Re: Work structure question

[David Kastrup]

Guy Stalnaker <address@hidden> writes:

> I am unsure how exactly to do this, so asking.
>
> I'm writing an SATB arrangement (easy squeezy) in SA-TB two staff format
>
> %% CODE
> \new ChoirStaff  <<
> \new Staff
> \new Voice = "soprano" { S }
> \new Voice = "alto" { A }
>>>
> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "soprano" \verseOne
> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "soprano" \verseTwo
> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "soprano" \verseThree
> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "soprano" \verseFour
> <<
> \new Staff
> \new Voice = "tenor" { T }
> \new Voice = "bass" { B }
>>>
>>>
> %% CODE
>
> Works fine (this structure is from Frescobaldi's Wizard).
>
> Now, however, I need to add supplemental lyrics. There are sections where
> the soprano sings a held note and the three lower voices sing a Hallelujah
> or some other text. There is a section where the bass sings a lead in and
> then the upper three voices sing a Hallelujah. A setting like this:
>
> https://hymnary.org/media/fetch/111354
>
> The LP structure above does not allow for this type of lyric setting. The
> question is, then, how to add them without breaking the structure?
>
> I thought to add a \new Lyrics \lyricsto "alto" \versealto but LP puts the
> lyrics below the existing lyrics. So, I'm thinking there is some way of
> specifying context/voice/staff (?) to tell LP to put the lyrics directly
> beneath the upper staff. And then do the same for the lower staff.
> Something like
>
> \new Staff = "upper" << >>
> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "alto" [below staff "upper"]
> \new Staff = "lower" << >>
> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "tenor" [above staff "lower]
> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "bass" [below staff "lower"]
>
> Has anyone done something like this? Or am I complete off base?

I quote from
<http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.18/Documentation/notation/context-layout-order>


    Sometimes a context is required to exist for just a brief period, a
    good example being the staff context for an ossia. This is usually
    achieved by introducing the context definition at the appropriate
    place in parallel with corresponding section of the main music. By
    default, the temporary context will be placed below all the existing
    contexts. To reposition it above the context called “main”, it
    should be defined like this:

        \new Staff \with { alignAboveContext = #"main" } 

    A similar situation arises when positioning a temporary lyrics
    context within a multi-staved layout such as a ChoirStaff, for
    example, when adding a second verse to a repeated section. By
    default the temporary lyrics context will be placed beneath the
    lower staves. By defining the temporary lyrics context with
    alignBelowContext it can be positioned correctly beneath the (named)
    lyrics context containing the first verse.

    Examples showing this repositioning of temporary contexts can be
    found elsewhere — see Nesting music expressions, Modifying single
    staves and Techniques specific to lyrics.

And of course, in "Techniques specific to lyrics" we find
<http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.18/Documentation/notation/techniques-specific-to-lyrics#placing-lyrics-vertically>

which goes to some detail.

-- 
David Kastrup