriding
1477 @cindex fontSize property, example
1479 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1480 \new Staff ="main" {
1487 alignAboveContext = #"main"
1488 \override Clef #'stencil = ##f
1489 \override TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f
1490 % Reduce all font sizes by ~24%
1500 This is still not quite right. The note heads and flags are
1501 smaller, but the stems are too long in proportion and the
1502 staff lines are spaced too widely apart. These need to be
1503 scaled down in proportion to the font reduction. The next
1504 sub-section discusses how this is done.
1506 @node Length and thickness of objects
1507 @subsection Length and thickness of objects
1513 @cindex size, changing
1514 @cindex stem length, changing
1515 @cindex staff line spacing, changing
1517 Distances and lengths in LilyPond are generally measured in
1518 staff-spaces, the distance between adjacent lines in the staff,
1519 (or occasionally half staff spaces) while most @code{thickness}
1520 properties are measured in units of an internal property called
1521 @code{line-thickness.} For example, by default, the lines of
1522 hairpins are given a thickness of 1 unit of @code{line-thickness},
1523 while the @code{thickness} of a note stem is 1.3. Note, though,
1524 that some thickness properties are different; for example, the
1525 thickness of beams is controlled by the value of the
1526 @code{beam-thickness} property, which is measured in staff-spaces.
1528 So how are lengths to be scaled in proportion to the font size?
1529 This can be done with the help of a special function called
1530 @code{magstep} provided for exactly this purpose. It takes
1531 one argument, the change in font size (#-2 in the example above)
1532 and returns a scaling factor suitable for reducing other
1533 objects in proportion. It is used like this:
1535 @cindex alignAboveContext property, example
1536 @cindex @code{\with}, example
1537 @cindex Clef, example of overriding
1538 @cindex TimeSignature, example of overriding
1539 @cindex fontSize property, example
1540 @cindex StaffSymbol, example of overriding
1541 @cindex magstep function, example of using
1542 @cindex staff-space property, example
1543 @cindex stencil property, example
1545 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1546 \new Staff ="main" {
1553 alignAboveContext = #"main"
1554 \override Clef #'stencil = ##f
1555 \override TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f
1557 % Reduce stem length and line spacing to match
1558 \override StaffSymbol #'staff-space = #(magstep -2)
1568 Since the length of stems and many other length-related properties are
1569 always calculated relative to the value of the @code{staff-space}
1570 property these are automatically scaled down in length too. Note that
1571 this affects only the vertical scale of the ossia -- the horizontal
1572 scale is determined by the layout of the main music in order to remain
1573 synchronized with it, so it is not affected by any of these changes in
1574 size. Of course, if the scale of all the main music were changed in
1575 this way then the horizontal spacing would be affected. This is
1576 discussed later in the layout section.
1578 This, then, completes the creation of an ossia. The sizes and
1579 lengths of all other objects may be modified in analogous ways.
1581 For small changes in scale, as in the example above, the
1582 thickness of the various drawn lines such as bar lines,
1583 beams, hairpins, slurs, etc does not usually require global
1584 adjustment. If the thickness of any particular layout object
1585 needs to be adjusted this can be best achieved by overriding its
1586 @code{thickness} property. An example of changing the thickness
1587 of slurs was shown above in @ref{Properties of layout objects}.
1588 The thickness of all drawn objects (i.e., those not produced
1589 from a font) may be changed in the same way.
1592 @node Placement of objects
1593 @section Placement of objects
1596 * Automatic behavior::
1597 * Within-staff objects::
1598 * Outside-staff objects::
1602 @node Automatic behavior
1603 @subsection Automatic behavior
1605 @cindex within-staff objects
1606 @cindex outside-staff objects
1607 @cindex objects, within-staff
1608 @cindex objects, outside-staff
1610 There are some objects in musical notation that belong to
1611 the staff and there are other objects that should be
1612 placed outside the staff. These are called within-staff
1613 objects and outside-staff objects respectively.
1615 Within-staff objects are those that are located on the staff
1616 -- note heads, stems, accidentals, etc. The positions of
1617 these are usually fixed by the music itself -- they are
1618 vertically positioned on specific lines of the staff or are
1619 tied to other objects that are so positioned. Collisions of
1620 note heads, stems and accidentals in closely set chords are
1621 normally avoided automatically. There are commands and
1622 overrides which can modify this automatic behavior, as we
1625 Objects belonging outside the staff include things such as
1626 rehearsal marks, text and dynamic markings. LilyPond's rule for
1627 the vertical placement of outside-staff objects is to place them
1628 as close to the staff as possible but not so close that they
1629 collide with any other object. LilyPond uses the
1630 @code{outside-staff-priority} property to determine the order in
1631 which the objects should be placed, as follows.
1633 First, LilyPond places all the within-staff objects.
1634 Then it sorts the outside-staff objects according to their
1635 @code{outside-staff-priority}. The outside-staff objects are
1636 taken one by one, beginning with the object with the lowest
1637 @code{outside-staff-priority}, and placed so that they do not
1638 collide with any objects that have already been placed. That is,
1639 if two outside-staff grobs are competing for the same space, the
1640 one with the lower @code{outside-staff-priority} will be placed
1641 closer to the staff. If two objects have the same
1642 @code{outside-staff-priority} the one encountered first will be
1643 placed closer to the staff.
1645 In the following example all the markup texts have the same
1646 priority (since it is not explicitly set). Note that @q{Text3}
1647 is automatically positioned close to the staff again, nestling
1650 @cindex markup example
1652 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1659 Staves are also positioned, by default, as closely together as
1660 possible (subject to a minimum separation). If notes project
1661 a long way towards an adjacent staff they will force the
1662 staves further apart only if an overlap of the notation
1663 would otherwise occur. The following example demonstrates
1664 this @q{nestling} of the notes on adjacent staves:
1666 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
1669 \relative c' { c4 a, }
1672 \relative c'''' { c4 a, }
1678 @node Within-staff objects
1679 @subsection Within-staff objects
1681 We have already seen how the commands @code{\voiceXXX} affect
1682 the direction of slurs, ties, fingering and
1683 everything else which depends on the direction of the stems.
1684 These commands are essential when writing polyphonic music to
1685 permit interweaving melodic lines to be distinguished.
1686 But occasionally it may be necessary to override this automatic
1687 behavior. This can be done for whole sections of music or even
1688 for an individual note. The property which controls this
1689 behavior is the @code{direction} property of each layout object.
1690 We first explain what this does, and then introduce a number of
1691 ready-made commands which avoid your having to code explicit
1692 overrides for the more common modifications.
1694 Some layout objects like slurs and ties curve, bend or point
1695 either up or down; others like stems and flags also move to
1696 right or left when they point up or down. This is controlled
1697 automatically when @code{direction} is set.
1704 The following example shows in bar 1 the default behavior of stems,
1705 with those on high notes pointing down and those on low notes pointing
1706 up, followed by four notes with all stems forced down, four notes with
1707 all stems forced up, and finally four notes reverted back to the
1710 @cindex Stem, example of overriding
1711 @cindex direction property, example
1713 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
1715 \override Stem #'direction = #DOWN
1717 \override Stem #'direction = #UP
1719 \revert Stem #'direction
1723 Here we use the constants @code{DOWN} and @code{UP}.
1724 These have the values @w{@code{-1}} and @code{+1} respectively, and
1725 these numerical values may be used instead. The value @code{0}
1726 may also be used in some cases. It is simply treated as meaning
1727 @code{UP} for stems, but for some objects it means @q{center}.
1728 There is a constant, @code{CENTER} which has the value @code{0}.
1730 However, these explicit overrides are not usually used, as there are
1731 simpler equivalent predefined commands available. Here is a table of
1732 the commonest. The meaning of each is stated where it is not obvious.
1734 @multitable @columnfractions .2 .2 .25 .35
1739 @item @code{\arpeggioArrowDown}
1740 @tab @code{\arpeggioArrowUp}
1741 @tab @code{\arpeggioNormal}
1742 @tab Arrow is at bottom, at top, or no arrow
1743 @item @code{\dotsDown}
1745 @tab @code{\dotsNeutral}
1746 @tab Direction of movement to avoid staff lines
1747 @item @code{\dynamicDown}
1748 @tab @code{\dynamicUp}
1749 @tab @code{\dynamicNeutral}
1751 @item @code{\phrasingSlurDown}
1752 @tab @code{\phrasingSlurUp}
1753 @tab @code{\phrasingSlurNeutral}
1754 @tab Note: distinct from slur commands
1755 @item @code{\slurDown}
1757 @tab @code{\slurNeutral}
1759 @item @code{\stemDown}
1761 @tab @code{\stemNeutral}
1763 @item @code{\textSpannerDown}
1764 @tab @code{\textSpannerUp}
1765 @tab @code{\textSpannerNeutral}
1766 @tab Text entered as spanner is below/above staff
1767 @item @code{\tieDown}
1769 @tab @code{\tieNeutral}
1771 @item @code{\tupletDown}
1772 @tab @code{\tupletUp}
1773 @tab @code{\tupletNeutral}
1774 @tab Tuplets are below/above notes
1777 Note that these predefined commands may @strong{not} be
1778 preceded by @code{\once}. If you wish to limit the
1779 effect to a single note you must either use the equivalent
1780 @code{\once \override} command or use the predefined command
1781 followed after the affected note by the corresponding
1782 @code{\xxxNeutral} command.
