On Sun 17 May 2026 at 22:11:23 (+0200), Lilypond-User wrote:
> Hmmm - I owe you all my deepest apologies... Removing all the "set
> associatedVoice" phrases, it turned out that in the last of those
> items I did not refer to "alto", but to "alto "; so with an extra
> trailing space.
>
> Removed that, and hooray! it works as expected...
>
> So for the moment I'll stay with that construct, since in this piece a
> lot of work has already been done. But I've certainly learned
> something!
FTR, I would prefer to write the second voice separately. Here I've
skipped the sections where voices are unison, but unless the division
was only for a few measures, I'd write the second part in full with
\voiceTwo (and first one voiceOne throughout).
I commented the VerticalAxisGroup.staff-affinity = #CENTER because
I wasn't sure what it would do here (obviously with more staves).
Using the NullVoice = aligner to set the words is extensible. Here it
aligns to just two voices. I use it to set four-part hymns: it moves
the alignment complexity from being in a line of notes (like Kieren's
spacer variable) into the lyrics themselves.
On Sat 16 May 2026 at 15:24:05 (-0400), Kieren MacMillan wrote:
> There are ways to automate the generation of the notes in that spacer
> variable — I just didn’t want to get into that here, so I manually wrote out
> the rhythms.
I don't think I have seen that demonstrated. Does it involve scheme?
(Answering this might best involve a change in the Subject line.)
Cheers,
David.
%%% Start snippet
\version "2.25.32"
\paper {
% Add space for instrument names
indent = 18\mm
short-indent = 10\mm
}
global = {
\key g \major
\time 3/4
s2.
\time 4/4
s1 * 7
\time 3/4
s2. * 5
s2
\bar "|."
}
alto = \relative c'' {
r2 g4 ^\mf
\voiceOne b2( a4) a
a2( g )
\oneVoice g2 \tuplet 3/2 { g2 g4 }
g4 g2 g4 ^\f
\voiceOne b2( a4) a
\oneVoice a2( g)
<g e> \tuplet 3/2 { <g~ es(>4 <g d)> <g c,> }
<a d,> <g d>2
R2.*2
r4 g ^\mp g
fis fis( e8) g~
g2 \fermata
}
altoii = \relative c'' {
\voiceTwo s2.
g2. g4
g1
s1
s1
g2. g4
}
altoVerse = \lyricmode {
Mag -- ni -- fi -- cat __ a -- ni -- ma me -- a,
Mag -- ni -- fi -- cat __ a -- ni -- ma me -- a,
an -- cil -- lae su -- ae. __
}
\score {
\new ChoirStaff <<
\new Staff \with {
midiInstrument = "choir aahs"
instrumentName = "Alt"
shortInstrumentName = "A."
} <<
\clef treble \global
\new Voice \alto
\new Voice \altoii
\new NullVoice = aligner { << \alto \altoii >> }
\new Lyrics \with {
%%\override VerticalAxisGroup.staff-affinity = #CENTER
}
\lyricsto aligner \altoVerse
>>
>>
\layout {
\override Score.BarNumber.break-visibility = #end-of-line-invisible
}
\midi { }
}
%%%% End snippet
