LilyPond wiki - User contributions [en]

User:Rudi Guggt/Neuigungen/Rhythmus-Markup

2026-03-28T09:40:56Z

Rudi Guggt: rhythm

Der Textbeschriftungsbefehl \rhythm wurde hinzugefügt. Er bietet einen einfachen Weg, um Rhythmen gemischt mit Text einzugeben, wie beispielsweise in „Swing“-Angaben.

<Lilypond version="2.24">
\relative {
\tempo \markup {
Swing
\hspace #0.4
\rhythm { 8[ 8] } = \rhythm { \tuplet 3/2 { 4 8 } }
}
b8 g' c, d ees d16 ees d c r8
}
</Lilypond>

User:Rudi Guggt

2026-03-28T09:39:46Z

Rudi Guggt:

I'm using Lilypond not regularly, so here I collect useful snippets.

== Bar lines ==

*[[Many types of bar lines]]
*[[User:Rudi Guggt/section|section]]

== old style ==

*[[Chant or psalm notation]]

==my test pages==

[[User:Rudi Guggt/test]]

==scheme==

[[User:Rudi Guggt/scheme-functions]]

== interessante Neuigungen ==
[[User:Rudi Guggt/Neuigungen/Rhythmus-Markup]]

User:Rudi Guggt/test

2026-03-27T07:37:52Z

Rudi Guggt: qr

something from the lilypond-user mailing list

<lilypond version="2.24.0">

\score {
\relative {
\set Score.finalFineTextVisibility = ##t
s1
\repeat segno 2 {
\repeat volta 3 {
s1
\alternative {
\volta 1 { s1 }
\volta 2 { s1 \bar "||" }
\volta 3 { s1 \bar "|." \fine }
}
}
s1
\bar "||"
}
}
}
% ab Version 2.25... \markup \qr-code #10 "https://lilypond.org"
\markup "QR-Code ab Version 2.25 möglich"
</lilypond>

Splitting chords

2026-03-23T14:38:22Z

Rudi Guggt:

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>

[[category:Chords]]
[[category:Scheme]]
[[category:Really cool]]

Splitting chords

2026-03-23T14:37:33Z

Rudi Guggt: cat

Hiding part of a glissando when clashing a clef

2026-03-19T10:13:24Z

Rudi Guggt: ps

When a glissando crosses a G or F clef, the <code>\whiteout</code> function does not hide it properly.

Here are two clef-combining stencils that offer something more accurate.

<div class="nodoc">
For technical reasons, this doesn't show up in the Wiki because <code>\postscript</code> only works with LilyPond's PS backend and is neither supported in the SVG (used in this Wiki) nor in the Cairo backend.
</div>

<lilypond version="2.24" >
%% http://lsr.di.unimi.it/LSR/Item?id=886

%LSR by P.P.Schneider

%here starts the snippet:

#(set-global-staff-size 25)

GlissCrossClefG = {
\once \override Staff.Clef.stencil = #ly:text-interface::print
\once \override Staff.Clef.text =
\markup {
\combine
\postscript " 1.1 4.2 moveto
2 3.5 1.9 2.3 1.25 1.5 curveto
1.4 1 lineto
2.1 1 2.9 -0.1 1.7 -1.05 curveto
1.7 -1.4 1.9 -1.7 1.1 -2.2 curveto
0 -2.3 -0.25 -1.6 0.1 -1 curveto
0.3 -0.9 lineto
0.3 -0.8 lineto
0.2 -0.8 -1.1 0.5 0.5 1.8 curveto
0.5 1.8 0 3.5 1 4.2 curveto
closepath
1 setgray
fill"
\musicglyph "clefs.G_change"
}
\clef G
}

GlissCrossClefF = {
\once \override Staff.Clef.stencil = #ly:text-interface::print
\once \override Staff.Clef.text =
\markup {
\combine
\postscript " -0.2 -0.3 moveto
-0.5 0.9 0.4 1.6 1.7 0.8 curveto
2.0 0.8 lineto
2.25 0.6 lineto
2.25 -0.5 lineto
2.0 -0.75 lineto
1.65 -0.75 lineto
1.65 -0.75 0.9 -1.7 -0.1 -1.8 curveto
-0.1 -1.8 -0.5 -1.7 -0.3 -1.5 curveto
0 -0.7 lineto
0.6 -0.6 lineto
0.7 -0.4 lineto
0.4 -0.5 lineto
closepath
1 setgray
fill"
\musicglyph "clefs.F_change"
}
\clef F
}

\score {
\new Staff {
\override Score.StaffSymbol.layer = #3
\override Staff.Clef.layer = #2
\clef F
\time 4/4
\cadenzaOn
\set glissandoMap = #'((2 . 0) (1 . 1) (0 . 2))
\once\override TextScript.extra-offset = #'(-3 . 1)
<e, c c'>1 ^\markup\column {
\vspace #1 %% LSR-problem-workaround
\line { "Using" \italic "whiteout" ":"} }
\glissando
\once \override Staff.Clef.whiteout = ##t
\clef G
<a c'' c'''>
\bar "||"
\stopStaff
s1
\startStaff
\override Score.StaffSymbol.layer = #3
\override Score.Glissando.layer = #2
\once\override Staff.Clef.full-size-change = ##t
\clef F
\time 4/4
\set glissandoMap = #'((2 . 0) (1 . 1) (0 . 2))
\once\override TextScript.extra-offset = #'(-2 . 1)
<e, c c'>1^\markup { "New stencil :"} \glissando
\GlissCrossClefG
<a c'' c'''>
\cadenzaOff
\bar "||"
}
\layout {
indent = #0
\context {
\Staff
\override TimeSignature.transparent = ##t
}
}
}

\score {
\new Staff {
\override Score.StaffSymbol.layer = #3
\override Staff.Clef.layer = #2
\clef G
\time 4/4
\cadenzaOn
\set glissandoMap = #'((2 . 0) (1 . 1) (0 . 2))
<c' c'' c'''>1 \glissando
\once \override Staff.Clef.whiteout = ##t
\clef F
<c, c c'>1
\bar "||"
\stopStaff
s1
\startStaff
\override Score.StaffSymbol.layer = #3
\override Score.Glissando.layer = #0
\once\override Staff.Clef.full-size-change = ##t
\clef G
\time 4/4
\set glissandoMap = #'((2 . 0) (1 . 1) (0 . 2))
<c' c'' c'''>\glissando
\GlissCrossClefF
<c, c c'>1
\cadenzaOff
\bar "||"
}
\layout {
indent = #0
\context {
\Staff
\override TimeSignature.transparent = ##t
}
}
}

\paper { tagline = ##f }
</lilypond>

[[Category:Expressive marks]]
[[Category:Fretted strings]]
[[Category:Unfretted strings]]
[[Category:Symbols and glyphs]]
[[Category:Snippet]]

French-style C clef

2026-03-19T10:09:46Z

Rudi Guggt: ps

A custom French-style C clef created with postscript.

<div class="nodoc">
For technical reasons, this doesn't show up in the Wiki because <code>\postscript</code> only works with LilyPond's PS backend and is neither supported in the SVG (used in this Wiki) nor in the Cairo backend.
</div>

<lilypond version="2.24">
%% http://lsr.di.unimi.it/LSR/Item?id=612

%%%%% Valentin Villanave's macro for the French-style C clef %%%%%%%

altoClef = \markup \postscript "
gsave newpath
0.004 0.004 scale
-180 0 translate
248 -306 moveto
248 -492 lineto
248 -496 245 -500 240 -500 curveto
218 -500 lineto
213 -500 210 -496 210 -492 curveto
210 492 lineto
210 496 213 500 218 500 curveto
240 500 lineto
245 500 248 496 248 492 curveto
248 292 lineto
274 270 348 242 370 242 curveto
404 242 462 228 462 453 curveto
462 560 476 670 576 670 curveto
628 670 671 626 671 571 curveto
671 516 628 471 576 471 curveto
526 471 530 496 520 503 curveto
513 502 510 478 510 437 curveto
510 340 lineto
510 192 490 94 477 79 curveto
442 39 332 70 248 70 curveto
248 -83 lineto
332 -83 442 -53 477 -93 curveto
490 -108 510 -206 510 -354 curveto
510 -451 lineto
510 -491 513 -516 520 -517 curveto
530 -509 526 -485 576 -485 curveto
628 -485 671 -530 671 -584 curveto
671 -640 628 -684 576 -684 curveto
476 -684 462 -574 462 -467 curveto
462 -242 404 -256 370 -256 curveto
348 -256 274 -283 248 -306 curveto
closepath
130 -500 moveto
8 -500 lineto
4 -500 0 -496 0 -492 curveto
0 492 lineto
0 496 4 500 8 500 curveto
130 500 lineto
134 500 138 496 138 492 curveto
138 -492 lineto
138 -496 134 -500 130 -500 curveto
closepath
fill grestore"

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

\relative c' {
\clef "alto"
\numericTimeSignature
\override Staff.Clef.stencil = #(lambda (grob)
(grob-interpret-markup grob altoClef))
c1
}
</lilypond>

[[Category:Staff notation]]
[[Category:Staff notation]]
[[Category:Symbols and glyphs]]
[[Category:Tweaks and overrides]]
[[Category:Really cool]]
[[Category:Snippet]]

Print chord names with same root and different bass as slash and bass note

2026-03-06T16:49:14Z

Rudi Guggt: lost word

To print subsequent chord names only differing in their bass note as slash and bass note without a root symbol, use the Scheme engraver defined in this snippet. The behaviour is controlled by the <code>chordChanges</code> context property.

<lilypond version="2.24">
#(define Bass_changes_equal_root_engraver
(lambda (ctx)
"Drop root for follow-up chord names that differ only in bass.

In other words, the chord name sequence 'D D/C D/B' gets actually
printed as 'D /C /B'.