1784 @unnumberedsubsubsec Fingering
1786 @cindex fingering, placement
1787 @cindex fingering, chords
1789 The placement of fingering on single notes can also be controlled
1790 by the @code{direction} property, but changing @code{direction}
1791 has no effect on chords. As we shall see, there are special
1792 commands which allow the fingering of individual notes
1793 of chords to be controlled, with the fingering being placed
1794 above, below, to the left or to the right of each note.
1796 First, here's the effect of @code{direction} on the fingering
1797 attached to single notes. The first bar shows the default
1798 behaviour, and the following two bars shows the effect of
1799 specifying @code{DOWN} and @code{UP}:
1801 @cindex Fingering, example of overriding
1802 @cindex direction property, example
1804 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
1806 \override Fingering #'direction = #DOWN
1808 \override Fingering #'direction = #UP
1812 However, overriding the @code{direction} property is not the
1813 easiest way of manually setting the fingering above or below
1814 the notes; using @code{_} or @code{^} instead of @code{-} before
1815 the fingering number is usually preferable. Here is the previous
1816 example using this method:
1818 @cindex fingering example
1820 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
1826 The @code{direction} property is ignored for chords, but the
1827 directional prefixes, @code{_} and @code{^} do work. By default,
1828 the fingering is automatically placed both above and below the
1829 notes of a chord, as shown:
1831 @cindex fingering example
1833 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
1840 but this may be overridden to manually force all or any of the
1841 individual fingering numbers above or below:
1843 @cindex fingering example
1845 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
1851 Even greater control over the placement of fingering of the
1852 individual notes in a chord is possible by using the
1853 @code{\set fingeringOrientations} command. The format of this
1857 @code{\set fingeringOrientations = #'([up] [left/right] [down])}
1861 @code{\set} is used because @code{fingeringOrientations} is a
1862 property of the @code{Voice} context, created and used by the
1863 @code{New_fingering_engraver}.
1865 The property may be set to a list of one to three values.
1866 It controls whether fingerings may be placed above (if
1867 @code{up} appears in the list), below (if @code{down} appears),
1868 to the left (if @code{left} appears, or to the right
1869 (if @code{right} appears). Conversely, if a location is not
1870 listed, no fingering is placed there. LilyPond takes these
1871 constraints and works out the best placement for the fingering
1872 of the notes of the following chords. Note that @code{left} and
1873 @code{right} are mutually exclusive -- fingering may be placed
1874 only on one side or the other, not both.
1876 @warning{To control the placement of the fingering of a single
1877 note using this command it is necessary to write it as a single
1878 note chord by placing angle brackets round it.}
1880 Here are a few examples:
1882 @cindex fingering example
1883 @cindex @code{\set}, example of using
1884 @cindex fingeringOrientations property, example
1886 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
1887 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(left)
1890 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(left)
1892 <c-1 e-2 g-3 b-5>4 |
1893 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(up left down)
1896 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(up left)
1898 <c-1 e-2 g-3 b-5>4 |
1899 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
1905 If the fingering seems a little crowded the @code{font-size}
1906 could be reduced. The default value can be seen from the
1907 @code{Fingering} object in the IR to be @w{@code{-5}}, so let's
1910 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
1911 \override Fingering #'font-size = #-7
1912 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(left)
1915 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(left)
1917 <c-1 e-2 g-3 b-5>4 |
1918 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(up left down)
1921 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(up left)
1923 <c-1 e-2 g-3 b-5>4 |
1924 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
1929 @node Outside-staff objects
1930 @subsection Outside-staff objects
1932 Outside-staff objects are automatically placed to avoid collisions.
1933 Objects with the lower value of the @code{outside-staff-priority}
1934 property are placed nearer to the staff, and other outside-staff
1935 objects are then raised as far as necessary to avoid collisions.
1936 The @code{outside-staff-priority} is defined in the
1937 @code{grob-interface} and so is a property of all layout objects.
1938 By default it is set to @code{#f} for all within-staff objects,
1939 and to a numerical value appropriate to each outside-staff object
1940 when the object is created. The following table shows the default
1941 numerical values for some of the commonest outside-staff objects.
1945 Note the unusual names for some of the objects: spanner objects
1946 are automatically created to control the vertical positioning of
1947 grobs which (might) start and end at different musical moments, so
1948 changing the @code{outside-staff-priority} of the underlying grob
1949 will have no effect. For example, changing
1950 @code{outside-staff-priority} of the @code{Hairpin} object will
1951 have no effect on the vertical positioning of hairpins -- you must
1952 change @code{outside-staff-priority} of the associated
1953 @code{DynamicLineSpanner} object instead. This override must be
1954 placed at the start of the spanner, which might include several
1955 linked hairpins and dynamics.
1957 @multitable @columnfractions .3 .3 .3
1958 @headitem Layout Object
1960 @tab Controls position of:
1961 @item @code{RehearsalMark}
1963 @tab Rehearsal marks
1964 @item @code{MetronomeMark}
1966 @tab Metronome marks
1967 @item @code{VoltaBracketSpanner}
1970 @item @code{TextScript}
1973 @item @code{MultiMeasureRestText}
1975 @tab Markup text over full-bar rests
1976 @item @code{OttavaBracket}
1978 @tab Ottava brackets
1979 @item @code{TextSpanner}
1982 @item @code{DynamicLineSpanner}
1984 @tab All dynamic markings
1985 @item @code{BarNumber}
1988 @item @code{TrillSpanner}
1990 @tab Spanning trills
1993 Here is an example showing the default placement of some of
1996 @cindex text spanner
1997 @cindex ottava bracket
1999 @funindex \startTextSpan
2000 @funindex startTextSpan
2001 @funindex \stopTextSpan
2002 @funindex stopTextSpan
2004 @cindex TextSpanner, example of overriding
2005 @cindex bound-details property, example
2007 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
2008 % Set details for later Text Spanner
2009 \override TextSpanner #'(bound-details left text)
2010 = \markup { \small \bold Slower }
2011 % Place dynamics above staff
2013 % Start Ottava Bracket
2016 % Add Dynamic Text and hairpin
2022 % Add Dynamic Text and terminate hairpin
2023 c4\ff c \stopTextSpan |
2024 % Stop Ottava Bracket
2029 This example also shows how to create Text Spanners --
2030 text with extender lines above a section of music. The
2031 spanner extends from the @code{\startTextSpan} command to
2032 the @code{\stopTextSpan} command, and the format of the
2033 text is defined by the @code{\override TextSpanner} command.
2034 For more details see @ruser{Text spanners}.
2036 It also shows how ottava brackets are created.
2038 @cindex tweaking bar number placement
2039 @cindex bar numbers, tweaking placement
2040 @cindex tweaking metronome mark placement
2041 @cindex metronome mark, tweaking placement
2042 @cindex tweaking rehearsal mark placement
2043 @cindex rehearsal marks, tweaking placement
2045 If the default values of @code{outside-staff-priority} do not give you
2046 the placing you want, the priority of any of the objects may be
2047 overridden. Suppose we would like the ottava bracket to be placed
2048 below the text spanner in the example above. All we need to do is to
2049 look up the priority of @code{OttavaBracket} in the IR or in the
2050 tables above, and reduce it to a value lower than that of a
2051 @code{TextSpanner}, remembering that @code{OttavaBracket} is created
2052 in the @code{Staff} context:
2054 @cindex TextSpanner, example of overriding
2055 @cindex bound-details property, example
2057 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
2058 % Set details for later Text Spanner
2059 \override TextSpanner #'(bound-details left text)
2060 = \markup { \small \bold Slower }
2061 % Place dynamics above staff
2063 % Place following Ottava Bracket below Text Spanners
2064 \once \override Staff.OttavaBracket #'outside-staff-priority = #340
2065 % Start Ottava Bracket
2070 % Add Dynamic Line Spanner
2076 c4\ff c \stopTextSpan |
2077 % Stop Ottava Bracket
2082 Note that some of these objects, in particular bar numbers,
2083 metronome marks and rehearsal marks, live by default in the
2084 @code{Score} context, so be sure to use the correct context
2085 when these are being overriden.
2087 @cindex slurs and outside-staff-priority
2088 @cindex slurs and articulations
2089 @cindex articulations and slurs
2091 Slurs by default are classed as within-staff objects, but
2092 they often appear above the staff if the notes to
2093 which they are attached are high on the staff. This can push
2094 outside-staff objects such as articulations too high, as the slur
2095 will be placed first. The @code{avoid-slur} property of the
2096 articulation can be set to @code{'inside} to bring the articulation
2097 inside the slur, but the @code{avoid-slur} property is effective
2098 only if the @code{outside-staff-priority} is also set to @code{#f}.
