Stephen,
May I suggest an alternative approach. I see that you're using Frescobaldi.
Take a few minutes and use the Score Wizard (File > New > Score Wizard) and
create a new test score. In doing this select in the Wizard, on the Parts
Tab, Vocal Section - Choir (and only CHOIR here, do not add Soprano, etc.).
Finish the wizard as you need.
Now look at the template the wizard creates for you: the four variables for
the four voice parts, a variable for the lyrics, and then the section where
those variables are combined for the final output:
%%%
\score {
\new ChoirStaff <<
\new Staff \with {
%%%
To get a sense for how it works, put some sample notes in each part, and
some sample text in the lyrics variable and engrave it.
You should see, as I just did, a grand staff, upper in treble clef, lower
in bass clef, with S/A notes above and T/B notes below, with your sample
text between them. Compare this output to that template to get a good sense
for what's happening where especially that \score {} part!
This layout is what you're after right? To use it, you can simply copy your
SATB notes from the existing file to this same score after removing your
sample notes, then copy your lyrics, etc.
I suggest this because I have used this MANY times. And it's likely easier
on you to go this route, right now, to get a final score, than to
trouble-shoot your first effort.
This said, understanding what's happening in your current effort is likely
to be instructive, and there are people on this list who can help you
figure it out.
I've been where you are. When I first started using Lilypond, I started
with the manual and the snippets. It was ... hard because I was engraving
an 8-part choral work for my choir LOL Then I found Frescobaldi and I've
not looked back. I should add that I rarely create complicated scores.
There are folks on this list who engrave far more complicated music that
I've ever done (mine is almost all choral, at the most 8 part). Frescobaldi
has been my tool of choice for well over a decade.
Hope this helps.
Guy S.
P.S. If you want a broken score with SATB each on their own staff (e.g.,
when you have SSAATTBB and you'd like it more easily seen), then in the
Wizard you can select the four voice parts soprano, alto, tenor, bass, and
the Wizard will give you a template with a \score {} section that's
different than the one above for a Choral work, with each voice on its own
staff.
--
"There is only love, and then oblivion. Love is all we have to set against
hatred." (paraphrased) Ian McEwan
On Sun, Dec 15, 2024 at 10:31 PM Stephen Fry <stephenfryg...@gmail.com>
wrote:
> Hi all,
> Please forgive the long-winded post. This is my first time. I'm green as
> grass at this. (Also, my local disk is about maxed out, so I'm afraid to
> upgrade versions.)
>
> I've been trying to engrave a few hymns for our congregation for members
> to learn melodies and parts (I'm new to this platform, coming from
> NoteWorthy). I got as far as setting the music (image attached), but I
> can't seem to get the lyrics to show up between the staves, as is typical
> for a hymnbook. The only other LilyPond hymnbook I've seen has source code
> that is out of my depth with what appears to be object-oriented programming.
>
> I have a snippet below showing how the score and staves are organized and
> another showing one voice (the Alto line) set in that score. I initially
> started out using a piano template and changing the StaffPiano to
> StaffGroup. It hasn't helped. Also, the template does not lend itself to
> use of the lyric and context commands that I found in the Learning Manual.
> Whenever I try to combine these coding styles, I get lyrics on top, on
> bottom, or none and just an empty staff extension.
>
> Could somebody who better understands how Lyricmode, \addlyrics, \new
> Lyrics, and Voice objects, etc. work show me where to insert the call
> command to place the lyrics where I want them and also which command to use
> to write them out?
>
> Version = 2.18.2, Frescobaldi 3.1.1
> *Organization of voices and staves into score:*
> [image: image.png]
> *Notes sung by Alto (start of code block, first few notes, last few notes,
> end of block):*
> [image: image.png]
> [image: image.png]
>
> Thank you,
> Stephen
>
