RE: Creating hymns

[James Moore]

Here's what I've got for one of our choir songs.  I'm no Lilypond expert,
but it's got multiple lyrics between the treble and bass clefs, adjusted
spacing (at least that's what I think the minimumVerticalExtent bit does).
Don't know what a "centered refrain" is - I'm pretty new to choir music.

Some things here are clearly bad style (the multiple \skip lines can't be
the right way to do this, but it works).

>From what I gather on this list, the way I'm combining rests is in fact the
way to get a single rest on a line (instead of two rests, one for each
voice).  I'd love to hear that I'm wrong on this.

 - James

#(set-default-paper-size "letter")

\paper  {
    linewidth = 550\pt
}

\version "2.2.5"
\header {
    title = "Go, Tell It!"
    tagline = "OK Chorale / Version 1.7"
}

sopWords = \lyrics {
    | Go __ tell it!
    | Shout it from - the moun- tain- top
    Go tell - it eve- ry- where that -
    | Jes- us Christ - is born

    \set stanza = "1. "
    While
    
    | shep- herds kept their watching on
    | si- lent flocks by night Be-
    | hold thru- out the hea- vens there shone a ho- ly light

    % 10
    
    | ho- ly light

    Go __ tell it tell it on the moun- tain tell it! tell it on the moun-
tain
    o- ver the hills the hills and ev- ry where -

    Go __ tell it! Tell it on the moun- tain Je- sus Christ is born The

    Go tell - it ev- ry- where that Je- sus Christ is born. That Je- sus
Christ - is born
}

altoWords = \lyrics {
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1

    \set stanza = "(2. "
    The) shep- herds feared and trembled while lo a- bove the earth
    Rang out the an- gels chor- us that hailed the ho- ly birth
    ho- ly birth
}
                                %    Go - - tell it tell it on the moun-
tain tell it! tell it on the moun- tain
                                %     o- ver the hills the hills and ev- ry
where -

                                %     Go - - tell it! Tell it on the moun-
tain Je- sus Christ is born The

                                %     Go tell - it ev- ry- where that Je-
sus Christ is born. That Je- sus Christ - is born
                                % }

tenorWords = \lyrics {
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1
    \skip 1


    Go tell it tell it on the moun- tain tell it! tell it on the moun- tain
    o- ver the hills - ev- er- y where oh

    Go tell it! Tell it on the moun- tain that Je- sus Christ is born

    Go tell - it ev- ry- where that Je- sus Christ is born. That Je- sus
Christ __ is born
}

bassWords = \tenorWords

sopMusic = \notes  \relative c' {
    \repeat volta 2 {
        \time 4/4

        \once \override TextScript #'extra-offset = #'(-4.5 . 2)

        s1*0^"slow gospel" 

        \key c \major
        
        e4~ \melisma e16-> f g8 \melismaEnd g16 g8. s4

                                % Shout it from the mountaintop
        a16 a~ a a~ a b c c~ c c~ c c~ c4

                                % Go tell it everywhere
        s8 c16 c~ c d e e~ e d~ d d s8 c16 d

                                %J C is born

        | << e8 c >> << e16 c >> << e16~ c~ >> << e16 c >> << d b >> c c~ c4

        \once \override TextScript #'extra-offset = #'(2 . 0)

        s4^"last X to coda"
    }

                                % While shep kept watch
    s2 s4 s8 c,16( d)

    \repeat volta 2 {
        e( f) g8 g g16( a) g8 \melisma  e \melismaEnd s8 c8

                                % On silent flocks
        d8 d c d16( c) e4 s8 c16( d)

        e16( g) c8 b b16( a) g8 e s8 c'

                                % shone a holy
        d d c a g4( a4)

        \time 2/4
        g8 a b16( a g8)

        \time 4/4
                                % 11
        | g4( \melisma g16) a bes8 \melismaEnd a16 a s8 a16 a a a
        | e8 g c16 c s8 e16 e d c a8 c
        | s4 b16 b( b) b c8 s16 a16 << a8 c >> << d b >>

                                % everywhere
        | << e8 c8 >> << d16( a16 >> << c) g >>  << d' a >> << c8. g8.>> s2

        | g4( \melisma g16) a bes8 \melismaEnd a16 a s8 a16 a a a c4( b) a
s4
        
                                % Jesus C is born
        s4 << e'8 c >> << e c >> << d( a >> c) << d4 b >> << c2 g >> s4 

