Hi,

2012/1/31 Janek Warchoł <janek.lilypond <at> gmail.com>:

> Hi,
>
> 2012/1/31 mdspencer <phatmatt <at> gmail.com>:
>> I guess maybe I'm confused then. When I leave off the associated lyrics,
>> then the note spacing is compact, just like I wish. When I put the lyrics
>> in, they push over some notes, but the other note spaces are not changed.
>
> I think this is a limitation of LilyPond.  See the end of this
> subsection http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.15/Documentation/notation/working-with-ancient-music_002d_002dscenarios-and-solutions#transcribing-gregorian-chant
> for a work-around.
>
> Hope this helps,
> Janek
>

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> lilypond-user <at> gnu.org
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in gregorian.ly there is the setting:
\override SpacingSpanner #'packed-spacing = ##t
in \layout which causes the problem.

You can set it to #f in your own \layout.  Of course the spacing is
changed now, but playing around with some other properties of
SpacingSpanner leads to an acceptable result, I hope.

see also:
http://old.nabble.com/Compressing-mensural-notation-td32747638.html

In the snippet below I integrated your "Tes -- ting" and another
little bit larger example, discussed some time ago in the german
forum. http://www.lilypondforum.de/index.php?topic=1011.0 (but you
need an account there to see the attached files)

\version "2.14.2"

%-------------- Example 1

\include "gregorian.ly"

myLayout = \layout {

 \context {
  \Staff
  \remove "Time_signature_engraver"
  \override Stem #'transparent = ##t
 }
 \context {
  \Voice
  \override Stem #'length = #0
 }
 \context {
  \Score

  % not needed! -> gregorian.ly
  % \remove "Bar_number_engraver"
  \override SpacingSpanner #'packed-spacing = ##f
  \override SpacingSpanner #'common-shortest-duration = #(ly:make-moment 1 3)
  \override SpacingSpanner #'base-shortest-duration = #(ly:make-moment 1 2)
  \override SpacingSpanner #'spacing-increment = #1.4

  timing = ##t
  barAlways = ##f
 }
}

chant = {
 \clef treble \cadenzaOn \autoBeamOff
 g'( a' b') b'~ b'
}

chantLyrics = \lyricmode { Test -- ing }

\score {
 \new Staff <<
  \new Voice = "chantVoice" \chant
 >>

 \layout { \myLayout }

}

\score {
 \new Staff <<
  \new Voice = "chantVoice" \chant
  \new Lyrics \lyricsto "chantVoice" { \chantLyrics }
 >>

 \layout { \myLayout }
}

%-------------- Example 2

\include "gregorian.ly"

#(set-global-staff-size 18)

\score {
       \new Staff {
               \relative c' {
                       \clef "treble_8"
                       \time 1/4
%Ia.3
               b c d s \divisioMaxima g g32 f e (d c b a g)
               a16 (b a b) g4 s \divisioMaxima \break
%Ib.1
               g' \times 2/3 { e8 f (g) } f e d b s4 a4 c
               e16 (d e f) s4 \divisioMaxima
               d s4 \divisioMaxima \times 2/3 { c8 (b a) } s4
               \divisioMaxima g4 \break
               c e f d   e  s4 \divisioMaxima  \break
       }
\addlyrics {
       \set stanza = #"Ia.3" po4 -- pu -- lis2 di4 -- es is -- ta.2
       \set stanza = #"Ib.1" Hanc4 pro -- phe -- te2 pri4 -- scis a2
se -- cu -- lis,4
       \set stanza = #"Ib.2" si -- gna -- ve -- re mul -- tis um --
bra -- cu -- lis, }
       }

 \layout {
         \context {
               \Voice
                 %\override Slur #'transparent = ##t
         }
         \context {
               \Staff
                 \remove "Time_signature_engraver"
         \override BarLine #'X-extent = #'(-0.7 . 0.7)

         \override Stem #'transparent = ##t

         \override Beam #'transparent = ##t
         \override BarLine #'transparent = ##t
         \override TupletNumber #'transparent = ##t
         }
         \context {
               \Score
                 % not needed! -> gregorian.ly
                 %\remove "Bar_number_engraver"
                 \override SpacingSpanner #'packed-spacing = ##f
                 \override SpacingSpanner #'common-shortest-duration =
#(ly:make-moment 1 3)
                 \override SpacingSpanner #'base-shortest-duration =
#(ly:make-moment 1 2)
                 \override SpacingSpanner #'spacing-increment = #1.4
         }
         ragged-right = ##t
         indent = 0
 }
}


HTH,
 Harm