2

I'm transcribing a song in which two verses have slightly differing notes. I decided to use \set associatedVoice to achieve this. It partly works but I'm having trouble getting the final words of the second stanza to appear:

lilypond

The conclusion of the lyric of verse 2 should be "... and it slows and ends." I can't figure how why "and ends" isn't appearing. I'd appreciate any help. Here's the lilypond code of this MWE:

\version "2.19.12"
\language english

global = {
  \clef treble
  \key c \major
  \time 4/4
  \tempo 4=120
}

vocalNotes = \relative c' {
  \global
  c4 d e f | %1
  g a
  << {\voiceOne b16 c d e }
     \new Voice = "alternative" {\autoBeamOff \voiceTwo b4 } >>
  d4 | %2
  c1 | %3
}

textVerseOne = \lyricmode {
  \set stanza = #"1. "
  This is a text. | %1
  Here it goes ver -- y fast and | %2
  ends. | %3
}

textVerseTwo = \lyricmode {
  \set stanza = #"2. "
  A se -- cond text, | %1
  and it \set associatedVoice = "alternative" slows
  \set associatedVoice = "vocalMelody" and | %2
  ends. | %3
}

\score {
  <<
  \new Voice = "vocalMelody" {\autoBeamOff \vocalNotes }
  \new Lyrics \lyricsto "vocalMelody" \textVerseOne
  \new Lyrics \lyricsto "vocalMelody" \textVerseTwo
  >>
  }
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2 Answers 2

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2

Well, the \set associatedVoice = "vocalMelody" is scheduled to happen when the next associated note is played and there is no next associated note in the Voice = "alternative" any more. Maybe you are better off doing this as a melisma on "vocalMelody" here.

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1
  • The case I'm trying to solve is more complicated than a melisma could address, unfortunately! I'm struggling to understand the situation here--why doesn't \set associatedVoice = "vocalMelody" at the end of m2 just switch the text back over to the vocalMelody variable beginning at m3? -s
    – Steven Arntson
    Commented Sep 18, 2015 at 16:18
1

I don't understand why your idea doesn't work, but you can use \skip instead of \set associatedVoice. They syntax is a bit illogical - \skip must be followed by a note duration, but when you use \lyricsto the duration is ignored and it skips one note.

\version "2.18"
\language english

global = {
  \clef treble
  \key c \major
  \time 4/4
  \tempo 4=120
}

vocalNotes = \relative c' {
  \global
  c4 d e f | %1
  g a
  << {\voiceOne b16 c d e }
     \new Voice = "alternative" {\autoBeamOff \voiceTwo b4 } >>
  d4 | %2
  c1 | %3
}

textVerseOne = \lyricmode {
  \set stanza = #"1. "
  This is a text. | %1
  Here it goes ver -- y fast and | %2
  ends. | %3
}

textVerseTwo = \lyricmode {
  \set stanza = #"2. "
  A se -- cond text, | %1
  and it slows \skip16 \skip16 \skip16 and | %2
  ends. | %3
}

\score {
  <<
  \new Voice = "vocalMelody" {\autoBeamOff \vocalNotes }
  \new Lyrics \lyricsto "vocalMelody" \textVerseOne
  \new Lyrics \lyricsto "vocalMelody" \textVerseTwo
  >>
  }

If all else fails, you can use \lyricmode instead of \lyricsto, and append a duration to the syllables in the same way as for notes. You can then use \associated voice to get the syllables centred under the notes.

\version "2.18"
\language english

global = {
  \clef treble
  \key c \major
  \time 4/4
  \tempo 4=120
}

vocalNotes = \relative c' {
  \global
  c4 d e f | %1
  g a
  << {\voiceOne b16 c d e }
     \new Voice = "alternative" {\autoBeamOff \voiceTwo b4 } >>
  d4 | %2
  c1 | %3
}

textVerseOne = \lyricmode {
  \set stanza = #"1. "
  \set associatedVoice = "vocalMelody"
  This4 is a text. | %1
  Here it goes16 ver -- y fast and4 | %2
  ends.1 | %3
}

textVerseTwo = \lyricmode {
  \set stanza = #"2. "
  \set associatedVoice = "vocalMelody"
  A4 se -- cond text, | %1
  and it
  \set associatedVoice = "alternative" slows4
  \set associatedVoice = "vocalMelody" and | %2
  ends.1 | %3
}

\score {
  <<
  \new Voice = "vocalMelody" {\autoBeamOff \vocalNotes }
  \new Lyrics \textVerseOne
  \new Lyrics \textVerseTwo
  >>
  }
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3
  • Yes, \skip can be useful, and I do use it at times. The situation I'm trying to solve here, though, is complex in ways not captured by my MWE, so I'm hoping to get to a solution that uses instantiation of a new voice to help make the resulting output clear to a reader.
    – Steven Arntson
    Commented Sep 18, 2015 at 16:21
  • 1
    Personally, I usually use \lyricmode with explicit syllable lengths. it's a bit more typing, but it always does what it says on the tin.
    – user19146
    Commented Sep 18, 2015 at 16:39
  • It took a little doing, but this solved my issue! Switching over to \lyricmode and adding all the syllable lengths did it -- now my associatedVoice construct works as I'd hoped. Thank you! If you want to write it up as an answer, I'll happily accept it.
    – Steven Arntson
    Commented Sep 18, 2015 at 22:11

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