2099 Alternatively, the @code{outside-staff-priority} of the slur
2100 can be set to a numerical value to cause it to be placed along with
2101 other outside-staff objects according to that value. Here's an
2102 example showing the effect of the two methods:
2104 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
2105 c4( c^\markup { \tiny \sharp } d4.) c8 |
2107 \once \override TextScript #'avoid-slur = #'inside
2108 \once \override TextScript #'outside-staff-priority = ##f
2109 c4^\markup { \tiny \sharp } d4.) c8 |
2110 \once \override Slur #'outside-staff-priority = #500
2111 c4( c^\markup { \tiny \sharp } d4.) c8 |
2114 Changing the @code{outside-staff-priority} can also be used to
2115 control the vertical placement of individual objects, although
2116 the results may not always be desirable. Suppose we would
2117 like @qq{Text3} to be placed above @qq{Text4} in the example
2118 under Automatic behavior, above (see @ref{Automatic behavior}).
2119 All we need to do is to look up the priority of @code{TextScript}
2120 in the IR or in the tables above, and increase the priority of
2121 @qq{Text3} to a higher value:
2123 @cindex TextScript, example of overriding
2124 @cindex outside-staff-priority property, example
2126 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
2129 \once \override TextScript #'outside-staff-priority = #500
2134 This certainly lifts @qq{Text3} above @qq{Text4} but it also lifts it
2135 above @qq{Text2}, and @qq{Text4} now drops down. Perhaps this is not
2136 so good. What we would really like to do is to position all the
2137 annotation at the same distance above the staff. To do this, we
2138 clearly will need to space the notes out horizontally to make more
2139 room for the text. This is done using the @code{textLengthOn}
2142 @subheading \textLengthOn
2144 @cindex notes, spreading out with text
2146 @funindex \textLengthOn
2147 @funindex textLengthOn
2148 @funindex \textLengthOff
2149 @funindex textLengthOff
2151 By default, text produced by markup takes up no horizontal space
2152 as far as laying out the music is concerned. The @code{\textLengthOn}
2153 command reverses this behavior, causing the notes to be spaced
2154 out as far as is necessary to accommodate the text:
2156 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
2157 \textLengthOn % Cause notes to space out to accommodate text
2164 The command to revert to the default behavior is
2165 @code{\textLengthOff}. Remember @code{\once} only works with
2166 @code{\override}, @code{\set}, @code{\revert} or @code{unset},
2167 so cannot be used with @code{\textLengthOn}.
2169 @cindex markup text, allowing collisions
2171 Markup text will also avoid notes which project above the staff.
2172 If this is not desired, the automatic displacement upwards may
2173 be turned off by setting the priority to @code{#f}. Here's an
2174 example to show how markup text interacts with such notes.
2176 @cindex TextScript, example of overriding
2177 @cindex outside-staff-priority property, example
2179 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
2180 % This markup is short enough to fit without collision
2184 % This is too long to fit, so it is displaced upwards
2188 % Turn off collision avoidance
2189 \once \override TextScript #'outside-staff-priority = ##f
2190 c,,2^"Long Text " c'' |
2193 % Turn off collision avoidance
2194 \once \override TextScript #'outside-staff-priority = ##f
2195 \textLengthOn % and turn on textLengthOn
2196 c,,2^"Long Text " % Spaces at end are honored
2201 @subheading Dynamics
2203 @cindex tweaking dynamics placement
2204 @cindex dynamics, tweaking placement
2206 Dynamic markings will normally be positioned beneath the
2207 staff, but may be positioned above with the @code{dynamicUp}
2208 command. They will be positioned vertically relative to the
2209 note to which they are attached, and will float below (or above)
2210 all within-staff objects such as phrasing slurs and bar numbers.
2211 This can give quite acceptable results, as this example
2214 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=1]
2219 bes4.~\f\< \( bes4 bes8 des4\ff\> c16 bes\! |
2220 ees,2.~\)\mf ees4 r8 |
2223 However, if the notes and attached dynamics are close
2224 together the automatic placement will avoid collisions
2225 by displacing later dynamic markings further away, but this may
2226 not be the optimum placement, as this rather artificial example
2229 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
2235 Should a similar situation arise in @q{real} music, it may be
2236 preferable to space out the notes a little further, so the dynamic
2237 markings can all fit at the same vertical distance from the staff. We
2238 were able to do this for markup text by using the @code{\textLengthOn}
2239 command, but there is no equivalent command for dynamic marks. So we
2240 shall have to work out how to do this using @code{\override} commands.
2242 @subheading Grob sizing
2245 @cindex sizing grobs
2247 First we must learn how grobs are sized. All grobs have a
2248 reference point defined within them which is used to position
2249 them relative to their parent object. This point in the grob
2250 is then positioned at a horizontal distance, @code{X-offset},
2251 and at a vertical distance, @code{Y-offset}, from its parent.
2252 The horizontal extent of the object is given by a pair of
2253 numbers, @code{X-extent}, which say where the left and right
2254 edges are relative to the reference point. The vertical extent
2255 is similarly defined by a pair of numbers, @code{Y-extent}.
2256 These are properties of all grobs which support the
2257 @code{grob-interface}.
2259 @cindex @code{extra-spacing-width}
2261 By default, outside-staff objects are given a width of zero so
2262 that they may overlap in the horizontal direction. This is done
2263 by the trick of adding infinity to the leftmost extent and
2264 minus infinity to the rightmost extent by setting the
2265 @code{extra-spacing-width} to @code{'(+inf.0 . -inf.0)}. So
2266 to ensure they do not overlap in the horizontal direction we
2267 must override this value of @code{extra-spacing-width} to
2268 @code{'(0 . 0)} so the true width shines through. This is
2269 the command to do this for dynamic text:
2272 \override DynamicText #'extra-spacing-width = #'(0 . 0)
2276 Let's see if this works in our previous example:
2278 @cindex DynamicText, example of overriding
2279 @cindex extra-spacing-width property, example
2281 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
2283 \override DynamicText #'extra-spacing-width = #'(0 . 0)
2284 a4\f b\mf c\mp b\p |
2288 Well, it has certainly stopped the dynamic marks being
2289 displaced, but two problems remain. The marks should be
2290 spaced a little further apart and it would be better
2291 if they were all the same distance from the staff.
2292 We can solve the first problem easily. Instead of making
2293 the @code{extra-spacing-width} zero we could add a little
2294 more to it. The units are the space between two staff
2295 lines, so moving the left edge half a unit to the left and the
2296 right edge half a unit to the right should do it:
2298 @cindex DynamicText, example of overriding
2299 @cindex extra-spacing-width property, example
2301 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
2303 % Extend width by 1 staff space
2304 \override DynamicText #'extra-spacing-width = #'(-0.5 . 0.5)
2309 This looks better, but maybe we would prefer the dynamic marks
2310 to be aligned along the same baseline rather than going up and
2311 down with the notes. The property to do this is
2312 @code{staff-padding} which is covered in the following section.
2315 @node Collisions of objects
2316 @section Collisions of objects
2320 * Fixing overlapping notation::
2321 * Real music example::
2324 @node Moving objects
2325 @subsection Moving objects
2327 @cindex moving overlapping objects
2328 @cindex moving colliding objects
2329 @cindex moving colliding grobs
2330 @cindex objects, moving colliding
2331 @cindex grobs, moving colliding
2333 This may come as a surprise, but LilyPond is not perfect. Some
2334 notation elements can overlap. This is unfortunate, but in fact
2335 rather rare. Usually the need to move objects is for clarity or
2336 aesthetic reasons -- they would look better with a little more
2337 or a little less space around them.
2339 There are three main approaches to resolving overlapping
2340 notation. They should be considered in the following order:
2344 The @strong{direction} of one of the overlapping objects may
2345 be changed using the predefined commands listed above for
2346 within-staff objects (see @ref{Within-staff objects}).
2347 Stems, slurs, beams, ties, dynamics, text and tuplets may be
2348 repositioned easily in this way. The limitation is that you
2349 have a choice of only two positions, and neither may be
2353 The @strong{object properties}, which LilyPond uses when positioning
2354 layout objects, may be modified using @code{\override}. The
2355 advantages of making changes to this type of property are (a) that
2356 some other objects will be moved automatically if necessary to make
2357 room and (b) the single override can apply to all instances of the
2358 same type of object. Such properties include:
2365 This has already been covered in some detail -- see
2366 @ref{Within-staff objects}.
2369 @code{padding}, @code{right-padding}, @code{staff-padding}
2372 @cindex padding property
2373 @cindex right-padding property
2374 @cindex staff-padding property
2376 As an object is being positioned the value of its @code{padding}
2377 property specifies the gap that must be left between itself and the
2378 nearest edge of the object against which it is being positioned. Note
2379 that it is the @code{padding} value of the object @strong{being
2380 placed} that is used; the @code{padding} value of the object which is
2381 already placed is ignored. Gaps specified by @code{padding} can be
2382 applied to all objects which support the
2383 @code{side-position-interface}.
2385 Instead of @code{padding}, the placement of groups of accidentals
2386 is controlled by @code{right-padding}. This property is to be found
2387 in the @code{AccidentalPlacement} object which, note, lives in the
2388 @strong{Staff} context. In the typesetting process the note heads
2389 are typeset first and then the accidentals, if any, are added to the
2390 left of the note heads using the @code{right-padding} property to determine
2391 the separation from the note heads and between individual accidentals.
