LilyPond wiki - User contributions [en]

Splitting chords

2026-03-22T16:52:16Z

Fsarud:

This snippet is a 2009 contribution by Gilles Thibault in [https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/lilypond-user/2009-01/msg00685.html lilypond-user]. It splits a chord sequence into two separated voices: the first one built on the first note (usually the lowest) of every chord and the other on the remaining notes. It works well in 2.24.4 and even in 2.25.35. I find it very useful. It also preserves articulations and slurs. The only drawback: it doesn't work if you use «q» to repeat last chord.

<lilypond version="2.24">

#(define (has-duration? music)
(ly:duration? (ly:music-property music 'duration)))

#(define (not-has-duration? music)
(not (has-duration? music)))

keepsOnlyFirstNote = #(define-music-function (parser location music) (ly:music?)
(music-map
(lambda (evt)
(if (eq? 'EventChord (ly:music-property evt 'name))
(let ((elts (ly:music-property evt 'elements)))
(if (has-duration? (car elts))
(ly:music-set-property! evt 'elements (cons
(car elts)
(filter not-has-duration? (cdr elts)))))))
evt)
music))

deleteFirstNote = #(define-music-function (parser location music) (ly:music?)
(music-map
(lambda (evt)
(if (eq? 'EventChord (ly:music-property evt 'name))
(let ((elts (ly:music-property evt 'elements)))
(if (has-duration? (car elts))
(ly:music-set-property! evt 'elements (cdr elts)))))
evt)
music))

music =\relative c' {
<c e>4-> <d f>( ) <c e>-. g2 c2
}

\markup { Music with chords }
\new Staff \music
\markup { Music splitted in 2 staffs }
<<
\new Staff \deleteFirstNote \music
\new Staff \keepsOnlyFirstNote \music
>>
</lilypond>

Splitting chords

2026-03-22T16:40:35Z

Fsarud:

This snippet is a 2009 contribution by Gilles Thibault in [https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/lilypond-user/2009-01/msg00685.html lilypond-user]. It splits a chord sequence into two separated voices: the first one built on the first note (usually the lowest) of every chord and the other on the remaining notes. It works well in 2.24.4 and even in 2.25.35. I find it very useful. The only drawback it doesn't work if you use «q» to repeat last chord.

<lilypond version="2.24">

#(define (has-duration? music)
(ly:duration? (ly:music-property music 'duration)))

#(define (not-has-duration? music)
(not (has-duration? music)))

keepsOnlyFirstNote = #(define-music-function (parser location music) (ly:music?)
(music-map
(lambda (evt)
(if (eq? 'EventChord (ly:music-property evt 'name))
(let ((elts (ly:music-property evt 'elements)))
(if (has-duration? (car elts))
(ly:music-set-property! evt 'elements (cons
(car elts)
(filter not-has-duration? (cdr elts)))))))
evt)
music))

deleteFirstNote = #(define-music-function (parser location music) (ly:music?)
(music-map
(lambda (evt)
(if (eq? 'EventChord (ly:music-property evt 'name))
(let ((elts (ly:music-property evt 'elements)))
(if (has-duration? (car elts))
(ly:music-set-property! evt 'elements (cdr elts)))))
evt)
music))

music =\relative c' {
<c e>4-> <d f>( ) <c e>-. g2 c2
}

\markup { Music with chords }
\new Staff \music
\markup { Music splitted in 2 staffs }
<<
\new Staff \deleteFirstNote \music
\new Staff \keepsOnlyFirstNote \music
>>
</lilypond>

Splitting chords

2026-03-22T14:17:01Z

Fsarud: Add that it doesn't work with q for repeating last chord

This snippet is a 2009 contribution by Gilles Thibault in [https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/lilypond-user/2009-01/msg00685.html lilypond-user]. It works well in 2.24.4 and even in 2.25.35. I find it very useful. (Beware: it doesn't work if you use «q» to repeat last chord).


\version "2.24"

#(define (has-duration? music)
(ly:duration? (ly:music-property music 'duration)))

#(define (not-has-duration? music)
(not (has-duration? music)))

keepsOnlyFirstNote = #(define-music-function (parser location music) (ly:music?)
(music-map
(lambda (evt)
(if (eq? 'EventChord (ly:music-property evt 'name))
(let ((elts (ly:music-property evt 'elements)))
(if (has-duration? (car elts))
(ly:music-set-property! evt 'elements (cons
(car elts)
(filter not-has-duration? (cdr elts)))))))
evt)
music))

deleteFirstNote = #(define-music-function (parser location music) (ly:music?)
(music-map
(lambda (evt)
(if (eq? 'EventChord (ly:music-property evt 'name))
(let ((elts (ly:music-property evt 'elements)))
(if (has-duration? (car elts))
(ly:music-set-property! evt 'elements (cdr elts)))))
evt)
music))

music =\relative c' {
<c e>4-> <d f>( <nowiki>) <c e>-. g2 c2</nowiki>
}

\markup { Music with chords }
\new Staff \music
\markup { Music splitted in 2 staffs }
<<
\new Staff \deleteFirstNote \music
\new Staff \keepsOnlyFirstNote \music
>>

Splitting chords

2026-03-22T13:34:44Z

Fsarud: Some scheme functions to split chords in two (monophonic) voices.

This snippet is a 2009 contribution by Gilles Thibault in [https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/lilypond-user/2009-01/msg00685.html lilypond-user]. It works well in 2.24.4 and even in 2.25.35. I find it very useful.

<lilypond version="2.24">
#(define (has-duration? music)
(ly:duration? (ly:music-property music 'duration)))

#(define (not-has-duration? music)
(not (has-duration? music)))

keepsOnlyFirstNote = #(define-music-function (parser location music) (ly:music?)
(music-map
(lambda (evt)
(if (eq? 'EventChord (ly:music-property evt 'name))
(let ((elts (ly:music-property evt 'elements)))
(if (has-duration? (car elts))
(ly:music-set-property! evt 'elements (cons
(car elts)
(filter not-has-duration? (cdr elts)))))))
evt)
music))

deleteFirstNote = #(define-music-function (parser location music) (ly:music?)
(music-map
(lambda (evt)
(if (eq? 'EventChord (ly:music-property evt 'name))
(let ((elts (ly:music-property evt 'elements)))
(if (has-duration? (car elts))
(ly:music-set-property! evt 'elements (cdr elts)))))
evt)
music))

music =\relative c' {
<c e>4-> <d f>( ) <c e>-. g2 c2
}

\markup { Music with chords }
\new Staff \music
\markup { Music splitted in 2 staffs }
<<
\new Staff \deleteFirstNote \music
\new Staff \keepsOnlyFirstNote \music
>>
</lilypond>