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Percussion staves

A percussion part for more than one instrument typically uses a multi-line staff where each position in the staff refers to one piece of percussion. To typeset the music, the notes must be interpreted in DrumStaff and DrumVoice context.

up = \drummode {
  crashcymbal4 hihat8 halfopenhihat hh hh hh openhihat
}
down = \drummode {
  bassdrum4 snare8 bd r bd sn4
}
\new DrumStaff <<
  \new DrumVoice { \voiceOne \up }
  \new DrumVoice { \voiceTwo \down }
>>

The above example shows verbose polyphonic notation. The short polyphonic notation, described in I'm hearing voices, can also be used. For example,

\new DrumStaff <<
  \drummode {
    bd4 sn4 bd4 sn4
    << {
      \repeat unfold 16 hh16
    } \\ {
      bd4 sn4 bd4 sn4
    } >>
  }
>>

There are also other layout possibilities. To use these, set the property drumStyleTable in context DrumVoice. The following variables have been predefined:

drums-style

This is the default. It typesets a typical drum kit on a five-line staff:

The drum scheme supports six different toms. When there are fewer toms, simply select the toms that produce the desired result. For example, to get toms on the three middle lines you use tommh, tomml, and tomfh.

agostini-drums-style

Invented by the French percussionist Dante Agostini in 1965, this notation is commonly employed in France but also elsewhere.

weinberg-drums-style

Based on the work of Norman Weinberg, published in his Guidelines for Drumset Notation.

timbales-style

This typesets timbales on a two line staff:

congas-style

This typesets congas on a two line staff:

bongos-style

This typesets bongos on a two line staff:

percussion-style

To typeset all kinds of simple percussion on one-line staves:

Custom percussion styles may also be defined, as explained in Custom percussion staves.

See also

Learning Manual: I'm hearing voices.

Notation Reference: Custom percussion staves.

Installed Files: ly/drumpitch-init.ly.

Snippets: Percussion.