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Instantiating new staves

Staves (singular: staff) are created with the \new or \context commands. For details, see Creating and referencing contexts.

The basic staff context is Staff:

\new Staff \relative { c''4 d e f }

The DrumStaff context creates a five-line staff set up for a typical drum set. Each instrument is shown with a different symbol. The instruments are entered in drum mode following a \drummode command, with each instrument specified by name. For details, see Percussion staves.

\new DrumStaff {
  \drummode { cymc hh ss tomh }
}

RhythmicStaff creates a single-line staff that only displays the rhythmic values of the input. Real durations are preserved. For details, see Showing melody rhythms.

\new RhythmicStaff { c4 d e f }

TabStaff creates a tablature with six strings in standard guitar tuning. For details, see Default tablatures.

\new TabStaff \relative { c''4 d e f }

There are two staff contexts specific for the notation of ancient music: MensuralStaff and VaticanaStaff. They are described in Predefined contexts.

The GregorianTranscriptionStaff context creates a staff to notate modern Gregorian chant. It engraves divisiones as bar lines, but it does not show measure bar lines.

\new GregorianTranscriptionStaff \relative { c''4 d e f e d }

New single staff contexts may be defined. For details, see Defining new contexts.

See also

Music Glossary: staff, staves.

Notation Reference: Creating and referencing contexts, Percussion staves, Showing melody rhythms, Default tablatures, Predefined contexts, Staff symbol, Gregorian chant contexts, Mensural contexts, Defining new contexts.

Snippets: Staff notation.

Internals Reference: Staff, DrumStaff, GregorianTranscriptionStaff, RhythmicStaff, TabStaff, MensuralStaff, VaticanaStaff, StaffSymbol.