2392 So only the @code{right-padding} property of the @code{AccidentalPlacement}
2393 object has any effect on the placement of the accidentals.
2395 The @code{staff-padding} property is closely related to the
2396 @code{padding} property: @code{padding} controls the minimum amount of
2397 space between any object which supports the
2398 @code{side-position-interface} and the nearest other object (generally
2399 the note or the staff lines); @code{staff-padding} applies only to
2400 those objects which are always set outside the staff -- it controls
2401 the minimum amount of space that should be inserted between that
2402 object and the staff. Note that @code{staff-padding} has no effect on
2403 objects which are positioned relative to the note rather than the
2404 staff, even though it may be overridden without error for such objects
2405 -- it is simply ignored.
2407 To discover which padding property is required for the object you wish
2408 to reposition, you need to return to the IR and look up the object's
2409 properties. Be aware that the padding properties might not be located
2410 in the obvious object, so look in objects that appear to be related.
2412 All padding values are measured in staff spaces. For most
2413 objects, this value is set by default to be around 1.0 or less
2414 (it varies with each object). It may be overridden if a larger
2415 (or smaller) gap is required.
2418 @code{self-alignment-X}
2420 @cindex self-alignment-X property
2422 This property can be used to align the object to the left, to
2423 the right, or to center it with respect to the parent object's
2424 reference point. It may be used with all objects which support
2425 the @code{self-alignment-interface}. In general these are objects
2426 that contain text. The values are @code{LEFT}, @code{RIGHT}
2427 or @code{CENTER}. Alternatively, a numerical value between
2428 @w{@code{-1}} and @code{+1} may be specified, where @w{@code{-1}} is
2429 left-aligned, @code{+1} is right-aligned, and numbers in between
2430 move the text progressively from left-aligned to right-aligned.
2431 Numerical values greater than @code{1} may be specified to move
2432 the text even further to the left, or less than @w{@code{-1}} to
2433 move the text even further to the right. A change of @code{1}
2434 in the value corresponds to a movement of half the text's length.
2437 @code{extra-spacing-width}
2439 @cindex extra-spacing-width property
2441 This property is available for all objects which support the
2442 @code{item-interface}. It takes two numbers, the first is added
2443 to the leftmost extent and the second is added to the rightmost
2444 extent. Negative numbers move the edge to the left, positive to
2445 the right, so to widen an object the first number must be negative,
2446 the second positive. Note that not all objects honor both
2447 numbers. For example, the @code{Accidental} object only takes
2448 notice of the first (left edge) number.
2451 @code{staff-position}
2453 @cindex staff-position property
2455 @code{staff-position} is a property of the
2456 @code{staff-symbol-referencer-interface}, which is supported by
2457 objects which are positioned relative to the staff. It specifies
2458 the vertical position of the object relative to the center line
2459 of the staff in half staff-spaces. It is useful in resolving
2460 collisions between layout objects like multi-measure rests, ties
2461 and notes in different voices.
2466 @cindex force-hshift property
2468 Closely spaced notes in a chord, or notes occurring at the same
2469 time in different voices, are arranged in two, occasionally more,
2470 columns to prevent the note heads overlapping. These are called
2471 note columns, and an object called @code{NoteColumn} is created
2472 to lay out the notes in that column.
2474 The @code{force-hshift} property is a property of a @code{NoteColumn}
2475 (actually of the @code{note-column-interface}). Changing it permits a
2476 note column to be moved in units appropriate to a note column,
2477 viz. the note head width of the first voice note. It should be used
2478 in complex situations where the normal @code{\shiftOn} commands (see
2479 @ref{Explicitly instantiating voices}) do not resolve the note
2480 conflict. It is preferable to the @code{extra-offset} property for
2481 this purpose as there is no need to work out the distance in
2482 staff-spaces, and moving the notes into or out of a @code{NoteColumn}
2483 affects other actions such as merging note heads.
2488 Finally, when all else fails, objects may be manually repositioned
2489 relative to the staff center line vertically, or by displacing them by
2490 any distance to a new position. The disadvantages are that the
2491 correct values for the repositioning have to be worked out, often by
2492 trial and error, for every object individually, and, because the
2493 movement is done after LilyPond has placed all other objects, the user
2494 is responsible for avoiding any collisions that might ensue. But the
2495 main difficulty with this approach is that the repositioning values
2496 may need to be reworked if the music is later modified. The
2497 properties that can be used for this type of manual repositioning are:
2502 @cindex extra-offset property
2504 This property applies to any layout object supporting the
2505 @code{grob-interface}. It takes a pair of numbers which specify the
2506 extra displacement in the horizontal and vertical directions.
2507 Negative numbers move the object to the left or down. The units are
2508 staff-spaces. The extra displacement is made after the typesetting of
2509 objects is finished, so an object may be repositioned anywhere without
2510 affecting anything else.
2514 @cindex positions property
2516 This is most useful for manually adjusting the slope and height
2517 of beams, slurs, and tuplets. It takes a pair of numbers
2518 giving the position of the left and right ends of the beam, slur,
2519 etc. relative to the center line of the staff. Units are
2520 staff-spaces. Note, though, that slurs and phrasing slurs cannot
2521 be repositioned by arbitrarily large amounts. LilyPond first
2522 generates a list of possible positions for the slur and by default
2523 finds the slur that @qq{looks best}. If the @code{positions}
2524 property has been overridden the slur that is closest to the
2525 requested positions is selected from the list.
2530 A particular object may not have all of these properties.
2531 It is necessary to go to the IR to look up which properties
2532 are available for the object in question.
2534 Here is a list of the objects which are most likely to be
2535 involved in collisions, together with the name of the object which
2536 should be looked up in the IR in order to discover which properties
2537 should be used to move them.
2539 @multitable @columnfractions .5 .5
2540 @headitem Object type @tab Object name
2541 @item Articulations @tab @code{Script}
2542 @item Beams @tab @code{Beam}
2543 @item Dynamics (vertically) @tab @code{DynamicLineSpanner}
2544 @item Dynamics (horizontally) @tab @code{DynamicText}
2545 @item Fingerings @tab @code{Fingering}
2546 @item Rehearsal / Text marks @tab @code{RehearsalMark}
2547 @item Slurs @tab @code{Slur}
2548 @item Text e.g. @code{^"text"} @tab @code{TextScript}
2549 @item Ties @tab @code{Tie}
2550 @item Tuplets @tab @code{TupletBracket}
2554 @node Fixing overlapping notation
2555 @subsection Fixing overlapping notation
2557 Let's now see how the properties in the previous section can
2558 help to resolve overlapping notation.
2560 @subheading padding property
2563 @cindex fixing overlapping notation
2564 @cindex overlapping notation
2566 The @code{padding} property can be set to increase
2567 (or decrease) the distance between symbols that are printed
2568 above or below notes.
2570 @cindex Script, example of overriding
2571 @cindex padding property, example
2573 @lilypond[quote,fragment,relative=1,verbatim]
2575 \override Script #'padding = #3
2579 @cindex MetronomeMark, example of overriding
2580 @cindex padding property, example
2582 @lilypond[quote,fragment,relative=1,verbatim]
2583 % This will not work, see below
2584 \override MetronomeMark #'padding = #3
2588 \override Score.MetronomeMark #'padding = #3
2593 Note in the second example how important it is to figure out what
2594 context handles a certain object. Since the @code{MetronomeMark}
2595 object is handled in the @code{Score} context, property changes in the
2596 @code{Voice} context will not be noticed. For more details, see
2597 @ruser{Modifying properties}.
2599 If the @code{padding} property of an object is increased when that
2600 object is in a stack of objects being positioned according to
2601 their @code{outside-staff-priority}, then that object and all
2602 objects outside it are moved.
2605 @subheading right-padding
2607 @cindex right-padding property
2609 The @code{right-padding} property affects the spacing between the
2610 accidental and the note to which it applies. It is not often
2611 required, but the default spacing may be wrong for certain special
2612 accidental glyphs or combination of glyphs used in some microtonal
2613 music. These have to be entered by overriding the accidental
2614 stencil with a markup containing the desired symbol(s), like this:
2616 @cindex Accidental, example of overriding
2617 @cindex text property, example
2618 @cindex stencil property, example
2619 @cindex AccidentalPlacement, example of overriding
2620 @cindex right-padding property, example
2622 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
2623 sesquisharp = \markup { \sesquisharp }
2626 % This prints a sesquisharp but the spacing is too small
2627 \once \override Accidental
2628 #'stencil = #ly:text-interface::print
2629 \once \override Accidental #'text = #sesquisharp
2631 % This improves the spacing
2632 \once \override Score.AccidentalPlacement #'right-padding = #0.6
2633 \once \override Accidental
2634 #'stencil = #ly:text-interface::print
2635 \once \override Accidental #'text = #sesquisharp
2641 This necessarily uses an override for the accidental stencil which
2642 will not be covered until later. The stencil type must be a
2643 procedure, here changed to print the contents of the @code{text}
2644 property of @code{Accidental}, which itself is set to be a
2645 sesquisharp sign. This sign is then moved further away from the
2646 note head by overriding @code{right-padding}.
