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<a name="Chords"></a>
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Previous: <a rel="previous" accesskey="p" href="Vocal-music.html#Vocal-music">Vocal music</a>,
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<h2 class="unnumbered">Chords</h2>
<p>These snippets illustrate the Notation Reference,
section <a href="../../../Documentation/user/lilypond/Chord-notation.html#Chord-notation">Chord notation</a>.
<p><a name="adding-a-figured-bass-above-or-below-the-notes.ly"></a>
<h3 class="unnumberedsec">Adding a figured bass above or below the notes</h3>
<p>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
<code>BassFigureAlignmentPositioning #'direction</code> property (exclusively
in a <code>Staff</code> context). Choices are <code>#UP</code> (or <code>#1</code>),
<code>#CENTER</code> (or <code>#0</code>) and <code>#DOWN</code> (or <code>#-1</code>).
<p>As you can see here, this property can be changed as many times as you
wish. Use <code>\once \override</code> if you don't want the tweak to apply
to the whole score.
<pre class="verbatim">
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 >>
}
</pre>
<p>
<a href="../c3/lily-30b0c753.ly">
<img align="middle"
border="0" src="../c3/lily-30b0c753.png" alt="[image of music]">
</a>
</p>
<p><a name="adding-bar-lines-to-chordnames-context.ly"></a>
<h3 class="unnumberedsec">Adding bar lines to ChordNames context</h3>
<p>To add bar line indications in the <code>ChordNames</code> context, add the
<code>Bar_engraver</code>.
<pre class="verbatim">
\new ChordNames \with {
\override BarLine #'bar-size = #4
\consists "Bar_engraver"
}
\chordmode {
f1:maj7 f:7 bes:7
}
</pre>
<p>
<a href="../05/lily-007354c5.ly">
<img align="middle"
border="0" src="../05/lily-007354c5.png" alt="[image of music]">
</a>
</p>
<p><a name="changing-chord-separator.ly"></a>
<h3 class="unnumberedsec">Changing chord separator</h3>
<p>The separator between different parts of a chord name can be set to any
markup.
<pre class="verbatim">
\chords {
c:7sus4
\set chordNameSeparator
= \markup { \typewriter | }
c:7sus4
}
</pre>
<p>
<a href="../ef/lily-83aff558.ly">
<img align="middle"
border="0" src="../ef/lily-83aff558.png" alt="[image of music]">
</a>
</p>
<p><a name="changing-the-chord-names-to-german-or-semi-german-notation.ly"></a>
<h3 class="unnumberedsec">Changing the chord names to German or semi-German notation</h3>
<p>The english naming of chords (default) can be changed to german
(<code>\germanChords</code> replaces B and Bes to H and B) or semi-german
(<code>\semiGermanChords</code> replaces B and Bes to H and Bb).
<pre class="verbatim">
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 }
>>
</pre>
<p>
<a href="../88/lily-241c7b92.ly">
<img align="middle"
border="0" src="../88/lily-241c7b92.png" alt="[image of music]">
</a>
</p>
<p><a name="changing-the-positions-of-figured-bass-alterations.ly"></a>
<h3 class="unnumberedsec">Changing the positions of figured bass alterations</h3>
<p>Accidentals and plus signs can appear before or after the numbers,
depending on the <code>figuredBassAlterationDirection</code> and
<code>figuredBassPlusDirection</code> properties.
<pre class="verbatim">
\figures {
<6\+> <5+> <6 4-> r
\set figuredBassAlterationDirection = #RIGHT
<6\+> <5+> <6 4-> r
\set figuredBassPlusDirection = #RIGHT
<6\+> <5+> <6 4-> r
\set figuredBassAlterationDirection = #LEFT
<6\+> <5+> <6 4-> r
}
</pre>
<p>
<a href="../85/lily-62ee5ccc.ly">
<img align="middle"
border="0" src="../85/lily-62ee5ccc.png" alt="[image of music]">
</a>
</p>
<p><a name="chord-name-exceptions.ly"></a>
<h3 class="unnumberedsec">Chord name exceptions</h3>
<p>The property <code>chordNameExceptions</code> can be used to store a list of
special notations for specific chords.
