4

If I do not specify any manual beams and let the algorithm do it, lyrics are put at each note:

\relative {
  g'4 e8 g8 g4 e8 g
}
\addlyrics { a b c d e f }

Lyrics correctly aligned with note heads

But if I do it manually and forbid the algorithm to do it, there will be no lyrics under all non-first notes of a beam:

\relative {
  \autoBeamOff
   g'4 e8[ g8] g4 e8[ g]
}
\addlyrics { a b c d e f }

Lyrics mis-aligned as melismas

How do I force lyrics in the latter case to be as in the first?

I'm using Lilypond 2.20.0.

1 Answer 1

4

This is the expected behavior: LilyPond by default considers beams and ties as indicating melismas. See Multiple notes to one syllable in the LilyPond manual.

To override this, insert the line \set melismaBusyProperties = #'(), which is explained in the same manual section as linked above.

\relative {
  \autoBeamOff
  \set melismaBusyProperties = #'()
   g'8 e8[ g8] g4 e8[ g]
}
\addlyrics { a b c d e f }

To specifically exclude manual beams from indicating melismas, but keep this behavior for ties, use the following:

\set melismaBusyProperties = #'(melismaBusy slurMelismaBusy tieMelismaBusy)

Note that beamMelismaBusy is excluded from the list, which means manual beams won't affect melismas.

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