2650 @subheading staff-padding property
2652 @cindex aligning objects on a baseline
2653 @cindex objects, aligning on a baseline
2655 @code{staff-padding} can be used to align objects such as dynamics
2656 along a baseline at a fixed height above the staff, rather than at a
2657 height dependent on the position of the note to which they are
2658 attached. It is not a property of @code{DynamicText} but of
2659 @code{DynamicLineSpanner}. This is because the baseline should apply
2660 equally to @strong{all} dynamics, including those created as extended
2661 spanners. So this is the way to align the dynamic marks in the
2662 example taken from the previous section:
2664 @cindex DynamicText, example of overriding
2665 @cindex extra-spacing-width property, example
2666 @cindex DynamicLineSpanner, example of overriding
2667 @cindex staff-padding property, example
2669 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=2]
2671 % Extend width by 1 unit
2672 \override DynamicText #'extra-spacing-width = #'(-0.5 . 0.5)
2673 % Align dynamics to a base line 2 units above staff
2674 \override DynamicLineSpanner #'staff-padding = #2
2679 @subheading self-alignment-X property
2681 The following example shows how this can resolve the collision
2682 of a string fingering object with a note's stem by aligning the
2683 right edge with the reference point of the parent note:
2685 @cindex StringNumber, example of overriding
2686 @cindex self-alignment-X property, example
2688 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim,relative=3]
2691 \once \override StringNumber #'self-alignment-X = #RIGHT
2695 @subheading staff-position property
2697 @cindex object collision within a staff
2699 Multimeasure rests in one voice can collide with notes in another.
2700 Since these rests are typeset centered between the bar lines, it
2701 would require significant effort for LilyPond to figure out which
2702 other notes might collide with it, since all the current collision
2703 handling between notes and between notes and rests is done only
2704 for notes and rests that occur at the same time. Here's an
2705 example of a collision of this type:
2707 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right, relative=1]
2708 << { c4 c c c } \\ { R1 } >>
2711 The best solution here is to move the multimeasure rest down, since
2712 the rest is in voice two. The default in @code{\voiceTwo} (i.e. in
2713 the second voice of a @code{<<@{...@} \\ @{...@}>>} construct) is that
2714 @code{staff-position} is set to -4 for MultiMeasureRest, so we need to
2715 move it, say, four half-staff spaces down to @w{@code{-8}}.
2717 @cindex MultiMeasureRest, example of overriding
2718 @cindex staff-position property, example
2720 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right, relative=1]
2724 \override MultiMeasureRest #'staff-position = #-8
2729 This is better than using, for example, @code{extra-offset},
2730 because the ledger line above the rest is inserted automatically.
2732 @subheading extra-offset property
2734 @cindex positioning objects
2735 @cindex positioning grobs
2736 @cindex objects, positioning
2737 @cindex grobs, positioning
2739 The @code{extra-offset} property provides complete control over the
2740 positioning of an object both horizontally and vertically.
2742 In the following example, the second fingering is moved a little to
2743 the left, and 1.8 staff space downwards:
2745 @cindex Fingering, example of overriding
2746 @cindex extra-offset property, example
2748 @lilypond[quote,fragment,relative=1,verbatim]
2751 \once \override Fingering #'extra-offset = #'(-0.3 . -1.8)
2756 @subheading positions property
2758 @cindex controlling tuplets, slurs, phrasing slurs, and beams manually
2759 @cindex manually controlling tuplets, slurs, phrasing slurs, and beams
2760 @cindex tuplet beams, controlling manually
2761 @cindex slurs, controlling manually
2762 @cindex phrasing slurs, controlling manually
2763 @cindex beams, controlling manually
2765 The @code{positions} property allows the position and slope of
2766 tuplets, slurs, phrasing slurs and beams to be controlled manually.
2767 Here's an example which has an ugly phrasing slur due to its trying to
2768 avoid the slur on the acciaccatura.
2770 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right,relative=1]
2771 r4 \acciaccatura e8\( d8 c~ c d c d\)
2775 We could simply move the phrasing slur above the notes, and this
2776 would be the preferred solution:
2778 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right,relative=1]
2781 \acciaccatura e8\( d8 c~ c d c d\)
2785 But if there were some reason why this could not be done the
2786 other alternative would be to move the left end of the phrasing
2787 slur down a little using the @code{positions} property. This
2788 also resolves the rather nasty shape.
2790 @cindex PhrasingSlur, example of overriding
2791 @cindex positions property, example
2793 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right,relative=1]
2795 \once \override PhrasingSlur #'positions = #'(-4 . -3)
2796 \acciaccatura e8\( d8 c~ c d c d\)
2799 Here's a further example. We see that the beams
2800 collide with the ties:
2802 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right]
2806 { c'1 ~ c'2. e'8 f' }
2808 { e''8 e'' e'' e'' e'' e'' e'' e'' f''2 g'' }
2811 { c'1 ~ c'2. e'8 f' }
2813 { e''8 e'' e'' e'' e'' e'' e'' e'' f''2 g'' }
2819 This can be resolved by manually moving both ends of the beam
2820 up from their position at 1.81 staff-spaces below the center line to,
2823 @cindex Beam, example of overriding
2824 @cindex positions property, example
2826 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right]
2830 { c'1 ~ c'2. e'8 f' }
2833 \override Beam #'positions = #'(-1 . -1)
2834 e''8 e'' e'' e'' e'' e'' e'' e'' f''2 g''
2838 { c'1 ~ c'2. e'8 f' }
2840 { e''8 e'' e'' e'' e'' e'' e'' e'' f''2 g'' }
2846 Note that the override continues to apply in the first voice of
2847 the second measure of eighth notes, but not to any of the beams in the
2850 @subheading force-hshift property
2852 We can now see how to apply the final corrections to the Chopin
2853 example introduced at the end of @ref{I'm hearing Voices}, which
2854 was left looking like this:
2856 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right]
2857 \new Staff \relative c'' {
2874 The lower two notes of the first chord (i.e, those in the third voice)
2875 should not be shifted away from the note column of the higher two
2876 notes. To correct this we set @code{force-hshift}, which is a
2877 property of @code{NoteColumn}, of these notes to zero. The lower note
2878 of the second chord is best placed just to the right of the higher
2879 notes. We achieve this by setting @code{force-hshift} of this note to
2880 0.5, ie half a note head's width to the right of the note column of
2883 Here's the final result:
2885 @cindex NoteColumn, example of overriding
2886 @cindex force-hshift property, example
2888 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right]
2889 \new Staff \relative c'' {
2898 \once \override NoteColumn #'force-hshift = #0
2900 \once \override NoteColumn #'force-hshift = #0.5
2909 @node Real music example
2910 @subsection Real music example
2912 We end this section on Tweaks by showing the steps to be taken to
2913 deal with a tricky example which needs several tweaks to produce
2914 the desired output. The example has been deliberately chosen to
2915 illustrate the use of the Notation Reference to resolve unusual
2916 problems with notation. It is not representative of the more usual
2917 engraving process, so please do not let these difficulties put
2918 you off! Fortunately, difficulties like these are not very common!
2920 The example is from Chopin's Première Ballade, Op. 23, bars 6 to
2921 9, the transition from the opening Lento to Moderato.
2922 Here, first, is what we want the output to look like, but to avoid
2923 over-complicating the example too much we have left out the
2924 dynamics, fingering and pedalling.
