6.6.3 Dynamics

Absolute dynamic marks are specified using a command after a note c4\ff. The available dynamic marks are \ppppp, \pppp, \ppp, \pp, \p, \mp, \mf, \f, \ff, \fff, \ffff, \fp, \sf, \sff, \sp, \spp, \sfz, and \rfz.

     
     c\ppp c\pp c \p c\mp c\mf c\f c\ff c\fff
     c2\fp c\sf c\sff c\sp c\spp c\sfz c\rfz

A crescendo mark is started with \< and terminated with \! or an absolute dynamic. A decrescendo is started with \> and is also terminated with \! or an absolute dynamic. \cr and \decr may be used instead of \< and \>. Because these marks are bound to notes, you must use spacer notes if multiple marks are needed during one note

     
     c\< c\! d\> e\!
     << f1 { s4 s4\< s4\! \> s4\! } >>

A hairpin normally starts at the left edge of the beginning note and ends on the right edge of the ending note. If the ending note falls on the downbeat, the hairpin ends on the immediately preceding barline. This may be modified by setting the hairpinToBarline property,

     
     \set hairpinToBarline = ##f
     c4\< c2. c4\!

In some situations the \espressivo articulation mark may be suitable to indicate a crescendo and decrescendo on the one note,

     
     c2 b4 a g1\espressivo

This may give rise to very short hairpins. Use minimum-length in Voice.Hairpin to lengthen them, for example

\override Voice.Hairpin #'minimum-length = #5

Hairpins may be printed with a circled tip (al niente notation) by setting the circled-tip property,

     
     \override Hairpin #'circled-tip = ##t
     c2\< c\!
     c4\> c\< c2\!

You can also use text saying cresc. instead of hairpins

     
     \setTextCresc
     c\< d e f\!
     \setHairpinCresc
     e\> d c b\!
     \setTextDecresc
     c\> d e f\!
     \setTextDim
     e\> d c b\!

You can also supply your own texts

     
     \set crescendoText = \markup { \italic "cresc. poco" }
     \set crescendoSpanner = #'dashed-line
     a'2\< a a a\!\mf

To create new dynamic marks or text that should be aligned with dynamics, see New dynamic marks.

Commonly tweaked properties

Dynamics that occur at, begin on, or end on, the same note will be vertically aligned. If you want to ensure that dynamics are aligned when they do not occur on the same note, you can increase the staff-padding property.

\override DynamicLineSpanner #'staff-padding = #4

You may also use this property if the dynamics are colliding with other notation.

Crescendi and decrescendi that end on the first note of a new line are not printed. To change this behavior, use

\override Score.Hairpin #'after-line-breaking = ##t

Text style dynamic changes (such as cresc. and dim.) are printed with a dashed line showing their extent. To surpress printing this line, use

\override DynamicTextSpanner #'dash-period = #-1.0

Predefined commands

\dynamicUp, \dynamicDown, \dynamicNeutral.

See also

Program reference: DynamicText, Hairpin. Vertical positioning of these symbols is handled by DynamicLineSpanner.

Other languages: French.