Re: Solving espressivo problem

[Mats Bengtsson]

On 2024-05-11 15:18, Kieren MacMillan wrote:

> Hi Morten,
>
> Here’s one approach:
>
> %%%  SNIPPET BEGINS
> \version "2.25.11"
>
> esp = \markup \lower #1 \scale #'(1.375 . 1) \musicglyph #"scripts.espr"
>
> stuff = \relative {
>    \time 4/4
>      r4 b'4 a2-\tweak self-alignment-X #-1.25 _\esp ~
>      a2 b4 4(
>      c1)-\tweak self-alignment-X #-0.5 _\esp
>      b2-\tweak self-alignment-X #-1.125 _\esp d2
>      c1-\tweak self-alignment-X #-0.5 _\esp
>     \bar "|"
> }
>
> \score {
>    <<
>        \new Staff
>        \stuff
>    >>
> }%
> %%  SNIPPET ENDS
>
> This requires some manual effort (read: trial and error), but could probably be fairly easily automated.
>
> Of course there are many other ways to clothe this particular cat — just thought I’d offer one for you to consider!
>

I would rather do something like the following:

\version "2.24.3"

stuff = \relative {
    \time 4/4
      r4 b'4 a2~\< |
      \after 4. \! a2\> b4 4( |
      \after 2 \> c1 \< ) |
      b2\< c2\> |
      \after 2 \> c1 \< |
      b4\< c2 \> b4 |
      <>\!
}

\score {
    <<
        \new Staff
        \stuff

    >>
    \layout {
        \context {
            \Staff

        }

    }
}

Let me highlight some of the changes I made to your example, on top of using \after to start a diminuendo in the middle of a note:

- Added bar line checks and line breaks at the end of each bar. This is a good habit that will help you to navigate and help LilyPond assist you in finding rhythmic typos.

- A previous (de-)crescendo is automatically ended when there's a new dynamic indication, so there's no need for an explicit \! just before a \>, for example. As an extra bonus, a \< or \> that's ended at the first note of the next bar is automatically ended at the bar line by default (but this can easily be changed with to-barline, if you indeed want it to extend at the next note instead, see https://lilypond.org/doc/v2.24/Documentation/notation/expressive-marks-attached-to-notes#dynamics).

   /Mats