Gabriel Ellsworth: I changed the music example.

2026-02-12T13:58:52Z

I changed the music example.

Gabriel Ellsworth: I added categories.

2026-01-28T15:57:02Z

I added categories.

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:57, 28 January 2026
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	}		}
	</lilypond>		</lilypond>

			[[Category:Rhythms]]
			[[Category:Workaround]]
			[[Category:Snippet]]
			[[Category:Real music]]

Gabriel Ellsworth: Created page with "If your music is unmetered, you might use `\cadenzaOn`. But `\cadenzaOn` will disable automatic measure demarcation, and when it is applied, the `\bar` command will ''not'' start a new measure. If you want the features that come with measure demarcation (e.g., resetting '''accidentals''', automatic '''bar numbering''', automatic '''beaming'''), the following approach may be useful. It combines `\omit TimeSignature` with..."

2026-01-28T15:48:39Z

Created page with "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..."

New page

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>

Unmetered music: An alternative to \cadenzaOn - Revision history

Gabriel Ellsworth: I changed the music example.

Gabriel Ellsworth: I added categories.