<pre class="verbatim">
% modify maj9 and 6(add9)
% Exception music is chords with markups
chExceptionMusic = {
<c e g b d'>1-\markup { \super "maj9" }
<c e g a d'>1-\markup { \super "6(add9)" }
}
% Convert music to list and prepend to existing exceptions.
chExceptions = #( append
( sequential-music-to-chord-exceptions chExceptionMusic #t)
ignatzekExceptions)
theMusic = \chordmode {
g1:maj9 g1:6.9
\set chordNameExceptions = #chExceptions
g1:maj9 g1:6.9
}
\layout {
ragged-right = ##t
}
<< \context ChordNames \theMusic
\context Voice \theMusic
>>
</pre>
<p>
<a href="../7e/lily-f3b7d9a3.ly">
<img align="middle"
border="0" src="../7e/lily-f3b7d9a3.png" alt="[image of music]">
</a>
</p>
<p><a name="clusters.ly"></a>
<h3 class="unnumberedsec">Clusters</h3>
<p>Clusters are a device to denote that a complete range of notes is to be
played.
<pre class="verbatim">
\layout {
ragged-right = ##t
}
fragment = \relative c' {
c4 f <e d'>4
<g a>8 <e a> a4 c2 <d b>4
e2 c
}
<<
\new Staff \fragment
\new Staff \makeClusters \fragment
>>
</pre>
<p>
<a href="../67/lily-7b23dbb9.ly">
<img align="middle"
border="0" src="../67/lily-7b23dbb9.png" alt="[image of music]">
</a>
</p>
<p><a name="controlling-the-placement-of-chord-fingerings.ly"></a>
<h3 class="unnumberedsec">Controlling the placement of chord fingerings</h3>
<p>The placement of fingering numbers can be controlled precisely.
<pre class="verbatim">
\relative c' {
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(left)
<c-1 e-3 a-5>4
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(down)
<c-1 e-3 a-5>4
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
<c-1 e-3 a-5>4
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(up)
<c-1 e-3 a-5>4
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(left down)
<c-1 e-3 a-5>2
\set fingeringOrientations = #'(up right down)
<c-1 e-3 a-5>2
}
</pre>
<p>
<a href="../de/lily-34875599.ly">
<img align="middle"
border="0" src="../de/lily-34875599.png" alt="[image of music]">
</a>
</p>
<p><a name="manually-break-figured-bass-extenders-for-only-some-numbers.ly"></a>
<h3 class="unnumberedsec">Manually break figured bass extenders for only some numbers</h3>
<p>Figured bass often uses extenders to indicate continuation of the
corresponding step. However, in this case lilypond is in greedy-mode
and uses extenders whenever possible. To break individual extenders,
one can simply use a modifier \! to a number, which breaks any
extender attributed to that number right before the number.
<pre class="verbatim">
bassfigures = \figuremode {
\set useBassFigureExtenders = ##t
<6 4>4 <6 4\!> <6 4\!> <6 4\!> | <6\! 4\!> <6 4> <6 4\!> <6 4>
}
<<
\new Staff \relative c'' { c1 c1 }
\new FiguredBass \bassfigures
>>
</pre>
<p>
<a href="../9b/lily-4eb6597f.ly">
<img align="middle"
border="0" src="../9b/lily-4eb6597f.png" alt="[image of music]">
</a>
</p>
<p><a name="showing-chords-at-changes.ly"></a>
<h3 class="unnumberedsec">Showing chords at changes</h3>
<p>Chord names can be displayed only at the start of lines and when the
chord changes.
<pre class="verbatim">
harmonies = \chordmode {
c1:m c:m \break c:m c:m d
}
<<
\new ChordNames {
\set chordChanges = ##t
\harmonies
}
\new Staff {
\relative c' { \harmonies }
}
>>
</pre>
<p>
<a href="../40/lily-172c2808.ly">
<img align="middle"
border="0" src="../40/lily-172c2808.png" alt="[image of music]">
</a>
</p>
<p><a name="simple-lead-sheet.ly"></a>
<h3 class="unnumberedsec">Simple lead sheet</h3>
<p>When put together, chord names, a melody, and lyrics form a lead sheet:
<pre class="verbatim">
<<
\chords { c2 g:sus4 f e }
\relative c'' {
a4 e c8 e r4
b2 c4( d)
}
\addlyrics { One day this shall be free __ }
>>
</pre>
<p>
<a href="../0b/lily-af9b8f17.ly">
<img align="middle"
border="0" src="../0b/lily-af9b8f17.png" alt="[image of music]">
</a>
</p>
<p><a name="single-staff-template-with-notes,-lyrics,-and-chords.ly"></a>
<h3 class="unnumberedsec">Single staff template with notes, lyrics, and chords</h3>
<p>This template allows the preparation of a song with melody, words, and
chords.
