1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
7 @unnumbered New features in 2.3 since 2.2
10 @item The melody for a @code{\lyricsto} text can be changed during a melody.
12 @item The @code{\lyricsto} keyword now automatically sets @code{\lyrics}.
14 @item The LilyPond binary now supports output options
15 @code{--dvi} @code{--png} @code{--ps} @code{--pdf} and
16 @code{--preview}. The old wrapper script for La@TeX{} has been
17 renamed to @code{lilypond-latex}.
19 @item Support ambituses has been rewritten. The Ambitus object is now
20 a grouping object, composed of @code{AmbitusLine},
21 @code{AmbitusAccidental} and @code{AmbitusNoteHead}. These objects may
22 be tuned similar to accidentals and note heads.
24 @item Ledger lines are now shortened to prevent them from colliding.
26 @item Slur formatting has been rewritten. The new slur code
27 works similar to the Beam formatter: scores are assigned for all
28 esthetic components of a slur. A large number of combinations for
29 begin and end points is then tried out. Slurs will now also take into
30 account collisions with staff lines, scripts (like staccato and
31 accent) and accidentals.
34 @item In the LilyPond emacs mode, the @code{|} will now display the
35 current beat within the measure.
37 @item Colliding notes are now correctly aligned relative to notes in other staves.
39 @item An experimental GNOME output backend is available for developers.
40 It depends on several unreleased packages such as gnome-guile TLA and
41 Pango CVS. The output interface coverage is sparse, but it already
42 does support point-and-click on the GNOME Canvas. See also
43 @file{scm/output-gnome.scm}.
45 @item Context definitions are now stored in identifiers that match the
46 context name, in other words, to modify a @code{Staff} context, the
47 following code may be used.
56 @item A new block, @code{\bookpaper} has been introduced to
57 hold settings for paper size and output scaling. Further options
58 include @code{raggedbottom} (if set, systems are not vertically filled
59 to reach the bottom of the page), and @code{raggedlastbottom}.
63 @item Support for fret diagrams has been contributed by Carl
64 D. Sorensen. @file{input/test/fret-diagram.ly} contains an example.
66 @item The @code{--safe-mode} has been revisited: GUILE evaluation
67 is done in the R5RS safe module, with only the basic @code{ly:}
68 interface available and malicious @TeX{} code is stopped. However, to
69 be reasonably safe, you are advised to use the PostScript backend
70 rather than the @TeX{} backend anyway; and if possible use an UML
71 sandbox to run gs or latex.
73 @item Music syntax can now be extended seamlessly. As an example,
74 here is the new implementation @code{\applymusic},
77 applymusic = #(ly:make-music-function
78 (list procedure? ly:music?) ; signature
79 (lambda (where func music) ; the function
83 @item @code{\apply} has been renamed to @code{\applymusic}.
85 @item Music can be used as a markup.
86 When inserting a @code{score} block as part of a @code{\markup}, it
87 produces a rendered markup of the music. An example is in
88 @file{input/test/markup-score.ly}.
90 @item LilyPond expressions can be embedded into Scheme. The syntax for
91 this is @code{#@{ ... #@}}. Within such a block, Scheme forms can be
92 introduced using a @code{$} character (@code{$$} results in a single
93 `$' character). These forms are then inserted in the pattern.
96 #(define (textoffset dx dy)
98 #@{ \override Voice.TextScript #'extra-offset = #(cons $dx $dy) #@}))
102 %% The following embedded scheme call is the same as
103 %% \override Voice.TextScript #'extra-offset = #(cons 2 -3)
105 c'^"text with offset"
109 @item A music list at toplevel is interpreted as implicit @code{\score}
110 a @code{\score} block at toplevel is interpreted as an implicit
111 @code{\book} and @code{\notes} mode is the default lexer mode. The
115 \header @{ title = "The Title" @}
122 \header @{ title = "The Title" @}
130 This is handled by the function defined in
131 @code{toplevel-music-handler}. Similarly, @code{\score} and
132 @code{\book} are handled by @code{toplevel-score-handler} and a
133 @code{toplevel-book-handler}. By changing these variables, different
134 results can be obtained.
