LilyPond Notation Reference: 3.3.2 Custom titles headers and footers

### 3.3.2 Custom titles headers and footers

#### Custom text formatting for titles

Standard `\markup` commands can be used to customize any header, footer and title text within the `\header` block.

>     \score {
>       \header {
>         piece = \markup { \fontsize #4 \bold "PRAELUDIUM I" }
>         opus = \markup { \italic "BWV 846" }
>       }
>       { s1 }
>     }

#### See also

Notation Reference: Formatting text.

#### Custom layout for titles

`\markup` commands in the `\header` block are useful for simple text formatting, but they do not allow precise control over the placement of titles. To customize the placement of the text fields, change either or both of the following `\paper` variables:

- `bookTitleMarkup`
- `scoreTitleMarkup`

The placement of titles when using the default values of these `\markup` variables is shown in the examples in Default layout of bookpart and score titles.

The default settings for `scoreTitleMarkup` as defined in ‘`ly/titling-init.ly`’ are:

>     scoreTitleMarkup = \markup { \column {
>       \if \should-print-all-headers { \bookTitleMarkup \hspace #1 }
>       \fill-line {
>         \fromproperty #'header:piece
>         \fromproperty #'header:opus
>       }
>     }
>     }

This places the `piece` and `opus` text fields at opposite ends of the same line:

>     \score {
>       \header {
>         piece = "PRAELUDIUM I"
>         opus = "BWV 846"
>       }
>       { s1 }
>     }

This example redefines `scoreTitleMarkup` so that the `piece` text field is centered and in a large, bold font.

>     \book {
>       \paper {
>         indent = 0\mm
>         scoreTitleMarkup = \markup {
>           \fill-line {
>             \null
>             \fontsize #4 \bold \fromproperty #'header:piece
>             \fromproperty #'header:opus
>           }
>         }
>       }
>       \header { tagline = ##f }
>       \score {
>         \header {
>           piece = "PRAELUDIUM I"
>           opus = "BWV 846"
>         }
>         { s1 }
>       }
>     }

Text fields not normally effective in score `\header` blocks can be printed in the Score Title area if `print-all-headers` is placed inside the `\paper` block. A disadvantage of using this method is that text fields that are intended specifically for the Bookpart Title area need to be manually suppressed in every `\score` block. See Titles explained.

To avoid this, add the desired text field to the `scoreTitleMarkup` definition. In the following example, the `composer` text field (normally associated with `bookTitleMarkup`) is added to `scoreTitleMarkup`, allowing each score to list a different composer:

>     \book {
>       \paper {
>         indent = 0\mm
>         scoreTitleMarkup = \markup {
>           \fill-line {
>             \null
>             \fontsize #4 \bold \fromproperty #'header:piece
>             \fromproperty #'header:composer
>           }
>         }
>       }
>       \header { tagline = ##f }
>       \score {
>         \header {
>           piece = "MENUET"
>           composer = "Christian Petzold"
>         }
>         { s1 }
>       }
>       \score {
>         \header {
>           piece = "RONDEAU"
>           composer = "François Couperin"
>         }
>         { s1 }
>       }
>     }

It is also possible to create your own custom text fields, and refer to them in the markup definition.

>     \book {
>       \paper {
>         indent = 0\mm
>         scoreTitleMarkup = \markup {
>           \fill-line {
>             \null
>             \override #`(direction . ,UP)
>             \dir-column {
>               \center-align \fontsize #-1 \bold
>                 \fromproperty #'header:mycustomtext %% User-defined field
>               \center-align \fontsize #4 \bold
>                 \fromproperty #'header:piece
>             }
>             \fromproperty #'header:opus
>           }
>         }
>       }
>       \header { tagline = ##f }
>       \score {
>         \header {
>           piece = "FUGA I"
>           mycustomtext = "A 4 VOCI" %% User-defined field
>           opus = "BWV 846"
>         }
>         { s1 }
>       }
>     }

#### See also

Notation Reference: Titles explained.

#### Custom layout for headers and footers

`\markup` commands in the `\header` block are useful for simple text formatting, but they do not allow precise control over the placement of headers and footers. To customize the placement of the text fields, use either or both of the following `\paper` variables:

- `oddHeaderMarkup`
- `evenHeaderMarkup`
- `oddFooterMarkup`
- `evenFooterMarkup`

The `\markup` command `\if` can be used to add markup conditionally to header and footer text defined within the `\paper` block, using the following syntax within `\markup`:

>     \if condition argument

The condition is tested each time the markup is interpreted. The resulting markup is argument if the condition is true, but empty if false. Typical conditions include tests for page numbers (first page, last page, specific page, …). To test for the condition being false, replace `\if` with `\unless`.

The following example centers page numbers at the bottom of every page. First, the default settings for `oddHeaderMarkup` and `evenHeaderMarkup` are removed by defining each as a null markup. Then, `oddFooterMarkup` is redefined with the page number centered. Finally, `evenFooterMarkup` is given the same layout by defining it as `\oddFooterMarkup`:

>     \book {
>       \paper {
>         print-page-number = ##t
>         print-first-page-number = ##t
>         oddHeaderMarkup = \markup \null
>         evenHeaderMarkup = \markup \null
>         oddFooterMarkup = \markup {
>           \fill-line {
>             \if \should-print-page-number
>             \fromproperty #'page:page-number-string
>           }
>         }
>         evenFooterMarkup = \oddFooterMarkup
>       }
>       \score {
>         \new Staff { s1 \break s1 \break s1 }
>       }
>     }

Here is a list of all predefined procedures available for use with `\if` and `\unless`.

Syntax | Condition tested
--- | ---
`\on-first-page` | First page in the book?
`\on-last-page` | Last page in the book?
`\on-first-page-of-part` | First page in the book part?
`\on-last-page-of-part` | Last page in the book part?
`\on-page n` | On page number n?
`\single-page` | Does the book fit on just one page?
`\should-print-page-numbers-global` | Print page numbers in the book? 1
`\should-print-page-number` | Print the number of the current page?
`\should-print-all-headers` | Is `print-all-headers` true?

#### See also

Notation Reference: Titles explained, Default layout of bookpart and score titles, Conditionals.

Installed Files: ‘`../ly/titling-init.ly`’.

### Footnotes

[1] `\should-print-page-numbers-global` can differ from `\should-print-page-number` for the first page in the book, depending on the `print-first-page-number` setting of the `\paper` block.

#### LilyPond — Notation Reference v2.24.4 (stable-branch).