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Unfretted strings

Unfretted string instruments

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Creating slurs across voices

In some situations, it may be necessary to create slurs between notes from different voices. The solution is to add invisible notes to one of the voices, using \hideNotes.

This example is measure 235 of the Ciaconna from Bach’s 2nd Partita for solo violin, BWV 1004.

\relative c' {
  <<
    {
      d16( a') s a s a[ s a] s a[ s a]
    }
    \\
    {
      \slurUp
      bes,16[ s e](
      \hideNotes a)
      \unHideNotes f[(
      \hideNotes a)
      \unHideNotes fis](
      \hideNotes a)
      \unHideNotes g[(
      \hideNotes a)
      \unHideNotes gis](
      \hideNotes a)
    }
  >>
}

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Dotted harmonics

Artificial harmonics using \harmonic do not show dots. To override this behavior, set the context property harmonicDots.

\relative c''' {
  \time 3/4
  \key f \major
  \set harmonicDots = ##t
  <bes f'\harmonic>2. ~
  <bes f'\harmonic>4. <a e'\harmonic>8( <gis dis'\harmonic> <g d'\harmonic>)
  <fis cis'\harmonic>2.
  <bes f'\harmonic>2.
}

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Snap-pizzicato or Bartok pizzicato

A snap-pizzicato (also known as “Bartok pizzicato”) is a “strong pizzicato where the string is plucked vertically by snapping and rebounds off the fingerboard of the instrument” (Wikipedia). It is denoted by a circle with a vertical line going from the center upwards outside the circle.

\relative c' {
  c4\snappizzicato
  <c' e g>4\snappizzicato
  <c' e g>4^\snappizzicato
  <c, e g>4_\snappizzicato
}

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String quartet template (simple)

This template demonstrates a simple string quartet. It also uses a \global section for time and key signatures

global= {
  \time 4/4
  \key c \major
}

violinOne = \new Voice \relative c'' {
  c2 d
  e1
  \bar "|."
}

violinTwo = \new Voice \relative c'' {
  g2 f
  e1
  \bar "|."
}

viola = \new Voice \relative c' {
  \clef alto
  e2 d
  c1
  \bar "|."
}

cello = \new Voice \relative c' {
  \clef bass
  c2 b
  a1
  \bar "|."
}

\score {
  \new StaffGroup <<
    \new Staff \with { instrumentName = "Violin 1" }
    << \global \violinOne >>
    \new Staff \with { instrumentName = "Violin 2" }
    << \global \violinTwo >>
    \new Staff \with { instrumentName = "Viola" }
    << \global \viola >>
    \new Staff \with { instrumentName = "Cello" }
    << \global \cello >>
  >>
  \layout { }
  \midi { }
}

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String quartet template with separate parts

The “String quartet template” snippet produces a nice string quartet, but what if you needed to print parts? This new template demonstrates how to use the \tag feature to easily split a piece into individual parts.

You need to split this template into separate files; the filenames are contained in comments at the beginning of each file. piece.ly contains all the music definitions. The other files – score.ly, vn1.ly, vn2.ly, vla.ly, and vlc.ly – produce the appropriate part.

Do not forget to remove specified comments when using separate files!

%%%%% piece.ly
%%%%% (This is the global definitions file)

global= {
  \time 4/4
  \key c \major
}


Violinone = \new Voice {
  \relative c'' {
    c2 d e1
    \bar "|."
  }
}


Violintwo = \new Voice {
  \relative c'' {
    g2 f e1
    \bar "|."
  }
}


Viola = \new Voice {
  \relative c' {
    \clef alto
    e2 d c1
    \bar "|."
  }
}


Cello = \new Voice {
  \relative c' {
    \clef bass
    c2 b a1
    \bar "|."
  }
}


music = {
  <<
    \tag #'score \tag #'vn1
    \new Staff \with { instrumentName = "Violin 1" }
    << \global \Violinone >>

    \tag #'score \tag #'vn2
    \new Staff \with { instrumentName = "Violin 2" }
    << \global \Violintwo>>

    \tag #'score \tag #'vla
    \new Staff \with { instrumentName = "Viola" }
    << \global \Viola>>

    \tag #'score \tag #'vlc
    \new Staff \with { instrumentName = "Cello" }
    << \global \Cello >>
  >>
}

% These are the other files you need to save on your computer

% score.ly
% (This is the main file)

% uncomment the line below when using a separate file
%\include "piece.ly"

#(set-global-staff-size 14)

\score {
  \new StaffGroup \keepWithTag #'score \music
  \layout { }
  \midi { }
}


%{ Uncomment this block when using separate files

% vn1.ly
% (This is the Violin 1 part file)

\include "piece.ly"
\score {
  \keepWithTag #'vn1 \music
  \layout { }
}


% vn2.ly
% (This is the Violin 2 part file)

\include "piece.ly"
\score {
  \keepWithTag #'vn2 \music
  \layout { }
}


% vla.ly
% (This is the Viola part file)

\include "piece.ly"
\score {
  \keepWithTag #'vla \music
  \layout { }
}


% vlc.ly
% (This is the Cello part file)

\include "piece.ly"
\score {
  \keepWithTag #'vlc \music
  \layout { }
}

%}

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