137 @item Start pitch for @code{relative} music is optional for music lists.
138 The default value is middle C.
140 @c update-me? formal definition of newaddlyrics, once it works
141 @item Combining lyrics with music can be done with @code{\newlyrics}
146 d2 d c4 bes a2 \break
149 My first Li -- ly song,
152 Not much can go wrong!
156 Syntactically, @code{\newlyrics} acts like an infix operator.
158 @item The parser is encapsulated in a Scheme function
159 @code{ly:parse-file}, so the following fragment processes two files
162 #(ly:parse-file "another.ly")
163 \score { \notes { c4 }}
166 @item The @code{font-encoding} property can now be used to select
167 differently encoded fonts. The previous default setting
168 @code{TeX-text} has been replaced by latin1. LilyPond requires the
169 @uref{http://www.lilypond.org/download/fonts/,ec-fonts-mftraced}
170 package installed to function properly.
172 @item The encoding of a file can be switched with
173 @code{\encoding}. The strings for markup texts are translated
176 @item The toplevel block @code{\book} introduces page layout.
177 A @code{\book} groups @code{\score} blocks into one page layout
178 entity. For example, two scores are combined in one book with
187 Titling and page breaks are handled by LilyPond. For automatic page
188 breaking, two algorithms are available, the classic ragged pages (the
189 default), and optimal page breaking.
190 Page breaks may be inserted manually with
196 The @code{lilypond} program does not generate La@TeX{} titles or page
197 layout. If you need La@TeX{} titles, you can use the
198 @code{lilypond-book} program.
200 @item There is now less of a noticeable ``hook'' at the end of a long slur.
202 @item The meaning of the @code{|} in the input can be redefined, by
203 assigning a music expression to @code{pipeSymbol}.
207 @unnumbered New features in 2.2 since 2.0
211 @item Setting @code{raggedlast = ##t} in the @code{\paper} block
212 causes the last line to be set flush-left instead of justified.
214 @item The @code{Timing_engraver} now sets the @code{Timing} alias on
215 its containing context automatically.
217 @item The code for font selection has been rewritten. In addition to
218 existing font selection properties, the property @code{font-encoding}
219 has been added, which makes the switch between normal @code{text} and
220 other encodings like @code{braces}, @code{music} and @code{math}.
222 @item The pmx2ly script has been removed from the distribution.
224 @item Pedal brackets will now run to the last bar of a piece if they are not
227 @item Context definitions now use the word @code{\context} instead of @code{\translator}.
229 @item Property functions may be used as an argument to @code{set!},
233 (set! (ly:grob-property grob 'beam) ... )
236 @item In anticipation of Emacs 21.4 or 22.1, the info documentation contains
239 @item Cue notes can be quoted directly from the parts that
240 contain them. This will take into account transposition of source and target
241 instrument. For example,
244 \addquote clarinet \notes\relative c' {
250 \notes \relative c'' {
251 c8 d8 \quote 2 oboe es8 gis
256 @item The transposition of an instrument can be specified using the
257 @code{\transposition} command. An
258 E-flat alto saxophone is specified as
264 @item The naming of exported Scheme functions now follows Scheme conventions.
265 Changes be applied to Scheme files with
268 convert-ly -e -n --from=2.1.24 --to=2.1.26 *.scm
272 @item Notes can be excluded from auto-beaming, by marking them with
279 will print two separate eighth notes, and two beamed notes.
281 @item Translators and contexts have been split. The result of this
282 internal cleanup is that @code{Score} no longer is the top context;
283 @code{Score} is contained in the @code{Global} context. Consequently,
284 it is possible to tweak @code{Score} as follows:
287 \context Score \with @{
292 @item The number of staff lines in Tablature notation is now
293 automatically deduced from the @code{stringTunings} property.
