2.2 Keyboard and other multi-staff instruments

This section discusses several aspects of music notation that are unique to keyboard instruments and other instruments notated on many staves, such as harps and vibraphones. For the purposes of this section this entire group of multi-staff instruments is called “keyboards” for short, even though some of them do not have a keyboard.

2.2.1 Common notation for keyboards

This section discusses notation issues that may arise for most keyboard instruments.

References for keyboards

Keyboard instruments are usually notated with Piano staves. These are two or more normal staves coupled with a brace. The same notation is also used for other keyed instruments. Organ music is normally written with two staves inside a PianoStaff group and third, normal staff for the pedals.

The staves in keyboard music are largely independent, but sometimes voices can cross between the two staves. This section discusses notation techniques particular to keyboard music.

Several common issues in keyboard music are covered elsewhere:

• Keyboard music usually contains multiple voices and the number of voices may change regularly; this is described in Collision resolution.
• Keyboard music can be written in parallel, as described in Writing music in parallel.
• Dynamics may be placed in a Dynamics context, between the two Staff contexts to align the dynamic marks on a horizontal line centered between the staves; see Dynamics.
• Fingerings are indicated with Fingering instructions.
• Organ pedal indications are inserted as articulations, see List of articulations.
• Vertical grid lines can be shown with Grid lines.
• Keyboard music often contains Laissez vibrer ties as well as ties on arpeggios and tremolos, described in Ties.
• Placing arpeggios across multiple voices and staves is covered in Arpeggio.
• Tremolo marks are described in Tremolo repeats.
• Several of the tweaks that can occur in keyboard music are demonstrated in (learning)Real music example section ‘Real music example’ in Learning Manual.
• Hidden notes can be used to produce ties that cross voices, as shown in (learning)Other uses for tweaks section ‘Other uses for tweaks’ in Learning Manual.

See also

Learning Manual: (learning)Real music example section ‘Real music example’ in Learning Manual, (learning)Other uses for tweaks section ‘Other uses for tweaks’ in Learning Manual.

Notation Reference: Grouping staves, Instrument names, Collision resolution, Writing music in parallel, Fingering instructions, List of articulations, Grid lines, Ties, Arpeggio, Tremolo repeats.

Internals Reference: (internals)PianoStaff section ‘PianoStaff’ in Internals Reference.

Snippets: (snippets)Keyboards section ‘Keyboards’ in Snippets.

Changing staff manually

Voices can be switched between staves manually, using the command

\change Staff = staffname

The string staffname is the name of the staff. It switches the current voice from its current staff to the staff called staffname. Typical values for staffname are "up" and "down", or "RH" and "LH".

The staff to which the voice is being switched must exist at the time of the switch. If necessary, staves should be “kept alive”, see Keeping contexts alive, or explicitly instantiated, for example by using the empty chord, <>, see Chorded notes.

\new PianoStaff << \new Staff = "up" { % enforce creation of all contexts at this point of time <> \change Staff = "down" c2 \change Staff = "up" c'2 } \new Staff = "down" { \clef bass % keep staff alive s1 } >>

Cross-staff notes are beamed automatically:

\new PianoStaff << \new Staff = "up" { <e' c'>8 \change Staff = "down" g8 fis g \change Staff = "up" <g'' c''>8 \change Staff = "down" e8 dis e \change Staff = "up" } \new Staff = "down" { \clef bass % keep staff alive s1 } >>

If the beaming needs to be tweaked, make any changes to the stem directions first. The beam positions are then measured from the center of the staff that is closest to the beam. For a simple example of beam tweaking, see notation (learning)Fixing overlapping notation section ‘Fixing overlapping notation’ in Learning Manual.

Overlapping notation can result when voices cross staves:

\new PianoStaff << \new Staff = "up" { \voiceOne % Make space for fingering in the cross-staff voice \once\override DynamicLineSpanner.staff-padding = #4 e''2\p\< d''\> c''1\! } \new Staff = "down" << { \clef bass s4. e,8\rest g,2\rest c1 } \\ { c8\( g c' \change Staff = "up" e' g' b'-3 a' g'\) f'1 } >> >>

The stem and slur overlap the intervening line of dynamics because automatic collision resolution is suspended for beams, slurs and other spanners that connect notes on different staves, as well as for stems and articulations if their placement is affected by a cross-staff spanner. The resulting collisions must be resolved manually, where necessary, using the methods in (learning)Fixing overlapping notation section ‘Fixing overlapping notation’ in Learning Manual.