2926 @c The following should appear as music without code
2927 @c This example should not be indexed
2928 @c line-width ensures no break
2929 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,line-width=6\in]
2930 rhMusic = \relative c'' {
2933 \once \override Tie #'staff-position = #3.5
2937 \mergeDifferentlyHeadedOn
2938 \mergeDifferentlyDottedOn
2939 bes2.^\markup { \bold "Moderato" } r8
2945 % Reposition the c2 to the right of the merged note
2946 \once \override NoteColumn #'force-hshift = #1.0
2947 % Move the c2 out of the main note column so the merge will work
2954 % Stem on the d2 must be down to permit merging
2956 % Stem on the d2 should be invisible
2957 \once \override Stem #'transparent = ##t
2958 \once \override Flag #'transparent = ##t
2966 \mergeDifferentlyHeadedOff
2967 \mergeDifferentlyDottedOff
2972 lhMusic = \relative c' {
2974 <d g, d>1)\arpeggio |
2981 \new Staff = "RH" <<
2985 \new Staff = "LH" <<
2994 We note first that the right hand part in the third bar
2995 requires four voices. These are the five beamed eighth notes,
2996 the tied C, the half-note D which is merged with the eighth note
2997 D, and the dotted quarter note F-sharp, which is also merged with
2998 the eighth note at the same pitch. Everything else is in a single
2999 voice, so the easiest way is to introduce these extra three voices
3000 temporarily at the time they are needed. If you have forgotten
3001 how to do this, look at @ref{I'm hearing Voices} and @ref{Explicitly
3002 instantiating voices}. Here we choose to use explicitly instantiated
3003 voices for the polyphonic passage, as LilyPond is better able to
3004 avoid collisions if all voices are instantiated explicitly in this
3007 So let us begin by entering the notes as two variables, setting up
3008 the staff structure in a score block, and seeing what LilyPond
3009 produces by default:
3011 @c line-width ensures no break
3012 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right,line-width=6\in]
3013 rhMusic = \relative c'' {
3019 % Start polyphonic section of four voices
3021 { c,8 d fis bes a } % continuation of main voice
3035 g2. % continuation of main voice
3039 lhMusic = \relative c' {
3048 \new Staff = "RH" <<
3052 \new Staff = "LH" <<
3061 All the notes are right, but the appearance is far from
3062 satisfactory. The tie collides with the change in time signature,
3063 some notes are not merged together, and several notation elements
3064 are missing. Let's first deal with the easier things. We can
3065 easily add the left hand slur and the right hand phrasing slur,
3066 since these were all covered in the Tutorial. Doing this gives:
3068 @c line-width ensures no break
3069 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right,line-width=6\in]
3070 rhMusic = \relative c'' {
3076 % Start polyphonic section of four voices
3078 { c,8 d fis bes a } % continuation of main voice
3092 g2.\) % continuation of main voice
3096 lhMusic = \relative c' {
3105 \new Staff = "RH" <<
3109 \new Staff = "LH" <<
3118 The first bar is now correct. The second bar contains an arpeggio and
3119 is terminated by a double bar line. How do we do these, as they have
3120 not been mentioned in this Learning Manual? This is where we need to
3121 turn to the Notation Reference. Looking up @q{arpeggio} and @q{bar
3122 line} in the index quickly shows us that an arpeggio is produced by
3123 appending @code{\arpeggio} to a chord, and a double bar line is
3124 produced by the @code{\bar "||"} command. That's easily done. We
3125 next need to correct the collision of the tie with the time signature.
3126 This is best done by moving the tie upwards. Moving objects was
3127 covered earlier in @ref{Moving objects}, which says that objects
3128 positioned relative to the staff can be moved vertically by overriding
3129 their @code{staff-position} property, which is specified in half staff
3130 spaces relative to the center line of the staff. So the following
3131 override placed just before the first tied note would move the tie up
3132 to 3.5 half staff spaces above the center line:
3134 @code{\once \override Tie #'staff-position = #3.5}
3136 This completes bar two, giving:
3138 @c line-width ensures no break
3139 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right,line-width=6\in]
3140 rhMusic = \relative c'' {
3143 \once \override Tie #'staff-position = #3.5
3148 % Start polyphonic section of four voices
3150 { c,8 d fis bes a } % continuation of main voice
3164 g2.\) % continuation of main voice
3168 lhMusic = \relative c' {
3170 <d g, d>1)\arpeggio |
3177 \new Staff = "RH" <<
3181 \new Staff = "LH" <<
3190 On to bar three and the start of the Moderato section. The tutorial
3191 showed how to add bold text with the @code{\markup} command, so
3192 adding @qq{Moderato} in bold is easy. But how do we merge notes in
3193 different voices together? This is where we need to turn again to
3194 the Notation Reference for help. A search for @qq{merge} in the
3195 Notation Reference index quickly leads us to the commands for merging
3196 differently headed and differently dotted notes in
3197 @ruser{Collision resolution}. In our example we need to merge both
3198 types of note for the duration of the polyphonic section in bar 3,
3199 so using the information we find in the Notation Reference we add
3202 \mergeDifferentlyHeadedOn
3203 \mergeDifferentlyDottedOn
3207 to the start of that section and
3210 \mergeDifferentlyHeadedOff
3211 \mergeDifferentlyDottedOff
3217 @c line-width ensures no break
3218 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,line-width=6\in]
3219 rhMusic = \relative c'' {
3222 \once \override Tie #'staff-position = #3.5
3226 bes2.^\markup { \bold "Moderato" } r8
3227 \mergeDifferentlyHeadedOn
3228 \mergeDifferentlyDottedOn
3229 % Start polyphonic section of four voices
3231 { c,8 d fis bes a } % continuation of main voice
3245 \mergeDifferentlyHeadedOff
3246 \mergeDifferentlyDottedOff
3247 g2.\) % continuation of main voice
3251 lhMusic = \relative c' {
3253 <d g, d>1)\arpeggio |
3260 \new Staff = "RH" <<
3264 \new Staff = "LH" <<
3273 These overrides have merged the two F-sharp notes, but not the two
3274 on D. Why not? The answer is there in the same section in the
3275 Notation Reference -- notes being merged must have stems in
3276 opposite directions and two notes cannot be merged successfully if
3277 there is a third note in the same note column. Here the two D's
3278 both have upward stems and there is a third note -- the C. We know
3279 how to change the stem direction using @code{\stemDown}, and
3280 the Notation Reference also says how to move the C -- apply a shift
3281 using one of the @code{\shift} commands. But which one?
3282 The C is in voice two which has shift off, and the two D's are in
3283 voices one and three, which have shift off and shift on,
3284 respectively. So we have to shift the C a further level still
3285 using @code{\shiftOnn} to avoid it interfering with the two D's.
3286 Applying these changes gives:
3288 @cindex Tie, example of overriding
3289 @cindex staff-position property, example
3291 @c line-width ensures no break
3292 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right,line-width=6\in]
3293 rhMusic = \relative c'' {
3296 \once \override Tie #'staff-position = #3.5
3300 bes2.^\markup { \bold "Moderato" } r8
3301 \mergeDifferentlyHeadedOn
3302 \mergeDifferentlyDottedOn
3303 % Start polyphonic section of four voices
3305 { c,8 d fis bes a } % continuation of main voice
3308 % Move the c2 out of the main note column so the merge will work
3313 % Stem on the d2 must be down to permit merging
3321 \mergeDifferentlyHeadedOff
3322 \mergeDifferentlyDottedOff
3323 g2.\) % continuation of main voice
3327 lhMusic = \relative c' {
3329 <d g, d>1)\arpeggio |
3336 \new Staff = "RH" <<
3340 \new Staff = "LH" <<
3349 Nearly there. Only two problems remain: The downward stem on the
3350 merged D should not be there, and the C would be better positioned
3351 to the right of the D's. We know how to do both of these from the
3352 earlier tweaks: we make the stem transparent, and move the C with
3353 the @code{force-hshift} property. Here's the final result:
3355 @cindex NoteColumn, example of overriding
3356 @cindex force-hshift property, example
3357 @cindex Stem, example of overriding
3358 @cindex transparent property, example
3360 @c line-width ensures no break
3361 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right,line-width=6\in]
3362 rhMusic = \relative c'' {
3365 \once \override Tie #'staff-position = #3.5
3369 bes2.^\markup { \bold "Moderato" } r8
3370 \mergeDifferentlyHeadedOn
3371 \mergeDifferentlyDottedOn
3372 % Start polyphonic section of four voices
3374 { c,8 d fis bes a } % continuation of main voice
3378 % Reposition the c2 to the right of the merged note
3379 \once \override NoteColumn #'force-hshift = #1.0
3380 % Move the c2 out of the main note column so the merge will work
3387 % Stem on the d2 must be down to permit merging
3389 % Stem on the d2 should be invisible
3390 \once \override Stem #'transparent = ##t
3391 \once \override Flag #'transparent = ##t
3399 \mergeDifferentlyHeadedOff
3400 \mergeDifferentlyDottedOff
3401 g2.\) % continuation of main voice
3405 lhMusic = \relative c' {
3407 <d g, d>1)\arpeggio |
3414 \new Staff = "RH" <<
3418 \new Staff = "LH" <<
3428 @node Further tweaking
3429 @section Further tweaking
3432 * Other uses for tweaks::
3433 * Using variables for tweaks::
3435 * Other sources of information::
3436 * Advanced tweaks with Scheme::
3439 @node Other uses for tweaks
3440 @subsection Other uses for tweaks
3442 @cindex transparent property, use of
3443 @cindex objects, making invisible
3444 @cindex removing objects
3445 @cindex objects, removing
3446 @cindex hiding objects
3447 @cindex objects, hiding
3448 @cindex invisible objects
3449 @cindex objects, invisible
3450 @cindex tying notes across voices
3452 @subheading Tying notes across voices
3454 The following example demonstrates how to connect notes in
3455 different voices using ties. Normally, only two notes in the
3456 same voice can be connected with ties. By using two voices,
3457 with the tied notes in one of them
3459 @lilypond[quote,fragment,relative=2]
3460 << { b8~ b\noBeam } \\ { b8[ g] } >>
3464 and blanking the first up-stem in that voice, the tie appears to
3467 @cindex Stem, example of overriding
3468 @cindex transparent property, example
3470 @lilypond[quote,fragment,relative=2,verbatim]
3473 \once \override Stem #'transparent = ##t
3474 \once \override Flag #'transparent = ##t
3482 To make sure that the just-blanked stem doesn't squeeze the tie
3483 too much, we can lengthen the stem by setting the
3484 @code{length} to @code{8},
3486 @lilypond[quote,fragment,relative=2,verbatim]
3489 \once \override Stem #'transparent = ##t
3490 \once \override Flag #'transparent = ##t
3491 \once \override Stem #'length = #8
3499 @subheading Simulating a fermata in MIDI
3501 @cindex stencil property, use of
3502 @cindex fermata, implementing in MIDI
3504 For outside-staff objects it is usually better to override the
3505 object's @code{stencil} property rather than its @code{transparent}
3506 property when you wish to remove it from the printed output.
