1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
8 @chapter New features in 2.1 since 2.0
20 @item The ergonomic syntax of @code{\markup} now has an equivalent in
21 Scheme. The @code{markup*} macro creates such objects; the following
22 two markup commands are equivalent:
24 f4^#(markup* #:raise 0.2 #:bold "hi")
25 f4^\markup @{ \raise #0.2 \bold hi @}
28 @item Voice names, for vocal lines, have been added. They are similar
29 to instrument names. They can be set by defining @code{vocalName}
32 @item Safe mode has been reinstated for lilypond.
33 When lilypond is invoked with @code{--safe-mode}, @TeX{} and
34 PostScript file output is disallowed, and lilypond-bin is invoked with
35 @code{--safe-mode}, the user's Guile expressions are evaluated in a
36 safe environment and file inclusion is not allowed.
38 Be warned that a DOS attack using Guile, @TeX{} or PostScript is
41 (This feature is still experimental.)
43 @item There is now a Scheme macro for defining markup
44 commands. Special mark-up commands can be defined in user-files too.
46 @item Many fixes for dimension scaling have been made,
47 resulting in correct results for scores that mix staves in different
50 @item Improved robustness when layout properties are accidentally removed.
52 @item A more cleanly constructed part combiner has been installed.
53 It is more robust and less buggy. The part-combiner can be used with
55 \newpartcombine @var{mus1} @var{mus2}
59 See @file{input/regression/new-part-combine.ly} for an example.
61 (This feature is still experimental.)
63 @item Formatting of rehearsal marks has been improved. The @code{\mark}
64 command now only does automatic incrementing for marks specified as
65 integer. For example, @code{\mark #1} will print an A in the default
66 style. See @file{input/regression/rehearsal-mark-letter.ly},
67 @file{input/regression/rehearsal-mark-number.ly}.
69 @item Formatting of ottava brackets has been much improved.
71 @item Objects in the output can now be documented: the following fragment
72 boxes the note head, and adds the text ``heads or tails?'' three
76 \context Voice \applyoutput #(add-balloon-text
77 'NoteHead "heads, or tails?"
85 @item Default staff sizes are now scalable. There are two new mechanisms for
86 setting staff sizes. Both are demonstrated in this fragment:
89 #(set-global-staff-size 15)
91 #(paper-set-staff-size (* 15 pt))
97 Both have the same effect on the global layout of a
98 piece. Similarly, the paper size may be changed as follows
101 #(set-paper-size "a4")
105 @item Warnings for bar check errors are more cleverly printed. This
106 makes @code{barCheckSynchronize} superfluous, so it is now switched
109 Warning: this will cause problems in scores that use bar checks to
112 @item The black note head was made a little rounder, which causes a less
113 frantic graphic impression.
116 A more concise syntax for checking octaves was introduced. A note may
117 be followed by @code{=}@var{quotes} which indicates what its absolute
118 octave should be. In the following example,
121 \relative c'' @{ c='' b=' d,='' @}
125 the d will generate a warning, because a d'' is
126 expected, but a d' is found.
127 @c @code adds ` ' very confusing.
129 @item There is a new mechanism for putting lyrics to melodies.
130 With this mechanism, @code{LyricVoice}s can be put melodies
131 individually, allowing for different melismatic sections in every
132 @code{LyricVoice}. See @file{input/regression/lyric-combine-new.ly}.
134 @item Bar lines may now be dotted.
137 @item The documentation now has links to a wiki, where everyone can
138 add personal comments to the manual.
140 @item Contexts may now be changed locally for an isolated music
141 expression. For example,
145 \consists "Pitch_squash_engraver"
151 @item The syntax for changing staffs has changed. The keyword
152 @code{\change} should now be used, e.g.
158 @item Features of spanner contexts, like @code{Staff}, can now be changed
159 using @code{\property}, eg.
163 \property Staff.StaffSymbol \set #'line-count = #4
169 puts a quarter note C on a staff with 4 lines.
172 @item Multi measure rests are now truly centered between the
173 clefs/barlines of the staff, their position is independent of symbols
176 @item Collision resolution for dots in chords has been improved greatly.
