I can't figure out how to get the tie between the G's, without breaking
the double stops in the first measure into two separate voices, and so
breaking their stems. Can someone show me how to do this?
\version "2.20"
\relative {
\key g \major
\omit Staff.TimeSignature
<c''! e,>8.( <a c,>16) <a c,>2^( <g bes,>4~
\voices "",2 << { g f) } \\ a,2 >> c4( d)
}
It may be debatable whether it should be notated this way. I think it
should. (It's from the Glière cello duos, op. 53.) But my question is
how to do it, assuming this is desired result.
No, I'd say this is a perfectly standard way of notating music for instruments that _can_ do polyphony. Piano pieces (e.g. by Schumann) are full of examples like these, and one might say that this is not the area where LilyPond particularly shines: It often involves trickery with hidden duplicated notes etc. But in this case, it works relatively straightforward.
If it matters, I'm using version 2.20.
The command \voices I am using above was added by David Kastrup during the 2.19.xx cylce. It's also possible to avoid it using 2.18.2 constructs: you only have to refrain from using the \\ shortcut (because this creates named voices and makes it impossible to continue the main voice):
\version "2.18.2"
\relative {
\key g \major
\omit Staff.TimeSignature
<c''! e,>8.( <a c,>16) <a c,>2^( <g bes,>4~
<< { g f) } \new Voice { \voiceTwo a,2 } >> c4( d)
}
Lukas