        \once \override TextScript #'extra-offset = #'(-3 . 0)

        s8^"D.C. al Coda" c,16( d)
    }

                                % coda

    \once \override TextScript #'extra-offset = #'(-2.5 . 0)

    s8^"Coda" c'16 c( c) d e e( e) d( d) d s8 c16( d) << e4 c >> << e c >>
<< e8( c >> d) c4 c2 s4 s8 c16( d) << e8 c >> << e16 c >> << e( c >> << e) c
>> << d b >> c c( c4) s4
}

trebleRests = \notes \relative c' { 
    \repeat volta 2 { 
        \time 4/4 

        \key c \major 

        s4~ \melisma s16 s s8 \melismaEnd s16 s8. r4 

                                % Shout it from the mountaintop

        s16 s~ s s~ s s s s~ s s~ s s~ s4 

                                % Go tell it everywhere

        r8 s16 s~ s s s s~ s s~ s s r8 s16 s 

                                %J C is born

        << s8 s >> << s16 s >> << s16~ s~ >> << s16 s >> << s s >> s s~ s4
r4 
    } 

                                % While shep kept watch

    r2 r4 r8 s16 s 

    \repeat volta 2 { 
        s s s8 s s16 s s8 \melisma s \melismaEnd r8 s8 

                                % On silent flocks

        s8 s s s16 s s4 r8 s16 s 

        s16 s s8 s s16 s s8 s r8 s 

                                % shone a holy

        s s s s s4 s4 

        \time 2/4 
        s8 s s16 s s8 

        \time 4/4 
                                % 11

        | s4 s16 s s8 s16 s r8 s16 s s s 
        | s8 s s16 s r8 s16 s s s s8 s 
        | r4 s16 s s s s8 r16 s16 << s8 s >> << s s >> 

                                % everywhere

        | << s8 s8 >> << s16 s16 >> << s s >> << s s >> << s8. s8.>> r2 

        s4 s16 s s8 s16 s r8 s16 s s s s4 s s r4 

                                % Jesus C is born

        r4 << s8 s >> << s s >> << s s >> s << s4 s >> << s2 s >> r4 r8 s16
s 
    } 

                                % coda


    r8 s16 s s s s s s s s s r8 s16 s << s4 s >> << s s >> << s8 s >> s s4
s2 r4 r8 s16 s << s8 s >> << s16 s >> << s s >> << s s >> << s s >> s s s4
r4 
} 

bassRests = \notes {
    \key c \major 

    \time 4/4 
    s4~ \melisma s16 s s8 \melismaEnd s16 s8. r4 

                                % Shout it from the mountaintop

    s16 s~ s s~ s s s s~ s s~ s s~ s4 

                                % Go tell it everywhere

    r8 s16 s~ s s s s~ s s~ s s r8 s16 s 

                                %J C is born

    s8 s16 s~ s s s s~ s4 r4 

                                % rang out

    r1 r1 r2 r4 r8 s16 s s s s8 s s s16 s s8 r8 s s s s s s4 s 

    \time 2/4 
    | s8 s s16 s s8 

                                % go tell it

    | s4 r s16 s r8 s16 s s s 
    | s8 s s16 s r8 s16 s s s s8 s 

    s8 s s8. s16 s8 s r4 

    r2 s16 s s8 s16 s s s s4 r s16 s r8 s16 s s s s4 s s r8 s16 s 

    s8 s s4 s s s2 r4 r4 

                                % coda


    r8 s16 s s s s s s s s s r8 s16 s s4 s s s4 s2 r4 r8 s16 s s8 s16 s s s
s s s4 r4 
}

altoMusic = \notes  \relative c' {
    \key c \major
    
    c4~ \melisma c16 d e8 \melismaEnd e16 d8. s4

                                % Shout it from the mountaintop
    f16 f~ f f~ f g f f~ f e~ e e~ e4

                                % Go tell it everywhere
    s8 a16 a~ a b c c~ c b~ b b s8 a16 b

                                %J C is born
    a8 a16 a~ a g a g~ g4 s4

                                % While shep kept watch
    s2 s4 s8 c,16( d)

    \repeat volta 2 {
        e( f) g8 g g16( a) g8 \melisma e \melismaEnd s8 c8

                                % On silent flocks
        d8 d c d16( c) e4 s8 c16( d)

        e16( g) c8 b b16( a) g8 e s8 c

                                % shone a holy
        d d c a g4( a4)

        \time 2/4
        d8 e g16( f d8)

        \time 4/4
        | e4( e16) f g8   f16 f s8 f16 f f f
        | c8 e g16 g s8 c16 c a g f8 g
        | s4 g16 g( g) g a8 s16 f16 f8 g