<pre class="verbatim">
melody = \relative c' {
\clef treble
\key c \major
\time 4/4
a4 b c d
}
text = \lyricmode {
Aaa Bee Cee Dee
}
harmonies = \chordmode {
a2 c
}
\score {
<<
\new ChordNames {
\set chordChanges = ##t
\harmonies
}
\new Voice = "one" { \autoBeamOff \melody }
\new Lyrics \lyricsto "one" \text
>>
\layout { }
\midi { }
}
</pre>
<p>
<a href="../2c/lily-39f4b2ad.ly">
<img align="middle"
border="0" src="../2c/lily-39f4b2ad.png" alt="[image of music]">
</a>
</p>
<p><a name="single-staff-template-with-notes,-lyrics,-chords-and-frets.ly"></a>
<h3 class="unnumberedsec">Single staff template with notes, lyrics, chords and frets</h3>
<p>Here is a simple lead sheet template with melody, lyrics, chords and
fret diagrams.
<pre class="verbatim">
% Define the fret diagrams to be used
cFretDiagram = \markup {
\fret-diagram #"6-x;5-3-3;4-2-2;3-o;2-1-1;1-o;"
}
gFretDiagram = \markup {
\fret-diagram #"6-3-2;5-2-1;4-o;3-o;2-o;1-3-3;"
}
verseI = \lyricmode {
\set stanza = #"1."
This is the first verse
}
verseII = \lyricmode {
\set stanza = #"2."
This is the second verse.
}
theChords = \new ChordNames {
\chordmode {
% insert the chords for chordnames here
c2 g4 c
}
}
staffMelody = \new Staff {
\context Voice = "voiceMelody" {
\key c \major
\clef treble
\relative c' {
% Type notes and fret diagram markups here
c4^\cFretDiagram d8 e f4^\gFretDiagram g^\cFretDiagram
\bar "|."
}
}
}
\score {
<<
\theChords
\staffMelody
\new Lyrics = "lyricsI" \lyricmode {
\lyricsto "voiceMelody" \verseI
}
\new Lyrics = "lyricsII" \lyricmode {
\lyricsto "voiceMelody" \verseII
}
>>
\layout { }
\midi { }
}
</pre>
<p>
<a href="../65/lily-041c2551.ly">
<img align="middle"
border="0" src="../65/lily-041c2551.png" alt="[image of music]">
</a>
</p>
<p><a name="single-staff-template-with-notes-and-chords.ly"></a>
<h3 class="unnumberedsec">Single staff template with notes and chords</h3>
<p>Want to prepare a lead sheet with a melody and chords? Look no further!
<pre class="verbatim">
melody = \relative c' {
\clef treble
\key c \major
\time 4/4
f4 e8[ c] d4 g
a2 ~ a
}
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 { }
}
</pre>
<p>
<a href="../dd/lily-c67e885a.ly">
<img align="middle"
border="0" src="../dd/lily-c67e885a.png" alt="[image of music]">
</a>
</p>
<p><a name="volta-below-chords.ly"></a>
<h3 class="unnumberedsec">Volta under chords</h3>
<p>By adding the <code>Volta_engraver</code> to the relevant
staff, volte can be put under chords.
<pre class="verbatim">
\score {
<<
\chords {
c1
c1
}
\new Staff \with { \consists "Volta_engraver" } {
\repeat volta 2 { c'1 }
\alternative { c' }
}
>>
\layout {
\context {
\Score
\remove "Volta_engraver"
}
}
}
</pre>
<p>
<a href="../22/lily-5adaa60e.ly">
<img align="middle"
border="0" src="../22/lily-5adaa60e.png" alt="[image of music]">
</a>
</p>
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