See also

Learning Manual: (learning)Fixing overlapping notation section ‘Fixing overlapping notation’ in Learning Manual.

Notation Reference: Stems, Automatic beams, Keeping contexts alive.

Snippets: (snippets)Keyboards section ‘Keyboards’ in Snippets.

Internals Reference: (internals)Beam section ‘Beam’ in Internals Reference, (internals)ContextChange section ‘ContextChange’ in Internals Reference.

Known issues and warnings

Beam collision avoidance does not work for automatic beams that end right before a change in staff. In this case use manual beams.

Changing staff automatically

Voices can be made to switch automatically between the top and the bottom staff. The syntax for this is

\autoChange …music…

This will create two staves inside the current staff group (usually a PianoStaff), called "up" and "down". The lower staff will be in the bass clef by default. The autoChanger switches on the basis of the pitch (middle C is the turning point), and it looks ahead skipping over rests to switch in advance.

\new PianoStaff { \autoChange { g4 a b c' d'4 r a g } }

It is possible to specify other pitches for the turning point. If the staves are not instantiated explicitly, other clefs may be used.

music = { g8 b a c' b8 d' c'8 e' d'8 r f' g' a'2 } \autoChange d' \music \autoChange b \with { \clef soprano } \music \autoChange d' \with { \clef alto } \with { \clef tenor } \music

A \relative section that is outside of \autoChange has no effect on the pitches of the music, so if necessary, put \relative inside \autoChange.

If additional control is needed over the individual staves, they can be created manually with the names "up" and "down". The \autoChange command will then switch its voice between the existing staves.

For example, staves must be created manually in order to place a key signature in the lower staff:

\new PianoStaff << \new Staff = "up" { \new Voice = "melOne" { \key g \major \autoChange \relative { g8 b a c b d c e d8 r fis, g a2 } } } \new Staff = "down" { \key g \major \clef bass } >>

See also

Notation Reference: Changing staff manually.

Snippets: (snippets)Keyboards section ‘Keyboards’ in Snippets.

Internals Reference: (internals)AutoChangeMusic section ‘AutoChangeMusic’ in Internals Reference.

Known issues and warnings

The staff switches may not end up in optimal places. For high quality output, staff switches should be specified manually.

Chords will not be split across the staves; they will be assigned to a staff based on the first note named in the chord construct.

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: (snippets)Keyboards section ‘Keyboards’ in Snippets.

Internals Reference: (internals)Note_head_line_engraver section ‘Note_head_line_engraver’ in Internals Reference, (internals)VoiceFollower section ‘VoiceFollower’ in Internals Reference.

Selected Snippets

Cross staff stems

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

The stem length need not be specified, as the variable distance between noteheads and staves is calculated automatically.

\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 e'2 } \new Staff { \clef bass \voiceOne \autoBeamOff \crossStaff { <e g>4 e, g16 a8. c8} d \autoBeamOn g8 f g4 c2 } >> }

For the time being, this engraver can not be specified by its name in double quotes. Instead its name must be prefixed with a hash symbol (#) due to the way it is implemented.

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: (snippets)Keyboards section ‘Keyboards’ in Snippets.

Internals Reference: (internals)Stem section ‘Stem’ in Internals Reference.

2.2.2 Piano

This section discusses notation issues that relate most directly to the piano.

Piano pedals

Pianos generally have three pedals that alter the way sound is produced: sustain, sostenuto (sos.), and una corda (U.C.). Sustain pedals are also found on vibraphones and celestas.

\relative { c''4\sustainOn d e g <c, f a>1\sustainOff c4\sostenutoOn e g c, <bes d f>1\sostenutoOff c4\unaCorda d e g <d fis a>1\treCorde }

There are three styles of pedal indications: text, bracket, and mixed. The sustain pedal and the una corda pedal use the text style by default while the sostenuto pedal uses mixed by default.

\relative { c''4\sustainOn g c2\sustainOff \set Staff.pedalSustainStyle = #'mixed c4\sustainOn g c d d\sustainOff\sustainOn g, c2\sustainOff \set Staff.pedalSustainStyle = #'bracket c4\sustainOn g c d d\sustainOff\sustainOn g, c2 \bar "|." }

The placement of the pedal commands matches the physical movement of the sustain pedal during piano performance. Pedalling to the final bar line is indicated by omitting the final pedal off command.

