Editing Unmetered music: An alternative to \cadenzaOn

If your music is unmetered, you might use <code>\cadenzaOn</code>. But <code>\cadenzaOn</code> will disable automatic measure demarcation, and when it is applied, the <code>\bar</code> command will ''not'' start a new measure.

<u>If you want the features that come with measure demarcation</u> (e.g., resetting '''accidentals''', automatic '''bar numbering''', automatic '''beaming'''), the following approach may be useful. It combines <code>\omit TimeSignature</code> with [https://lilypond.org/doc/v2.24/Documentation/internals/devnull a <code>Devnull</code> context] containing a timing (measure demarcation) variable.

If you use Frescobaldi, you may find its built-in duration counter helpful for computing values to enter into your measure-demarcation variable. Look below your code window for “Length: #/#” to the right of the Line and Col counters. Highlight a measure of music input in your code to see Frescobaldi’s automatic counting of its length.

See also [https://lilypond.org/doc/v2.24/Documentation/notation/displaying-rhythms#unmetered-music “Unmetered music” in the Notation Reference] and the snippet [[Free meter – increasing the bar number wherever you want]].

<lilypond version="2.24">
\header {
  title = "Example from an Anglican chant"
  subtitle = "Double chant in D major (second half)"
  subsubtitle = "Composed by John Soaper (1743–1794)"
}

\layout {
  \context {
    \Staff
    \omit TimeSignature
  }
  \context {
    \ChoirStaff
    \accidentalStyle choral-cautionary
  }
}

%% Define a variable that will go in a Devnull context: 
measures = {
  \time 8/4 s1*2 \bar "||"
  \time 13/4 s4*13 \bar "|."
  % Continue adding time signatures, spacer rests, 
  % and (if desired) custom bar lines 
  % for each subsequent “measure” of your music: 
  % \time XX/4 s4*XX
}

global = {
  \key d \major
  % Notice that if you enable \cadenzaOn, 
  % you will lose the features of 
  % automatic measure demarcation: 
  % \cadenzaOn
}

soprano = \relative c'' {
  \global
  a2 a4 gis4 fis1 | 
  % Barchecks with | are helpful 
  % to confirm that your \measures variable 
  % has correct durations in it 
  a1 d2 g,4 fis4 e4 d1 | 
}

alto = \relative c' {
  \global
  fis2 fis4 eis4 fis1 | 
  fis1 fis2 e4 d4 cis4 d1 | 
}

tenor = \relative c' {
  \global
  cis2 cis4 b4 a1 | 
  d1 d2 b4 a4 a8 g8 fis1 | 
  \tweak direction #DOWN \tweak font-size #-1
  \textEndMark "Real Anglican chant; music altered slightly for illustrative purposes"
}

bass = \relative c {
  \global
  fis2 cis4 cis4 fis1 | 
  d1 b2 g4 a4 a4 d1 | 
}

\score {
  \new ChoirStaff <<
    %% Add your variable to a Devnull context: 
    \new Devnull \measures
    \new Staff <<
      \new Voice = "soprano" { \voiceOne \soprano }
      \new Voice = "alto" { \voiceTwo \alto }
    >>
    \new Staff <<
      \clef bass
      \new Voice = "tenor" { \voiceOne \tenor }
      \new Voice = "bass" { \voiceTwo \bass }
    >>
  >>
}
</lilypond>