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---

Staff-change lines

Whenever a voice switches to another staff, a line connecting the notes can be printed automatically:

\new PianoStaff <<
  \new Staff = "one" {
    \showStaffSwitch
    c'1
    \change Staff = "two"
    b2 a
  }
  \new Staff = "two" {
    \clef bass
    s1*2
  }
>>

A staff-change line between chords connects the chords’ “last notes” as written in the source file; this can be used to quickly adjust the line’s vertical start and end positions.

\new PianoStaff <<
  \new Staff = "one" {
    <c' e' g'>1
    \showStaffSwitch
    \change Staff = "two"
    <a c' f>1
    \hideStaffSwitch
    \change Staff = "one"
    <e' g' c'>1
    \showStaffSwitch
    \change Staff = "two"
    <f a c'>1
  }
  \new Staff = "two" {
    \clef bass
    s1*4
  }
>>

Predefined commands

\showStaffSwitch, \hideStaffSwitch.

See also

Snippets: Keyboards.

Internals Reference: Note_head_line_engraver, VoiceFollower.

Selected Snippets

Cross-staff stems

This snippet shows how to use Span_stem_engraver and \crossStaff to connect stems across staves automatically.

The stem lengths need not be specified, as the variable distance between noteheads and staves is calculated automatically. However, it is important that \crossStaff is applied to the correct voice or staff (i.e., on the opposite side of where a beam is or would be positioned) to get the desired effect.

\layout {
  \context {
    \PianoStaff
    \consists "Span_stem_engraver"
  }
}

\new PianoStaff <<
  \new Staff {
    <b d'>4 r d'16\> e'8. g8 r\! |
    e'8 f' g'4
      \voiceTwo
      % Down to lower staff
      \crossStaff { e'8 e'8 } e'4 |
  }

  \new Staff {
    \clef bass
    \voiceOne
    % Up to upper staff
    \crossStaff { <e g>4 e, g16 a8. c8 } d |
    g8 f g4 \voiceTwo g8 g g4 |
  }
>>

Indicating cross-staff chords with arpeggio bracket

An arpeggio bracket can indicate that notes on two different staves are to be played with the same hand. In order to do this, the PianoStaff must be set to accept cross-staff arpeggios and the arpeggios must be set to the bracket shape in the PianoStaff context.

(Debussy, Les collines d’Anacapri, m. 65)

\new PianoStaff <<
  \set PianoStaff.connectArpeggios = ##t
  \override PianoStaff.Arpeggio.stencil =
    #ly:arpeggio::brew-chord-bracket
  \new Staff {
    \relative c' {
      \key b \major
      \time 6/8
      b8-.(\arpeggio fis'-.\> cis-.
        e-. gis-. b-.)\!\fermata^\laissezVibrer \bar "||"
    }
  }
  \new Staff {
    \relative c' {
      \clef bass
      \key b \major
      <<
        {
          <a e cis>2.\arpeggio
        }
        \\
        {
          <a, e a,>2.
        }
      >>
    }
  }
>>

See also

Snippets: Keyboards.

Internals Reference: Stem.