295 @item The program reference has been cleaned up and revised.
297 @item The syntax for setting properties has been simplified:
298 the following table lists the differences:
303 \property A.B = #C \set A.B = #C
304 \property A.B \unset \unset A.B
305 \property A.B \set #C = #D \override A.B #C = #D
306 \property A.B \override #C = #D (removed)
307 \property A.B \revert #C \revert A.B #C
310 Furthermore, if @code{A} is left out, the bottommost context is used
311 by default. In other words, it is no longer necessary to explicitly
312 mention @code{Voice}, @code{Lyrics} or @code{ChordNames}.
317 \property Voice.autoBeaming = ##f
318 \property Staff.TimeSignature \set #'style = #'C
324 \set autoBeaming = ##f
325 \override Staff.TimeSignature #'style = #'C
329 @item Tweaks made with @code{\override} and @code{\revert} no longer
330 hide tweaks at higher context levels.
332 @item Melismata in lyrics are also properly handled in the MIDI output.
334 @item The lilypond-book script has been rewritten.
335 It is shorter, cleaner and faster. The special construct
336 @code{mbinclude} has been removed, plain @code{@@include} or
337 @code{\input} can be used now.
339 It now supports running convert-ly on the lilypond snippets,
341 lilypond-book --filter='convert-ly --from=2.0.0' my-book.tely
344 @item The @code{LyricsVoice} context has been removed. Lyrics should only
345 be constructed in @code{Lyrics}.
347 @item The @code{Thread} context has been removed. Note heads and rests
348 are now constructed at @code{Voice} level.
350 @item Harmonic notes can now be entered as
356 @item Drum notation is now supported as a regular feature:
357 percussion may be entered in @code{\drums} mode, and printed or
358 performed in a @code{DrumStaff} context:
362 \drums \new DrumStaff @{ hihat4 cowbell8 @}
366 @item The automatic staff changer was internally rewritten. As a
367 result, the syntax has been simplified as well:
370 \autochange @var{the-music}
373 @item The ergonomic syntax of @code{\markup} now has an equivalent in
374 Scheme. The @code{markup*} macro creates such objects; the following
375 two markup commands are equivalent:
377 f4^#(markup* #:raise 0.2 #:bold "hi")
378 f4^\markup @{ \raise #0.2 \bold hi @}
381 @item Voice names, for vocal lines, have been added. They are similar
382 to instrument names. They can be set by defining @code{vocalName}
385 @item Safe mode has been reinstated for lilypond.
386 When lilypond is invoked with @code{--safe-mode}, @TeX{} and
387 PostScript file output is disallowed, and lilypond-bin is invoked with
388 @code{--safe-mode}, the user's Guile expressions are evaluated in a
389 safe environment and file inclusion is not allowed.
391 Warning: this does not protect against denial-of-service attacks using
392 Guile, @TeX{} or PostScript.
394 (This feature is still experimental.)
396 @item There is now a Scheme macro for defining markup
397 commands. Special mark-up commands can be defined in user-files too.
399 @item Many fixes for dimension scaling have been made,
400 resulting in correct results for scores that mix staves in different
403 @item Improved robustness when layout properties are accidentally removed.
405 @item A more cleanly constructed part combiner has been installed.
406 It is more robust and less buggy. The part-combiner can be used with
408 \partcombine @var{mus1} @var{mus2}
412 See @file{input/regression/new-part-combine.ly} for an example.
414 @item Formatting of rehearsal marks has been improved. The @code{\mark}
415 command now only does automatic incrementing for marks specified as
416 integer. For example, @code{\mark #1} will print an A in the default
417 style. See @file{input/regression/rehearsal-mark-letter.ly},
418 @file{input/regression/rehearsal-mark-number.ly}.
420 @item Formatting of ottava brackets has been much improved.