Set the `chordChanges` context property to `#t` to activate this
feature."
(let ((chord-pitches '())
(last-chord-pitches '())
(bass-pitch #f))
(make-engraver
((initialize this-engraver)
(let ((chord-note-namer (ly:context-property ctx
'chordNoteNamer)))
;; Set `chordNoteNamer`, respecting user setting if already
;; done.
(ly:context-set-property! ctx 'chordNoteNamer
(if (procedure? chord-note-namer)
chord-note-namer
note-name->markup))))

(listeners
((note-event this-engraver event)
(let* ((pitch (ly:event-property event 'pitch))
(pitch-name (ly:pitch-notename pitch))
(pitch-alt (ly:pitch-alteration pitch))
(bass (ly:event-property event 'bass #f))
(inversion (ly:event-property event 'inversion #f)))
;; We look at the `bass` and `inversion` event properties
;; to decide how to handle the current note event. If
;; `inversion` is set we add the bass note to the chord as
;; an ordinary member so that we can compare inversed
;; chords; if `bass` is set the bass note is not added to
;; the chord.
;;
;; In the `chord-pitches` list we actually collect only
;; the notes' pitch names (which are integers) and pitch
;; alterations as pairs, ignoring the octave.
(cond (bass (set! bass-pitch pitch))
(inversion
(set! bass-pitch pitch)
(set! chord-pitches
(cons (cons pitch-name pitch-alt)
chord-pitches)))
(else
(set! chord-pitches
(cons (cons pitch-name pitch-alt)
chord-pitches)))))))

(acknowledgers
((chord-name-interface this-engraver grob source-engraver)
(let ((chord-changes (ly:context-property ctx
'chordChanges #f)))
;; If subsequent chords are equal apart from their bass,
;; we change the `text` property to print only the slash
;; and the bass note (via the formatter stored in the
;; `chordNoteNamer` context property).
;;
;; Equality is tested by comparing the sorted lists of
;; this chord's elements and the previous chord. Sorting
;; is needed because inverted chords may have a different
;; order of pitches. Note that we only do a simplified
;; sorting using the pitch name, ignoring the alteration.
(if (and bass-pitch
chord-changes
(equal? (sort chord-pitches car<)
(sort last-chord-pitches car<)))
(ly:grob-set-property!
grob 'text
(make-line-markup
(list
(ly:context-property ctx 'slashChordSeparator)
((ly:context-property ctx 'chordNoteNamer)
bass-pitch
(ly:context-property ctx
'chordNameLowercaseMinor))))))
(set! last-chord-pitches chord-pitches)
(set! chord-pitches '())
(set! bass-pitch #f))))

((finalize this-engraver)
(set! last-chord-pitches '()))))))

myChords = \chordmode {
% \germanChords

\set chordChanges = ##t
d2:m d:m/cis

d:m/c
\set chordChanges = ##f
d:m/b

e1:7
\set chordChanges = ##t
e
\break

\once \set chordChanges = ##f
e1/f
e2/gis e/+gis e e:m/f d:m d:m/cis d:m/c
\set chordChanges = ##f
d:m/b
}

<<
\new ChordNames
\with { \consists #Bass_changes_equal_root_engraver }
\myChords
\new Staff \myChords
>>
</lilypond>

[[Category:Chords]]
[[Category:Contexts and engravers]]
[[Category:Scheme]]
[[Category:Staff notation]]
[[Category:Included in the official documentation]]
[[Category:Snippet]]

Tambourine example

2026-03-04T09:59:51Z

Rudi Guggt: category workaround

A tambourine example, entered with ‘tamb’.

<lilypond version="2.24">
#(define mydrums '((tambourine default #f 0)))

\new DrumStaff \with { instrumentName = #"Tambourine" }

\drummode {
\set DrumStaff.drumStyleTable = #(alist->hash-table mydrums)
\override Staff.StaffSymbol.line-positions = #'( 0 )
\override Staff.BarLine.bar-extent = #'(-1.5 . 1.5)

\time 6/8
tamb8. 16 8 8 8 8 |
tamb4. 8 8 8 |
% The trick with the scaled duration and the shorter rest
% is neccessary for the correct ending of the trill-span!
tamb2.*5/6 \startTrillSpan s8 \stopTrillSpan |
}
</lilypond>

[[Category:Percussion]]
[[Category:Rhythms]]
[[Category:Specific notation]]
[[Category:Included in the official documentation]]
[[Category:Snippet]]
[[Category:Workaround]]

Curly bracket with variable length (path)

2026-03-04T07:38:18Z

Rudi Guggt: weniger und etwas andere Werte, übersichtlicher?

Curly bracket (or flat brace).

<lilypond version="2.24" full>
%% http://lsr.di.unimi.it/LSR/Item?id=988
%% see also: http://lsr.di.unimi.it/LSR/Item?id=986
%% Credits: PPS on April 2015

%here starts the snippet:

%%% Defining a custom strait brace with a variable length:
#(define-markup-command (long-curly-bracket layout props arg-height)
(number?)
"Draw a curly bracket with a variable length."
(interpret-markup layout props
(markup
#:translate (cons 0 (* arg-height -1))
(#:with-dimensions (cons -0.001 0) (cons 0.001 0)
(#:override (cons (quote filled) #t)
(#:path 0.01 `(
(moveto -0.8 0.0)
(curveto -0.2 0.4 -0.3 0.7 -0.3 1.5)
(lineto -0.3 ,arg-height)
(curveto -0.4 ,(+ arg-height 1.3) 0.5 ,(+ arg-height 2.8) 0.7 ,(+ arg-height 2.8))
(curveto 0.6 ,(+ arg-height 2.5) 0.1 ,(+ arg-height 2) 0.1 ,arg-height)
(lineto 0.1 1.5)
(curveto 0.1 0.7 0.1 0.0 -0.8 0.0)
(closepath)
(curveto -0.2 -0.4 -0.3 -0.7 -0.3 -1.5)
(lineto -0.3 ,(* arg-height -1))
(curveto -0.4 ,(* (+ arg-height 1.3) -1) 0.5 ,(* (+ arg-height 2.8) -1) 0.7 ,(* (+ arg-height 2.8) -1))
(curveto 0.6 ,(* (+ arg-height 2.5) -1) 0.1 ,(* (+ arg-height 2) -1) 0.1 ,(* arg-height -1))
(lineto 0.1 -1.5)
(curveto 0.1 -0.7 0.1 0.0 -0.8 0.0)
(closepath))))))))

%%%% Examples:
\markup \with-dimensions #'(-1 . 110) #'(-95 . 3) \column {
\italic "long-curly-bracket #Y:"
\line {
\center-column { "#2.5" \vspace #1 \long-curly-bracket #2.5 }
\hspace #4
\center-column { "#5" \vspace #1 \long-curly-bracket #5 }
\hspace #4
\center-column { "#10" \vspace #1 \long-curly-bracket #10 }
\hspace #4
\center-column { "#22" \vspace #1 \long-curly-bracket #22 }
% \hspace #4
% \center-column { "#40" \vspace #1 \long-curly-bracket #40 }
\hspace #30
\center-column {
"\\rotate #90 & #-90"
\vspace #1
"#3"
\rotate #90 \raise #3 \long-curly-bracket #3
\vspace #1
% "#6"
% \rotate #90 \raise #6 \long-curly-bracket #6
% \vspace #1
"#12"
\rotate #90 \raise #12 \long-curly-bracket #12
\vspace #1
"#20"
\rotate #90 \raise #20 \long-curly-bracket #20
\vspace #1
% "#30"
% \rotate #90 \raise #30 \long-curly-bracket #30
% \vspace #1
% "#28"
% \rotate #-90 \raise #28 \long-curly-bracket #28
% \vspace #1
"#18"
\rotate #-90 \raise #18 \long-curly-bracket #18
\vspace #1
"#7"
\rotate #-90 \raise #7 \long-curly-bracket #7
\vspace #1
% "#4"
% \rotate #-90 \raise #4 \long-curly-bracket #4
% \vspace #1
"#2"
\rotate #-90 \raise #2 \long-curly-bracket #2
}
}
}

\paper { tagline = ##f }
</lilypond>

[[Category:Staff notation]]
[[Category:Editorial annotations]]
[[Category:Text]]
[[Category:Symbols and glyphs]]
[[Category:Snippet]]

Adjusting thickness of lyric hyphens

2026-03-02T12:39:37Z

Rudi Guggt: redirect

#redirect [[Adjusting vertical positioning of lyric hyphens]]

Adjusting vertical positioning of lyric hyphens

2026-03-02T08:03:03Z

Rudi Guggt: thickness

For joining syllables, LilyPond doesn’t use the hyphen of the text font but instead draws a simple line with variable length (this limitation is tracked as {{Issue|1255}}). Its standard vertical position doesn’t always fit the proportions of the text font. When using a font with a large x-height, it may be too low.

You can adjust the vertical positioning of the hyphens manually. To get a good result you may want to insert a “real” hyphen for comparison (like between l-e in the snippet).

Also, you may want to adjust the thickness of the Hyphens: LyricHyphen.thickness

<lilypond version="2.24">
% LSR contributed by Hannes Kuhnert <hannes.kuhnert@gmx.de> 1.2.2012.

\score {
<<
\new Voice = "Lied" {
\relative {
\clef G
\key c \major
e'2 d c1
}
}

\new Lyrics = "Lied"
\lyricsto Lied {
La -- l-e -- lu.
}
>>

\layout {
\context {
\Lyrics
\override LyricHyphen.Y-offset = #0.16
\override LyricHyphen.thickness = #2.1
}
}
}

\paper {
#(define fonts
(make-pango-font-tree
"Serif"
"Sans"
"Monospace"
(/ 20 20)))
}
</lilypond>

[[Category:Paper and layout]]
[[Category:Text]]
[[Category:Vocal music]]
[[Category:Snippet]]

User:Rudi Guggt/scheme-functions

2026-02-28T09:19:55Z

Rudi Guggt:

From the documentation:
[https://lilypond.org/doc/v2.25/Documentation/internals/scheme-functions scheme-functions]

Scheme functions

Function: [[Customizing the position and number of dots in repeat sign bar lines|add-bar-glyph-print-procedure glyph proc]]

:Specify the single glyph glyph that calls print procedure proc. The procedure proc has to be defined in the form (make-...-bar-line grob extent) even if the extent is not used within the routine.

