LilyPond wiki - User contributions [en]

Time mark engraver

2025-12-27T22:29:13Z

Masterpaster:

When working with LilyPond’s MIDI output it can be tedious to find the exact ‘elapsed time from the start of the score to an arbitrary point’ – especially when the music contains multiple tempo changes. Counting measures and doing tempo math is error-prone; inspecting the MIDI file manually is possible but time consuming.

This snippets introduces a Scheme engraver that allows you to insert time marks directly into the music. At any point in the score you can add <code>\timeMark</code>, and LilyPond computes the elapsed time up to that position and displays it (for example, ‘2m15s’).

This is useful when you need to

* align score events with audio or video cues,
* locate timestamps for MIDI-driven playback or mockups,
* find “time since start” at a few musical key positions without counting or math, or
* work reliably across complex tempo maps (rit., accel., metric modulations, etc.).

''Upgrade notice'': This snippet needs proper convert-ly conversion for >=2.25 ( <code>'tempoWholesPerMinute</code> -> <code>'tempoWholesPerMinuteAsMoment</code>).

<lilypond version="2.24">
% LSR source: https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/lilypond-user/2024-03/msg00127.html
% LSR credits: 2024 - Jean Abou Samra

#(define (Elapsed_time_engraver context)
(define (format-time seconds) ; example: 2m15s
(let ((minutes (euclidean-quotient seconds 60))
(rest (euclidean-remainder seconds 60)))
(string-append (if (zero? minutes) "" (format #f "~am" minutes))
(format #f "~as" (round rest)))))

(let ((wholes-per-minute 15)
(last-time ZERO-MOMENT)
(total-time 0)
(marks '()))
(make-engraver
((process-music engraver)
(let* ((new-time (ly:context-current-moment context))
(time-delta (ly:moment-main
(ly:moment-sub new-time last-time)))
(new-wholes-per-minute
(and=> (ly:context-property context
'tempoWholesPerMinute #f)
ly:moment-main)))
(set! total-time
(+ total-time (* 60 (/ time-delta wholes-per-minute))))
(set! last-time new-time)
(when new-wholes-per-minute
(set! wholes-per-minute new-wholes-per-minute))))

(acknowledgers
((text-mark-interface engraver grob source-engraver)
(set! marks (cons grob marks))))

((process-acknowledged engraver)
(for-each (lambda (grob)
(when (assq-ref (ly:grob-property grob 'details)
'time-mark)
(ly:grob-set-property!
grob 'text (format-time total-time))))
marks)
(set! marks '())))))

\layout {
\context {
\Score
\consists #Elapsed_time_engraver
}
}

% The argument of the `\textEndMark` here is just a placeholder
% that the engraver replaces with a time stamp (because the
% `time-mark` subproperty is set).
timeMark = \tweak details.time-mark ##t
\tweak color "red"
\textEndMark ""

{
c'1 | \timeMark
\tempo 4 = 120 c'4 8. 16 2 | \timeMark
\tempo 4 = 180 \repeat unfold 4 c'2 | \timeMark
\repeat unfold 180 c'4 | \timeMark
}
</lilypond>

[[Category:Automatic notation]]
[[Category:Contexts and engravers]]
[[Category:Editorial annotations]]
[[Category:Midi]]
[[Category:Scheme]]
[[Category:Snippet]]

Time mark engraver

2025-12-27T22:26:22Z

Masterpaster: Upgrade (convert-ly) notice

When working with LilyPond’s MIDI output it can be tedious to find the exact ‘elapsed time from the start of the score to an arbitrary point’ – especially when the music contains multiple tempo changes. Counting measures and doing tempo math is error-prone; inspecting the MIDI file manually is possible but time consuming.

This snippets introduces a Scheme engraver that allows you to insert time marks directly into the music. At any point in the score you can add <code>\timeMark</code>, and LilyPond computes the elapsed time up to that position and displays it (for example, ‘2m15s’).

This is useful when you need to

* align score events with audio or video cues,
* locate timestamps for MIDI-driven playback or mockups,
* find “time since start” at a few musical key positions without counting or math, or
* work reliably across complex tempo maps (rit., accel., metric modulations, etc.).

