Re: Intentionally delay starting staffs to avoid lots of rests during intro solo?

[Lukas-Fabian Moser]

Hi Stig,

Am 24.03.19 um 20:15 schrieb Stig Brautaset:

["Frenching" at the beginning of a score]

> PS: I'm a beginner both with reading/writing music and Lilypond so feel
> free to let me know if this is simply Not Done, especially if you have
> suggestions of What To Do Instead. :-)

This is

i) possible with recent versions of LilyPond (command 
\RemoveAllEmptyStaves, added by Simon Albrecht on Mozart's 260th birthday),

ii) not terribly common at least in traditional orchestral scores (where 
usually the whole orchestra is displayed in the first system, omitting 
silent staves only from the second system on)

iii) perfectly valid in some situations like yours, but has the slight 
drawback that the long form of instrumentName's are then never printed 
for those instruments that are ommited in the first system. So, you 
definitely should provide shortInstrumentName's for all staves.

Look at this:

\version "2.19.82"

\layout {
  \context {
    \Staff
    \RemoveAllEmptyStaves
  }
}

<<
  \new Staff \with { instrumentName = "Instrument 1" 
shortInstrumentName = "Instr. 1" } { R1*20 d4 }
  \new Staff \with { instrumentName = "Instrument 2" 
shortInstrumentName = "Instr. 2" } { R1*20 d4 }
  \new Staff \with { instrumentName = "Instrument 3" 
shortInstrumentName = "Instr. 3" } { R1*20 d4 }
  \new Staff \with { instrumentName = "Voice" shortInstrumentName = 
"Voc" } { \repeat unfold 81 d'4 }
  \new Staff \with { instrumentName = "Instrument 4" 
shortInstrumentName = "Instr. 4" } { R1*20 d4 }
>>


Best
Lukas