\relative { c'4 d e f \custosNote g }
@end lilypond
+@funindex \etc
+Both of those functions are simple single expressions where only
+the last element of a function call or override is missing. For
+those particular function definitions, there is a simpler
+alternative syntax, namely just writing out the constant part of
+the expression and replacing its final missing element with
+@code{\etc}:
+
+@lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
+padText =
+ \once \override TextScript.padding = \etc
+
+\relative {
+ c''4^"piu mosso" b a b
+ \padText #1.8
+ c4^"piu mosso" b a b
+ \padText #2.6
+ c4^"piu mosso" b a b
+}
+@end lilypond
+
+@lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
+custosNote =
+ \tweak NoteHead.stencil #ly:text-interface::print
+ \tweak NoteHead.text
+ \markup \musicglyph #"custodes.mensural.u0"
+ \tweak Stem.stencil ##f
+ \etc
+
+\relative { c'4 d e f \custosNote g }
+@end lilypond
+
+
Substitution functions with multiple arguments can be defined:
@lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]