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Multiple notes to one syllable

Sometimes, particularly in Medieval and baroque music, several notes are sung on one syllable; this is called melisma, see melisma. The syllable to a melisma is usually left-aligned with the first note of the melisma.

When a melisma occurs on a syllable other than the last one in a word, that syllable is usually joined to the following one with a hyphenated line. This is indicated by placing a double hyphen, --, immediately after the syllable.

Alternatively, when a melisma occurs on the last or only syllable in a word an extender line is usually drawn from the end of the syllable to the last note of the melisma. This is indicated by placing a double underscore, __, immediately after the word.

There are five ways in which melismata can be indicated:

• Melismata are created automatically over notes which are tied together:

  <<
    \new Voice = "melody" \relative {
      \time 3/4
      f''4 g2 ~ |
      4 e2 ~ |
      8
    }
    \new Lyrics \lyricsto "melody" {
      Ky -- ri -- e __
    }
  >>
  

  

• Melismata can be created automatically from the music by placing slurs over the notes of each melisma. This is the usual way of entering lyrics:

  <<
    \new Voice = "melody" \relative {
      \time 3/4
      f''4 g8 ( f e f )
      e8 ( d e2 )
    }
    \new Lyrics \lyricsto "melody" {
      Ky -- ri -- e __
    }
  >>
  

  

  Note that phrasing slurs do not affect the creation of melismata.

• Notes are considered a melisma if they are manually beamed, providing automatic beaming is switched off. See Setting automatic beam behavior.

  <<
    \new Voice = "melody" \relative {
      \time 3/4
      \autoBeamOff
      f''4 g8[ f e f]
      e2.
    }
    \new Lyrics \lyricsto "melody" {
      Ky -- ri -- e
    }
  >>
  

  

  Clearly this is not suited to melismata over notes which are longer than eighth notes.

• An unslurred group of notes will be treated as a melisma if they are bracketed between \melisma and \melismaEnd.

  <<
    \new Voice = "melody" \relative {
      \time 3/4
      f''4 g8
      \melisma
      f e f
      \melismaEnd
      e2.
    }
    \new Lyrics \lyricsto "melody" {
      Ky -- ri -- e
    }
  >>
  

  

• A melisma can be defined entirely in the lyrics by entering a single underscore character, _, for every extra note that has to be added to the melisma.

  <<
    \new Voice = "melody" \relative {
      \time 3/4
      f''4 g8 f e f
      e8 d e2
    }
    \new Lyrics \lyricsto "melody" {
      Ky -- ri -- _ _ _ e __ _ _
    }
  >>
  

  

It is possible to have ties, slurs and manual beams in the melody without their indicating melismata. To do this, set melismaBusyProperties:

<<
  \new Voice = "melody" \relative {
    \time 3/4
    \set melismaBusyProperties = #'()
    c'4 d ( e )
    g8 [ f ] f4 ~ 4
  }
  \new Lyrics \lyricsto "melody" {
    Ky -- ri -- e e -- le -- i -- son
  }
>>

Other settings for melismaBusyProperties can be used to selectively include or exclude ties, slurs, and beams from the automatic detection of melismata; see melismaBusyProperties in Tunable context properties.

Alternatively, if all melismata indications are to be ignored, ignoreMelismata may be set true; see Stanzas with different rhythms.

If a melisma is required during a passage in which melismaBusyProperties is active, it may be indicated by placing a single underscore in the lyrics for each note which should be included in the melisma:

<<
  \new Voice = "melody" \relative {
    \time 3/4
    \set melismaBusyProperties = #'()
    c'4 d ( e )
    g8 [ f ] ~ 4 ~ f
  }
  \new Lyrics \lyricsto "melody" {
    Ky -- ri -- _ e __ _ _ _
  }
>>

Predefined commands

\autoBeamOff, \autoBeamOn, \melisma, \melismaEnd.

See also

Musical Glossary: melisma.

Learning Manual: Aligning lyrics to a melody.

Notation Reference: Aligning lyrics to a melody, Automatic syllable durations, Setting automatic beam behavior, Stanzas with different rhythms.

Internals Reference: Tunable context properties.

Known issues and warnings

Extender lines under melismata are not created automatically; they must be inserted manually with a double underscore.