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Placing lyrics vertically

Depending on the type of music, lyrics may be positioned above the staff, below the staff, or between staves. Placing lyrics below the associated staff is the easiest, and can be achieved by simply defining the Lyrics context below the Staff context:

\score {
  <<
    \new Staff {
      \new Voice = "melody" {
        \relative { c''4 c c c }
      }
    }
    \new Lyrics {
      \lyricsto "melody" {
        Here are the words
      }
    }
  >>
}

Lyrics may be positioned above the staff using one of two methods. The simplest (and preferred) method is to use the same syntax as above and explicitly specify the position of the lyrics:

\score {
  <<
    \new Staff = "staff" {
      \new Voice = "melody" {
        \relative { c''4 c c c }
      }
    }
    \new Lyrics \with { alignAboveContext = "staff" } {
      \lyricsto "melody" {
        Here are the words
      }
    }
  >>
}

Alternatively, a two-step process may be used. First the Lyrics context is declared (without any content) before the Staff and Voice contexts, then the \lyricsto command is placed after the Voice declaration it references by using \context, as follows:

\score {
  <<
    \new Lyrics = "lyrics" \with {
      % lyrics above a staff should have this override
      \override VerticalAxisGroup.staff-affinity = #DOWN
    }
    \new Staff {
      \new Voice = "melody" {
        \relative { c''4 c c c }
      }
    }
    \context Lyrics = "lyrics" {
      \lyricsto "melody" {
        Here are the words
      }
    }
  >>
}

When there are two voices on separate staves the lyrics may be placed between the staves using either of these methods. Here is an example of the second method:

\score {
  \new ChoirStaff <<
    \new Staff {
      \new Voice = "sopranos" {
        \relative { c''4 c c c }
      }
    }
    \new Lyrics = "sopranos"
    \new Lyrics = "contraltos" \with {
      % lyrics above a staff should have this override
      \override VerticalAxisGroup.staff-affinity = #DOWN
    }
    \new Staff {
      \new Voice = "contraltos" {
        \relative { a'4 a a a }
      }
    }
    \context Lyrics = "sopranos" {
      \lyricsto "sopranos" {
        Sop -- ra -- no words
      }
    }
    \context Lyrics = "contraltos" {
      \lyricsto "contraltos" {
        Con -- tral -- to words
      }
    }
  >>
}

Other combinations of lyrics and staves may be generated by elaborating these examples, or by examining the templates in the Learning Manual, see Vocal ensembles templates.

Selected Snippets

Arranging separate lyrics on a single line

Sometimes you may want to put lyrics for different performers on a single line: where there is rapidly alternating text, for example. This snippet shows how this can be done with \override VerticalAxisGroup.nonstaff-nonstaff-spacing.minimum-distance = ##f.

\header { tagline = ##f }

\layout {
  \context {
    \Lyrics
    \override VerticalAxisGroup
              .nonstaff-nonstaff-spacing
              .minimum-distance = ##f
  }
}

aliceSings = \markup { \smallCaps "Alice" }
eveSings = \markup { \smallCaps "Eve" }

<<
  \new Staff <<
    \new Voice = "alice" {
      f'4^\aliceSings g' r2 |
      s1 |
      f'4^\aliceSings g' r2 |
      s1 | \break
      % ...

      \voiceOne
      s2 a'8^\aliceSings a' b'4 |
      \oneVoice
      g'1
    }
    \new Voice = "eve" {
      s1 |
      a'2^\eveSings g' |
      s1 |
      a'2^\eveSings g'
      % ...

      \voiceTwo
      f'4^\eveSings a'8 g' f'4 e' |
      \oneVoice
      s1
    }
  >>
  \new Lyrics \lyricsto "alice" {
    may -- be
    sec -- ond
    % ...
    Shut up, you fool!
  }
  \new Lyrics \lyricsto "eve" {
    that the
    words are
    % ...
    …and then I was like–
  }
>>

Obtaining 2.12 lyrics spacing in newer versions

The vertical spacing engine changed since version 2.14. This can cause lyrics to be spaced differently.

It is possible to set properties for Lyric and Staff contexts to get the spacing engine to behave as it did in version 2.12.

\header { tagline = ##f }

global = {
  \key d \major
  \time 3/4
}

sopMusic = \relative c' {
  % VERSE ONE
  fis4 fis fis | \break
  fis4. e8 e4
}

altoMusic = \relative c' {
  % VERSE ONE
  d4 d d |
  d4. b8 b4 |
}

tenorMusic = \relative c' {
  a4 a a |
  b4. g8 g4 |
}

bassMusic = \relative c {
  d4 d d |
  g,4. g8 g4 |
}

words = \lyricmode {
  Great is Thy faith -- ful -- ness,
}

\score {
  \new ChoirStaff <<
    \new Lyrics = sopranos
    \new Staff = women <<
      \new Voice = "sopranos" {
        \voiceOne
        \global \sopMusic
      }
      \new Voice = "altos" {
        \voiceTwo
        \global \altoMusic
      }
    >>
    \new Lyrics = "altos"
    \new Lyrics = "tenors"
    \new Staff = men <<
      \clef bass
      \new Voice = "tenors" {
        \voiceOne
        \global \tenorMusic
      }
      \new Voice = "basses" {
        \voiceTwo  \global \bassMusic
      }
    >>
    \new Lyrics = basses
    \context Lyrics = sopranos \lyricsto sopranos \words
    \context Lyrics = altos \lyricsto altos \words
    \context Lyrics = tenors \lyricsto tenors \words
    \context Lyrics = basses \lyricsto basses \words
  >>
  \layout {
    \context {
      \Lyrics
      \override VerticalAxisGroup.staff-affinity = ##f
      \override VerticalAxisGroup.staff-staff-spacing =
        #'((basic-distance . 0)
	   (minimum-distance . 2)
	   (padding . 2))
    }
    \context {
      \Staff
      \override VerticalAxisGroup.staff-staff-spacing =
        #'((basic-distance . 0)
	   (minimum-distance . 2)
	   (padding . 2))
    }
  }
}

See also

Learning Manual: Vocal ensembles templates.

Notation Reference: Context layout order, Creating and referencing contexts.