Function: ly:add-context-mod contextmods modification

Adds the given context modification to the list contextmods of context modifications.

Function: add-grace-property context-name grob sym val

Set sym=val for grob in context-name.

Function: ly:add-interface iface desc props

Add a new grob interface. iface is the interface name, desc is the interface description, and props is the list of user-settable properties for the interface.

Function: ly:add-listener callback disp cl

Add the single-argument procedure callback as listener to the dispatcher disp. Whenever disp hears an event of class cl, it calls callback with it.

Function: add-new-clef clef-name clef-glyph clef-position transposition c0-position

:Add a new clef to the list of supported clefs.
:The arguments clef-name, clef-glyph, clef-position, and transposition are used to add an entry to the supported-clefs alist. Arguments clef-glyph and c0-position extend c0-pitch-alist.
: [[Using non-standard clef positions and adding customized clef definitions|Link to example]]

Function: ly:add-option sym val description rest

Add program option sym with default value val and docstring description.

LilyPond uses this function to define Scheme options available on the command line (given by -d or --define-default).

After start-up, command-line Scheme options are provided to LilyPond by function ly:command-line-options, which returns a key-value alist where all values are Scheme strings. Use the optional argument #:type to specify how such a value string for key sym should be processed by ly:set-option.

If set to symbol string, don’t do any further conversion and accept the value as a string. This is also necessary if a potentially fitting type predicate gets defined after LilyPond’s command-line option handling (for example, ly:duration?). In such cases, type checking should be performed manually later on.
If set to symbol string-or-boolean, do the same as with string but convert strings "#f" and "#t" to Boolean values.
If set to symbol string-or-false, do the same as with string but convert a string value "#f" to Boolean value #f.
If set to a procedure, handle the value as a Scheme expression and use the procedure as a predicate to check whether the value fits. This is also the default behaviour if #:type is not set, using boolean? as the procedure.
If set to a list, handle the value as a Scheme expression and check whether it is one of the list’s elements (u

User:Rudi Guggt/scheme-functions

2026-02-28T09:16:19Z

Rudi Guggt:

From the documentation:
[https://lilypond.org/doc/v2.25/Documentation/internals/scheme-functions scheme-functions]

Scheme functions

Function: [[Customizing the position and number of dots in repeat sign bar lines|add-bar-glyph-print-procedure glyph proc]]

:Specify the single glyph glyph that calls print procedure proc. The procedure proc has to be defined in the form (make-...-bar-line grob extent) even if the extent is not used within the routine.

Function: ly:add-context-mod contextmods modification

Adds the given context modification to the list contextmods of context modifications.

Function: add-grace-property context-name grob sym val

Set sym=val for grob in context-name.

Function: ly:add-interface iface desc props

Add a new grob interface. iface is the interface name, desc is the interface description, and props is the list of user-settable properties for the interface.

Function: ly:add-listener callback disp cl

Add the single-argument procedure callback as listener to the dispatcher disp. Whenever disp hears an event of class cl, it calls callback with it.

Function: add-new-clef clef-name clef-glyph clef-position transposition c0-position

Add a new clef to the list of supported clefs.

The arguments clef-name, clef-glyph, clef-position, and transposition are used to add an entry to the supported-clefs alist. Arguments clef-glyph and c0-position extend c0-pitch-alist.

Function: ly:add-option sym val description rest

Add program option sym with default value val and docstring description.

LilyPond uses this function to define Scheme options available on the command line (given by -d or --define-default).

After start-up, command-line Scheme options are provided to LilyPond by function ly:command-line-options, which returns a key-value alist where all values are Scheme strings. Use the optional argument #:type to specify how such a value string for key sym should be processed by ly:set-option.

If set to symbol string, don’t do any further conversion and accept the value as a string. This is also necessary if a potentially fitting type predicate gets defined after LilyPond’s command-line option handling (for example, ly:duration?). In such cases, type checking should be performed manually later on.
If set to symbol string-or-boolean, do the same as with string but convert strings "#f" and "#t" to Boolean values.
If set to symbol string-or-false, do the same as with string but convert a string value "#f" to Boolean value #f.
If set to a procedure, handle the value as a Scheme expression and use the procedure as a predicate to check whether the value fits. This is also the default behaviour if #:type is not set, using boolean? as the procedure.
If set to a list, handle the value as a Scheme expression and check whether it is one of the list’s elements (u

User:Rudi Guggt/scheme-functions

2026-02-28T09:12:50Z

Rudi Guggt: Created page with "From the documentation: [https://lilypond.org/doc/v2.25/Documentation/internals/scheme-functions scheme-functions] Scheme functions Function: add-bar-glyph-print-procedure glyph proc Specify the single glyph glyph that calls print procedure proc. The procedure proc has to be defined in the form (make-...-bar-line grob extent) even if the extent is not used within the routine. Function: ly:add-context-mod contextmods modification Adds the given context modif..."

From the documentation:
[https://lilypond.org/doc/v2.25/Documentation/internals/scheme-functions scheme-functions]

Scheme functions

Function: add-bar-glyph-print-procedure glyph proc

Specify the single glyph glyph that calls print procedure proc. The procedure proc has to be defined in the form (make-...-bar-line grob extent) even if the extent is not used within the routine.

Function: ly:add-context-mod contextmods modification

Adds the given context modification to the list contextmods of context modifications.

Function: add-grace-property context-name grob sym val

Set sym=val for grob in context-name.

Function: ly:add-interface iface desc props

Add a new grob interface. iface is the interface name, desc is the interface description, and props is the list of user-settable properties for the interface.

Function: ly:add-listener callback disp cl

Add the single-argument procedure callback as listener to the dispatcher disp. Whenever disp hears an event of class cl, it calls callback with it.

Function: add-new-clef clef-name clef-glyph clef-position transposition c0-position

Add a new clef to the list of supported clefs.

The arguments clef-name, clef-glyph, clef-position, and transposition are used to add an entry to the supported-clefs alist. Arguments clef-glyph and c0-position extend c0-pitch-alist.

Function: ly:add-option sym val description rest

Add program option sym with default value val and docstring description.

LilyPond uses this function to define Scheme options available on the command line (given by -d or --define-default).

After start-up, command-line Scheme options are provided to LilyPond by function ly:command-line-options, which returns a key-value alist where all values are Scheme strings. Use the optional argument #:type to specify how such a value string for key sym should be processed by ly:set-option.

If set to symbol string, don’t do any further conversion and accept the value as a string. This is also necessary if a potentially fitting type predicate gets defined after LilyPond’s command-line option handling (for example, ly:duration?). In such cases, type checking should be performed manually later on.
If set to symbol string-or-boolean, do the same as with string but convert strings "#f" and "#t" to Boolean values.
If set to symbol string-or-false, do the same as with string but convert a string value "#f" to Boolean value #f.
If set to a procedure, handle the value as a Scheme expression and use the procedure as a predicate to check whether the value fits. This is also the default behaviour if #:type is not set, using boolean? as the procedure.
If set to a list, handle the value as a Scheme expression and check whether it is one of the list’s elements (u

User:Rudi Guggt

2026-02-28T09:10:46Z

Rudi Guggt: /* my test pages */

Expect a warning several times

2026-02-28T09:09:21Z

Rudi Guggt: link to documentation

There are times when your LilyPond source file prints warnings when compiled and you may want to suppress these warnings from the output. LilyPond has a Scheme function for this: <code>ly:expect-warning</code>. However, there are times when the same warning is printed several times and <code>ly:expect-warning</code> will only hide one warning at a time. Typing this function several times in a row is tedious.

The Scheme function below takes a string that will match some part of the warning, just like <code>ly:expect-warning</code>, but it also takes an integer for the number of times the warning is printed.

<pre>
#(define expect-warning-times (lambda args
(for-each (lambda _ (apply ly:expect-warning (cdr args)))
(iota (car args)))))
</pre>

A usage example:

<code>#(expect-warning-times 4 "omitting tuplet bracket")</code>

The hint from the documentation: [https://lilypond.org/doc/v2.25/Documentation/internals/scheme-functions scheme-functions]

Frescobaldi

2026-02-19T12:51:08Z

Rudi Guggt: extensibel

[https://www.frescobaldi.org/ Frescobaldi] is a free GUI LilyPond sheet music editor. It strives to be lightweight and easy to use, yet powerful. Some of its features include:

* Syntax highlighting
* Auto-completion
* Point and click from the PDF display
* A MIDI player for audio "proof-listen"
* A Score Wizard to set up templates for editing
* A snippets library, extensible with own needs

(The Frescobaldi website is out of date.)

You can download the latest release and get the source code at the Frescobaldi [https://github.com/frescobaldi/frescobaldi GitHub repository].

User talk:Rudi Guggt

2026-02-19T12:48:22Z

Rudi Guggt: /* Deutschsprachiges Lilypondforum */

== Bitte Vorsicht mit Änderungen an »offiziellen« Snippets! ==

Hallo Rudi!

Bitte sei vorsichtig mit Änderungen an »offiziellen« Snippets – die kommen alle in das [https://lilypond.org/doc/v2.25/Documentation/snippets.pdf »Snippets« PDF] (und eine nicht geringe Zahl sogar in die [https://lilypond.org/doc/v2.25/Documentation/notation.pdf Notationsreferenz]). Derzeit ignoriert das <code>makelsr.pl</code>-Import-Skript alle Wiki-Links, aber ich finde, solch allgemeine Verweise wie <nowiki>[[Rests]]</nowiki> oder <nowiki>[[Skips]]</nowiki> passen generell nicht in die LilyPond-Dokumentation.

