1.5.1 Single voice
This section discusses simultaneous notes inside the same voice.
| Chorded notes | ||
| Clusters |
Chorded notes
A chord is formed by a enclosing a set of pitches between < and
>. A chord may be followed by a duration and/or a set of
articulations, just like simple notes:
<c e g>2 <c f a>4-> <e g c>-.
![[image of music]](../78/lily-7b17f63b.png)
Relative mode can be used for pitches in chords; the preceding pitch into the same chord is still used as a reference for relative pitches, but when a chord is completed, the reference pitch for relative mode is the first note of this chord –not the last note of the chord.
For more information about chords, see Chord notation.
See also
Music Glossary: chord.
Learning Manual: Combining notes into chords.
Notation Reference: Chord notation.
Snippets: Simultaneous notes.
Clusters
A cluster indicates a continuous range of pitches to be played. They
can be denoted as the envelope of a set of notes. They are entered by
applying the function \makeClusters to a sequence of chords,
e.g.,
\makeClusters { <g b>2 <c g'> }
![[image of music]](../81/lily-51524f82.png)
Ordinary notes and clusters can be put together in the same staff, even simultaneously. In such a case no attempt is made to automatically avoid collisions between ordinary notes and clusters.
See also
Music Glossary: cluster.
Snippets: Simultaneous notes.
Internals Reference: ClusterSpanner, ClusterSpannerBeacon, Cluster_spanner_engraver.
Known issues and warnings
Clusters look good only if they span at least two chords; otherwise they appear too narrow.
Clusters do not have a stem and cannot indicate durations by themselves. Separate clusters would need a separating rest between them.
Other languages: français, español.
About automatic language selection.