3507 Setting the @code{stencil} property of an object to @code{#f} will
3508 remove that object entirely from the printed output. This means it
3509 has no effect on the placement of other objects placed relative to
3512 For example, if we wished to change the metronome setting in order
3513 to simulate a fermata in the MIDI output we would not want the
3514 metronome markings to appear in the printed output, and we would
3515 not want it to influence the spacing between the two systems or
3516 the positions of adjacent annotations on the staff. So setting
3517 its @code{stencil} property to @code{#f} would be the best way.
3518 We show here the effect of the two methods:
3520 @cindex MetronomeMark, example of overriding
3521 @cindex transparent property, example
3523 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
3526 % Visible tempo marking
3529 \once \override Score.MetronomeMark #'transparent = ##t
3530 % Invisible tempo marking to lengthen fermata in MIDI
3533 % New tempo for next section
3542 @cindex MetronomeMark, example of overriding
3543 @cindex stencil property, example
3545 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
3548 % Visible tempo marking
3551 \once \override Score.MetronomeMark #'stencil = ##f
3552 % Invisible tempo marking to lengthen fermata in MIDI
3555 % New tempo for next section
3565 Both methods remove the metronome mark which lengthens the fermata
3566 from the printed output, and both affect the MIDI timing as
3567 required, but the transparent metronome mark in the first line
3568 forces the following tempo indication too high while the
3569 second (with the stencil removed) does not.
3575 @node Using variables for tweaks
3576 @subsection Using variables for tweaks
3578 @cindex variables, using for tweaks
3579 @cindex using variables for tweaks
3580 @cindex tweaks, using variables for
3582 Override commands are often long and tedious to type, and they
3583 have to be absolutely correct. If the same overrides are to be
3584 used many times it may be worth defining variables to hold them.
3586 Suppose we wish to emphasize certain words in lyrics by printing
3587 them in bold italics. The @code{\italic} and @code{\bold}
3588 commands only work within lyrics if they are embedded, together with
3589 the word or words to be modified, within a @code{\markup} block,
3590 which makes them tedious to enter. The need to embed the words
3591 themselves prevents their use in simple variables. As an
3592 alternative can we use @code{\override} and @code{\revert} commands?
3595 @code{\override Lyrics . LyricText #'font-shape = #'italic}
3596 @code{\override Lyrics . LyricText #'font-series = #'bold}
3598 @code{\revert Lyrics . LyricText #'font-shape}
3599 @code{\revert Lyrics . LyricText #'font-series}
3602 These would also be extremely tedious to enter if there were many
3603 words requiring emphasis. But we @emph{can} define these as two
3604 variables and use those to bracket the words to be emphasized.
3605 Another advantage of using variables for these overrides is that
3606 the spaces around the dot are not necessary, since they are not
3607 being interpreted in @code{\lyricmode} directly. Here's an example
3608 of this, although in practice we would choose shorter names
3609 for the variables to make them quicker to type:
3611 @cindex LyricText, example of overriding
3612 @cindex font-shape property, example
3613 @cindex font-series property, example
3615 @lilypond[quote,verbatim]
3617 \override Lyrics.LyricText #'font-shape = #'italic
3618 \override Lyrics.LyricText #'font-series = #'bold
3622 \revert Lyrics.LyricText #'font-shape
3623 \revert Lyrics.LyricText #'font-series
3626 global = { \key c \major \time 4/4 \partial 4 }
3628 SopranoMusic = \relative c' { c4 | e4. e8 g4 g | a4 a g }
3629 AltoMusic = \relative c' { c4 | c4. c8 e4 e | f4 f e }
3630 TenorMusic = \relative c { e4 | g4. g8 c4. b8 | a8 b c d e4 }
3631 BassMusic = \relative c { c4 | c4. c8 c4 c | f8 g a b c4 }
3633 VerseOne = \lyrics {
3634 E -- | ter -- nal \emphasize Fa -- ther, | \normal strong to save,
3637 VerseTwo = \lyricmode {
3638 O | \emphasize Christ, \normal whose voice the | wa -- ters heard,
3641 VerseThree = \lyricmode {
3642 O | \emphasize Ho -- ly Spi -- rit, | \normal who didst brood
3645 VerseFour = \lyricmode {
3646 O | \emphasize Tri -- ni -- ty \normal of | love and pow'r
3653 \new Voice = "Soprano" { \voiceOne \global \SopranoMusic }
3654 \new Voice = "Alto" { \voiceTwo \AltoMusic }
3655 \new Lyrics \lyricsto "Soprano" { \VerseOne }
3656 \new Lyrics \lyricsto "Soprano" { \VerseTwo }
3657 \new Lyrics \lyricsto "Soprano" { \VerseThree }
3658 \new Lyrics \lyricsto "Soprano" { \VerseFour }
3662 \new Voice = "Tenor" { \voiceOne \TenorMusic }
3663 \new Voice = "Bass" { \voiceTwo \BassMusic }
3671 @subsection Style sheets
3673 The output that LilyPond produces can be heavily modified; see
3674 @ref{Tweaking output}, for details. But what if you have many
3675 input files that you want to apply your tweaks to? Or what if you
3676 simply want to separate your tweaks from the actual music? This
3677 is quite easy to do.
3679 Let's look at an example. Don't worry if you don't understand
3680 the parts with all the @code{#()}. This is explained in
3681 @ref{Advanced tweaks with Scheme}.
3683 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
3685 #(make-dynamic-script
3687 #:translate '(5 . 0)
3688 #:line (#:dynamic "mp"
3689 #:text #:italic "dolce")))
3692 #(define-music-function
3693 (parser location string)
3698 'text (markup #:bold (#:box string))))
3702 a4.\mpdolce d8 cis4--\glissando a |
3706 g8(\! fis)-. e( d)-. cis2 |
3710 There are some problems with overlapping output; we'll fix those using
3711 the techniques in @ref{Moving objects}. But let's also
3712 do something about the @code{mpdolce} and @code{inst}
3713 definitions. They produce the output we desire, but we might want
3714 to use them in another piece. We could simply copy-and-paste them
3715 at the top of every file, but that's an annoyance. It also leaves
3716 those definitions in our input files, and I personally find all
3717 the @code{#()} somewhat ugly. Let's hide them in another file:
3720 %%% save this to a file called "definitions.ily"
3722 #(make-dynamic-script
3724 #:translate '(5 . 0)
3725 #:line (#:dynamic "mp"
3726 #:text #:italic "dolce")))
3729 #(define-music-function
3730 (parser location string)
3735 'text (markup #:bold (#:box string))))
3738 We will refer to this file using the @code{\include} command near
3739 the top of the music file. (The extension @file{.ily} is used to
3740 distinguish this included file, which is not meant to be compiled
3741 on its own, from the main file.)
3742 Now let's modify our music (let's save this file as @file{music.ly}).
3744 @c We have to do this awkward example/lilypond-non-verbatim
3745 @c because we can't do the \include stuff in the manual.
3748 \include "definitions.ily"
3752 a4.\mpdolce d8 cis4--\glissando a |
3756 g8(\! fis)-. e( d)-. cis2 |
3760 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right]
3762 #(make-dynamic-script
3764 #:translate '(5 . 0)
3765 #:line (#:dynamic "mp"
3766 #:text #:italic "dolce")))
3769 #(define-music-function
3770 (parser location string)
3775 'text (markup #:bold (#:box string))))
3779 a4.\mpdolce d8 cis4--\glissando a |
3783 g8(\! fis)-. e( d)-. cis2 |
3787 That looks better, but let's make a few changes. The glissando is hard
3788 to see, so let's make it thicker and closer to the note heads. Let's
3789 put the metronome marking above the clef, instead of over the first
3790 note. And finally, my composition professor hates @q{C} time signatures,
3791 so we'd better make that @q{4/4} instead.
3793 Don't change @file{music.ly}, though. Replace our @file{definitions.ily}
3799 #(make-dynamic-script
3801 #:translate '(5 . 0)
3802 #:line (#:dynamic "mp"
3803 #:text #:italic "dolce")))
3806 #(define-music-function
3807 (parser location string)
3812 'text (markup #:bold (#:box string))))
3817 \override MetronomeMark #'extra-offset = #'(-9 . 0)
3818 \override MetronomeMark #'padding = #'3
3822 \override TimeSignature #'style = #'numbered
3826 \override Glissando #'thickness = #3
3827 \override Glissando #'gap = #0.1
3832 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right]
3834 #(make-dynamic-script
3836 #:translate '(5 . 0)
3837 #:line (#:dynamic "mp"
3838 #:text #:italic "dolce")))
3841 #(define-music-function
3842 (parser location string)
3847 'text (markup #:bold (#:box string))))
3852 \override MetronomeMark #'extra-offset = #'(-9 . 0)
3853 \override MetronomeMark #'padding = #'3
3857 \override TimeSignature #'style = #'numbered
3861 \override Glissando #'thickness = #3
3862 \override Glissando #'gap = #0.1
3868 a4.\mpdolce d8 cis4--\glissando a |
3872 g8(\! fis)-. e( d)-. cis2 |
3876 That looks nicer! But now suppose that I want to publish this
3877 piece. My composition professor doesn't like @q{C} time
3878 signatures, but I'm somewhat fond of them. Let's copy the
3879 current @file{definitions.ily} to @file{web-publish.ily} and
3880 modify that. Since this music is aimed at producing a pdf which
3881 will be displayed on the screen, we'll also increase the
3882 overall size of the output.
