LilyPond Notation Reference: 1.7.2 Outside the staff

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1.7.2 Outside the staff

This section discusses how to add emphasis to elements in the staff from outside of the staff.

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Balloon help

Elements of notation can be marked and named with the help of a square balloon. The primary purpose of this feature is to explain notation.

\new Voice \with { \consists "Balloon_engraver" }
\relative c'' {
  \balloonGrobText #'Stem #'(3 . 4) \markup { "I'm a Stem" }
  a8
  \balloonGrobText #'Rest #'(-4 . -4) \markup { "I'm a rest" }
  r
  <c, g'-\balloonText #'(-2 . -2) \markup { "I'm a note head" } c>2.
}

There are two music functions, balloonGrobText and balloonText; the former is used like \once \override to attach text to any grob, and the latter is used like \tweak, typically within chords, to attach text to an individual note.

Balloon text does not influence note spacing, but this can be altered:

\new Voice \with { \consists "Balloon_engraver" }
\relative c'' {
  \balloonGrobText #'Stem #'(3 . 4) \markup { "I'm a Stem" }
  a8
  \balloonGrobText #'Rest #'(-4 . -4) \markup { "I'm a rest" }
  r
  \balloonLengthOn
  <c, g'-\balloonText #'(-2 . -2) \markup { "I'm a note head" } c>2.
}

Predefined commands

\balloonLengthOn, \balloonLengthOff.

Grid lines

Vertical lines can be drawn between staves synchronized with the notes.

The Grid_point_engraver must be used to create the end points of the lines, while the Grid_line_span_engraver must be used to actually draw the lines. By default this centers grid lines horizontally below and to the left side of each note head. Grid lines extend from the middle lines of each staff. The gridInterval must specify the duration between the grid lines.

\layout {
  \context {
    \Staff
    \consists "Grid_point_engraver"
    gridInterval = #(ly:make-moment 1/4)
  }
  \context {
    \Score
    \consists "Grid_line_span_engraver"
  }
}

\score {
  \new ChoirStaff <<
    \new Staff \relative {
      \stemUp
      c''4. d8 e8 f g4
    }
    \new Staff \relative {
      \clef bass
      \stemDown
      c4 g' f e
    }
  >>
}

Selected Snippets

Grid lines: changing their appearance

The appearance of grid lines can be changed by overriding some of their properties.

\score {
  \new ChoirStaff <<
    \new Staff {
      \relative c'' {
        \stemUp
        c'4. d8 e8 f g4
      }
    }
    \new Staff {
      \relative c {
        % this moves them up one staff space from the default position
        \override Score.GridLine.extra-offset = #'(0.0 . 1.0)
        \stemDown
        \clef bass
        \once \override Score.GridLine.thickness = #5.0
        c4
        \once \override Score.GridLine.thickness = #1.0
        g'4
        \once \override Score.GridLine.thickness = #3.0
        f4
        \once \override Score.GridLine.thickness = #5.0
        e4
      }
    }
  >>
  \layout {
    \context {
      \Staff
      % set up grids
      \consists "Grid_point_engraver"
      % set the grid interval to one quarter note
      gridInterval = #(ly:make-moment 1/4)
    }
    \context {
      \Score
      \consists "Grid_line_span_engraver"
      % this moves them to the right half a staff space
      \override NoteColumn.X-offset = #-0.5
    }
  }
}

Analysis brackets

Brackets are used in musical analysis to indicate structure in musical pieces. Simple horizontal brackets are supported.

\layout {
  \context {
    \Voice
    \consists "Horizontal_bracket_engraver"
  }
}
\relative {
  c''2\startGroup
  d\stopGroup
}

Analysis brackets may be nested.

\layout {
  \context {
    \Voice
    \consists "Horizontal_bracket_engraver"
  }
}
\relative {
  c''4\startGroup\startGroup
  d4\stopGroup
  e4\startGroup
  d4\stopGroup\stopGroup
}

Selected Snippets

Analysis brackets above the staff

Simple horizontal analysis brackets are added below the staff by default. The following example shows a way to place them above the staff instead.

\layout {
  \context {
    \Voice
    \consists "Horizontal_bracket_engraver"
  }
}

\relative c'' {
  \once \override HorizontalBracket.direction = #UP
  c2\startGroup
  d2\stopGroup
}

Analysis brackets with labels

Text may be added to analysis brackets through the text property of the HorizontalBracketText grob. Adding different texts to brackets beginning at the same time requires the \tweak command. Bracket text will be parenthesized after a line break.

\layout {
  \context {
    \Voice
    \consists "Horizontal_bracket_engraver"
    \override HorizontalBracket.direction = #UP
  }
}

{
  \once\override HorizontalBracketText.text = "a"
  c''\startGroup d''\stopGroup
  \once\override HorizontalBracketText.text = "a'"
  e''\startGroup d''\stopGroup
  c''
  -\tweak HorizontalBracketText.text \markup \bold \huge "b" \startGroup
  -\tweak HorizontalBracketText.text "a" \startGroup
  d''\stopGroup
  e''-\tweak HorizontalBracketText.text "a'" \startGroup
  d''\stopGroup\stopGroup
  c''-\tweak HorizontalBracketText.text foo \startGroup d'' e'' f''
  \break
  g'' a'' b'' c'''\stopGroup
}

1.7.2 Outside the staff

Balloon help

Predefined commands

See also

Grid lines

Selected Snippets

See also

Analysis brackets

Selected Snippets

See also

LilyPond — Notation Reference v2.21.0 (development-branch).