422 @item Objects in the output can now be documented: the following fragment
423 boxes the note head, and adds the text ``heads or tails?'' three
424 spaces below the box.
427 \context Voice \applyoutput #(add-balloon-text
428 'NoteHead "heads, or tails?"
436 @item Default staff sizes are now scalable. There are two new mechanisms for
437 setting staff sizes. Both are demonstrated in this fragment:
440 #(set-global-staff-size 15)
442 #(paper-set-staff-size (* 15 pt))
448 Both have the same effect on the global layout of a piece. Similarly,
449 the paper size may be changed as follows
452 #(set-default-paper-size "a4")
454 #(set-paper-size "a4")
459 @item Warnings for bar check errors are more cleverly printed. This
460 makes @code{barCheckSynchronize} superfluous, so it is now switched
463 Warning: this will cause problems in scores that use bar checks to
466 @item The black note head was made a little rounder, which causes a less
467 frantic graphic impression.
470 A more concise syntax for checking octaves was introduced. A note may
471 be followed by @code{=}@var{quotes} which indicates what its absolute
472 octave should be. In the following example,
475 \relative c'' @{ c='' b=' d,='' @}
479 the d will generate a warning, because a d'' is
480 expected, but a d' is found.
481 @c @code adds ` ', very confusing.
483 @item There is a new mechanism for putting lyrics to melodies.
484 With this mechanism, @code{Lyrics} lines can be put melodies
485 individually, allowing for different melismatic sections in every
486 @code{Lyrics}. See @file{input/regression/lyric-combine-new.ly}.
488 @item Bar lines may now be dotted.
491 @item The documentation now has links to a wiki, where everyone can
492 add personal comments to the manual.
494 @item Contexts may now be changed locally for an isolated music
495 expression. For example,
499 \consists "Pitch_squash_engraver"
505 @item The syntax for changing staffs has changed. The keyword
506 @code{\change} should now be used, e.g.
512 @item Features of spanner contexts, like @code{Staff}, can now be changed
513 using @code{\set}, eg.
517 \override Staff.StaffSymbol #'line-count = #4
523 puts a quarter note C on a staff with 4 lines.
526 @item Multi measure rests are now truly centered between the
527 clefs/barlines of the staff, their position is independent of symbols
530 @item Collision resolution for dots in chords has been improved greatly.
533 Spacing following barlines was improved for widely stretched lines.
536 Lyric hyphens and extenders now conform to standard typesetting
540 Lyrics are now aligned under note heads conforming to engraving
541 standards. The responsible code has been rewritten, and is drastically
542 simpler from the previous version. To aid this rewrite, the syntactic
543 function of the extender line ( __ ) has been changed: it is now
544 attached to the lyric syllable.
547 When redefining a context, the associated identifier is also
548 updated. For example, after reading
558 the definition of @code{ScoreContext} is updated to include the changed
563 The weight of the stafflines is now heavier at smaller staff sizes.
564 The font has been modified to match this look: at smaller sizes, the
565 font is heavier and the note heads are more rounded.
567 @item Processing scores is now done while parsing the file. New
568 Scheme functions give more flexibility: for example, it is now possible
569 interpret a score, collecting synchronized musical events in a list, and
570 manipulate that information using inline Scheme. For an example, see
571 @file{input/no-notation/recording.ly}.
573 @item Font sizes can now truly be scaled continuously: the @code{font-size}
574 is similar to the old @code{font-relative-size}, but may be set to
575 fractional values; the closest design size will be scaled to achieve
576 the desired size. As a side-effect, there are now no longer
577 limitations in using smaller fonts (eg. grace notes) at small staff
580 @item Stem tips are now also engraved with rounded corners.