Daher ersuche ich Dich, diese Änderungen bei allem aus der Kategorie »Included in the official documentation« zu revertieren -- [[User:Lemzwerg|Lemzwerg]] ([[User talk:Lemzwerg|talk]]) 12:34, 8 December 2025 (UTC).

:ok, sollte ich dann wohl tun... [[User:Rudi Guggt|Rudi Guggt]] ([[User talk:Rudi Guggt|talk]]) 12:39, 8 December 2025 (UTC)

:: Danke im Voraus! Ich jetzt auch den Text in [[:Category:Included in the official documentation]] entsprechend aktualisiert. -- [[User:Lemzwerg|Lemzwerg]] ([[User talk:Lemzwerg|talk]]) 12:46, 8 December 2025 (UTC)
:::Vielleicht sollte dann auch eine Bearbeitungssperre für Newbies und Ähnliche auf solche Seiten... [[User:Rudi Guggt|Rudi Guggt]] ([[User talk:Rudi Guggt|talk]]) 12:48, 8 December 2025 (UTC)

:::: Das wurde von mir angedacht in Diskussionen mit Jean, aber als derzeit nicht notwendig erachtet -- [[User:Lemzwerg|Lemzwerg]] ([[User talk:Lemzwerg|talk]]) 13:03, 8 December 2025 (UTC)

== Deutschsprachiges Lilypondforum ==

Hi Rudi, du bist doch auch dort unterwegs. Ich komme nicht mehr rein mit der Meldung, dass meine IP dauerhaft blockiert ist.

Gast, du bist aus diesem Forum verbannt! 
blockierter IP-Bereich ist 138.99.37.216/27 (216-254) 
Dein Bann wird nie ablaufen.

Dabei befindet sich meine IP Adresse gar nicht in diesem Bereich. Kommst du ins Forum rein? Wenn ja, könntest du bitte den Admin kontaktieren und ihm das Problem schildern.

Vielen herzlichen Dank [[User:Manuela|Manuela]] ([[User talk:Manuela|talk]]) 22:09, 18 February 2026 (UTC)

:Ja, ich kann mich dort weiterhin anmelden. Ich habe den Admin angeschrieben... [[User:Rudi Guggt|Rudi Guggt]] ([[User talk:Rudi Guggt|talk]]) 12:44, 19 February 2026 (UTC)

User talk:Rudi Guggt

2026-02-19T12:44:37Z

Rudi Guggt: /* Deutschsprachiges Lilypondforum */ Reply

== Bitte Vorsicht mit Änderungen an »offiziellen« Snippets! ==

Hallo Rudi!

Bitte sei vorsichtig mit Änderungen an »offiziellen« Snippets – die kommen alle in das [https://lilypond.org/doc/v2.25/Documentation/snippets.pdf »Snippets« PDF] (und eine nicht geringe Zahl sogar in die [https://lilypond.org/doc/v2.25/Documentation/notation.pdf Notationsreferenz]). Derzeit ignoriert das <code>makelsr.pl</code>-Import-Skript alle Wiki-Links, aber ich finde, solch allgemeine Verweise wie <nowiki>[[Rests]]</nowiki> oder <nowiki>[[Skips]]</nowiki> passen generell nicht in die LilyPond-Dokumentation.

Daher ersuche ich Dich, diese Änderungen bei allem aus der Kategorie »Included in the official documentation« zu revertieren -- [[User:Lemzwerg|Lemzwerg]] ([[User talk:Lemzwerg|talk]]) 12:34, 8 December 2025 (UTC).

:ok, sollte ich dann wohl tun... [[User:Rudi Guggt|Rudi Guggt]] ([[User talk:Rudi Guggt|talk]]) 12:39, 8 December 2025 (UTC)

:: Danke im Voraus! Ich jetzt auch den Text in [[:Category:Included in the official documentation]] entsprechend aktualisiert. -- [[User:Lemzwerg|Lemzwerg]] ([[User talk:Lemzwerg|talk]]) 12:46, 8 December 2025 (UTC)
:::Vielleicht sollte dann auch eine Bearbeitungssperre für Newbies und Ähnliche auf solche Seiten... [[User:Rudi Guggt|Rudi Guggt]] ([[User talk:Rudi Guggt|talk]]) 12:48, 8 December 2025 (UTC)

:::: Das wurde von mir angedacht in Diskussionen mit Jean, aber als derzeit nicht notwendig erachtet -- [[User:Lemzwerg|Lemzwerg]] ([[User talk:Lemzwerg|talk]]) 13:03, 8 December 2025 (UTC)

== Deutschsprachiges Lilypondforum ==

Hi Rudi, du bist doch auch dort unterwegs. Ich komme nicht mehr rein mit der Meldung, dass meine IP dauerhaft blockiert ist.

Gast, du bist aus diesem Forum verbannt! 
blockierter IP-Bereich ist 138.99.37.216/27 (216-254) 
Dein Bann wird nie ablaufen.

Dabei befindet sich meine IP Adresse gar nicht in diesem Bereich. Kommst du ins Forum rein? Wenn ja, könntest du bitte den Admin kontaktieren und ihm das Problem schildern.

Vielen herzlichen Dank [[User:Manuela|Manuela]] ([[User talk:Manuela|talk]]) 22:09, 18 February 2026 (UTC)

:Ich habe den Admin angeschrieben... [[User:Rudi Guggt|Rudi Guggt]] ([[User talk:Rudi Guggt|talk]]) 12:44, 19 February 2026 (UTC)

Main Page

2026-02-14T13:01:50Z

Rudi Guggt: Undo revision 6333 by CarsonGallop (talk)

Welcome to the LilyPond wiki! This is a place where you can find and contribute commented code snippets for the [https://lilypond.org GNU LilyPond] music typesetting program.

Use the search box to look for snippets, view the [[Special:AllPages|list of all pages]], or read the [[Help:Contributing|editing help]]. You might also enter a LilyPond Snippet Repository (LSR) number to access a redirection to the corresponding page.

Most snippets are set up to use the current stable LilyPond release 2.24 (the intended version is always shown in the snippet). To use a newer version, don't forget to call {{Convert-ly-devel}} on the snippet since the syntax might have changed!

Talk:Slanted parentheses around dynamics

2026-01-31T21:36:27Z

Rudi Guggt: /* Is this Snippet Necessary? */ lilypond-tag

== Is this Snippet Necessary? ==

Can't this be done without Scheme code?

<lilypond version="2.24">
\relative c'' {
\override Parentheses.font-size = #2
c4\parenthesize\f c c \dynamicUp c\parenthesize\p
}
</lilypond>

-- [[User:Ksnortum|Ksnortum]] ([[User talk:Ksnortum|talk]]) 16:52, 31 January 2026 (UTC)

Drawing circles around note heads

2026-01-31T21:22:37Z

Rudi Guggt: other notes without circle

A circle can be drawn around a note head by providing a custom Scheme function to temporarily override the <code>stencil</code> property.

<lilypond version="2.24">
% LSR originally contributed by Valentin
% LSR http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/lilypond-user/2010-10/msg00523.html

circle = \tweak NoteHead.stencil
#(lambda (grob)
(let* ((note (ly:note-head::print grob))
(combo-stencil (ly:stencil-add
note
(circle-stencil note 0.1 0.8))))
(ly:make-stencil (ly:stencil-expr combo-stencil)
(ly:stencil-extent note X)
(ly:stencil-extent note Y))))
\etc

{ a' b' \circle c'' d'' }
</lilypond>

[[Category:Editorial annotations]]
[[Category:Scheme]]
[[Category:Included in the official documentation]]
[[Category:Snippet]]

Talk:Mozart’s Musikalisches Würfelspiel

2026-01-30T14:42:43Z

Rudi Guggt: weird

== Volte in wrong order? ==

It seems to me that the prima volta bar should be seconda volta and vice versa. -- [[User:Lemzwerg|Lemzwerg]] ([[User talk:Lemzwerg|talk]]) 15:08, 7 January 2026 (UTC)

:Indeed! Fixed, thanks. [[User:Jean Abou Samra|Jean Abou Samra]] ([[User talk:Jean Abou Samra|talk]]) 15:26, 7 January 2026 (UTC)

== Does not work with 2.25 ==

What changed? Compiling with 2.25 produces an error message [[User:Manuela|Manuela]] ([[User talk:Manuela|talk]]) 18:52, 7 January 2026 (UTC)

:Fixed, thanks. [[User:Jean Abou Samra|Jean Abou Samra]] ([[User talk:Jean Abou Samra|talk]]) 19:34, 7 January 2026 (UTC)

== Apostrophe in page title ==

The first word of the page title, "Mozart's," should change to “Mozart’s” with a curly (typographical) apostrophe. [[User:Gabriel Ellsworth|Gabriel Ellsworth]] ([[User talk:Gabriel Ellsworth|talk]]) 10:42, 30 January 2026 (UTC)

:Please try doing that! :-) On the right side of the page there is an entry 'Move'.
:After moving a page you should always check 'Special pages → Broken redirects' whether there are problems. -- [[User:Lemzwerg|Lemzwerg]] ([[User talk:Lemzwerg|talk]]) 10:56, 30 January 2026 (UTC)
::Done! Thank you, Werner. I did not realize that “Move” — note the curly quotation marks 🙂 — was the place to go to change a page’s title. Now I know. [[User:Gabriel Ellsworth|Gabriel Ellsworth]] ([[User talk:Gabriel Ellsworth|talk]]) 11:13, 30 January 2026 (UTC)

May I suggest, that there shouldn't be any apostrophes at all?! It's a german Titel, so it's a german genetiv-s, which does'nt need a "'". Please move the page to "Mozarts Musikalisches Würfelspiel" (without the apostrophe´s), ;) --[[User:Rudi Guggt|Rudi Guggt]] ([[User talk:Rudi Guggt|talk]]) 13:35, 30 January 2026 (UTC)

:This is not correct. The language of this Wiki is English, and the Word “Mozart” is not part of the music piece's name (“Musikalisches Würfelspiel”); this means that “’s” must be used to express the genitive case. -- [[User:Lemzwerg|Lemzwerg]] ([[User talk:Lemzwerg|talk]]) 13:43, 30 January 2026 (UTC)
::If you say so. But it looks weird. --[[User:Rudi Guggt|Rudi Guggt]] ([[User talk:Rudi Guggt|talk]]) 14:42, 30 January 2026 (UTC)

Talk:Mozart’s Musikalisches Würfelspiel

2026-01-30T13:35:49Z

Rudi Guggt: /* Apostrophe in page title */

Ripped, torn staff-lines

2026-01-30T13:22:01Z

Rudi Guggt: nodoc: ps

Here are some macros which can make a single staff appear as though its right side has been torn off. Two styles are available: the first "erases" the ends of individual staff- lines to different lengths; the second draws a zigzag line and erases everything to its right. Furthermore, the first type is capable of producing tear-patterns at random. Both work by temporarily modifying the <code>BarLine</code> stencil.

