Automatic spacing behavior

By default, LilyPond takes stem directions and head positions into account to correctly handle optical spacing. This feature is what makes LilyPond-engraved scores so beautiful to see, to read, and to play :-)

\version "2.24"

%% http://lsr.di.unimi.it/LSR/Item?id=270

music = {
  c'4 e''4 e'4 b'4 |
  \stemDown
  b'8[ e'' a' e'']
  \stemNeutral
  e'8[ e'8 e'8 e'8]  
}

\score {
  \music
  \layout {
    \context {
      \Staff
      \override NoteSpacing.stem-spacing-correction = #0.6
    }
  }
}

\score {
  \music
  \layout {
    \context {
      \Staff
      \override NoteSpacing.stem-spacing-correction = #0.0
      \override NoteSpacing.same-direction-correction = #0.0
      \override StaffSpacing.stem-spacing-correction = #0.0
    }
  }
}