8.4.7 Improvisation

Improvisation is sometimes denoted with slashed note heads. Such note heads can be created by adding a Pitch_squash_engraver to the Staff or Voice context. Then, the following command

\set squashedPosition = #0
\override NoteHead #'style = #'slash

switches on the slashes.

There are shortcuts \improvisationOn (and an accompanying \improvisationOff) for this command sequence. They are used in the following example

     
     \new Staff \with {
       \consists Pitch_squash_engraver
     } \transpose c c' {
       e8 e g a a16(bes)(a8) g \improvisationOn
       e8
       ~e2~e8 f4 fis8
       ~fis2 \improvisationOff a16(bes) a8 g e
     }