I am setting Gregorian chant in modern notation, using rhw example from the LilyPond online documentation on transcribing Gregorian chant located at
I have two questions
1/ For the two note neumes, it appears the not their spacing is dependent upon the length of the lyric text below (easily seen in the tie length)
In code example, compile with \override Lyrics.LyricText.X-extent *commented out*: See words in the first stanza "things", and in the second stanza "grace", "health", "warmth"
If I take the suggestion in the documentation "to avoid that syllables of different width (such as “-ri” and “-rum”) spread the syllable note groups unevenly apart, the 'X-extent property of the LyricText object may be set to a fixed value," this results in the *consistent* note spacing I am looking for, but lyrics text collides with each other.
In code example, compile with \override Lyrics.LyricText.X-extent *uncommented*: See words in the first stanza "things", and in the second stanza "grace", "health", "warmth"
2/ For these multi-note (melismatic) neumes, is it possible to center the lyric text below, like the single note neumes? \override LyricText.self-alignment-X = #CENTER does not seem to do the trick.
%
% Reduction
% Minimum code for dependency on note spacing on length of lyric text / how to center lyric under multiple notes
%
reduction = \relative c' {
\time 1/4
% \override Lyrics.LyricText.X-extent = #'(0 . 3)
\repeat unfold 2 {
f4 e4 d4 e8( d8) c4 d8( e8) e4 e4
g4 g16( a16 b16 a16) g8( f8) g8( a8) g4 f8( e8) d8( e8) e4
f4 e4 d4 e8( d8) c4 \tuplet 3/2 {d8( e8 f8)} d4 d4
d4 f4 e4 g8( a8) g4 f8( e8) d8( e8) e4
}
}
reductionLyr = \lyricmode {
\set stanza = #"1."
To you be -- fore the close of light,
Cre -- a -- tor of all things, we pray:
Be our pro -- tec -- tor, keep us safe
in your un -- fail -- ing clem -- en -- cy.
\set stanza = " 2."
Grant us the grace of health and strength,
re -- new our warmth and joy of life;
and let your ra -- diant light dis -- pel
the dread -- ed dark -- ness of the night.
}
\score {
\new Staff <<
\new Voice = "chant" \reduction
\new Lyrics = "one" \lyricsto "chant" \reductionLyr
>>
\layout {
ragged-last = ##t
indent = 0\mm
\context {
\Staff
\remove "Time_signature_engraver"
% \override BarLine.X-extent = #'(-1 . 1)
\hide Stem
\hide Beam
\hide BarLine
\hide TupletNumber
}
\context {
\Score
\remove "Bar_number_engraver"
}
\context {
\Lyrics
\override LyricText.self-alignment-X = #CENTER
}
}
}
Many thanks,
Matt