6.4.6 Unmetered music

Bar lines and bar numbers are calculated automatically. For unmetered music (cadenzas, for example), this is not desirable. To turn off automatic bar lines and bar numbers, use the commands \cadenzaOn and \cadenzaOff.

     
     c4 d e d
     \cadenzaOn
     c4 c d8 d d f4 g4.
     \cadenzaOff
     \bar "|"
     d4 e d c

Bugs

LilyPond will only insert line breaks and page breaks at a barline. Unless the unmetered music ends before the end of the staff line, you will need to insert invisible bar lines

\bar ""

to indicate where breaks can occur.

Other languages: French.