GNU LilyPond

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Printing lyrics

Lyrics are printed by interpreting them in the Lyrics context.

\addlyrics \notes \relative c' {
        \time 7/4
        \property Staff.automaticMelismata = ##t
        d'2 c4 b16 ( a g a b a b ) c a2
        b2 c4 b8 ( a16 g ) a4 g2 }
    \context Lyrics \lyrics {
       Join us now __ and
       share the soft -- ware; }

Notes and syllable durations are matched automatically. This is accomplished using \addlyrics, which is documented in Automatic syllable durations. Setting automaticMelismata in the melody staff will cause slurs to be interpreted as melismata.

The Lyric syllables are LyricsVoice.LyricSyllable grobs.

As you can see, extender lines are entered as __. This will create an extender, a line that extends over the entire duration of the lyric. This line will run all the way to the start of the next lyric, so you may want to shorten it by using a blank lyric (using _). The grob for this symbol is LyricsVoice.LyricExtender.

If you want to have hyphens centered between syllables (rather than attached to the end of the first syllable) you can use the special `--' lyric as a separate word between syllables. This will result in a hyphen whose length varies depending on the space between syllables. It will be centered between the syllables. The grob for this symbol is LyricsVoice.LyricHyphen.

Please send GNU LilyPond questions and comments to lilypond-user@gnu.org.

Please send comments on these web pages to lilypond@packages.debian.org

Copyright (c) 1997--2001 Han-Wen Nienhuys and Jan Nieuwenhuizen.

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