Re: unexpected 2nd staff

[David Kastrup]

Paul Scott <pscott@pima.edu> writes:

> How can I make this happen in one staff with all the stems down?
>
> \version "2.25.19"
>
> \fixed c'' { << { e8( f~2.) } { e8( f d2.) } >> }

By telling LilyPond you want it in one Staff:

\new Staff \fixed c'' { << { e8( f~2.) } { e8( f d2.) } >> }

However, this also puts it all in one voice, using common stems.  If you
want two visually separate voices, they need different shifts.  LilyPond
numbers voices top to bottom with the scheme

1, 3, 5, 7, ... 8, 6, 4, 2

namely stem up with odd numbers, stem down with even numbers, starting
from the outside.  That means another option would be

\fixed c'' { \voices 4,2 << { e8( f~2.) } \\ { e8( f d2.) } >> }

Note that \\ separates different voices here, and the \voices 4,2
indicates the deviation from the default \voices 1,2 ...

I do question whether you'd not actually rather want the default,
though.

-- 
David Kastrup