{{Warning|This snippet needs proper convert-ly conversion for >=2.25. ( <code>'tempoWholesPerMinute</code> -> <code>'tempoWholesPerMinuteAsMoment</code>)}}

<lilypond version="2.24">
% LSR source: https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/lilypond-user/2024-03/msg00127.html
% LSR credits: 2024 - Jean Abou Samra

#(define (Elapsed_time_engraver context)
(define (format-time seconds) ; example: 2m15s
(let ((minutes (euclidean-quotient seconds 60))
(rest (euclidean-remainder seconds 60)))
(string-append (if (zero? minutes) "" (format #f "~am" minutes))
(format #f "~as" (round rest)))))

(let ((wholes-per-minute 15)
(last-time ZERO-MOMENT)
(total-time 0)
(marks '()))
(make-engraver
((process-music engraver)
(let* ((new-time (ly:context-current-moment context))
(time-delta (ly:moment-main
(ly:moment-sub new-time last-time)))
(new-wholes-per-minute
(and=> (ly:context-property context
'tempoWholesPerMinute #f)
ly:moment-main)))
(set! total-time
(+ total-time (* 60 (/ time-delta wholes-per-minute))))
(set! last-time new-time)
(when new-wholes-per-minute
(set! wholes-per-minute new-wholes-per-minute))))

(acknowledgers
((text-mark-interface engraver grob source-engraver)
(set! marks (cons grob marks))))

((process-acknowledged engraver)
(for-each (lambda (grob)
(when (assq-ref (ly:grob-property grob 'details)
'time-mark)
(ly:grob-set-property!
grob 'text (format-time total-time))))
marks)
(set! marks '())))))

\layout {
\context {
\Score
\consists #Elapsed_time_engraver
}
}

% The argument of the `\textEndMark` here is just a placeholder
% that the engraver replaces with a time stamp (because the
% `time-mark` subproperty is set).
timeMark = \tweak details.time-mark ##t
\tweak color "red"
\textEndMark ""

{
c'1 | \timeMark
\tempo 4 = 120 c'4 8. 16 2 | \timeMark
\tempo 4 = 180 \repeat unfold 4 c'2 | \timeMark
\repeat unfold 180 c'4 | \timeMark
}
</lilypond>

[[Category:Automatic notation]]
[[Category:Contexts and engravers]]
[[Category:Editorial annotations]]
[[Category:Midi]]
[[Category:Scheme]]
[[Category:Snippet]]

Time mark engraver

2025-12-27T10:10:02Z

Masterpaster: Undo revision 5979 by Masterpaster (talk)

When working with LilyPond’s MIDI output, it can be tedious to find the exact '''elapsed time from the start of the score to an arbitrary point'''—especially when the music contains '''multiple tempo changes'''. Counting measures and doing tempo math is error-prone; inspecting the MIDI file manually is possible but time-consuming.

To solve this, Jean wrote a small '''custom engraver''' that allows you to insert '''time marks''' directly into the music. At any point in the score you can add <code>\timeMark</code>, and LilyPond will compute the elapsed time up to that position and display it (2m15s e.g.).

=== Use case ===
This is useful when you need to:

* align score events with audio/video cues,
* locate timestamps for MIDI-driven playback or mockups,
* find “time since start” at a few key musical points without counting or math,
* work reliably across complex tempo maps (rit., accel., metric modulations, etc.).

