Re: Extract parts from a completed score

[Dirck Nagy]

Thank you everyone, and Knute especially for this detailed answer.    This is 
exactly what I needed to see.

I will try this first.

I will also experiment with Carl Sorensen's \book solution, which might be 
useful for something else later on, as I am still having problems creating a 
book of individual etudes.

Thanks again!

Peace!

dirck
________________________________
From: Knute Snortum <ksnor...@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, November 15, 2025 3:23 PM
To: Dirck Nagy <dirckn...@hotmail.com>
Cc: Lilypond-User Mailing List <lilypond-user@gnu.org>
Subject: Re: Extract parts from a completed score

Here's how I would break your full score up into different files so that I 
could print individual parts too:

First, create a "parts.ily" file (The "ily" is not mandatory; "ly" works fine):

%%% parts.ily %%%
\version "2.24.4"

global = {
  \key c \major
  \time 4/4
}

flute = \relative c'' {
  \global
  % Music follows here.
  c,4 d e f g1 \bar"|."
}

bassoon = \relative c {
  \global
  \clef bass
  % Music follows here.
  a4 b c d e1
}
%%%

I'd put the header and paper blocks into their own file:

%%% header-paper.ily %%%
\version "2.24.4"

\header {
  % Remove default LilyPond tagline
  tagline = ##f
}

\paper {
  #(set-paper-size "letter")
  % Add space for instrument names
  short-indent = 10\mm
}
%%%

Now I can create a full score and individual parts from these files:

%%% full-score.ly<http://full-score.ly> %%%
\version "2.24.4"
\include "/path/to/parts.ily"
\include "/path/to/header-paper.ily"

\score {
  \new StaffGroup <<
    \new Staff \with {
      instrumentName = "Fl."
    } \flute
    \new Staff \with {
      instrumentName = "Bn."
    } \bassoon
  >>
  \layout { }
}
%%%

%%% flute.ly<http://flute.ly> %%%
\version "2.24.4"
\include "/path/to/parts.ily"
\include "/path/to/header-paper.ily"

\score {
  \new Staff \flute
  \layout { }
}
%%%

%%% bassoon.ly<http://bassoon.ly> %%%
\version "2.24.4"
\include "/path/to/parts.ily"
\include "/path/to/header-paper.ily"

\score {
  \new Staff \bassoon
  \layout { }
}
%%%

(Change "path/to" to wherever the "include" files are, or nothing if they are 
all in the same folder/directory.)  Now all my music is in parts.ily if I need 
to change it, and it changes everywhere.

HTH

--
Knute Snortum



On Fri, Nov 14, 2025 at 11:54 PM Dirck Nagy 
<dirckn...@hotmail.com<mailto:dirckn...@hotmail.com>> wrote:
Dear Lilypond

Is there a (relatively) simple way to extract and print individual parts from a 
completed score?

I couldn't find any tutorials. A "start to finish" list of instructions would 
be nice; does one exist?

I searched the documentation and this message board, and it seems that most 
people enter the notes in separate files for each instrument, and then combine 
them into a complete score.

I'm trying to do the opposite: the score is already complete.

Here is a simple example created using Frescobaldi's score wizard. How could I 
extract, and then edit and print the flute part?

FYI, I have been using Lilypond for years, but i am a composer, and not 
especially computer savvy.

Thanks in advance!

Dirck

\version "2.24.4"

\header {
% Remove default LilyPond tagline
tagline = ##f
}

\paper {
#(set-paper-size "letter")
% Add space for instrument names
short-indent = 10\mm
}

global = {
\key c \major
\time 4/4
}

flute = \relative c'' {
\global
% Music follows here.
c,4 d e f g1 \bar"|."
}

bassoon = \relative c {
\global
% Music follows here.
a4 b c d e1
}

flutePart = \new Staff \with {
shortInstrumentName = "Fl."
} \flute

bassoonPart = \new Staff \with {
shortInstrumentName = "Bn."
} { \clef bass \bassoon }

\score {
<<
\flutePart
\bassoonPart
>>
\layout { }
}