179 Spacing following barlines was improved for widely stretched lines.
182 Lyric hyphens and extenders now conform to standard typesetting
186 Lyrics are now aligned under note heads conforming to engraving
187 standards. The responsible code has been rewritten, and is drastically
188 simpler from the previous version. To aid this rewrite, the syntactic
189 function of the extender line ( __ ) has been changed: it is now
190 attached to the lyric syllable.
193 When redefining a context, the associated identifier is also
194 updated. For example, after reading the following snippet,
201 the definition of @code{ScoreContext} is updated to include the changed
206 The weight of the stafflines is now heavier at smaller staff sizes.
207 The font has been modified to match this look: at smaller sizes, the
208 font is heavier and the note heads are more rounded.
210 @item Processing scores is now done while parsing the file. New
211 Scheme functions give more flexibility: for example, it is now possible
212 interpret a score, collecting synchronized musical events in a list, and
213 manipulate that information using inline Scheme. For an example, see
214 @file{input/no-notation/recording.ly}.
216 @item Font sizes can now truly be scaled continuously: the @code{font-size}
217 is similar to the old @code{font-relative-size}, but may be set to
218 fractional values; the closest design size will be scaled to achieve
219 the desired size. As a side-effect, there are now no longer
220 limitations in using smaller fonts (eg. grace notes) at small staff
223 @item The appearance of stem tips is now also engraved with rounded corners.
226 The placement of accidentals on chords and ledgered notes is improved.
231 @chapter New features in 2.0 since 1.8
236 Crescendos can now be drawn dotted or dashed.
239 Quarter tones are now supported. They are entered by suffixing
240 @code{ih} for a half-sharp and @code{eh} for a half-flat. Hence, the
241 following is an ascending list of pitches:
244 ceses ceseh ces ceh c cih cis cisih cisis
248 The following constructs have been removed from the syntax:
251 \duration #SCHEME-DURATION
253 \outputproperty @var{func} @var{symbol} = @var{value}
256 For @code{\outputproperty}, the following may be substituted:
259 \applyoutput #(outputproperty-compatibility @var{func}
260 @var{symbol} @var{value})
264 Clefs may now be transposed arbitrarily, for example
274 The syntax for chords and simultaneous music have changed.
275 Chords are entered as
281 while simultaneous music is entered as
284 <<@var{..music list..}>>
287 In effect, the meanings of both have been swapped relative to their 1.8
288 definition. The syntax for lists in @code{\markup} has changed
289 alongside, but figured bass mode was not changed, i.e.:
292 \markup @{ \center <@var{..list of markups..}> @}
293 \figure @{ <@var{figures}> @}
296 As chords the more often used than simultaneous music, this change will
300 Each music expression can now be tagged, to make different printed
301 versions from the same music expression. In the following example,
302 we see two versions of a piece of music, one for the full score, and
303 one with cue notes for the instrumental part:
307 @{ c4 f2 g4 @} % in the part, we have cue-notes
309 \tag #'score R1 % in the score: only a rest
313 The same can be applied to articulations, texts, etc.: they are
317 -\tag #@var{your-tags}
320 to an articulation, for example,
323 c4-\tag #'with-fingerings -4 -\tag #'with-strings \6
326 This defines a note, which has a conditional fingering and a
327 string-number indication.
330 The settings for chord-fingering are more flexible. You can specify a
331 list where fingerings may be placed, eg.
334 \property Voice.fingeringOrientations = #'(left down)
337 This will put the fingering for the lowest note below the chord, and the
341 The script previously known as @code{ly2dvi} has been renamed to
342 @code{lilypond}. The binary itself is now installed as
346 Markup text (ie. general text formatting) may now be used for lyrics too.
349 Two new commands for grace notes have been added, @code{\acciaccatura}
350 and @code{\appoggiatura},
357 Both reflect the traditional meanings of acciaccatura and appogiatura,
358 and both insert insert a slur from the first grace note to the main
362 Layout options for grace notes are now stored in a context property,
363 and may now be set separately from musical content.
366 The @code{\new} command will create a context with a unique
367 name automatically. Hence, for multi-staff scores, it is no longer
368 necessary to invent arbitrary context names. For example, a two-staff
369 score may be created by
373 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 1st staff} @}
374 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 2nd staff} @}
381 Octave checks make octave errors easier to correct.
388 This checks that @var{pitch} (without octave) yields @var{pitch} (with
389 octave) in \relative mode. If not, a warning is printed, and the
393 All articulations must now be entered postfix. For example,
400 is a pair of beamed slurred eighth notes.