<div class="nodoc">
For technical reasons, the zigzag lines don't show up in the Wiki because <code>\postscript</code> only works with LilyPond's PS backend and is neither supported in the SVG (used in this Wiki) nor in the Cairo backend.
</div>


=== STYLE 1 PREFERENCES: ===

* <code>tearWidth</code> ... default is 1 
horizontal distance (measured in staff-spaces) between the end-points of the shortest and longest staff-lines.
* <code>tearXext</code> ... default is '(0 . 0) 
X-extent of the BarLine stencil, NOT including its width. Can be used as "padding" around the stencil, if needed.


=== STYLE 2 PREFERENCES: ===

* <code>zigzagDefaultYext</code> ... default is '(-4 . 4) 
Y-extent of the zigzag BarLine stencil (measured in staff-spaces).
* <code>zigzagDefaultSerrationCount</code> ... default is 5 
Number of "teeth" or "notches" on the zigzag line.
* <code>zigzagTearLineWidth</code> ... default is 0.1 
Width of the zigzag line itself.
* <code>zigzagTearAngle</code> ... default is 90 
Angle (measured in degrees) of kinks in the zigzag line.
* <code>zigzagTearXext</code> ... default is '(0 . 0) 
X-extent of the zigzag BarLine stencil, NOT including its width. Can be used as "padding" around the stencil, if needed.


=== USAGE: ===

see the <code>\score { }</code> block at the end of the file.

<lilypond version="2.24" full>
%% http://lsr.di.unimi.it/LSR/Item?id=668
%% see also http://lilypond.1069038.n5.nabble.com/LSR-v2-18-quot-Ripped-torn-staff-lines-quot-does-not-compile-tc159381.html

%LSR updated by Harm (Feb. 2014)
%LSR This snippet was contributed by Mark Polesky for version 2.12.0

%% preferences %%

tearWidth = #1
tearXext = #'(0 . 0)

zigzagDefaultYext = #'(-4 . 4)
zigzagDefaultSerrationCount = #5
zigzagTearLineWidth = #0.1
zigzagTearAngle = #90
zigzagTearXext = #'(0 . 0)

%% start definitions %%

tearGeneric =
#(define-music-function (lengths) (list?)
(let ((x-ext
(lambda (n)
(cons (* (list-ref lengths n) (/ tearWidth 4)) tearWidth)))
(y-ext '(1.5 . 2.5)))

#{
\once \override Staff.BarLine.stencil = #ly:text-interface::print
\once \override Staff.BarLine.text = \markup
\override #'(baseline-skip . 0) \with-color #white
\column {
\filled-box #(x-ext 0) #y-ext #0
\filled-box #(x-ext 1) #y-ext #0
\filled-box #(x-ext 2) #y-ext #0
\filled-box #(x-ext 3) #y-ext #0
\filled-box #(x-ext 4) #y-ext #0
}
\once \override Staff.BarLine.layer = #1
\once \override Staff.BarLine.X-extent =
#`(,(car tearXext) . ,(- (+ (cdr tearXext) tearWidth) 0.1))
\break
#}))

tear =
#(define-music-function () ()
#{
\tearGeneric
#(let loop ((unused '(0 1 2 3 4))
(lengths '()))
(if (= (length lengths) 5)
lengths
(let* ((x (random (length unused)))
(y (- (length unused) x))
(z (list-ref unused x)))
(loop (append (list-tail unused (+ x 1))
(list-tail (reverse unused) y))
(append lengths `(,z))))))
#})

tearCustom =
#(define-music-function (lengths) (list?)
#{ \tearGeneric #lengths #})

zigzagTearCustom =
#(define-music-function (y-ext serrations)
(pair? number?)
(let* ((zigzagTearHeight (- (cdr y-ext) (car y-ext)))
(deg2rad (lambda (x) (* x (/ (* (atan 1) 4) 180))))
(zigzagTearWidth
(/ zigzagTearHeight
serrations
(* (tan (/ (deg2rad zigzagTearAngle) 2)) 2))))
#{
\once \override Staff.BarLine.stencil = #ly:text-interface::print
\once \override Staff.BarLine.text =
\markup \with-dimensions
#`(0 . ,zigzagTearWidth)
#`(,(car y-ext) . ,(cdr y-ext))
\postscript

#(string-append "
/linewidth " (number->string zigzagTearLineWidth) " def
/height " (number->string zigzagTearHeight) " def
/serrations " (number->string serrations) " def
/width " (number->string zigzagTearWidth) " def
/padding " (number->string (cdr zigzagTearXext)) " 2 width mul add def

/serrationHeight height serrations div def
/y0 " (number->string (cdr y-ext)) " def
/xn width def
/yn serrationHeight 2 div neg def

/plotAngle {
xn yn rlineto
xn neg yn rlineto
} def

/plotSerrations {
serrations { plotAngle } repeat
} def

%% whiteout:
1 setgray
linewidth setlinewidth
0 y0 linewidth add moveto %% (whiteout staff-lines when y-exts are integers)
0 y0 lineto
plotSerrations
0 linewidth neg rlineto %% (whiteout staff-lines when y-exts are integers)
padding 0 rlineto
0 height linewidth 2 mul add rlineto %% (account for top and bottom linewidth)
padding neg 0 rlineto
fill stroke

%% draw serrations:
newpath
0 setgray
linewidth setlinewidth
0 y0 moveto
plotSerrations
stroke")

\once \override Staff.BarLine.layer = #1
\once \override Staff.BarLine.X-extent =
#`(,(car zigzagTearXext) .
,(- (+ (cdr zigzagTearXext) zigzagTearWidth) 0.1))
\break
#}))

zigzagTear = \zigzagTearCustom #zigzagDefaultYext #zigzagDefaultSerrationCount

%% end definitions %%

%% example of a custom tear-pattern:
tearRagged = \tearCustom #'(3 1 3 1 3)

music = { g'4 d'' b' d'' }
\header { tagline=##f }
\score {
{
%% random line-lengths:
\music \tear

%% set line-lengths on-the-fly:
\music \tearCustom #'(0 1 2 3 4)

%% define a custom tear-pattern if you want consistency (see above):
\music \tearRagged

%% default zigzag tear:
\music \zigzagTear

%% set zigzag Y-extent and serration-count on-the-fly:
\transpose c c' \music \zigzagTearCustom #'(-4 . 7) #4
}
\layout {
indent = #0
ragged-right = ##t
}
}
</lilypond>

[[Category:Staff notation]]
[[Category:Editorial annotations]]
[[Category:Really cool]]
[[Category:Snippet]]

[[Category:Correction wanted]]

Ripped, torn staff-lines

2026-01-29T09:40:31Z

Rudi Guggt: Zigzag lines dont appear

Here are some macros which can make a single staff appear as though its right side has been torn off. Two styles are available: the first "erases" the ends of individual staff- lines to different lengths; the second draws a zigzag line and erases everything to its right. Furthermore, the first type is capable of producing tear-patterns at random. Both work by temporarily modifying the <code>BarLine</code> stencil.


=== STYLE 1 PREFERENCES: ===

* <code>tearWidth</code> ... default is 1 
horizontal distance (measured in staff-spaces) between the end-points of the shortest and longest staff-lines.
* <code>tearXext</code> ... default is '(0 . 0) 
X-extent of the BarLine stencil, NOT including its width. Can be used as "padding" around the stencil, if needed.


=== STYLE 2 PREFERENCES: ===

* <code>zigzagDefaultYext</code> ... default is '(-4 . 4) 
Y-extent of the zigzag BarLine stencil (measured in staff-spaces).
* <code>zigzagDefaultSerrationCount</code> ... default is 5 
Number of "teeth" or "notches" on the zigzag line.
* <code>zigzagTearLineWidth</code> ... default is 0.1 
Width of the zigzag line itself.
* <code>zigzagTearAngle</code> ... default is 90 
Angle (measured in degrees) of kinks in the zigzag line.
* <code>zigzagTearXext</code> ... default is '(0 . 0) 
X-extent of the zigzag BarLine stencil, NOT including its width. Can be used as "padding" around the stencil, if needed.


=== USAGE: ===

see the <code>\score { }</code> block at the end of the file.

