Alternative endings

Repeats with alternative endings can be written two ways. This is the preferred syntax:

\repeat volta repeatcount {
  musicexpr…
  \alternative {
    \volta numberlist musicexpr
    \volta numberlist musicexpr
    …
  }
}

where musicexpr is a music expression, musicexpr… is any number of them, and numberlist is a comma-separated list of volta numbers chosen from the range 1 to repeatcount.

\fixed c'' {
  \repeat volta 6 {
    c4 d e f
    \alternative {
      \volta 1,2,3 { c2 e }
      \volta 4,5 { f2 d }
      \volta 6 { e2 f }
    }
  }
  c1
}

An older syntax where the \alternative block follows outside the repeated music expression is still supported and has the same effect.

\repeat volta repeatcount musicexpr
\alternative {
  \volta numberlist musicexpr
  \volta numberlist musicexpr
  …
}

\volta specifications within an \alternative block are optional on an all-or-none basis. If they are omitted, alternatives are used once each, but the first is repeated as needed to satisfy the repeat count.

\fixed c'' {
  \repeat volta 6 {
    c4 d e f
    \alternative {
      { c2 e }
      { f2 d }
      { e2 f }
    }
  }
  c1
}

\alternative blocks can be nested.

music = \fixed c' {
  \repeat volta 3 {
    s1_"A"
    \alternative {
      \volta 1 { s1_"B" }
      \volta 2,3 {
        \once \override Score.VoltaBracket.musical-length =
          \musicLength 1
        s1_"C"
        s1_"D"
        \alternative {
          \volta 2 { s1_"E" }
          \volta 3 { s1_"F" }
        }
      }
    }
  }
  \fine
}

\score { \music }
\score { \unfoldRepeats \music }

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LilyPond Notation Reference v2.25.15 (development-branch).