Re: Repeat with Alternative on First Time

[David Wright]

On Wed 25 Nov 2015 at 13:57:40 (+0100), Michael Hartl wrote:
> Dear Lilypond Experts,

Not me, then.

> this is my first time posting to this list. I am trying my hand at
> engraving a song with a perhaps unusual, but very simple repeat
> pattern
> and I couldn't find out how to come to the correct result from the manuel.
> 
> The melody goes like this:
> 
> <common part verse> <verse ending first time>               <chorus>
> <common part verse> <verse ending second-third time> <chorus>
> <common part verse> <verse ending second-third time> <chorus>
> 
> It should be set like:
> 
> <common part verse> [1. <verse ending first time> ] [2.-3. <verse
> ending second-third-time>] <chorus>
> 
> Right now, I do:
> \repeat volta 3 {<common part verse>} \alternative {{<verse ending
> first time>} {<verse ending second-third time>}} <chorus>
> 
> But, this gives me "1.-2." and "3." instead of "1." and "2.-3." for
> the alternative endings. This looks like it ought to be easy to
> correct, but I can't figure it out.
> 
> How can it be done?

You could look at
http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/lilypond-user/2015-10/msg00404.html
for hints. You can probably ignore the lines that are concerned with
placing the volta brackets mid-bar which is ill-advised (but was
part of that challenge).

> Also, \repeat itself is actually wrong, because the verse is not
> repeated before the chorus. Is there any way to use \alternative
> without \repeat? A \repeat over the entire song would be acceptable,
> but then again I can't use \alternative in the middle of
> \repeat, but only at the end.

Because it doesn't fit the normal repeat structure, you lose the
ability to unfold the repeat automatically; eg in an associated
midi file, the alternatives will just be played consecutively.

Cheers,
David.