<lilypond version="2.24" full>
%% http://lsr.di.unimi.it/LSR/Item?id=668
%% see also http://lilypond.1069038.n5.nabble.com/LSR-v2-18-quot-Ripped-torn-staff-lines-quot-does-not-compile-tc159381.html

%LSR updated by Harm (Feb. 2014)
%LSR This snippet was contributed by Mark Polesky for version 2.12.0

%% preferences %%

tearWidth = #1
tearXext = #'(0 . 0)

zigzagDefaultYext = #'(-4 . 4)
zigzagDefaultSerrationCount = #5
zigzagTearLineWidth = #0.1
zigzagTearAngle = #90
zigzagTearXext = #'(0 . 0)

%% start definitions %%

tearGeneric =
#(define-music-function (lengths) (list?)
(let ((x-ext
(lambda (n)
(cons (* (list-ref lengths n) (/ tearWidth 4)) tearWidth)))
(y-ext '(1.5 . 2.5)))

#{
\once \override Staff.BarLine.stencil = #ly:text-interface::print
\once \override Staff.BarLine.text = \markup
\override #'(baseline-skip . 0) \with-color #white
\column {
\filled-box #(x-ext 0) #y-ext #0
\filled-box #(x-ext 1) #y-ext #0
\filled-box #(x-ext 2) #y-ext #0
\filled-box #(x-ext 3) #y-ext #0
\filled-box #(x-ext 4) #y-ext #0
}
\once \override Staff.BarLine.layer = #1
\once \override Staff.BarLine.X-extent =
#`(,(car tearXext) . ,(- (+ (cdr tearXext) tearWidth) 0.1))
\break
#}))

tear =
#(define-music-function () ()
#{
\tearGeneric
#(let loop ((unused '(0 1 2 3 4))
(lengths '()))
(if (= (length lengths) 5)
lengths
(let* ((x (random (length unused)))
(y (- (length unused) x))
(z (list-ref unused x)))
(loop (append (list-tail unused (+ x 1))
(list-tail (reverse unused) y))
(append lengths `(,z))))))
#})

tearCustom =
#(define-music-function (lengths) (list?)
#{ \tearGeneric #lengths #})

zigzagTearCustom =
#(define-music-function (y-ext serrations)
(pair? number?)
(let* ((zigzagTearHeight (- (cdr y-ext) (car y-ext)))
(deg2rad (lambda (x) (* x (/ (* (atan 1) 4) 180))))
(zigzagTearWidth
(/ zigzagTearHeight
serrations
(* (tan (/ (deg2rad zigzagTearAngle) 2)) 2))))
#{
\once \override Staff.BarLine.stencil = #ly:text-interface::print
\once \override Staff.BarLine.text =
\markup \with-dimensions
#`(0 . ,zigzagTearWidth)
#`(,(car y-ext) . ,(cdr y-ext))
\postscript

#(string-append "
/linewidth " (number->string zigzagTearLineWidth) " def
/height " (number->string zigzagTearHeight) " def
/serrations " (number->string serrations) " def
/width " (number->string zigzagTearWidth) " def
/padding " (number->string (cdr zigzagTearXext)) " 2 width mul add def

/serrationHeight height serrations div def
/y0 " (number->string (cdr y-ext)) " def
/xn width def
/yn serrationHeight 2 div neg def

/plotAngle {
xn yn rlineto
xn neg yn rlineto
} def

/plotSerrations {
serrations { plotAngle } repeat
} def

%% whiteout:
1 setgray
linewidth setlinewidth
0 y0 linewidth add moveto %% (whiteout staff-lines when y-exts are integers)
0 y0 lineto
plotSerrations
0 linewidth neg rlineto %% (whiteout staff-lines when y-exts are integers)
padding 0 rlineto
0 height linewidth 2 mul add rlineto %% (account for top and bottom linewidth)
padding neg 0 rlineto
fill stroke

%% draw serrations:
newpath
0 setgray
linewidth setlinewidth
0 y0 moveto
plotSerrations
stroke")

\once \override Staff.BarLine.layer = #1
\once \override Staff.BarLine.X-extent =
#`(,(car zigzagTearXext) .
,(- (+ (cdr zigzagTearXext) zigzagTearWidth) 0.1))
\break
#}))

zigzagTear = \zigzagTearCustom #zigzagDefaultYext #zigzagDefaultSerrationCount

%% end definitions %%

%% example of a custom tear-pattern:
tearRagged = \tearCustom #'(3 1 3 1 3)

music = { g'4 d'' b' d'' }
\header { tagline=##f }
\score {
{
%% random line-lengths:
\music \tear

%% set line-lengths on-the-fly:
\music \tearCustom #'(0 1 2 3 4)

%% define a custom tear-pattern if you want consistency (see above):
\music \tearRagged

%% default zigzag tear:
\music \zigzagTear

%% set zigzag Y-extent and serration-count on-the-fly:
\transpose c c' \music \zigzagTearCustom #'(-4 . 7) #4
}
\layout {
indent = #0
ragged-right = ##t
}
}
</lilypond>

[[Category:Staff notation]]
[[Category:Editorial annotations]]
[[Category:Really cool]]
[[Category:Snippet]]

[[Category:Correction wanted]]

Talk:Ripped, torn staff-lines

2026-01-29T09:35:52Z

Rudi Guggt: /* zigzag */ new section

== zigzag ==

here in the wiki the zigzag lines seem to be omitted. The code itself does work. --[[User:Rudi Guggt|Rudi Guggt]] ([[User talk:Rudi Guggt|talk]]) 09:35, 29 January 2026 (UTC)

User talk:Manuela/Main Page

2026-01-26T10:58:34Z

Rudi Guggt: /* Farbe */ new section

== Farbe ==

Hallo Manuela,

schöner Entwurf für die Hauptseite! Bei der Farbe für die Schrift würde ich eher was Grünes sehen wollen...
Vielleicht "#8b5" oder ähnlich. Was meinst du?

Und "Wiki" statt "WIKI"?

LG -- [[User:Rudi Guggt|Rudi Guggt]] ([[User talk:Rudi Guggt|talk]]) 10:58, 26 January 2026 (UTC)

Talk:Using path expressions to override stencils

2026-01-04T09:03:25Z

Rudi Guggt:

== distance to barline ==

hello,

it seems to be an issue, that the distance between clef and following bar varies with the zooming.
How to solve that?
[[User:Rudi Guggt|Rudi Guggt]] ([[User talk:Rudi Guggt|talk]]) 09:02, 4 January 2026 (UTC)

Talk:Using path expressions to override stencils

2026-01-04T09:02:40Z

Rudi Guggt: /* distance to barline */ new section

== distance to barline ==

hello,

it seem to be an issue, that the distance between clef and following bar varies with the zooming.
How to solve that?
[[User:Rudi Guggt|Rudi Guggt]] ([[User talk:Rudi Guggt|talk]]) 09:02, 4 January 2026 (UTC)

Page label

2025-12-08T12:50:24Z

Rudi Guggt: undo

Page labels may be placed inside music or at top-level, and referred to in markups.

<lilypond version="2.24" full>
\label license
\markup "This snippet is available under the Creative Commons
Public Domain Dedication license."

{
\repeat volta 2 {
\label startRepeat
\repeat unfold 20 { c'2 2 }
\pageBreak
2 2
}
\textEndMark \markup {
\with-link #'startRepeat \line {
To page \page-ref #'startRepeat "0" "?"
}
}
}

\markup {
See page \page-ref #'license "0" "?" for
licensing information.
}
</lilypond>

[[Category:Spacing]]
[[Category:Included in the official documentation]]
[[Category:Snippet]]

User talk:Rudi Guggt

2025-12-08T12:48:44Z

Rudi Guggt:

User talk:Rudi Guggt

2025-12-08T12:48:27Z

Rudi Guggt: /* Bitte Vorsicht mit Änderungen an »offiziellen« Snippets! */ Reply

Extending a trill spanner

2025-12-08T12:46:24Z

Rudi Guggt: Undo revision 5465 by Rudi Guggt (talk)

For <code>TrillSpanner</code> grobs, the <code>minimum-length</code> property becomes effective only if the <code>set-spacing-rods</code> procedure is called explicitly.

To do this, the <code>springs-and-rods</code> property should be set to <code>ly:spanner::set-spacing-rods</code>.

<lilypond version="2.24">
\relative c' {
\key c\minor
\time 2/4
c16( as') c,-. des-.
\once\override TrillSpanner.minimum-length = #15
\once\override TrillSpanner.springs-and-rods = #ly:spanner::set-spacing-rods
\afterGrace es4
\startTrillSpan { d16[( \stopTrillSpan es)] }
c( c' g es c g' es d
\hideNotes
c8)
}
</lilypond>

[[Category:Staff notation]]
[[Category:Syntax and expressions]]
[[Category:Tweaks and overrides]]
[[Category:Included in the official documentation]]
[[Category:Snippet]]

Skips in lyric mode (2)

2025-12-08T12:41:19Z

Rudi Guggt: Undo revision 5557 by Rudi Guggt (talk)

Although <samp>s</samp> skips cannot be used in <code>\lyricmode</code> (it is taken to be a literal “s”, not a space), double quotes (<code>""</code>) or underscores (<code>_</code>) are available.

So for example:

<lilypond version="2.24">
<<
\relative c'' { a4 b c d }
\new Lyrics \lyricmode { a4 "" _ gap }
>>
</lilypond>

[[Category:Really simple]]
[[Category:Rhythms]]
[[Category:Vocal music]]
[[Category:Included in the official documentation]]
[[Category:Snippet]]

Skips in lyric mode

2025-12-08T12:40:48Z

Rudi Guggt: Undo revision 5558 by Rudi Guggt (talk)

The <code>s</code> syntax for skips is only available in note mode and chord mode. In other situations, for example, when entering lyrics, using the <code>\skip</code> command is recommended.

<lilypond version="2.24">
<<
\relative c'' { a1 | a }
\new Lyrics \lyricmode { \skip 1 bla1 }
>>
</lilypond>

[[Category:Rhythms]]
[[Category:Vocal music]]
[[Category:Really simple]]
[[Category:Included in the official documentation]]
[[Category:Snippet]]

User talk:Rudi Guggt

2025-12-08T12:39:27Z

Rudi Guggt: /* Bitte Vorsicht mit Änderungen an »offiziellen« Snippets! */ Reply

User:Rudi Guggt

2025-12-08T12:05:41Z

Rudi Guggt: /* old style */

Adding rests

2025-12-08T11:53:06Z

Rudi Guggt:

Rests are entered like notes, with the note name <code>r</code>, so just type <code>r</code> followed by the duration.