Pedal indications may be placed in a Dynamics context, which aligns them on a horizontal line.

See also

Notation Reference: Ties.

Snippets: (snippets)Keyboards section ‘Keyboards’ in Snippets.

Internals Reference: (internals)SustainPedal section ‘SustainPedal’ in Internals Reference, (internals)SustainPedalLineSpanner section ‘SustainPedalLineSpanner’ in Internals Reference, (internals)SustainEvent section ‘SustainEvent’ in Internals Reference, (internals)SostenutoPedal section ‘SostenutoPedal’ in Internals Reference, (internals)SostenutoPedalLineSpanner section ‘SostenutoPedalLineSpanner’ in Internals Reference, (internals)SostenutoEvent section ‘SostenutoEvent’ in Internals Reference, (internals)UnaCordaPedal section ‘UnaCordaPedal’ in Internals Reference, (internals)UnaCordaPedalLineSpanner section ‘UnaCordaPedalLineSpanner’ in Internals Reference, (internals)UnaCordaEvent section ‘UnaCordaEvent’ in Internals Reference, (internals)PianoPedalBracket section ‘PianoPedalBracket’ in Internals Reference, (internals)Piano_pedal_engraver section ‘Piano_pedal_engraver’ in Internals Reference.

2.2.3 Accordion

This section discusses notation that is unique to the accordion.

Discant symbols

Accordions are often built with more than one set of reeds that may be in unison with, an octave above, or an octave below the written pitch. Each accordion maker has different names for the shifts that select the various reed combinations, such as oboe, musette, or bandonium, so a system of symbols has come into use to simplify the performance instructions.

A complete list of all available accordion registers can be found in Accordion Registers.

Selected Snippets

Accordion register symbols

Accordion register symbols are available as \markup as well as as standalone music events (as register changes tend to occur between actual music events). Bass registers are not overly standardized. The available commands can be found in ’Discant symbols’ in the Notation Reference.

#(use-modules (scm accreg)) \new PianoStaff << \new Staff \relative { \clef treble \discant "10" r8 s32 f'[ bes f] s e[ a e] s d[ g d] s16 e32[ a] << { r16 <f bes> r <e a> r <d g> } \\ { d r a r bes r } >> | <cis e a>1 } \new Staff \relative { \clef treble \freeBass "1" r8 d'32 s16. c32 s16. bes32 s16. a32[ cis] s16 \clef bass \stdBass "Master" << { r16 <f, bes d>^"b" r <e a c>^"am" r <d g bes>^"gm" | <e a cis>1^"a" } \\ { d8_"D" c_"C" bes_"B" | a1_"A" } >> } >>

See also

Snippets: (snippets)Keyboards section ‘Keyboards’ in Snippets.

2.2.4 Harp

This section discusses notation issues that are unique to the harp.

References for harps

Some common characteristics of harp music are covered elsewhere:

• The glissando is the most characteristic harp technique, Glissando.
• A bisbigliando is written as a tremolo Tremolo repeats.
• Natural harmonics are covered under Harmonics.
• For directional arpeggios and non-arpeggios, see Arpeggio.

See also

Notation Reference: Tremolo repeats, Glissando, Arpeggio, Harmonics.

Harp pedals

Harps have seven strings per octave that may be sounded at the natural, flattened, or sharpened pitch. In lever harps, each string is adjusted individually, but in pedal harps every string with the same pitch name is controlled by a single pedal. From the player’s left to right, the pedals are D, C, and B on the left and E, F, G, and A on the right. The position of the pedals may be indicated with text marks:

\textLengthOn cis''1_\markup \concat \vcenter { [D \flat C \sharp B|E \sharp F \sharp G A \flat] } c''!1_\markup \concat \vcenter { [ C \natural ] }

or pedal diagrams:

\textLengthOn cis''1_\markup { \harp-pedal "^v-|vv-^" } c''!1_\markup { \harp-pedal "^o--|vv-^" }

The \harp-pedal command accepts a string of characters, where ^ is the highest pedal position (flattened pitch), - is the middle pedal position (natural pitch), v is the lowest pedal position (sharpened pitch), and | is the divider. A prefixed o will circle the following pedal symbol.

See also

Notation Reference: Text scripts, Instrument Specific Markup.

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