Adding articulation marks to notes

Common accents can be added to a note using a dash (`-') and a single character:

          c-. c-- c-> c-^ c-+ c-_
          

Similarly, fingering indications can be added to a note using a dash (`-') and the digit to be printed:

       c-3 e-5 b-2 a-1
     

Dynamic signs are made by adding the markings to the note:

          c-\ff c-\mf
          

Crescendi and decrescendi are started with the commands \< and \>. The command \! finishes a crescendo on the note it is attached to:

          c2-\<  c2-\!-\ff  c2-\>  c2-\!
          

A slur is drawn across many notes, and indicates bound articulation (legato). The starting note and ending note are marked with a "(" and a ")" respectively:

          d4-( c16-)-( cis d e c cis d e-)-( d4-)
          

A slur is different from a tie. A tie simply makes the first note sound longer, and can only be used on pairs of notes with the same pitch. Slurs indicate the articulations of notes, and can be used on larger groups of notes. Slurs and ties are also nested in practice:

If you need two slurs at the same time (one for articulation, one for phrasing), you can also make a phrasing slur with \( and \).

          a8-(-\( ais b  c-) cis2 b'2 a4 cis,  c-\)
          

More information on fingering, articulation, slurs, phrasing slurs, and dynamics can be found in Fingering instructions, Articulations, Slurs, Phrasing slurs, and Dynamics, respectively.

This page is for LilyPond-1.8.2 (stable-branch).