583 The placement of accidentals on chords and ledgered notes is improved.
588 @unnumbered New features in 2.0 since 1.8
593 Crescendos can now be drawn dotted or dashed.
596 Quarter tones are now supported. They are entered by suffixing
597 @code{ih} for a half-sharp and @code{eh} for a half-flat. Hence, the
598 following is an ascending list of pitches:
601 ceses ceseh ces ceh c cih cis cisih cisis
605 The following constructs have been removed from the syntax:
608 \duration #SCHEME-DURATION
610 \outputproperty @var{func} @var{symbol} = @var{value}
613 For @code{\outputproperty}, the following may be substituted:
616 \applyoutput #(outputproperty-compatibility @var{func}
617 @var{symbol} @var{value})
621 Clefs may now be transposed arbitrarily, for example
631 The syntax for chords and simultaneous music have changed.
632 Chords are entered as
638 while simultaneous music is entered as
641 <<@var{..music list..}>>
644 In effect, the meanings of both have been swapped relative to their 1.8
645 definition. The syntax for lists in @code{\markup} has changed
646 alongside, but figured bass mode was not changed, i.e.:
649 \markup @{ \center <@var{..list of markups..}> @}
650 \figure @{ <@var{figures}> @}
653 As chords the more often used than simultaneous music, this change will
657 Each music expression can now be tagged, to make different printed
658 versions from the same music expression. In the following example,
659 we see two versions of a piece of music, one for the full score, and
660 one with cue notes for the instrumental part:
664 @{ c4 f2 g4 @} % in the part, we have cue-notes
666 \tag #'score R1 % in the score: only a rest
670 The same can be applied to articulations, texts, etc.: they are
674 -\tag #@var{your-tags}
677 to an articulation, for example,
680 c4-\tag #'with-fingerings -4 -\tag #'with-strings \6
683 This defines a note, which has a conditional fingering and a
684 string-number indication.
687 The settings for chord-fingering are more flexible. You can specify a
688 list where fingerings may be placed, eg.
691 \property Voice.fingeringOrientations = #'(left down)
694 This will put the fingering for the lowest note below the chord, and the
698 The script previously known as @code{ly2dvi} has been renamed to
699 @code{lilypond}. The binary itself is now installed as
703 Markup text (ie. general text formatting) may now be used for lyrics too.
706 Two new commands for grace notes have been added, @code{\acciaccatura}
707 and @code{\appoggiatura},
714 Both reflect the traditional meanings of acciaccatura and appogiatura,
715 and both insert insert a slur from the first grace note to the main
719 Layout options for grace notes are now stored in a context property,
720 and may now be set separately from musical content.
723 The @code{\new} command will create a context with a unique
724 name automatically. Hence, for multi-staff scores, it is no longer
725 necessary to invent arbitrary context names. For example, a two-staff
726 score may be created by
730 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 1st staff} @}
731 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 2nd staff} @}
738 Octave checks make octave errors easier to correct.
745 This checks that @var{pitch} (without octave) yields @var{pitch} (with
746 octave) in \relative mode. If not, a warning is printed, and the
750 All articulations must now be entered postfix. For example,
757 is a pair of beamed slurred eighth notes.
760 The definition of @code{\relative} has been simplified. Octaves are
761 now always propagated in the order that music is entered. In the
766 \repeat "unfold" 3 BODY \alternative @{ ALT1 ALT2 @}
771 the octave of BODY is based on PRE, the starting octave of ALT1 on
772 BODY, the starting octave of ALT2 on ALT1, and the starting octave of
775 The same mechanism is used for all other music expressions, except the
776 chord. Backwards compatibility is retained through a special program option,
780 #(ly:set-option 'old-relative)
784 Windows users can double click a @code{.ly} file to process and view
785 it automagically through the new @code{lily-wins} frontend.
792 @unnumbered New features in 1.8 since 1.6
797 The chord entry code has been completely rewritten. It is now
798 cleaner and more flexible.
801 A new syntax has been added for text entry. This syntax is more
802 friendly than the old mechanism, and it is implemented in a more
803 robust and modular way. For more information, refer to the section on
804 "Text markup" in the notation manual.
