I think I figured out a (much!) better solution to the below:
On Wed, 3 Dec 2025, Kieren MacMillan wrote:
> I wonder if this is something that could be done (a) more automatically,
> and (b) without the need for a “hack” like \partial 1024 s1024…? Maybe
> someone out there with a better understanding of Lilypond “under the hood”
> can come up with something even more elegant.
>
On Thu, 4 Dec 2025, Gabriel Ellsworth wrote:
> Yes, I agree, Kieren. I’m probably not the only engraver of written-out
> Anglican chant psalms who would benefit from a more automatic process,
> whereby accidentals reset/change at any and every bar line, even in
> \cadenzaOn mode. And there might be other styles of music for which this
> is relevant, too.
>
> The style choral-cautionary is brilliant, and I want to keep using it!
>
My proposed solution does not use \cadenzaOn. Instead, this approach
uses a hidden
time signature for each measure of unmetered music and a Devnull context
that can apply changes of the (omitted) time signatures across all voices
in the score.
Thoughts on the following?
[image: image.png]
%%% SNIPPET BEGINS
\version "2.24.4"
*%% Define a variable that will go in a Devnull context: *time = {
\time 4/4 s4*4
\time 10/4 s4*10
\time 3/4 s4*3
\time 2/4 s4*2
}
*%% Sample music based on the snippet at %
https://lilypond.org/doc/v2.24/Documentation/notation/displaying-rhythms#unmetered-music
<https://lilypond.org/doc/v2.24/Documentation/notation/displaying-rhythms#unmetered-music>*soprano
= \relative c'' {
% Show all bar numbers:
\override Score.BarNumber.break-visibility = #all-visible
c4 d e d |
* % It is good hygiene to use barchecks in this approach* c4 cis d8[ d d]
f4 g4. d4 e d c |
fis, gis a |
g f |
}
*%% This voice will also get \time applied to it: *bass = \relative c {
\clef bass
\repeat unfold 4 { c } |
\repeat unfold 10 { d } |
e e g |
\repeat unfold 2 { f } |
}
\score {
\new ChoirStaff <<
* \new Devnull \time* \new Staff \new Voice \soprano
\new Staff \new Voice \bass
>>
}
\layout {
\context {
\Staff
* \omit TimeSignature* }
\context {
\ChoirStaff
* \accidentalStyle choral-cautionary % works!* }
}
%%% SNIPPET ENDS
