Ossia problems

[Phil Holmes]

I'm trying to get ossias working as a way of cueing chorus singers from a 
short excerpt of a soloist's song.  I'm finding some problems.  This stands 
to be a long post, because of the number of problems I've experienced, but 
would appreciate some help if possible.

My basic trial input is at the end of this note.  It produces the output 
shown as initial.png.  This is kind-of OK, but the 2 staves are too close 
together for what I'd like, and it hides a subsequent problem.  As it 
stands, the last note of the ossia stave has no lyrics.  If I give it a 
word, I get errors in the output.  The logfile says:

"NewOssiaTest.ly:26:23: warning: adding note head to incompatible stem (type 
= 8)
   \repeat unfold 8 {
                      c4 }

NewOssiaTest.ly:26:23: warning: maybe input should specify polyphonic voices
   \repeat unfold 8 {
                      c4 }

NewOssiaTest.ly:25:23: warning: cannot have note heads and rests together on 
a stem
   \repeat unfold 2 {
                      d8 [ r d d ] }

NewOssiaTest.ly:25:28: warning: rhythmic head is not part of a rhythmic 
column
   \repeat unfold 2 { d8 [
                           r d d ] }
"

and the image looks as shown in allwords.png.  Bug?

My second problem is the spacing one I mentioned.  I've tried \override 
VerticalAxisGroup #'staff-staff-spacing = #'((minimum-distance . 10)) in my 
ossia staff definition and my main staff and it has no effect on the spacing 
between these 2 staves.  I've also tried basic-distance.  Is there any way 
of adjusting the spacing?  If I change my lyrics to below the ossia with 
alignBelowContext, the staff moves up to almost collide with the higher 
lyrics, and I get hundreds of warnings of "warning: staff-affinities should 
only decrease".

All help gratefully received.


\version "2.13.52"
\relative c''{
\new Staff = "MainStaff" <<
 \new Voice = "MainVoice" {
   \repeat unfold 28 { c4 }
   \break
   \repeat unfold 8 { c4 }
   << {
       \repeat unfold 12 { c4 }
     }
     \new Staff = "Ossia" \with {
       \remove "Time_signature_engraver"
       alignAboveContext = #"MainStaff"
       \override StaffSymbol #'staff-space = #(magstep -3) % Sets the staff 
line spacing
       fontSize = #-2
     }
     \new Voice = "Testing" {
       \repeat unfold 12 { d4 }
     }
     \new Lyrics \with {
       alignAboveContext = "Ossia"
     }
     \lyricsto "Testing" { \small \repeat unfold 11 hm }
   >>
   \repeat unfold 2 { d8 [ r d d ] }
   \repeat unfold 8 { c4 }
   \break
   \repeat unfold 16 { c4 }
   }
   \new Lyrics \lyricsto "MainVoice" { \repeat unfold 77 la }
 >>
}

--
Phil Holmes

Initial.png
Description: PNG image

AllWords.png
Description: PNG image