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Gliding fingers

For stringed instruments a gliding finger is often indicated by a line connecting the same finger to be used for notes played at different positions on the same string. This line is initiated with \glide entered before a Fingering and ends with the next occurrence of the same finger. The line may be printed in various styles.

mus = {
  \set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
  <a'\glide-1>2.
  \set fingeringOrientations = #'(left)
  <d'-1>4
}

{
  <>^"line"
  \mus
  <>^"stub-left"
  \override FingerGlideSpanner.style = #'stub-left
  \mus
  <>^"stub-right"
  \override FingerGlideSpanner.style = #'stub-right
  \mus
  <>^"stub-both"
  \override FingerGlideSpanner.style = #'stub-both
  \mus
  <>^"dashed-line"
  \override FingerGlideSpanner.style = #'dashed-line
  \mus
  \break
  <>^"dotted-line"
  \override FingerGlideSpanner.style = #'dotted-line
  \mus
  <>^"bow"
  \override FingerGlideSpanner.style = #'bow
  \mus
  <>^"trill"
  \override FingerGlideSpanner.style = #'trill
  \mus
  <>^"zigzag"
  \override FingerGlideSpanner.style = #'zigzag
  \mus
}

If style is set to 'bow the direction of the bow may be adjusted using direction modifiers.

{
  \override FingerGlideSpanner.style = #'bow
  \set fingeringOrientations = #'(down)
  <b\glide-1>4 <d'-1>
  \set fingeringOrientations = #'(up)
  <e''\glide-2> <c''-2>

  \set fingeringOrientations = #'(down)
  <b^\glide-1>4 <d'-1>
  \set fingeringOrientations = #'(up)
  <e''^\glide-2> <c''-2>

  \set fingeringOrientations = #'(down)
  <b_\glide-1>4 <d'-1>
  \set fingeringOrientations = #'(up)
  <e''_\glide-2> <c''-2>
}

If the Finger_glide_engraver is moved to Staff context Fingering grobs from different Voice contexts may be connected.

\score {
  \new Staff <<
    \new Voice {
      \voiceOne
      \set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
      <e''-3>2
      \set fingeringOrientations = #'(left)
      <d''-\tweak bound-details.left.padding 2.5 \glide-2>
      <c''-2>
      \bar "||"
    }
    \new Voice {
      \voiceTwo
      \set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
      <c''\glide-2>
      \set fingeringOrientations = #'(left)
      <b'-\tweak bound-details.left.padding 2.5 \glide-4>
      <a'-4>
    }
  >>
  \layout {
    ragged-right = ##f
    \context {
      \Voice
      \remove Finger_glide_engraver
    }
    \context {
      \Staff
      \consists Finger_glide_engraver
    }
  }
}

To connect different fingers or multiple instances of the same finger set the id property with \= taking a non-negative integer or a symbol or \tweak the text property.

{
  b2 \glide \= #'foo ^1
     \glide \= #'bar ^1
     \glide _2
     \glide _1
  b' \= #'foo ^2
     \= #'bar ^1
     _2
     _1

  \set fingeringOrientations = #'(up)
  <
   b\glide \=1 -1
   f'\glide \=2 -2
   d''\glide \=3 -3
   b''\glide \=4 -4
  >
  <
   b\=4 -5
   f'\=3 -6
   d''\=2 -7
   b''\=1 -8
  >
  b\glide -1 b\tweak text "2" -1
}

The FingerGlideSpanner may also connect string numbers indicating to play on the same string, or stroke fingers indicating an Arrastre.

{
  \override StringNumber.staff-padding = 7
  \omit TupletNumber
  \set fingeringOrientations = #'(left)
  \tuplet 5/4 4 {
    \set strokeFingerOrientations = #'(down)
    <
     g-\tweak style #'stub-right \glide-1
       \glide \rightHandFinger #1
       -\tweak style #'dashed-line \glide _\6
    >16
    <d'-\tweak style #'stub-right \glide -3 >
    <g'-\tweak style #'stub-right \glide -4 \rightHandFinger #1 >
    \set strokeFingerOrientations = #'(up)
    <b'-\tweak style #'stub-right \glide -2 \rightHandFinger #2 >
    <b'-0\rightHandFinger #3 >
    e''\glide \rightHandFinger #4
    b' a' f' c'
  }
  g2\rightHandFinger #4

  \tuplet 5/4 4 {
    \set strokeFingerOrientations = #'(down)
    <f-1 \glide \rightHandFinger #1 _\6 >16
    %% Raise a bit, otherwise the stub-line would be hidden by the ledger line.
    <c'\tweak Y-offset #0.5 -3>
    <f' -4 \rightHandFinger #1 >
    \set strokeFingerOrientations = #'(up)
    <a'-2\rightHandFinger #2 >
    b'\rightHandFinger #3
    e''\glide \rightHandFinger #4
    b' a' f' c'
  }
  f2\rightHandFinger #4
}

See also

Music Glossary: arrastre.

Notation Reference: Direction and placement.

Internals Reference: FingerGlideEvent, finger-glide-event, Finger_glide_engraver, finger-glide-interface, FingerGlideSpanner.