Space above and below lyrics

[samuelbradshaw]

Verovio provides a --lyric-top-min-margin option to prevent the lyrics from getting too close to the staff above the lyrics. Is there a setting like --lyric-bottom-min-margin to prevent the lyrics from getting too close to the staff below the lyrics? Or do you have any suggestions for how to make the lyrics look more centered between the top and bottom staves?

Screenshot shows lyrics almost touching the bottom staff:

[samuelbradshaw]

After thinking about this some more, I'd like to propose two options to be added:

1. --lyric-bottom-min-margin to set the minimum margin below the lyrics. This would improve the appearance in the case above.
2. --lyric-vertical-alignment to center the lyrics within their space. This second option would improve the appearance of lyrics in the following cases, by centering the lyrics within the lyrics area:

Lyrics alternating between upper and lower voices:

Chorus starting or ending mid-system:

If --lyric-vertical-alignment is implemented, I would no longer need the hidden note workarounds that prompted issues #3989 and #3990.

[lpugin]

Aligning lyrics above and below would be a major refactoring of the layout algorithm. I would still recommend pursuing a way to have lyrics not attached to some notes, or having lyrics attached to an invisible note to be visible. The former would be allowing verse within space, and the latter having @visible on verse. These would both need to be discussed with the MEI community.