Structure

If the core LCR format is the flesh, we need a skeleton to hang that flesh on. Let's us explore some structure facilities at our disposal.

Fields

Right after the title we may add a number of arbitrary fields. Each field is on its own line and has a name and a value, separated by an equal sign: =. They will be displayed under the title in a table-like format:

Scarborough Fair

Authors = Simon & Garfunkel
Meter = 3/4
Key = Em

Sections

It is also useful to divide a song into sections, and give each section its own title and description. Sections are delimited by markers on their own line, with three dashes at the beginning: ---. Each section marker adds some space:

| Em~ Are ` ` you | going ` ` to | D~ Scar- ` \ bo- ` rough | Em~ Fair? ` ` |
...

---

| Em~ Tell ` her ` to | make ` me ` a | D~ ca- ` \ am- ` bric | Em~ shirt ` ` |
...

and it also allows us to add a title and description to each section. Title and description, on the same line, are separated by an equal sign again: =. Differently from fields, though, either the title or the description may be absent (but not both):

---

Verse 1 =
| Em~ Are ` ` you | going ` ` to | D~ Scar- ` \ bo- ` rough | Em~ Fair? ` ` |
...

---

= description of verse 2
| Em~ Tell ` her ` to | make ` me ` a | D~ ca- ` \ am- ` bric | Em~ shirt ` ` |
...

---

Verse 3 = description of verse 3
| Em~ Tell ` her ` to | find ` me ` an | D~ a- ` cre ` \ of | Em~ land ` ` |
...

The descriptions are useful for things like tempo and meter changes, repeat indications, and anything else.

Columns

Arranging the output in columns may help with using the available page estate.

The song marker, like the section one, lives at the beginning of its own line and is made of three characters, this time three vertical bars: |. Here is an example:

Scarborough Fair

---

Verse 1 =
| Em~ Are ` ` you | going ` ` to | D~ Scar- ` \ bo- ` rough | Em~ Fair? ` ` |
...

|||

Verse 2 =
| Em~ Tell ` her ` to | make ` me ` a | D~ ca- ` \ am- ` bric | Em~ shirt ` ` |
...

Note that the column marker also works as a section marker: this way sections do not end up split between two columns.

Songs

Keeping a number of songs in one file is often useful. The song marker also lives at the beginning of its own line, and is made of three equal signs: =:

Scarborough Fair

Authors = Simon & Garfunkel
...

===

Bridge over Troubled Water

Authors = Simon & Garfunkel
...

The song marker also works as a page marker: each song will always begin at the top of a page.