3887 #(make-dynamic-script
3889 #:translate '(5 . 0)
3890 #:line (#:dynamic "mp"
3891 #:text #:italic "dolce")))
3894 #(define-music-function
3895 (parser location string)
3900 'text (markup #:bold (#:box string))))
3902 #(set-global-staff-size 23)
3907 \override MetronomeMark #'extra-offset = #'(-9 . 0)
3908 \override MetronomeMark #'padding = #'3
3915 \override Glissando #'thickness = #3
3916 \override Glissando #'gap = #0.1
3921 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right]
3923 #(make-dynamic-script
3925 #:translate '(5 . 0)
3926 #:line (#:dynamic "mp"
3927 #:text #:italic "dolce")))
3930 #(define-music-function
3931 (parser location string)
3936 'text (markup #:bold (#:box string))))
3938 #(set-global-staff-size 23)
3942 \override MetronomeMark #'extra-offset = #'(-9 . 0)
3943 \override MetronomeMark #'padding = #'3
3946 \override Glissando #'thickness = #3
3947 \override Glissando #'gap = #0.1
3953 a4.\mpdolce d8 cis4--\glissando a |
3957 g8(\! fis)-. e( d)-. cis2 |
3961 Now in our music, I simply replace
3962 @code{\include "definitions.ily"} with
3963 @code{\include "web-publish.ily"}. Of course, we could make this
3964 even more convenient. We could make a @file{definitions.ily} file which
3965 contains only the definitions of @code{mpdolce} and @code{inst}, a
3966 @file{web-publish.ily} file which contains only the @code{\layout}
3967 section listed above, and a @file{university.ily} file which
3968 contains only the tweaks to produce the output that my professor
3969 prefers. The top of @file{music.ly} would then look like this:
3972 \include "definitions.ily"
3974 %%% Only uncomment one of these two lines!
3975 \include "web-publish.ily"
3976 %\include "university.ily"
3979 This approach can be useful even if you are only producing
3980 one set of parts. I use half a dozen different
3981 @q{style sheet} files for my projects. I begin every music
3982 file with @code{\include "../global.ily"}, which contains
3986 \version @w{"@version{}"}
3988 #(ly:set-option 'point-and-click #f)
3990 \include "../init/init-defs.ly"
3991 \include "../init/init-layout.ly"
3992 \include "../init/init-headers.ly"
3993 \include "../init/init-paper.ly"
3997 @node Other sources of information
3998 @subsection Other sources of information
4000 The Internals Reference documentation contains a lot of information
4001 about LilyPond, but even more information can be gathered by
4002 looking at the internal LilyPond files. To explore these, you must
4003 first find the directory appropriate to your system. The location
4004 of this directory depends (a) on whether you obtained LilyPond
4005 by downloading a precompiled binary from lilypond.org
4006 or whether you installed it from a package manager (i.e.
4007 distributed with Linux, or installed under fink or cygwin) or
4008 compiled it from source, and (b) on which operating system it is
4011 @strong{Downloaded from lilypond.org}
4017 @file{@var{INSTALLDIR}/lilypond/usr/@/share/lilypond/current/}
4022 @file{@var{INSTALLDIR}/LilyPond.app/Contents/@/Resources/share/lilypond/current/}
4023 by either @code{cd}-ing into this directory from the
4024 Terminal, or control-clicking on the LilyPond application and
4025 selecting @q{Show Package Contents}.
4029 Using Windows Explorer, navigate to
4030 @file{@var{INSTALLDIR}/LilyPond/usr/@/share/lilypond/current/}
4034 @strong{Installed from a package manager or compiled from source}
4037 @file{@var{PREFIX}/share/lilypond/@var{X.Y.Z}/}, where
4038 @var{PREFIX} is set by your package manager or @code{configure}
4039 script, and @var{X.Y.Z} is the LilyPond version number.
4043 Within this directory the two interesting subdirectories are
4046 @item @file{ly/} - contains files in LilyPond format
4047 @item @file{scm/} - contains files in Scheme format
4050 Let's begin by looking at some files in @file{ly/}.
4051 Open @file{ly/property-init.ly} in a text editor. The one
4052 you normally use for @code{.ly} files will be fine. This file
4053 contains the definitions of all the standard LilyPond predefined
4054 commands, such as @code{\stemUp} and @code{\slurDotted}. You will
4055 see that these are nothing more than definitions of variables
4056 containing one or a group of @code{\override} commands. For
4057 example, @code{/tieDotted} is defined to be:
4061 \override Tie #'dash-period = #0.75
4062 \override Tie #'dash-fraction = #0.1
4066 If you do not like the default values these predefined commands can
4067 be redefined easily, just like any other variable, at the
4068 head of your input file.
4070 The following are the most useful files to be found in
4073 @multitable @columnfractions .4 .6
4076 @item @file{ly/engraver-init.ly}
4077 @tab Definitions of engraver Contexts
4078 @item @file{ly/paper-defaults-init.ly}
4079 @tab Specifications of paper-related defaults
4080 @item @file{ly/performer-init.ly}
4081 @tab Definitions of performer Contexts
4082 @item @file{ly/property-init.ly}
4083 @tab Definitions of all common predefined commands
4084 @item @file{ly/spanner-init.ly}
4085 @tab Definitions of spanner-related predefined commands
4088 Other settings (such as the definitions of markup commands) are
4089 stored as @file{.scm} (Scheme) files. The Scheme programming
4090 language is used to provide a programmable interface into
4091 LilyPond internal operation. Further explanation of these files
4092 is currently outside the scope of this manual, as a knowledge of
4093 the Scheme language is required. Users should be warned that
4094 a substantial amount of technical knowledge or time is required
4095 to understand Scheme and these files (see @rextend{Scheme tutorial}).
4097 If you have this knowledge, the Scheme files which may be of
4100 @multitable @columnfractions .4 .6
4103 @item @file{scm/auto-beam.scm}
4104 @tab Sub-beaming defaults
4105 @item @file{scm/define-grobs.scm}
4106 @tab Default settings for grob properties
4107 @item @file{scm/define-markup-commands.scm}
4108 @tab Specify all markup commands
4109 @item @file{scm/midi.scm}
4110 @tab Default settings for MIDI output
4111 @item @file{scm/output-lib.scm}
4112 @tab Settings that affect appearance of frets, colors,
4113 accidentals, bar lines, etc
4114 @item @file{scm/parser-clef.scm}
4115 @tab Definitions of supported clefs
4116 @item @file{scm/script.scm}
4117 @tab Default settings for articulations
4121 @node Advanced tweaks with Scheme
4122 @subsection Advanced tweaks with Scheme
4124 Although many things are possible with the @code{\override} and
4125 @code{\tweak} commands, an even more powerful way of modifying
4126 the action of LilyPond is available through a programmable
4127 interface to the LilyPond internal operation. Code written in
4128 the Scheme programming language can be incorporated directly in
4129 the internal operation of LilyPond. Of course, at least a basic
4130 knowledge of programming in Scheme is required to do this, and an
4131 introduction is provided in the @rextend{Scheme tutorial}.
4133 As an illustration of one of the many possibilities, instead of
4134 setting a property to a constant it can be set to a Scheme
4135 procedure which is then called whenever that property is accessed
4136 by LilyPond. The property can then be set dynamically to a value
4137 determined by the procedure at the time it is called. In this
4138 example we color the note head in accordance with its position on
4141 @cindex x11-color function, example of using
4142 @cindex NoteHead, example of overriding
4143 @cindex color property, setting to Scheme procedure
4145 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
4146 #(define (color-notehead grob)
4147 "Color the notehead according to its position on the staff."
4148 (let ((mod-position (modulo (ly:grob-property grob 'staff-position)
4151 ;; Return rainbow colors
4152 ((1) (x11-color 'red )) ; for C
4153 ((2) (x11-color 'orange )) ; for D
4154 ((3) (x11-color 'yellow )) ; for E
4155 ((4) (x11-color 'green )) ; for F
4156 ((5) (x11-color 'blue )) ; for G
4157 ((6) (x11-color 'purple )) ; for A
4158 ((0) (x11-color 'violet )) ; for B
4162 % Arrange to obtain color from color-notehead procedure
4163 \override NoteHead #'color = #color-notehead
4164 a2 b | c2 d | e2 f | g2 a |
4168 Further examples showing the use of these programmable interfaces
4169 can be found in @rextend{Callback functions}.