Re: Getting lyrics to show in between the staves

[J. G. Stalnaker]

Stephen,

May I suggest an alternative approach. I see that you're using Frescobaldi. Take a few minutes and use the Score Wizard (File > New > Score Wizard) and create a new test score. In doing this select in the Wizard, on the Parts Tab, Vocal Section - Choir (and only CHOIR here, do not add Soprano, etc.). Finish the wizard as you need.

Now look at the template the wizard creates for you: the four variables for the four voice parts, a variable for the lyrics, and then the section where those variables are combined for the final output:

%%%

\score {
  \new ChoirStaff <<
    \new Staff \with {

%%%

To get a sense for how it works, put some sample notes in each part, and some sample text in the lyrics variable and engrave it.

You should see, as I just did, a grand staff, upper in treble clef, lower in bass clef, with S/A notes above and T/B notes below, with your sample text between them. Compare this output to that template to get a good sense for what's happening where especially that \score {} part!

This layout is what you're after right? To use it, you can simply copy your SATB notes from the existing file to this same score after removing your sample notes, then copy your lyrics, etc. 

I suggest this because I have used this MANY times. And it's likely easier on you to go this route, right now, to get a final score, than to trouble-shoot your first effort. 

This said, understanding what's happening in your current effort is likely to be instructive, and there are people on this list who can help you figure it out.

I've been where you are. When I first started using Lilypond, I started with the manual and the snippets. It was ... hard because I was engraving an 8-part choral work for my choir LOL Then I found Frescobaldi and I've not looked back. I should add that I rarely create complicated scores. There are folks on this list who engrave far more complicated music that I've ever done (mine is almost all choral, at the most 8 part). Frescobaldi has been my tool of choice for well over a decade.

Hope this helps.

Guy S.

P.S. If you want a broken score with SATB each on their own staff (e.g., when you have SSAATTBB and you'd like it more easily seen), then in the Wizard you can select the four voice parts soprano, alto, tenor, bass, and the Wizard will give you a template with a \score {} section that's different than the one above for a Choral work, with each voice on its own staff.

--

"There is only love, and then oblivion. Love is all we have to set against hatred." (paraphrased) Ian McEwan

On Sun, Dec 15, 2024 at 10:31 PM Stephen Fry <stephenfrygdot@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi all,

Please forgive the long-winded post.  This is my first time.  I'm green as grass at this.  (Also, my local disk is about maxed out, so I'm afraid to upgrade versions.)

I've been trying to engrave a few hymns for our congregation for members to learn melodies and parts (I'm new to this platform, coming from NoteWorthy).  I got as far as setting the music (image attached), but I can't seem to get the lyrics to show up between the staves, as is typical for a hymnbook.  The only other LilyPond hymnbook I've seen has source code that is out of my depth with what appears to be object-oriented programming.

I have a snippet below showing how the score and staves are organized and another showing one voice (the Alto line) set in that score.  I initially started out using a piano template and changing the StaffPiano to StaffGroup.  It hasn't helped.  Also, the template does not lend itself to use of the lyric and context commands that I found in the Learning Manual.  Whenever I try to combine these coding styles, I get lyrics on top, on bottom, or none and just an empty staff extension.

Could somebody who better understands how Lyricmode, \addlyrics, \new Lyrics, and Voice objects, etc. work show me where to insert the call command to place the lyrics where I want them and also which command to use to write them out?

Version = 2.18.2, Frescobaldi 3.1.1

Organization of voices and staves into score:

Notes sung by Alto (start of code block, first few notes, last few notes, end of block):

Thank you,

Stephen