5

This code:

\version "2.18.2"

lh = { \change Staff = "down" \stemUp }
rh = { \change Staff = "up" \stemDown }

\new PianoStaff <<
  \new Staff = "up" {
    \new Voice {
      \numericTimeSignature
      \lh a16
      \rh e' a'
      \lh a
      \rh e' a'
      \lh a
      \rh e' a'
      \lh a
      \rh e' a'
      \lh a
      \rh e' b' e'

      \lh a
      \rh e' a'
      \lh a
      \rh e' a'
      \lh a
      \rh e' a'8.
      \lh b16 c'
      \rh e' g' b'
    }
  }
  \new Staff = "down" \with { \clef "bass" \numericTimeSignature }
    { \skip 1 \skip 1 }
>>

Produces this output when compiling:

$ lilypond test.ly 
GNU LilyPond 2.18.2
Processing `test.ly'
Parsing...
Interpreting music...
Preprocessing graphical objects...
Finding the ideal number of pages...
Fitting music on 1 page...
Drawing systems...
test.ly:27:15: warning: no viable initial configuration found: may not find good beam slope
      \lh b16 
              c'
Layout output to `test.ps'...
Converting to `./test.pdf'...
Success: compilation successfully completed

And this generally good looking graphical output:

enter image description here

My question is about the "warning":

  • "no viable initial configuration found: may not find good beam slope"

Is this having an ill effect? Is it possible to get better beam slopes? To my eyes, the fourth beat beams maybe should be going up instead of down (but what do I know?).

Is my code a good way to express this musical idea in lilypond? Is there a better way?

Harold
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  • I’m voting to close this question because this question is not about software development at all. music.stackexchange.com is probably a better place to ask (and answer) this question. – lmat - Reinstate Monica Mar 21 '22 at 22:18

2 Answers2

4

Nice response from the mailing list: https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/lilypond-user/2018-06/msg00141.html

The beam slope can be overridden per-case like: \once \override Beam.positions = #'( 5 . 5.5)

Harold
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2

Your code looks neat and clear to me.

I tried the latest version, 2.19.81, and it gave the same warning. I think the warning is saying in effect, I happened to find a workable beam slope now, but if you change things I may fail.

If you just want the warning to go away, try:

\version "2.18.2"

#(ly:expect-warning "no viable initial configuration found")
ksnortum
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  • Thanks for this answer, do you know why the warning appears at all? – Harold Jun 05 '18 at 16:17
  • I don't, but the guys at lilypond-user@gnu.org would probably know. You can sing up at https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/lilypond-user. Alternatively, I can submit the question for you and post it back here. – ksnortum Jun 06 '18 at 13:08
  • Thanks, I may just join the mailing list - I'm hoping to do more engraving moving forward. Stay cool. – Harold Jun 07 '18 at 00:15