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Glissando

A glissando is created by appending \glissando to a note:

\relative {
  g'2\glissando g'
  c2\glissando c,
  \afterGrace f,1\glissando f'16
}

A glissando can connect notes across staves:

\new PianoStaff <<
  \new Staff = "right" {
    e'''2\glissando
    \change Staff = "left"
    a,,4\glissando
    \change Staff = "right"
    b''8 r |
  }
  \new Staff = "left" {
    \clef bass
    s1
  }
>>

A glissando can connect notes in chords. If anything other than a direct one-to-one pairing of the notes in the two chords is required, the connections between the notes are defined by setting \glissandoMap to a Scheme list. The elements are pairs of integers; each pair (x . y) creates a glissando line from the x-th note of the first chord to the y-th note of the second chord. Notes are numbered from zero in the order in which they appear in the input .ly file. Not all notes need be part in a glissando.

\relative {
  <c' e>2\glissando g'
  <c, e>\glissando <g' b>
  \break
  \set glissandoMap = #'((0 . 1) (1 . 0))
  <c, g'>\glissando <d a'>
  \set glissandoMap = #'((0 . 0) (0 . 1) (0 . 2))
  c\glissando <d f a>
  \set glissandoMap = #'((2 . 2) (0 . 0))
  <f d a'>\glissando <c f c'>
}

Different styles of glissandi can be created. For details, see Line styles.

Selected Snippets

Contemporary glissando

A contemporary glissando without a final note can be typeset using a hidden note and cadenza timing.

\relative c'' {
  \time 3/4
  \override Glissando.style = #'zigzag
  c4 c
  \cadenzaOn
  c4\glissando
  \hideNotes
  c,,4
  \unHideNotes
  \cadenzaOff
  \bar "|"
}

Adding timing marks to long glissandi

Skipped beats in very long glissandi are sometimes indicated by timing marks, often consisting of stems without noteheads. Such stems can also be used to carry intermediate expression markings.

If the stems do not align well with the glissando, they may need to be repositioned slightly.

glissandoSkipOn = {
  \override NoteColumn.glissando-skip = ##t
  \hide NoteHead
  \override NoteHead.no-ledgers = ##t
}

glissandoSkipOff = {
  \revert NoteColumn.glissando-skip
  \undo \hide NoteHead
  \revert NoteHead.no-ledgers
}

\relative c'' {
  r8 f8\glissando
  \glissandoSkipOn
  f4 g a a8\noBeam
  \glissandoSkipOff
  a8

  r8 f8\glissando
  \glissandoSkipOn
  g4 a8
  \glissandoSkipOff
  a8 |

  r4 f\glissando \<
  \glissandoSkipOn
  a4\f \>
  \glissandoSkipOff
  b8\! r |
}

Making glissandi breakable

Setting the breakable property to #t in combination with after-line-breaking allows a glissando to break if it occurs at a line break:

\paper { tagline = ##f }

glissandoSkipOn = {
  \override NoteColumn.glissando-skip = ##t
  \hide NoteHead
  \override NoteHead.no-ledgers = ##t
}

\relative c'' {
  \override Glissando.breakable = ##t
  \override Glissando.after-line-breaking = ##t
  f1\glissando |
  \break
  a4 r2. |
  f1\glissando
  \once \glissandoSkipOn
  \break
  a2 a4 r4 |
}

Extending glissandi across repeats

A glissando which extends into several \alternative blocks can be simulated by adding a hidden grace note with a glissando at the start of each \alternative block. The grace note should be at the same pitch as the note which starts the initial glissando. This is implemented here with a music function which takes the pitch of the grace note as its argument.

Note that in polyphonic music the grace note must be matched with corresponding grace notes in all other voices.

repeatGliss = #(define-music-function (grace)
  (ly:pitch?)
  #{
    % the next two lines ensure the glissando is long enough
    % to be visible
    \once \override Glissando.springs-and-rods
      = #ly:spanner::set-spacing-rods
    \once \override Glissando.minimum-length = 3.5
    \once \hideNotes
    \grace $grace \glissando
  #})

\score {
  \relative c'' {
    \repeat volta 3 { c4 d e f\glissando }
    \alternative {
      { g2 d }
      { \repeatGliss f g2 e }
      { \repeatGliss f e2 d }
    }
  }
}

music =  \relative c' {
  \voiceOne
  \repeat volta 2 {
    g a b c\glissando
  }
  \alternative {
    { d1 }
    { \repeatGliss c \once \omit StringNumber e1\2 }
  }
}

\score {
  \new StaffGroup <<
    \new Staff <<
      \new Voice { \clef "G_8" \music }
    >>
    \new TabStaff  <<
      \new TabVoice { \clef "moderntab" \music }
    >>
  >>
}

\paper { tagline = ##f }

See also

Music Glossary: glissando.

Notation Reference: Line styles.

Snippets: Expressive marks.

Internals Reference: Glissando.

Known issues and warnings

Printing text over the line (such as gliss.) is not supported.