MIDI count in with Lilypond

Question

I tend to score in lilypond most of the classical piano pieces I practice. It forces me to examine the score in detail and it is also useful to audibly check against what I read/play.

Is it possible to set a count in with MIDI generated output? Ideally, nothing would appear in the score.

To date, I have just been using \midi { } after the \layout

Answer 1

Yes, you can make a count-in that you can hear in the midi file, but doesn't show up in the pdf score. The trick is actually to make two score blocks (one with the count-in and one without). Fortunately this is reasonably easy if you use variables.

Normally when using multiple instruments in a score you would want to wrap them both in double chevrons << >>, but this isn't appropriate here as you don't want them to be simultaneous, you want instruments to be sequential — so braces are required { }.

    \version "2.18.2"
    
    % Clave
    clave = {
        \new DrumStaff {
            \drummode {
                cl4 cl cl cl |
            }   
        }   
    }
    
    % Piano
    piano = {
        \new Staff {
             c'4 d' c' d' |
        }
    }
    
    %% PDF
    \score {
        \piano
        \layout { }
    }
    
    %% MIDI
    \score {
        {
            \clave
            \piano
        }
        \midi { }
    }