<lilypond version="2.24">
%% http://lsr.di.unimi.it/LSR/Item?id=158

{
r1 r2 r4 r8
}
</lilypond>

For invisible rests use [[skips]].

[[Category:Rhythms]]
[[Category:Really simple]]
[[Category:Snippet]]

Rest

2025-12-08T11:51:58Z

Rudi Guggt: redi

#redirect [[Adding rests]]

Skips

2025-12-08T11:50:39Z

Rudi Guggt: for lyrics

An invisible [[rest]] (also called a `skip') can be entered like a note with note name `s' or with \skip duration.

<lilypond version="2.24">
%% http://lsr.di.unimi.it/LSR/Item?id=160

{
a4 a4 s4 a4 \skip 1 a4
}
</lilypond>

For Skips in Lyrics see [[Skips in lyric mode]] and [[Skips in lyric mode (2)]].

[[Category:Rhythms]]
[[Category:Spacing]]
[[Category:Really simple]]
[[Category:Snippet]]

Skips in lyric mode

2025-12-08T11:46:35Z

Rudi Guggt:

The <code>s</code> syntax for [[skips]] is only available in note mode and chord mode. In other situations, for example, when entering lyrics, using the <code>\skip</code> command is recommended.

<lilypond version="2.24">
<<
\relative c'' { a1 | a }
\new Lyrics \lyricmode { \skip 1 bla1 }
>>
</lilypond>

[[Category:Rhythms]]
[[Category:Vocal music]]
[[Category:Really simple]]
[[Category:Included in the official documentation]]
[[Category:Snippet]]

Skips in lyric mode (2)

2025-12-08T11:45:34Z

Rudi Guggt: [[]]

Although <samp>s</samp> [[skips]] cannot be used in <code>\lyricmode</code> (it is taken to be a literal “s”, not a space), double quotes (<code>""</code>) or underscores (<code>_</code>) are available.

So for example:

<lilypond version="2.24">
<<
\relative c'' { a4 b c d }
\new Lyrics \lyricmode { a4 "" _ gap }
>>
</lilypond>

[[Category:Really simple]]
[[Category:Rhythms]]
[[Category:Vocal music]]
[[Category:Included in the official documentation]]
[[Category:Snippet]]

Colored arrow

2025-12-06T09:13:05Z

Rudi Guggt:

This snippet demonstrates drawing colored arrows in a score, e.g. for analysis purposes. These arrows have a fixed length and angle. If you prefer arrows that adapt to layout changes, please also have a look at snippet 962.

See also [[Colored arrow (2)]].

<lilypond version="2.24">
#(define-markup-command (Arrow layout props color angle length moveX moveY)
(color? number? number? number? number?)
(interpret-markup layout props
#{
\markup {
\with-dimensions #'(0 . 0) #'(0 . 0)
\translate #(cons moveX moveY)
\rotate #angle
\override #'(thickness . 5) % line thickness
\fontsize #10 % arrow-head size
\with-dimensions #'(0 . 0) #'(0 . 0)
\with-color $color
\translate #(cons 0 (- 0 length))
\combine
\draw-line #(cons 0 length) % can be replaced by \draw-dashed-line or \draw-dotted-line
\translate-scaled #'(0 . -0.5) % might have to be adjusted if line thickness is changed
\with-color $color
\arrow-head #Y #DOWN ##t % ##t - filled arrow-head, ##f - empty arrow-head
}
#}))

{<<
\new Staff {R1*3}
\new Staff {
e'1-\tweak layer #-1 -\markup {\Arrow #green #138 #16 #2 #2 }
e'1-\tweak layer #-1 -\markup {\Arrow #cyan #255 #14 #-1 #2 }
e'1-\tweak layer #2 -\markup {\Arrow #red #172 #11 #1 #2 }
% To have the arrow behind the staff, choose a value below 0 for the layer.
% If you want the arrows to cover the notes, choose a value of 2 or more.
}
>>}
</lilypond>

[[Category:Education]]
[[Category:Editorial annotations]]
[[Category:Tweaks and overrides]]
[[Category:Specific notation]]
[[Category:Syntax and expressions]]
[[Category:Snippet]]

Colored arrow (2)

2025-12-06T09:12:23Z

Rudi Guggt: s.a.

This snippet demonstrates drawing colored arrows in a score, e.g. for analysis purposes. These arrows will adapt to layout changes, because they are made of spanners between (invisible) note heads. If you need arrows with a fixed length and angle, you might prefer Snippet 961.

See also: [[Colored arrow]].

<lilypond version="2.24">
forwardArrow = #(define-music-function (color)
(color?)
#{ % Cross-staff arrows are made using the VoiceFollower:
\once \override VoiceFollower.layer = #-5
% To have the arrow behind the staff, choose a value below 0 for the layer.
% If you want the arrows to cover the notes, choose a value of 2 or more.
\once \override VoiceFollower.thickness = #'5 % line thickness
\once \override VoiceFollower.color = #color
\once \override VoiceFollower.bound-details.left.padding = #4
\once \override VoiceFollower.bound-details.right.padding = #5
% Padding can be adjusted to move arrow ends closer to the notes
\once \override VoiceFollower.bound-details.right.arrow = ##t
\once \override VoiceFollower.breakable = ##t % ##f prevents line breaks within an arrow
% Arrows within the same staff use the Glissando spanner:
\once \override Glissando.layer = #-5
\once \override Glissando.thickness = #'5
\once \override Glissando.color = #color
\once \override Glissando.bound-details.left.padding = #4
\once \override Glissando.bound-details.right.padding = #5
\once \override Glissando.bound-details.right.arrow = ##t
\once \override Glissando.breakable = ##t
#})

backwardArrow = #(define-music-function (color)
(color?)
#{
\once \override VoiceFollower.layer = #-5
\once \override VoiceFollower.thickness = #'5 % line thickness
\once \override VoiceFollower.color = #color
\once \override VoiceFollower.bound-details.left.padding = #4
\once \override VoiceFollower.bound-details.right.padding = #5
% pretty much the same stuff, but arrow head at the left side:
\once \override VoiceFollower.bound-details.left.arrow = ##t
\once \override VoiceFollower.breakable = ##t
\once \override Glissando.layer = #-5
\once \override Glissando.thickness = #'5
\once \override Glissando.color = #color
\once \override Glissando.bound-details.left.padding = #4
\once \override Glissando.bound-details.right.padding = #5
\once \override Glissando.bound-details.left.arrow = ##t % same here...
\once \override Glissando.breakable = ##t
#})

\relative c' {
<<
% Usage: place the arrow function call before the note, the glissando statement after the note
\new Staff = upper {c4 d e \backwardArrow #blue c \glissando R1 R1 R1 R1 R1 c4 d e c e1 d c}
\new Staff = middle {R1 c4 d e c e8 d e f g f e c d c d e f e f d c1 R1 R1*4}
\new Staff = lower
{<<
{R1 R1 c4 d e \forwardArrow #blue c\glissando R1 c4 d e c d c b2 R1*4}
{ \override NoteColumn.ignore-collision = ##t
% Cross-staff arrows use an additional voice with hidden notes between them.
% To make these notes visible, uncomment the following line:
% \override NoteHead.color = #cyan \override NoteHead.layer = #2
% and remove the following "\hideNotes" line:
\hideNotes
\set Voice.followVoice = ##t
\change Staff = "upper" c4 s2.
% place the arrow function call immediately before the staff change:
\backwardArrow #green
\change Staff = "middle" g4 s2.
\forwardArrow #red
\change Staff = "lower" c4 s2. s1 c4 s2.
\break
\forwardArrow #red
\change Staff = "middle" c4 s2.
\forwardArrow #red
\change Staff = "upper" c4 s2.
}
>>}
>>
}
</lilypond>

[[Category:Editorial annotations]]
[[Category:Breaks]]
[[Category:Paper and layout]]
[[Category:Tweaks and overrides]]
[[Category:Connecting notes]]
[[Category:Specific notation]]
[[Category:Snippet]]

Colored arrows (alternative method)

2025-12-06T09:11:36Z

Rudi Guggt: Rudi Guggt moved page Colored arrows (alternative method) to Colored arrow (2)

#REDIRECT [[Colored arrow (2)]]

Colored arrow (2)

2025-12-06T09:11:36Z

Rudi Guggt: Rudi Guggt moved page Colored arrows (alternative method) to Colored arrow (2)

This snippet demonstrates drawing colored arrows in a score, e.g. for analysis purposes. These arrows will adapt to layout changes, because they are made of spanners between (invisible) note heads. If you need arrows with a fixed length and angle, you might prefer Snippet 961.

