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Text marks

Text marks are textual objects that, unlike text scripts (see section Text scripts), are not printed over notes but between notes, often aligned to a bar line.

Before using text marks, it is recommended to seek a more specific command, if available. For text that identifies a section, use \sectionLabel (see section Section labels). For jump instructions, use \jump (see section Manual repeat marks). These commands have different default layout settings, and they create separate objects which can be styled differently from generic text marks in style sheets.

A text mark is entered using either \textMark or \textEndMark. The \textMark command draws a left-aligned mark.

\fixed c'' {
  \textMark "Fl. 1 solo"
  c4 e g2
  \textMark "A due"
  e4 g c'2
}

If a line break occurs at the point \textMark is used, the text appears on the next system.

\fixed c'' {
  \textMark "Fl. 1 solo"
  c4 e g2
  \break
  \textMark "A due"
  e4 g c'2
}

Unlike \textMark, \textEndMark creates a right-aligned mark. If it occurs on a line break, it is printed on the preceding system.

\fixed c' {
  \repeat volta 2 {
    c4 e8 f g2
    e4 f8 g c'2
    \textEndMark "ad lib"
  }
  \break
  c'4 8 8 4 8 8
  c'1
}

Complex text formatting may be added using a \markup block (see section Formatting text).

\relative {
  <c' e>1
  \textMark \markup { \italic { colla parte } }
  <d f>2 <e g>
  <c f aes>1
}

The \markLengthOn and \markLengthOff commands (see section Metronome marks) can also be used on text marks.

{
  \mark \default
  c'2 2
  \textEndMark "long mark text"
  \markLengthOn
  2 2
  \mark \default
  2 2
  \textEndMark "long mark text"
}

Text marks may be printed below the staff.

\fixed c' {
  c4 g c'8 b c4 e' c' c2
  c4 g c'8 b c4 e' c' g2
  e'4 c' c'8 b c'4
  g4 c' c2~ c1
  \tweak direction #DOWN
    \tweak font-size -1
      \textEndMark "Composed on November 13th, 2020"
}

There can be several text marks at the same moment. Their stacking order can be overridden using the outside-staff-priority property (see section Vertical collision avoidance). Alternatively, a single text mark with \markup \column { … } can achieve the same effect.

\fixed c' {
  \repeat volta 2 {
    c4 g c'8 b c4 e' c' c2
    \textEndMark "ad lib."
    \tweak outside-staff-priority 1200
      \tweak font-size -1
        \textEndMark "2nd time a due"
  }
}

The alignment of a text mark can be changed.

{
  c'8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
  \textMark \markup \column {
    \line { Left-aligned mark }
    \line { (default for \concat { \typewriter "\\textMark" ) } }
  }
  d'8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
}

{
  c'8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
  \tweak self-alignment-X #CENTER
    \textMark "Centered mark"
  d'8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
}

{
  c'8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
  \tweak self-alignment-X #RIGHT
    \textMark \markup \right-column {
      \line { Right-aligned mark }
      \line { (default for \concat { \typewriter "\\textEndMark" ) } }
    }
  d'8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
}

Predefined commands

\textMark, \textEndMark, \markLengthOn, \markLengthOff.

Selected Snippets

Printing marks on every staff

Although rehearsal and text marks are normally only printed above the topmost staff, they may also be printed on every staff.

\score {
  <<
    \new Staff { \mark \default c''1 \textMark "molto" c'' }
    \new Staff { \mark \default c'1 \textMark "molto" c' }
  >>
  \layout {
    \context {
      \Score
      \remove Mark_engraver
      \remove Text_mark_engraver
      \remove Staff_collecting_engraver
    }
    \context {
      \Staff
      \consists Mark_engraver
      \consists Text_mark_engraver
      \consists Staff_collecting_engraver
    }
  }
}

See also

Notation Reference: Metronome marks, Rehearsal marks, Section labels, Formatting text, Music notation inside markup, The Emmentaler font.

Snippets: Text.

Internals Reference: TextMarkEvent, Text_mark_engraver, TextMark.

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LilyPond Notation Reference v2.25.14 (development-branch).