Rick Kimpel-2 wrote > I am trying to learn how to change the default stem directions. > […] > ...without having to do all the \stemUp \stemDown stuff. > I'm ok with the manual beaming.
Hi Rick, You could set up a custom function. A simplistic example (see below) will read the 'default direction. As you have already noticed, the default stem direction will be #UP for note heads below the middle stave line and #DOWN otherwise. Obviously, you'd like to have it the other way round. The custom function will give back #DOWN if the default direction is #UP, and #DOWN otherwise). %%%%%%%%%% \version "2.19.83" #(define (custom-stemdir) (lambda (grob) (let ((defdir (ly:grob-property grob 'default-direction))) (if (= defdir UP) DOWN UP)))) \score { \new Staff \with { \override StaffSymbol.line-count = #1 } { \clef percussion \numericTimeSignature \autoBeamOff \relative c' { <>^"default" b8 c4 c8 b8[ b] b c | <>^"custom" \override Stem.direction = #(custom-stemdir) b8 c4 c8 b8[ b] b c | } } } %%%%%%%%%% <http://lilypond.1069038.n5.nabble.com/file/t3887/custom-stemdir.png> HTH, Torsten custom-stemdir.png <http://lilypond.1069038.n5.nabble.com/file/t3887/custom-stemdir.png> -- Sent from: http://lilypond.1069038.n5.nabble.com/User-f3.html