Simulating a fermata in MIDI (LilyPond Learning Manual)

#### Simulating a fermata in MIDI

For outside-staff objects it is usually better to override the object’s `stencil` property rather than its `transparent` property when you wish to remove it from the printed output. Setting the `stencil` property of an object to `#f` will remove that object entirely from the printed output. This means it has no effect on the placement of other objects placed relative to it.

For example, if we wished to change the metronome setting in order to simulate a fermata in the MIDI output we would not want the metronome markings to appear in the printed output, and we would not want it to influence the spacing between the two systems or the positions of adjacent annotations on the staff. So setting its `stencil` property to `#f` would be the best way. We show here the effect of the two methods:

>     \score {
>       \relative {
>         % Visible tempo marking
>         \tempo 4=120
>         a'4 a a
>         \once \hide Score.MetronomeMark
>         % Invisible tempo marking to lengthen fermata in MIDI
>         \tempo 4=80
>         a4\fermata |
>         % New tempo for next section
>         \tempo 4=100
>         a4 a a a |
>       }
>       \layout { }
>       \midi { }
>     }

>     \score {
>       \relative {
>         % Visible tempo marking
>         \tempo 4=120
>         a'4 a a
>         \once \omit Score.MetronomeMark
>         % Invisible tempo marking to lengthen fermata in MIDI
>         \tempo 4=80
>         a4\fermata |
>         % New tempo for next section
>         \tempo 4=100
>         a4 a a a |
>       }
>       \layout { }
>       \midi { }
>     }

Both methods remove the metronome mark which lengthens the fermata from the printed output, and both affect the MIDI timing as required, but the transparent metronome mark in the first line forces the following tempo indication too high while the second (with the stencil removed) does not.

#### See also

Music Glossary: system.

