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Grid lines

Vertical lines can be drawn between staves synchronized with the notes.

The Grid_point_engraver must be used to create the end points of the lines, while the Grid_line_span_engraver must be used to actually draw the lines. By default this centers grid lines horizontally below and to the left side of each note head. Grid lines extend from the middle lines of each staff. The gridInterval must specify the duration between the grid lines.

\layout {
  \context {
    \Staff
    \consists Grid_point_engraver
    gridInterval = \musicLength 4
  }
  \context {
    \Score
    \consists Grid_line_span_engraver
  }
}

\score {
  \new ChoirStaff <<
    \new Staff \relative {
      \stemUp
      c''4. d8 e8 f g4
    }
    \new Staff \relative {
      \clef bass
      \stemDown
      c4 g' f e
    }
  >>
}

Selected Snippets

Grid lines: changing their appearance

The appearance of grid lines can be changed by overriding some of their properties.

\score {
  \new ChoirStaff <<
    \new Staff {
      \relative c'' {
        \stemUp
        c'4. d8 e8 f g4
      }
    }
    \new Staff {
      \relative c {
        % this moves them up one staff space from the default position
        \override Score.GridLine.extra-offset = #'(0.0 . 1.0)
        \stemDown
        \clef bass
        \once \override Score.GridLine.thickness = 5.0
        c4
        \once \override Score.GridLine.thickness = 1.0
        g'4
        \once \override Score.GridLine.thickness = 3.0
        f4
        \once \override Score.GridLine.thickness = 5.0
        e4
      }
    }
  >>
  \layout {
    \context {
      \Staff
      % set up grids
      \consists "Grid_point_engraver"
      % set the grid interval to one quarter note
      gridInterval = \musicLength 4
    }
    \context {
      \Score
      \consists "Grid_line_span_engraver"
      % this moves them to the right half a staff space
      \override NoteColumn.X-offset = -0.5
    }
  }
}

See also

Snippets: Editorial annotations.

Internals Reference: Grid_line_span_engraver, Grid_point_engraver, GridLine, GridPoint, grid-line-interface, grid-point-interface.