One staff with two sections and two voices

Question

In my piece, I want a single score in order to be able to output a single midi file.

The entire piece is polyphonic with two voices.

The structure should look like this:

chorus in two voices (with lyrics)
verses in two voices (with numbered lyrics)

I put together the structure below, but I don't want a piano staff or choir staff. I just want one staff, but to have the chorus separated from the verses. The chorus has one set of lyrics, the verses have another.

Now, I don't want to add the chorus lyrics to one of the verse lyrics and then use spacers as placeholders - because I am using a macro to number the verses lyrics.

\version "2.19.80"
\language "english"

%create new lyrics and add numbered lines
%creates:    \new Lyrics \with { instrumentName = "8." shortInstrumentName = "8." }
lyricsWithVerseNumber =
#(define-music-function (parser location number music)(number? ly:music?) #{
    \new Lyrics \with { instrumentName = #(string-append (number->string number) ".") shortInstrumentName = #(string-append (number->string number) ".")  }
    $music
#})    

  signature = {
      \key c \minor
  }
  chorusUpper = \relative c'' {
\signature
  g g g g
  }
  chorusLower = \relative c' {
\signature
  e e e e
  }
  versesUpper = \relative c'' {
\signature
  a a a a
  }
  versesLower = \relative c' {
\signature
  f f f f
  }

  chorusLyrics = \new Lyrics \lyricsto "chorus" {
    A song has words
  }
  wordsOne = \new Lyrics \lyricsWithVerseNumber 1 \lyricsto "verses" {
    More words for this
  }
  wordsTwo = \new Lyrics \lyricsWithVerseNumber 2 \lyricsto "verses" {
    Some words go here
  }
  wordsThree = \new Lyrics \lyricsWithVerseNumber 3 \lyricsto "verses" {
    Sing a bit more
  }

  \score {
      <<
          \time 4/4  
          \new Voice = "chorus" {\voiceOne \chorusUpper  }
          \new Voice { \voiceTwo \chorusLower }
          \chorusLyrics

          \new Staff {
              \new Voice = "verses" {\voiceOne \versesUpper  }
              \new Voice { \voiceTwo \versesLower }
          }
          \wordsOne
          \wordsTwo
          \wordsThree          

      >>
    \layout {
    }    

      %\midi { }
  }

How can I get the chorus with it's verse to show above the verses with their lyrics in a single score? With this code here it tries to create a choir staff - three staves joined together.

Answer 1

I think this structure will work for your needs:

\version "2.19.81"
\language "english"

highVoiceChorus = \relative c' {
  e4. e4. | 
  e4 f8 g4. |
}

lowVoiceChorus = \relative c' {
  c4. c4. |
  c4 d8 e4. |
}

lyricsChorus = \lyricmode {
  Row, row, row your boat
}

highVoiceVerses = \relative c'' {
  c4 c8 c4 c8 |
  c4. c4. |
}

lowVoiceVerses = \relative c'' {
  g4 g8 a4 a8 |
  g4. g4. |
}

lyricsVerseOne = \lyricmode {
  \set stanza = "1. "
  Hap -- py hap -- py joy joy!
}

lyricsVerseTwo = \lyricmode { 
  \set stanza = "2. "
  Oh how hap -- py we are!
}

chorus = <<
  \new Voice = "highChorus" {
    \voiceOne
    \highVoiceChorus
  }
  \new Voice = "lowChorus" {
    \voiceTwo
    \lowVoiceChorus
  }
  \new Lyrics {
    \lyricsto "lowChorus" {
      \lyricsChorus
    }
  }
>>

verses = <<
  \new Voice = "highVerse" {
    \voiceOne
    \highVoiceVerses
  }
  \new Voice = "lowVerse" {
    \voiceTwo
    \lowVoiceVerses
  }
  \new Lyrics {
    \lyricsto "lowVerse" {
      \lyricsVerseOne
    }
  }
  \new Lyrics {
    \lyricsto "lowVerse" {
      \lyricsVerseTwo
    }
  }
>>

song = {
  \time 6/8
  \chorus
  \break
  \verses
}

\paper {
  ragged-right = ##t
}

\score {
  \new Staff \song
  \layout {
    indent = 0
  }
}