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Chords

adding-a-figured-bass-above-or-below-the-notes.ly

When writing a figured bass, here's a way to specify if you want your figures to be placed above or below the bass notes, by defining the BassFigureAlignmentPositioning #'direction property (exclusively in a Staff context). Choices are #UP (or #1), #CENTER (or #0) and #DOWN (or #-1).

As you can see here, this property can be changed as many times as you wish. Use \once \override if you dont want the tweak to apply to the whole score.

bass = { \clef bass g4 b, c d e d8 c d2}
continuo = \figuremode {
         < _ >4 < 6 >8   
   \once \override Staff.BassFigureAlignmentPositioning #'direction = #CENTER
         <5/>  < _ >4 
   \override Staff.BassFigureAlignmentPositioning #'direction = #UP
         < _+ > < 6 >
   \set Staff.useBassFigureExtenders = ##t
   \override Staff.BassFigureAlignmentPositioning #'direction = #DOWN
         < 4 >4. < 4 >8 < _+ >4
       } 
\score {
    << \new Staff = bassStaff \bass 
    \context Staff = bassStaff \continuo >>
}

[image of music]

changing-the-chord-names-to-german-or-semi-german-notation.ly

The english naming of chords (default) can be changed to german (\germanChords replaces B and Bes to H and B) or semi-german (\semiGermanChords replaces B and Bes to H and Bb).

music = \chordmode {
  c1/c cis/cis
  b/b bis/bis bes/bes
} 

%% The following is only here to print the names of the
%% chords styles; it can be removed if you do not need to
%% print them.

\layout {
  \context {\ChordNames \consists Instrument_name_engraver }
}

<<
  \new ChordNames {
    \set ChordNames.instrumentName = #"default"
    \music
  }
  \new ChordNames {
    \set ChordNames.instrumentName = #"german"
    \germanChords \music }
  \new ChordNames {
    \set ChordNames.instrumentName = #"semi-german"
    \semiGermanChords \music }
  \context Voice { \music }
>>

[image of music]

chord-name-exceptions.ly

The property chordNameExceptions can used to store a list of special notations for specific chords.

% 7sus4 denoted with ^7 wahh
chExceptionMusic = {
  <c f g bes>1-\markup { \super "7" "wahh" }
}

% add to existing exceptions.
chExceptions = #(append
  (sequential-music-to-chord-exceptions chExceptionMusic #t)
  ignatzekExceptions)

theMusic = \chordmode {
  c:7sus4 c:dim7/+f
  \set chordNameExceptions = #chExceptions
  c:7sus4 c:dim7/+f
}

\layout {
  ragged-right = ##t 
}

<< \context ChordNames \theMusic
   \context Voice \theMusic
>>  

[image of music]

clusters.ly

Clusters are a device to denote that a complete range of notes is to be played.

\layout {
  ragged-right = ##t 
}

fragment = \relative c' {
  c4 f4 <e d'>4
  <g a>8 <e a> a4 c2 <d b>4 e4 
  c4
}

<<
  \new Staff \fragment
  \new Staff \makeClusters \fragment
>>

[image of music]

single-staff-template-with-notes,-lyrics,-and-chords.ly

This template allows you to prepare a song with melody, words, and chords.

melody = \relative c' {
            \clef treble
            \key c \major
            \time 4/4
         
            a b c d
         }
         
         text = \lyricmode {
            Aaa Bee Cee Dee
         }
         
         harmonies = \chordmode {
            a2 c2
         }
         
         \score {
            <<
               \new ChordNames {
                  \set chordChanges = ##t
                  \harmonies
               }
            \new Voice = "one" {
               \autoBeamOff
               \melody
            }
            \new Lyrics \lyricsto "one" \text
            >>
            \layout { }
            \midi { }
         }

[image of music]

single-staff-template-with-notes-and-chords.ly

Want to prepare a lead sheet with a melody and chords? Look no further!

melody = \relative c' {
            \clef treble
            \key c \major
            \time 4/4
         
            f4 e8[ c] d4 g |
            a2 ~ a2 |
         }
         
         harmonies = \chordmode {
            c4:m f:min7 g:maj c:aug d2:dim b:sus
         }
         
         \score {
            <<
               \new ChordNames {
                  \set chordChanges = ##t
                  \harmonies
               }
            \new Staff \melody
            >>
         
            \layout{ }
            \midi { }
         }

[image of music]



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