Re: Stanzas with different rhythms

[David Wright]

On Fri 20 May 2022 at 20:26:15 (+0200), Helge Kruse wrote:
> Although using Lilypond for some years I am a beginner in typsettings
> songs. I want to copy an existing sheet and replicate the style as far
> as possible. One idea is that the melody shows the rythm for the first
> stanza. The differences of other stanzas should be indicated with
> smaller notes (head and stem).

Another idea, where the rhythms don't contradict each other,
is to use impotent dashed ties as in the attached.
You'd probably want to use \set melismaBusyProperties = #'()
and \tieDashed more locally than I have done here.

Cheers,
David.

\version "2.19.80"

\paper {
  ragged-right = ##f
}

% First stanza with correct rythm.
\relative c' { \set melismaBusyProperties = #'() \tieDashed
  \time 6/4
  \partial 4
  e4 |
  a2 a4  e4.~ 8 4 |
  f2. c2 4 |
  d2 e8~ e f2 d4
}
\addlyrics {
  Es war ein Kö -- nig in Thu -- le gar treu bis __ _ an das
}
\addlyrics {
  Und als er kam __ _ zu ster -- ben, zählt er sei -- ne Städt im
}