LilyPond Learning Manual: A.3 String quartet

## A.3 String quartet

### A.3.1 String quartet

This template demonstrates a simple string quartet. It also uses a `\global` section for time and key signatures

>     global= {
>       \time 4/4
>       \key c \major
>     }

>     violinOne = \new Voice \relative c'' {
>       \set Staff.instrumentName = #"Violin 1 "

>       c2 d
>       e1

>       \bar "|."
>     }

>     violinTwo = \new Voice \relative c'' {
>       \set Staff.instrumentName = #"Violin 2 "

>       g2 f
>       e1

>       \bar "|."
>     }

>     viola = \new Voice \relative c' {
>       \set Staff.instrumentName = #"Viola "
>       \clef alto

>       e2 d
>       c1

>       \bar "|."
>     }

>     cello = \new Voice \relative c' {
>       \set Staff.instrumentName = #"Cello "
>       \clef bass

>       c2 b
>       a1

>       \bar "|."
>     }

>     \score {
>       \new StaffGroup <<
>         \new Staff << \global \violinOne >>
>         \new Staff << \global \violinTwo >>
>         \new Staff << \global \viola >>
>         \new Staff << \global \cello >>
>       >>
>       \layout { }
>       \midi { }
>     }

### A.3.2 String quartet parts

The “String quartet template” snippet produces a nice string quartet, but what if you needed to print parts? This new template demonstrates how to use the `\tag` feature to easily split a piece into individual parts.

You need to split this template into separate files; the filenames are contained in comments at the beginning of each file. `piece.ly` contains all the music definitions. The other files – `score.ly`, `vn1.ly`, `vn2.ly`, `vla.ly`, and `vlc.ly` – produce the appropriate part.

Do not forget to remove specified comments when using separate files!

>     %%%%% piece.ly
>     %%%%% (This is the global definitions file)

>     global= {
>       \time 4/4
>       \key c \major
>     }

>     Violinone = \new Voice { \relative c''{
>       \set Staff.instrumentName = #"Violin 1 "

>       c2 d e1

>     \bar "|." }}   %*********************************
>     Violintwo = \new Voice { \relative c''{
>       \set Staff.instrumentName = #"Violin 2 "

>       g2 f e1

>     \bar "|." }}   %*********************************
>     Viola = \new Voice { \relative c' {
>       \set Staff.instrumentName = #"Viola "
>       \clef alto

>       e2 d c1

>     \bar "|." }}   %*********************************
>     Cello = \new Voice { \relative c' {
>       \set Staff.instrumentName = #"Cello "
>       \clef bass

>       c2 b a1

>     \bar "|."}}   %**********************************

>     music = {
>       <<
>         \tag #'score \tag #'vn1 \new Staff { << \global \Violinone >> }
>         \tag #'score \tag #'vn2 \new Staff { << \global \Violintwo>> }
>         \tag #'score \tag #'vla \new Staff { << \global \Viola>> }
>         \tag #'score \tag #'vlc \new Staff { << \global \Cello>> }
>       >>
>     }

>     %%% These are the other files you need to save on your computer

>     %%%%% score.ly
>     %%%%% (This is the main file)

>     %\include "piece.ly"             %%% uncomment this line when using a separate file
>     #(set-global-staff-size 14)
>     \score {
>       \new StaffGroup \keepWithTag #'score \music
>       \layout { }
>       \midi { }
>     }

>     %{ Uncomment this block when using separate files

>     %%%%% vn1.ly
>     %%%%% (This is the Violin 1 part file)

>     \include "piece.ly"
>     \score {
>       \keepWithTag #'vn1 \music
>       \layout { }
>     }

>     %%%%% vn2.ly
>     %%%%% (This is the Violin 2 part file)

>     \include "piece.ly"
>     \score {
>       \keepWithTag #'vn2 \music
>       \layout { }
>     }

>     %%%%% vla.ly
>     %%%%% (This is the Viola part file)

>     \include "piece.ly"
>     \score {
>       \keepWithTag #'vla \music
>       \layout { }
>     }

>     %%%%% vlc.ly
>     %%%%% (This is the Cello part file)

>     \include "piece.ly"
>     \score {
>       \keepWithTag #'vlc \music
>       \layout { }
>     }

>     %}

Other languages: 日本語, nederlands.

#### LilyPond — Learning Manual