                                % everywhere
        g8 f16( e) f e8. s2

        e4( e16) f g8 f16 f s8 f16 f f f g4( gis) e s4
        
                                % Jesus C is born
        s4 g8 g fis4 f e2
        s4 s8 c16( d)
    }

                                % coda

    s8 a'16 a( a) b c c( c) b( b) b s8 a16( b) a4 a a a4 g2 s4 s8 a16( b) a8
a16 a( a) g a g( g4) s4

}

tenorMusic = \notes \relative c' {
    \key c \major
    
    \time 4/4
    g4~ \melisma g16 a c8 \melismaEnd c16 b8. s4

                                % Shout it from the mountaintop
    c16 c~ c c~ c b c c~ c c~ c c~ c4

                                % Go tell it everywhere
    s8 c16 c~ c d e e~ e d~ d d s8 c16 d

                                %J C is born
    e8 e16 e~ e d f e~ e4 s4

                                % rang out
    s1 s1 s2 s4 s8 g,16( a) c( d) e8 d d e16( d) c8 s8 c d d c a g4( a)

    \time 2/4
    | b8 c d16( c b8)

                                % go tell it
    | c4 s e16 d s8 e16 d c a
    | g8 c e16 e s8 g16 g f e d8 e

    d8 d( d8.) g16 a8 g s4

    s2 e16 d c8 a16( g) a( c) c4 s e16 d s8 e16 d c a e'4( d) c s8 c16( d)

    e8 e( e4) d d c2 s4 s4

                                % coda

    s8 c16 c( c) d e e( e) d( d) d s8 c16( d) e4 e f f4 e2 s4 s8 c16( d) e8
e16 e( e) d f e( e4) s4    
}

bassMusic = \notes \relative c' {
    \key c \major

    \once \override TextScript #'extra-offset = #'(-4.5 . -8)


    s1*0^"2nd X thru repeat ad.lib."
    
    \time 4/4
    g4~ \melisma g16-> a c8 \melismaEnd c16 b8. s4

                                % Shout it from the mountaintop
    c16 c~ c c~ c b a a~ a g~ g g~ g4

                                % Go tell it everywhere
    s8 a16 a~ a b c c~ c b~ b b s8 a16 b

                                %J C is born
    c8 c16 c~ c b d c~ c4 s4

                                % rang out
    s1 s1 s2 s4 s8 g16( a) c( d) e8 d d e16( d) c8 s8 c d d c a g4( a)

    \time 2/4
    g8 a b16( c b8)

                                % go tell it
    c4 s e16 d s8 e16 d c a g8 c c16 c s8 c16 c c c c8 c

    d8 d( d8.) g,16 a8 g s4

    s2 e'16 d c8 a16( g) a( c) c4 s e16 d s8 e16 d c a c4( e,) a s8 c16( d)

    c8 c( c4) c g c,2 s4 s4

                                % coda

    s8 a'16 a( a) b c c( c) b( b) b s8 a16( b) f4 f g g4 c2 s4 s8 a16( b)
    | c8 c16 c( \melisma c) b \melismaEnd c c( c4) s4    
}

#(set-global-staff-size 17.82)
                                % #(set-global-staff-size 22.45)
                                % #(set-global-staff-size 25.2)


\score { \notes
         \context ChoirStaff <<
             \context Staff = women <<
                 \transpose c c \trebleRests
                 \context Voice = sopranos { \voiceOne \transpose c c
\sopMusic }
                 \context Voice = altos { \voiceTwo \transpose c c
\altoMusic }
             >>
             \context Lyrics = sopranos { s1 }
             \context Lyrics = altos { s1 }
             \context Lyrics = tenors { s1 }
             \context Staff = men <<
                 \clef bass
                 \transpose c c \bassRests
                 \context Voice = tenors { \voiceOne \transpose c c
\tenorMusic }
                 \context Voice = basses { \voiceTwo \transpose c c
\bassMusic }
             >>
             \context Lyrics = basses { s1 }

             
             \context Lyrics = sopranos \lyricsto sopranos \sopWords
             \context Lyrics = altos \lyricsto altos \altoWords
                                % \context Lyrics = tenors \lyricsto tenors
\tenorWords
             \context Lyrics = basses \lyricsto basses \bassWords
             
         >>
         \paper {
             \context {

                                % a little smaller so lyrics can be closer
to the staff. 
                 \StaffContext
                 minimumVerticalExtent = #'(-3 . 8) 
             }
         }
         \midi {
             \tempo 4 = 100
         }

     }