<lilypond version="2.24">
forwardArrow = #(define-music-function (color)
(color?)
#{ % Cross-staff arrows are made using the VoiceFollower:
\once \override VoiceFollower.layer = #-5
% To have the arrow behind the staff, choose a value below 0 for the layer.
% If you want the arrows to cover the notes, choose a value of 2 or more.
\once \override VoiceFollower.thickness = #'5 % line thickness
\once \override VoiceFollower.color = #color
\once \override VoiceFollower.bound-details.left.padding = #4
\once \override VoiceFollower.bound-details.right.padding = #5
% Padding can be adjusted to move arrow ends closer to the notes
\once \override VoiceFollower.bound-details.right.arrow = ##t
\once \override VoiceFollower.breakable = ##t % ##f prevents line breaks within an arrow
% Arrows within the same staff use the Glissando spanner:
\once \override Glissando.layer = #-5
\once \override Glissando.thickness = #'5
\once \override Glissando.color = #color
\once \override Glissando.bound-details.left.padding = #4
\once \override Glissando.bound-details.right.padding = #5
\once \override Glissando.bound-details.right.arrow = ##t
\once \override Glissando.breakable = ##t
#})

backwardArrow = #(define-music-function (color)
(color?)
#{
\once \override VoiceFollower.layer = #-5
\once \override VoiceFollower.thickness = #'5 % line thickness
\once \override VoiceFollower.color = #color
\once \override VoiceFollower.bound-details.left.padding = #4
\once \override VoiceFollower.bound-details.right.padding = #5
% pretty much the same stuff, but arrow head at the left side:
\once \override VoiceFollower.bound-details.left.arrow = ##t
\once \override VoiceFollower.breakable = ##t
\once \override Glissando.layer = #-5
\once \override Glissando.thickness = #'5
\once \override Glissando.color = #color
\once \override Glissando.bound-details.left.padding = #4
\once \override Glissando.bound-details.right.padding = #5
\once \override Glissando.bound-details.left.arrow = ##t % same here...
\once \override Glissando.breakable = ##t
#})

\relative c' {
<<
% Usage: place the arrow function call before the note, the glissando statement after the note
\new Staff = upper {c4 d e \backwardArrow #blue c \glissando R1 R1 R1 R1 R1 c4 d e c e1 d c}
\new Staff = middle {R1 c4 d e c e8 d e f g f e c d c d e f e f d c1 R1 R1*4}
\new Staff = lower
{<<
{R1 R1 c4 d e \forwardArrow #blue c\glissando R1 c4 d e c d c b2 R1*4}
{ \override NoteColumn.ignore-collision = ##t
% Cross-staff arrows use an additional voice with hidden notes between them.
% To make these notes visible, uncomment the following line:
% \override NoteHead.color = #cyan \override NoteHead.layer = #2
% and remove the following "\hideNotes" line:
\hideNotes
\set Voice.followVoice = ##t
\change Staff = "upper" c4 s2.
% place the arrow function call immediately before the staff change:
\backwardArrow #green
\change Staff = "middle" g4 s2.
\forwardArrow #red
\change Staff = "lower" c4 s2. s1 c4 s2.
\break
\forwardArrow #red
\change Staff = "middle" c4 s2.
\forwardArrow #red
\change Staff = "upper" c4 s2.
}
>>}
>>
}
</lilypond>

[[Category:Editorial annotations]]
[[Category:Breaks]]
[[Category:Paper and layout]]
[[Category:Tweaks and overrides]]
[[Category:Connecting notes]]
[[Category:Specific notation]]
[[Category:Snippet]]

Implementing a counter in markup text

2025-12-06T09:05:00Z

Rudi Guggt: warning in red

This snippet shows how to implement a counter in LilyPond for use in markup texts. Whenever you call the <code>\counter #"name"</code> markup function, the counter named <code>name</code> will be increased by one and the new value will be printed as a text markup. The first call will print “1” by default. Example:

\markup {
Initial value of the counter: \counter #"mycounter".
Second call: \counter #"mycounter" }

The snippet also implements a <code>\setcounter #"name" newvalue</code> markup command to set the the counter to a specific value and print it out.

One can have an arbitrary number of simultaneous counters, each indicated by its own name (as a string).

The storage of the counter values is implemented as a global alist <code>counter-alist</code> (Scheme/Guile's concept of a hash), where the <code>counter</code> command simply extracts the current value, increases it by one and stores it back in the alist.

<lilypond version="2.24">
#(define counter-alist '())

#(define-markup-command (counter layout props name) (string?)
"Increases and prints out the value of the given counter named @var{name}.
If the counter does not yet exist, it is initialized with 1."
(let* ((oldval (assoc-ref counter-alist name))
(newval (if (number? oldval) (+ oldval 1) 1)))
(set! counter-alist (assoc-set! counter-alist name newval))
(interpret-markup layout props
(markup (number->string newval)))))

#(define-markup-command (setcounter layout props name value) (string? number?)
"Set the given counter named @var{name} to the given @var{value} and prints
out the value. The counter does not yet have to exist."
(set! counter-alist (assoc-set! counter-alist name (- value 1)))
(interpret-markup layout props (make-counter-markup name)))

\markup { Initial value of the counter: \counter #"mycounter". }
\markup { Second call: \counter #"mycounter" }
\markup { It is increasing: \counter #"mycounter" }
\markup { A second counter: \counter #"myothercounter" }
\markup { First counter is increasing: \counter #"mycounter" }
\markup { Second counter is increasing: \counter #"myothercounter" }
\markup { Setting to a specific value works, too: }
\markup { Set first counter to 15: \setcounter #"mycounter" #15 }
\markup { It is increasing: \counter #"mycounter" }
\markup \with-color #red { Don't rush it: }
\markup { Three calls in a row: \counter #"mycounter", \counter #"mycounter" and \counter #"mycounter" }
\markup { It is increasing: \counter #"mycounter" }
\markup { Second counter is increasing: \counter #"myothercounter" }
</lilypond>

[[Category:Text]]
[[Category:Scheme]]
[[Category:Snippet]]

Using arbitrary markup as lyric hyphen

2025-12-06T08:50:30Z

Rudi Guggt: ≋ and hearts

Lyric hyphens have several user-modifiable properties such as length and thickness; this doesn’t allow, however, for further tweaking, for example, rendering hyphens as rounded boxes to better match the font possibly used for <code>LyricText</code>, or even printing hyphens as actual glyphs rather than drawing basic boxes.

This snippet rewrites the <code>LyricHyphen</code> stencil procedure to use a proper glyph… or indeed any arbitrary markup.

<lilypond version="2.24" full>
%% Originally contributed by Aaron Hill:
%% https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/lilypond-user/2019-03/msg00257.html

#(define (lyric-hyphen-text-stencil grob)
"Draws a LyricHyphen using an arbitrary text markup."

(define (span-point side common dir)
(let ((iv
(ly:generic-bound-extent side common)))
(if (interval-empty? iv)
(ly:grob-relative-coordinate side common X)
(interval-bound iv dir))))

(define (get-text-stencil grob)
(let* ((orig (ly:grob-original grob))
(into (ly:spanner-broken-into orig)))
(grob-interpret-markup
(ly:spanner-bound (if (null? into) orig (first into)) LEFT)
(ly:grob-property grob 'text "-"))))

(let* ((left-bound (ly:spanner-bound grob LEFT))
(right-bound (ly:spanner-bound grob RIGHT))
(common (ly:grob-common-refpoint left-bound right-bound X))
(left-span (span-point left-bound common RIGHT))
(right-span (span-point right-bound common LEFT))
(span-length (- right-span left-span))
(padding (ly:grob-property grob 'padding 0.1))
(minimum-length (ly:grob-property grob 'minimum-length 0.3))
(usable-length
(- span-length
(if (zero? (ly:item-break-dir left-bound)) padding 0)
(if (zero? (ly:item-break-dir right-bound)) padding 0))))
(if (< usable-length minimum-length) '()
(let* ((dash-sten (get-text-stencil grob))
(dash-extent (ly:stencil-extent dash-sten X))
(dash-length (min (interval-length dash-extent) usable-length))
(scaled-sten (ly:stencil-scale
(ly:stencil-translate-axis
dash-sten (- (interval-start dash-extent)) X)
(/ dash-length (interval-length dash-extent)) 1))
(dash-period
(max (ly:grob-property grob 'dash-period 1.0) dash-length))
(dash-count
(1+ (floor (/ (- usable-length dash-length) dash-period))))
(extra
(- usable-length
dash-length
(* (- dash-count 1) dash-period)))
(offset
(+ (- left-span (ly:grob-relative-coordinate grob common X))
(if (zero? (ly:item-break-dir left-bound)) padding 0)
(/ extra 2))))
(apply
ly:stencil-add
(map
(lambda (n)
(ly:stencil-translate-axis
scaled-sten
(+ offset (* n dash-period))
X))
(iota dash-count)))))))

\paper {
indent = 0
ragged-right = ##f
tagline = ##f
}

\relative c' {
\omit Staff.TimeSignature
\repeat unfold 3 {
b4. b8 b4 b4 |
b8 b8 b8 b8 b2 \break
}
r2 b'2~ \break b1~ \break b2 b2
}
\addlyrics {
\override Score.RehearsalMark.self-alignment-X = #LEFT

\mark "LyricHyphen.text is \"-\""
\override LyricHyphen.dash-period = #5
\override LyricHyphen.padding = #0.2
\override LyricHyphen.stencil = #lyric-hyphen-text-stencil

Lo -- rem ip -- sum do -- lor sit a -- met.

\mark "LyricHyphen.text is \"–\""
\override LyricHyphen.text = #"–" %#"\xe2\x80\x93" % U+2013
\override LyricText.font-series = #'bold
Lo -- rem ip -- sum do -- lor sit a -- met.

%% \mark \markup { "LyricHyphen.text is " \circle \with-color #red "&" }
\mark \markup { "LyricHyphen.text is " \circle \with-color #red "♥" }
\override LyricHyphen.text =
\markup
\circle \with-color #red
%% For unknown reason "\xe2\x99\xa5", which is "♥", U+2665, does not work in LSR,
%% replacing it with "&"
%% Outside of LSR it works -- Harm
%%
%% Outside LSR it's possible to use "♥" directly for guile-v1 and guile-v2 --Harm (May 2022)
%% #"&"
#"♥"
\override LyricText.font-size = #3
Lo -- rem ip -- sum do -- lor sit a -- met.

%% Same here for "\xe2\x89\x8b", which is "≋", U+224B, does not work in LSR,
%% replacing it with "~"
%% Outside of LSR it works -- Harm
%%
%% Outside LSR it's possible to use "≋" directly for guile-v1 and guile-v2 --Harm (May 2022)

\mark \markup { "LyricHyphen.text is blue" \with-color #blue #"≋" }
\override LyricHyphen.text =
\markup
\scale #'(3 . 1) \with-color #blue #"≋"
\override LyricText.font-size = #6
Break -- ing
}
</lilypond>

[[Category:Vocal music]]
[[Category:Tweaks and overrides]]
[[Category:Snippet]]