LilyPond Notation Reference: 2.5.1 Common notation for percussion

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2.5.1 Common notation for percussion

Rhythmic music is primarily used for percussion and drum notation, but it can also be used to show the rhythms of melodies.

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References for percussion

Some percussion may be notated on a rhythmic staff; this is discussed in Showing melody rhythms, and Instantiating new staves.
MIDI output is discussed in a separate section; please see Percussion in MIDI.

Basic percussion notation

Percussion notes may be entered in \drummode mode, which is similar to the standard mode for entering notes. The simplest way to enter percussion notes is to use the \drums command, which creates the correct context and entry mode for percussion:

\drums {
  hihat4 hh bassdrum bd
}

This is shorthand for:

\new DrumStaff {
  \drummode {
    hihat4 hh bassdrum bd
  }
}

Each piece of percussion has a full name and an abbreviated name, and both can be used in input files. The full list of percussion note names may be found in Percussion notes.

Note that the normal notation of pitches (such as cis4) in a DrumStaff context will cause an error message. Percussion clefs are added automatically to a DrumStaff context but they can also be set explicitly. Other clefs may be used as well.

\drums {
  \clef percussion
  bd4 bd bd bd
  \clef treble
  hh4 hh hh hh
}

There are a few issues concerning MIDI support for percussion instruments; for details please see Percussion in MIDI.

Drum rolls

Drum rolls are indicated with three slashes across the stem. For quarter notes or longer the three slashes are shown explicitly, eighth notes are shown with two slashes (the beam being the third), and drum rolls shorter than eighths have one stem slash to supplement the beams. This is achieved with the tremolo notation, as described in Tremolo repeats.

\drums {
  \time 2/4
  sn16 sn8 sn16 sn8 sn8:32 ~
  sn8 sn8 sn4:32 ~
  sn4 sn8 sn16 sn16
  sn4 r4
}

Sticking can be indicated by placing a markup for "R" or "L" above or below notes, as discussed in Direction and placement. The staff-padding property may be overridden to achieve a pleasing baseline.

\drums {
  \repeat unfold 2 {
    sn16^"L" sn^"R" sn^"L" sn^"L" sn^"R" sn^"L" sn^"R" sn^"R"
    \stemUp
    sn16_"L" sn_"R" sn_"L" sn_"L" sn_"R" sn_"L" sn_"R" sn_"R"
  }
}

Pitched percussion

Certain pitched percussion instruments (e.g. xylophone, vibraphone, and timpani) are written using normal staves. This is covered in other sections of the manual.

Percussion staves

A percussion part for more than one instrument typically uses a multiline 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.

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:

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Custom percussion staves

If you do not like any of the predefined lists you can define your own list at the top of your file.

#(define mydrums '(
         (bassdrum        default   #f           -1)
         (snare           default   #f           0)
         (hihat           cross     #f           1)
         (halfopenhihat   cross     "halfopen"   1)
         (pedalhihat      xcircle   "stopped"    2)
         (lowtom          diamond   #f           3)))
up = \drummode { hh8 hh hhho hhho hhp4 hhp }
down = \drummode { bd4 sn bd toml8 toml }

\new DrumStaff <<
  \set DrumStaff.drumStyleTable = #(alist->hash-table mydrums)
  \new DrumVoice { \voiceOne \up }
  \new DrumVoice { \voiceTwo \down }
>>

Selected Snippets

Here are some examples:

Two Woodblocks, entered with wbh (high woodblock) and wbl (low woodblock)

% These lines define the position of the woodblocks in the stave;
% if you like, you can change it or you can use special note heads
% for the woodblocks.
#(define mydrums '((hiwoodblock default #t  3)
                   (lowoodblock default #t -2)))

woodstaff = {
  % This defines a staff with only two lines.
  % It also defines the positions of the two lines.
  \override Staff.StaffSymbol.line-positions = #'(-2 3)

  % This is necessary; if not entered, the barline would be too short!
  \override Staff.BarLine.bar-extent = #'(-1.5 . 1.5)
}

\new DrumStaff {
  \set DrumStaff.drumStyleTable = #(alist->hash-table mydrums)

  % with this you load your new drum style table
  \woodstaff

  \drummode {
    \time 2/4
    wbl8 wbl16 wbl wbh8-> wbl |
    wbl8 wbl16 wbh-> ~ wbh wbl16 r8 |
  }
}

Note that in this special case the length of the barline must altered with \override Staff.BarLine.bar-extent #'(from . to). Otherwise it would be too short. And you have also to define the positions of the two stafflines. For more information about these delicate things have a look at Staff symbol.

