Rolls

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Rolls

Rolls can be specified with the "roll" statement, which has a format:

roll staff voice : timeval;

A simple example would be:

roll 2 1: 3;

which indicates that a roll is to be placed on the chord at count 3 of staff 2 voice 1. As usual, if the voice is omitted, voice 1 is assumed.

Multiple rolls in a measure can be listed on a single statement if they are associated with the same voice. For example:

1: ceg;dfa;egb;fac+;
// rolls on 3 chords: on the first,
// second, and third beats of the measure
roll 1: 1;2;3;
bar

would produce rolls on the chords on counts 1, 2, and 3.

A roll can extend over several chords on different voices, or even different staffs. This is specified by giving the top and bottom staffs and voices, with the keyword "to" between them. For example:

1: 4.r;8g+b+d++ tie;2;
2-3: 4.ceg;8gbd+ tie;2;
roll 1 1 to 3 1: 2.5;
bar

The roll would extend from voice 1 of staff 1 to voice 1 of staff 3.

If you wish the roll to be downward, the keyword "down" can be placed after "roll." This will result in a downward arrow being drawn on the bottom end of the roll.

score
  vscheme=2o
music
1 1: c+e+g+;;;;
1 2: ceg;;;;
// downward roll on staff 1
// on beats 2 and 4
roll down 1 1 to 1 2: 2; 4;
bar

You can also explicitly say "up" to cause an upward arrow to be drawn at the top of the roll. If no direction is specified, no arrow is drawn.

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