\version "2.24.4"
% source: https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/lilypond-user/2024-03/msg00127.html
% credits: 2024 - Jean Abou Samra

#(define (Custom_engraver!! context)
(define (format-time seconds) ; ex.: 2m15s
(let ((minutes (euclidean-quotient seconds 60))
(rest (euclidean-remainder seconds 60)))
(string-append (if (zero? minutes) "" (format #f "~am" minutes))
(format #f "~as" (round rest)))))
(let ((wholes-per-minute 15)
(last-time ZERO-MOMENT)
(total-time 0)
(marks '()))
(make-engraver
((process-music engraver)
(let* ((new-time (ly:context-current-moment context))
(time-delta (ly:moment-main (ly:moment-sub new-time last-time)))
(new-wholes-per-minute
(and=> (ly:context-property context 'tempoWholesPerMinute #f)
ly:moment-main)))
(set! total-time
(+ total-time (* 60 (/ time-delta wholes-per-minute))))
(set! last-time new-time)
(when new-wholes-per-minute
(set! wholes-per-minute new-wholes-per-minute))))
(acknowledgers
((text-mark-interface engraver grob source-engraver)
(set! marks (cons grob marks))))
((process-acknowledged engraver)
(for-each (lambda (grob)
(when (assq-ref (ly:grob-property grob 'details) 'time-mark)
(ly:grob-set-property! grob 'text (format-time
total-time))))
marks)
(set! marks '())))))

\layout {
\context {
\Score
\consists #Custom_engraver!!
}
}

timeMark = \tweak details.time-mark ##t \tweak color "red" \textEndMark
"Abracadabra"

{
c'1
\timeMark
\tempo 4 = 120
c'4 8. 16 2
\timeMark
\tempo 4 = 180
c'2 2
\timeMark
\repeat unfold 180 c'4
\timeMark
}

Time mark engraver

2025-12-27T10:09:07Z

Masterpaster: Added link to Jean's name

When working with LilyPond’s MIDI output, it can be tedious to find the exact '''elapsed time from the start of the score to an arbitrary point'''—especially when the music contains '''multiple tempo changes'''. Counting measures and doing tempo math is error-prone; inspecting the MIDI file manually is possible but time-consuming.

To solve this, [[Jean]] wrote a small '''custom engraver''' that allows you to insert '''time marks''' directly into the music. At any point in the score you can add <code>\timeMark</code>, and LilyPond will compute the elapsed time up to that position and display it (2m15s e.g.).

=== Use case ===
This is useful when you need to:

* align score events with audio/video cues,
* locate timestamps for MIDI-driven playback or mockups,
* find “time since start” at a few key musical points without counting or math,
* work reliably across complex tempo maps (rit., accel., metric modulations, etc.).

\version "2.24.4"
% source: https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/lilypond-user/2024-03/msg00127.html
% credits: 2024 - Jean Abou Samra

#(define (Custom_engraver!! context)
(define (format-time seconds) ; ex.: 2m15s
(let ((minutes (euclidean-quotient seconds 60))
(rest (euclidean-remainder seconds 60)))
(string-append (if (zero? minutes) "" (format #f "~am" minutes))
(format #f "~as" (round rest)))))
(let ((wholes-per-minute 15)
(last-time ZERO-MOMENT)
(total-time 0)
(marks '()))
(make-engraver
((process-music engraver)
(let* ((new-time (ly:context-current-moment context))
(time-delta (ly:moment-main (ly:moment-sub new-time last-time)))
(new-wholes-per-minute
(and=> (ly:context-property context 'tempoWholesPerMinute #f)
ly:moment-main)))
(set! total-time
(+ total-time (* 60 (/ time-delta wholes-per-minute))))
(set! last-time new-time)
(when new-wholes-per-minute
(set! wholes-per-minute new-wholes-per-minute))))
(acknowledgers
((text-mark-interface engraver grob source-engraver)
(set! marks (cons grob marks))))
((process-acknowledged engraver)
(for-each (lambda (grob)
(when (assq-ref (ly:grob-property grob 'details) 'time-mark)
(ly:grob-set-property! grob 'text (format-time
total-time))))
marks)
(set! marks '())))))

\layout {
\context {
\Score
\consists #Custom_engraver!!
}
}

timeMark = \tweak details.time-mark ##t \tweak color "red" \textEndMark
"Abracadabra"

{
c'1
\timeMark
\tempo 4 = 120
c'4 8. 16 2
\timeMark
\tempo 4 = 180
c'2 2
\timeMark
\repeat unfold 180 c'4
\timeMark
}

Time mark engraver

2025-12-27T09:53:38Z

Masterpaster: Page initially created