Editing Ad libitum

{{short description|Latin expression for "at one's pleasure"}}
{{Redirect|Ad lib|other uses|Ad lib (disambiguation)|and|Ad Libitum (disambiguation)}}
{{Italic title}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2021}}

In [[music]] and other [[performing arts]], the phrase '''{{lang|la|ad libitum}}''' ({{IPAc-en|æ|d|_|ˈ|l|ɪ|b|ɪ|t|əm}}; {{langnf|la||at one's pleasure}} or 'as you desire'), often shortened to "'''ad lib'''" (as an [[adjective]] or [[adverb]]) or "'''ad-lib'''" (as a [[verb]] or [[noun]]), refers to various forms of [[improvisation]].

The roughly synonymous phrase {{lang|la|a bene placito}} ('in accordance with [one's] good pleasure') is less common but, in its Italian form {{lang|it|a piacere}}, has entered the musical ''[[lingua franca]]'' (see below).

The phrase "at liberty" is often associated [[mnemonic]]ally (because of the [[alliteration]] of the ''lib-'' syllable), although it is not the translation (there is no [[cognate|cognation]] between {{lang|la|[[wikt:libitum#Latin|libitum]]}} and {{lang|la|[[wikt:liber#Latin|liber]]}}). [[wikt:libido#Latin|Libido]] is the etymologically closer cognate known in English.

In [[biology]] and [[nutrition]], the phrase is used to describe feeding without restriction.<ref>{{cite web |last1=A. |first1=Antonio |title=Ad Libitum |url=https://kb.wisc.edu/dairynutrient/414RN/page.php?id=56036 |website=DS 414 Ruminant Nutrition Knowledge Base |publisher=University of Wisconsin-Madison |access-date=29 November 2023}}</ref>

== {{anchor|Music}} Music==
As a direction in [[sheet music]], {{lang|la|ad libitum}} indicates that the performer or conductor has one of a variety of types of discretion with respect to a given passage:
*to play the passage in [[Free time (music)|free time]] rather than in strict or "[[Metronome|metronomic]]" [[tempo]] (a practice known as ''[[rubato]]'' when not expressly indicated by the composer);
*to improvise a melodic line fitting the general structure prescribed by the passage's written notes or chords;
*to omit an instrument part, such as a nonessential [[accompaniment]], for the duration of the passage; or
*in the phrase "repeat {{lang|la|ad libitum}}", to play the passage an arbitrary number of times (''[[cf.]]'' [[Vamp (music)|vamp]]).

Note that the direction {{lang|it|a piacere}} (see above) has a more restricted meaning, generally referring to only the first two types of discretion. [[Baroque music]], especially, has a written or implied {{lang|la|ad libitum}}, with most composers intimating the freedom the performer and conductor have.

For post-Baroque classical music and jazz, see [[cadenza]].

==Other performing arts==
"Ad-lib" is used to describe individual moments during live theatre when an actor speaks through their character using words not found in the play's text. When the entire performance is predicated on spontaneous creation, the process is called [[improvisational theatre]].

In [[film]], the term ''ad-lib'' usually refers to the interpolation of unscripted material in an otherwise scripted performance. For example, in interviews, [[Dustin Hoffman]] says he ''ad-libbed'' the now famous line, "I'm walking here! I'm walking here!" as "Ratso" Rizzo in ''[[Midnight Cowboy]]'' (1969). While filming at a streetcorner, the scene was interrupted by a taxi driver. Hoffman wanted to say, "We're filming a movie here!", but stayed in character, allowing the take to be used.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://xfinity.comcast.net/slideshow/entertainment-unscriptedmoviemoments/8/ |title=Greatest Unscripted Movie Moments |access-date=September 20, 2012 |last=Onda |first=David |publisher=[[Xfinity]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120817130034/http://xfinity.comcast.net/slideshow/entertainment-unscriptedmoviemoments/7/ |archive-date=August 17, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

Some actors are also known for their ability or tendency to ad-lib, such as [[Peter Falk]] of the television series ''[[Columbo (TV series)|Columbo]]''. When performing as Colombo, Falk would ad-lib such mannerisms as absent-mindedness, fumbling through his pockets, or asking for a pencil, all in a deliberate attempt to frustrate his co-stars in the scene and obtain a more genuine reaction.<ref name=JustOneMoreThing>{{cite book |last= Falk | first= Peter | date= August 24, 2007 | title= Just One More Thing |publisher= Da Capo Press | isbn= 978-0-7867-1939-6}}</ref>

Live performers such as [[television]] [[talk-show]] hosts sometimes deliver material that sounds ad-libbed but is actually scripted. They may employ ''ad-lib writers'' to prepare such material.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19510715&id=XDIxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GRAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4449,1134316 |title=That's Earl, Brother |last=Wilson |first=Earl |date=15 July 1951 |work=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|Milwaukee Sentinel]] |access-date=2015-06-12}}</ref> 

The [[HBO]] sitcom ''[[Curb Your Enthusiasm]]'' by [[Seinfeld]] co-creator [[Larry David]] primarily uses [[retroscripting]] and ad-lib instead of scripted dialogue.

==See also==
{{wiktionary|ad libitum}}
*[[List of Latin phrases]]
*{{lang|la|[[Ad infinitum]]}}
*{{lang|la|[[Ad nauseam]]}}
*[[Improvisation]]
*[[Mad Libs]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

* {{cite book
  |title=Amo, Amas, Amat and More
  |url=https://archive.org/details/amoamasamatmore00ehrl
  |url-access=registration
  |first=Eugene
  |last=Ehrlich
  |year=1985
  |page=[https://archive.org/details/amoamasamatmore00ehrl/page/23 23]
  |publisher=Harper & Row, Publishers
  |location=New York|isbn=9780061812491
 }}

[[Category:Latin words and phrases]]
[[Category:Improvisation]]
[[Category:Musical terminology]]