807 The integration of the input language and Scheme has been made deeper:
808 you can now use LilyPond identifiers in Scheme, and use Scheme
809 expressions instead of LilyPond identifiers.
812 The internal representation of music has been cleaned up completely
813 and converted to Scheme data structures. The representation may be
817 A new uniform postfix syntax for articulation has been introduced.
818 A beamed slurred pair of eighth notes can be entered as
824 In version 2.0, postfix syntax will be the only syntax
825 available, and the dashes will become optional.
827 This will simplify the language: all articulations can be entered as
828 postfix, in any order.
831 A new syntax has been added for chords:
838 It is not necessary to update files to this syntax, but it will be for
839 using LilyPond version 2.0. In version 2.0, this syntax will be
849 \simultaneous @{ .. @}
852 for simultaneous music.
854 To convert your files from <PITCHES> to <<PITCHES>>, use the script
855 included in @file{buildscripts/convert-new-chords.py}.
857 This change was introduced for the following reasons
861 It solves the "start score with chord" problem, where you have to
862 state \context Voice explicitly when a chord was the start of a
865 With the new syntax, it is possible to distinguish between
866 articulations (or fingerings) which are for a single chord note,
867 and which are for the entire chord. This allows for per-note
868 fingerings, and is more logical on the whole.
872 User code may now be executed during interpreting. The syntax for
876 \applycontext #SCHEME-FUNCTION
880 User code may now be executed on arbitrary grobs during interpreting.
881 The syntax for this feature is
884 \applyoutput #SCHEME-FUNCTION
888 SCHEME-FUNCTION takes a single argument, and is called for every grob
889 that is created in the current context.
892 New algorithms for chord-name formatting have been installed. They
893 can be tuned and have ergonomic syntax for entering exceptions.
896 Texts may now be put on multimeasure rests, e.g.
899 R1*20^\markup @{ "GP" @}
903 Ancient notation now prints ligatures in Gregorian square neumes
904 notation, roughly following the typographical style of the Liber
905 hymnarius of Solesmes, published in 1983. Ligatures are still printed
906 without the proper line breaking and horizontal spacing.
909 Glissandi can now be printed using the zigzag style.
912 LilyPond can now print clusters. The syntax is
915 \apply #notes-to-clusters @{ NOTE NOTE .. @}
919 For irregular meters, beat grouping marks can be printed. The
923 #(set-time-signature 7 8 '(3 2 2))
928 Nested horizontal brackets for music analysis can now be printed:
937 @item Ottava brackets are now fully supported as a feature. The syntax
945 @item Metronome markings are printed when a \tempo command is processed.
949 @item Fingerings can be put on chords horizontally.
953 @item The appearance of various glyphs has been fine-tuned.
957 @item Different types of percent style repeats may now be nested.
961 @item The emacs support has been extended.
965 The manual has been completely revised and extended.
969 @unnumbered New features in 1.6 since 1.4
975 Support for figured bass and tablature.
978 Completely rewritten beam formatting: provides much better output
983 Completely revised and improved music font.
987 Completely rewritten MIDI import support.
990 Completely rewritten grace note support. Practically speaking this
991 means that grace notes can be slurred to normal normal notes.
995 Improved accidental handling and formatting: styles for producing
996 cautionaries may vary, and complex collisions between accidentals of a
997 chord are handled much better.
1000 Better spacing: both globally and locally. This includes subtle
1001 details like optical stem spacing.
1004 More support for ancient notation: mensural ligatures, ambitus
1005 (pitch range) of voices, more shapes, etc.
1008 More support for piano notation: bracket pedals, directed arpeggios,
1012 Easier music polyphonic music entry.
1015 More extensibility, many speedups and bugfixes
1018 The manual has been thoroughly revised.
1021 Development is now hosted at http://savannah.gnu.org, and sources
1022 can be downloaded through anonymous CVS.
1025 Support for windows: LilyPond is part of the cygwin distribution,
1026 which comes with a user-friendly installer.