A tambourine, entered with ‘tamb’:

#(define mydrums '((tambourine default #t 0)))

tambustaff = {
  \override Staff.StaffSymbol.line-positions = #'( 0 )
  \override Staff.BarLine.bar-extent = #'(-1.5 . 1.5)
  \set DrumStaff.instrumentName = #"Tambourine"
}

\new DrumStaff {
  \tambustaff
  \set DrumStaff.drumStyleTable = #(alist->hash-table mydrums)

  \drummode {
    \time 6/8
    tamb8. tamb16 tamb8 tamb tamb tamb |
    tamb4. tamb8 tamb tamb |
    % the trick with the scaled duration and the shorter rest
    % is neccessary for the correct ending of the trill-span!
    tamb2.*5/6 \startTrillSpan s8 \stopTrillSpan |
  }
}

Music for Tam-Tam (entered with ‘tt’):

#(define mydrums '((tamtam default #t 0)))

tamtamstaff = {
  \override Staff.StaffSymbol.line-positions = #'( 0 )
  \override Staff.BarLine.bar-extent = #'(-1.5 . 1.5)
  \set DrumStaff.instrumentName = #"Tamtam"
}

\new DrumStaff {
  \tamtamstaff
  \set DrumStaff.drumStyleTable = #(alist->hash-table mydrums)

  \drummode {
    tt 1 \pp \laissezVibrer
  }
}

Two different bells, entered with ‘cb’ (cowbell) and ‘rb’ (ridebell)

#(define mydrums '((ridebell default #t  3)
                   (cowbell  default #t -2)))

bellstaff = {
  \override DrumStaff.StaffSymbol.line-positions = #'(-2 3)
  \set DrumStaff.drumStyleTable = #(alist->hash-table mydrums)
  \override Staff.BarLine.bar-extent = #'(-1.5 . 1.5)
  \set DrumStaff.instrumentName = #"Different Bells"
}

\new DrumStaff {
  \bellstaff
  \drummode {
    \time 2/4
    rb8 rb cb cb16 rb-> ~ |
    rb16 rb8 rb16 cb8 cb |
  }
}

Here a short example taken from Stravinsky’s ‘L’histoire du Soldat’.

#(define mydrums '((bassdrum   default #t  4)
                   (snare      default #t -4)
                   (tambourine default #t  0)))

global = {
  \time 3/8 s4.
  \time 2/4 s2*2
  \time 3/8 s4.
  \time 2/4 s2
}

drumsA = {
  \context DrumVoice <<
    { \global }
    { \drummode {
        \autoBeamOff
        \stemDown sn8 \stemUp tamb s8 |
        sn4 \stemDown sn4 |
        \stemUp tamb8 \stemDown sn8 \stemUp sn16 \stemDown sn \stemUp sn8 |
        \stemDown sn8 \stemUp tamb s8 |
        \stemUp sn4 s8 \stemUp tamb
      }
    }
  >>
}

drumsB = {
  \drummode {
    s4 bd8 s2*2 s4 bd8 s4 bd8 s8
  }
}

\layout {
  indent = #40
}

\score {
  \new StaffGroup <<
    \new DrumStaff {
      \set DrumStaff.instrumentName = \markup {
        \column {
          "Tambourine"
          "et"
          "caisse claire s. timbre"
        }
      }
      \set DrumStaff.drumStyleTable = #(alist->hash-table mydrums)
      \drumsA
    }

   \new DrumStaff {
     \set DrumStaff.instrumentName = #"Grosse Caisse"
     \set DrumStaff.drumStyleTable = #(alist->hash-table mydrums)
     \drumsB }
  >>
}

Ghost notes

Ghost notes for drums and percussion may be created using the \parenthesize command detailed in Parentheses.

\new DrumStaff
<<
  \context DrumVoice  = "1" { s1 }
  \context DrumVoice  = "2" { s1 }
  \drummode {
    <<
      {
        hh8[ hh] <hh sn> hh16
        \parenthesize sn  hh
        \parenthesize sn  hh8 <hh sn> hh
      } \\
      {
        bd4 r4 bd8 bd r8 bd
      }
    >>
  }
>>

2.5.1 Common notation for percussion

References for percussion

See also

Basic percussion notation

See also

Drum rolls

See also

Pitched percussion

See also

Percussion staves

Custom percussion staves

Selected Snippets

See also

Ghost notes

See also

LilyPond — Notation Reference v2.18.2 (stable-branch).