#### LilyPond Learning Manual v2.26.0 (stable-branch).

- 1 Installing
  - 1.1 Graphical setup
  - 1.2 Command line setup
- 2 Tutorial
  - 2.1 Compiling a file
  - 2.2 How to write input files
    - 2.2.1 Input characters
    - 2.2.2 Simple notation
      - Pitches
      - Durations (rhythms)
      - Rests
      - Time signature
      - Tempo marks
      - Clef
      - All together
    - 2.2.3 Working on input files
  - 2.3 Dealing with errors
  - 2.4 How to read the manuals
    - 2.4.1 Omitted material
    - 2.4.2 Clickable examples
    - 2.4.3 Overview of manuals
- 3 Common notation
  - 3.1 Single-staff notation
    - 3.1.1 Bar lines and bar checks
      - Bar lines
      - Bar checks
    - 3.1.2 Pitches and key signatures
      - Pitch alterations
      - Key signatures
      - Warning: key signatures and pitches
    - 3.1.3 Ties and slurs
      - Ties
      - Slurs
      - Phrasing slurs
      - Warnings: slurs vs. ties
    - 3.1.4 Articulations and dynamics
      - Articulations
      - Fingerings
      - Dynamics
    - 3.1.5 Adding text
    - 3.1.6 Automatic and manual beams
    - 3.1.7 Advanced rhythmic commands
      - Partial measure
      - Tuplets
      - Grace notes
  - 3.2 Multiple notes at once
    - 3.2.1 Music expressions explained
      - Analogy: mathematical expressions
      - Simultaneous music expressions: multiple staves
      - Simultaneous music expressions: single-staff
    - 3.2.2 Multiple staves
    - 3.2.3 Staff groups
    - 3.2.4 Combining notes into chords
    - 3.2.5 Single-staff polyphony
  - 3.3 Songs
    - 3.3.1 Setting simple songs
    - 3.3.2 Aligning lyrics to a melody
    - 3.3.3 Lyrics to multiple staves
  - 3.4 Final touches
    - 3.4.1 Organizing pieces with variables
    - 3.4.2 Adding titles
    - 3.4.3 Absolute note names
    - 3.4.4 After the tutorial
- 4 Fundamental concepts
  - 4.1 How LilyPond input files work
    - 4.1.1 Introduction to the LilyPond file structure
    - 4.1.2 A score is a (single) compound musical expression
    - 4.1.3 Nesting music expressions
    - 4.1.4 Structure of a note entry
    - 4.1.5 On the un-nestedness of brackets and ties
  - 4.2 Voices contain music
    - 4.2.1 I’m hearing voices
    - 4.2.2 Explicitly instantiating voices
    - 4.2.3 Voices and vocals
  - 4.3 Contexts and engravers
    - 4.3.1 Contexts explained
    - 4.3.2 Creating contexts
    - 4.3.3 Engravers explained
    - 4.3.4 Modifying context properties
    - 4.3.5 Adding and removing engravers
  - 4.4 Extending the templates
    - 4.4.1 Soprano and cello
    - 4.4.2 Four-part SATB vocal score
    - 4.4.3 Building a score from scratch
    - 4.4.4 Saving typing with variables and functions
    - 4.4.5 Scores and parts
- 5 Tweaking output
  - 5.1 Tweaking basics
    - 5.1.1 Objects and interfaces
    - 5.1.2 Naming conventions of objects and properties
    - 5.1.3 Tweaking methods
      - The `\override` command
      - The `\revert` command
      - The `\once` prefix
      - The `\tweak` and `\offset` commands
      - The `\single` prefix
  - 5.2 The Internals Reference manual
    - 5.2.1 Properties of layout objects
    - 5.2.2 Properties found in interfaces
    - 5.2.3 Types of properties
  - 5.3 Appearance of objects
    - 5.3.1 Visibility and color of objects
      - The `stencil` property
      - The `break-visibility` property
      - The `transparent` property
      - The `color` property
    - 5.3.2 Size of objects
    - 5.3.3 Length and thickness of objects
  - 5.4 Offsets and alignments
  - 5.5 Placement of objects
    - 5.5.1 Automatic behavior
    - 5.5.2 Within-staff objects
      - The `direction` property
      - Fingering
    - 5.5.3 Outside-staff objects
      - The `outside-staff-priority` property
      - The `\textLengthOn` command
      - Dynamics placement
      - Grob sizing
  - 5.6 Vertical spacing
  - 5.7 Collisions of objects
    - 5.7.1 Moving objects
    - 5.7.2 Fixing overlapping notation
      - The `padding` property
      - The `right-padding` property
      - The `staff-padding` property
      - The `self-alignment-X` property
      - The `staff-position` property
      - The `extra-offset` property
      - The `positions` property
      - The `force-hshift` property
    - 5.7.3 Real music example
  - 5.8 Further tweaking
    - 5.8.1 Other uses for tweaks
      - Tying notes across voices
      - Simulating a fermata in MIDI
    - 5.8.2 Using variables for layout adjustments
    - 5.8.3 Style sheets
    - 5.8.4 Other sources of information
    - 5.8.5 Advanced tweaks with Scheme
- Appendix A Templates
  - A.1 Built-in templates
    - A.1.1 SATB template
    - A.1.2 SSAATTBB template
  - A.2 Single staff templates
    - A.2.1 Notes only
    - A.2.2 Notes and lyrics
    - A.2.3 Notes and chords
    - A.2.4 Notes, lyrics, and chords
  - A.3 Piano templates
    - A.3.1 Solo piano
    - A.3.2 Piano and melody with lyrics
    - A.3.3 Piano-centered lyrics
  - A.4 String quartet templates
    - A.4.1 String quartet
    - A.4.2 String quartet parts
  - A.5 Vocal ensembles templates
    - A.5.1 SATB vocal score
    - A.5.2 SATB vocal score and automatic piano reduction
    - A.5.3 SATB with aligned contexts
    - A.5.4 SATB on four staves
    - A.5.5 Solo verse and two-part refrain
    - A.5.6 Hymn tunes
    - A.5.7 Psalms
  - A.6 Orchestral templates
    - A.6.1 Orchestra, choir and piano
  - A.7 Ancient notation templates
    - A.7.1 Transcription of mensural music
    - A.7.2 Gregorian transcription template
  - A.8 Other templates
    - A.8.1 Jazz combo
- Appendix B GNU Free Documentation License
- Appendix C Index