403 The definition of @code{\relative} has been simplified. Octaves are
404 now always propagated in the order that music is entered. In the
409 \repeat "unfold" 3 BODY \alternative @{ ALT1 ALT2 @}
414 the octave of BODY is based on PRE, the starting octave of ALT1 on
415 BODY, the starting octave of ALT2 on ALT1, and the starting octave of
418 The same mechanism is used for all other music expressions, except the
419 chord. Backwards compatibility is retained through a special program option,
423 #(ly:set-option 'old-relative)
427 Windows users can double click a @code{.ly} file to process and view
428 it automagically through the new @code{lily-wins} frontend.
435 @chapter New features in 1.8 since 1.6
440 The chord entry code has been completely rewritten. It is now
441 cleaner and more flexible.
444 A new syntax has been added for text entry. This syntax is more
445 friendly than the old mechanism, and it is implemented in a more
446 robust and modular way. For more information, refer to the section on
447 "Text markup" in the notation manual.
450 The integration of the input language and Scheme has been made deeper:
451 you can now use LilyPond identifiers in Scheme, and use Scheme
452 expressions instead of LilyPond identifiers.
455 The internal representation of music has been cleaned up completely
456 and converted to Scheme data structures. The representation may be
460 A new uniform postfix syntax for articulation has been introduced.
461 A beamed slurred pair of eighth notes can be entered as
467 In version 2.0, postfix syntax will be the only syntax
468 available, and the dashes will become optional.
470 This will simplify the language: all articulations can be entered as
471 postfix, in any order.
474 A new syntax has been added for chords:
481 It is not necessary to update files to this syntax, but it will be for
482 using LilyPond version 2.0. In version 2.0, this syntax will be
492 \simultaneous @{ .. @}
495 for simultaneous music.
497 To convert your files from <PITCHES> to <<PITCHES>>, use the script
498 included in buildscripts/convert-new-chords.py
500 This change was introduced for the following reasons
504 It solves the "start score with chord" problem, where you have to
505 state \context Voice explicitly when a chord was the start of a
508 With the new syntax, it is possible to distinguish between
509 articulations (or fingerings) which are for a single chord note,
510 and which are for the entire chord. This allows for per-note
511 fingerings, and is more logical on the whole.
515 User code may now be executed during interpreting. The syntax for
519 \applycontext #SCHEME-FUNCTION
523 User code may now be executed on arbitrary grobs during interpreting.
524 The syntax for this feature is
527 \applyoutput #SCHEME-FUNCTION
531 SCHEME-FUNCTION takes a single argument, and is called for every grob
532 that is created in the current context.
535 New algorithms for chord-name formatting have been installed. They
536 can be tuned and have ergonomic syntax for entering exceptions.
539 Texts may now be put on multimeasure rests, e.g.
542 R1*20^\markup @{ "GP" @}
546 Ancient notation now prints ligatures in Gregorian square neumes
547 notation, roughly following the typographical style of the Liber
548 hymnarius of Solesmes, published in 1983. Ligatures are still printed
549 without the proper line breaking and horizontal spacing.
552 Glissandi can now be printed using the zigzag style.
555 LilyPond can now print clusters. The syntax is
558 \apply #notes-to-clusters @{ NOTE NOTE .. @}
562 For irregular meters, beat grouping marks can be printed. The
566 #(set-time-signature 7 8 '(3 2 2))
571 Nested horizontal brackets for music analysis can now be printed:
580 @item Ottava brackets are now fully supported as a feature. The syntax
588 @item Metronome markings are printed when a \tempo command is processed.
592 @item Fingerings can be put on chords horizontally.
596 @item The appearance of various glyphs has been fine-tuned.
600 @item Different types of percent style repeats may now be nested.
604 @item The emacs support has been extended.
608 The manual has been completely revised and extended.
612 @chapter New features in 1.6 since 1.4
618 Support for figured bass and tablature.
621 Completely rewritten beam formatting: provides much better output
626 Completely revised and improved music font.
630 Completely rewritten MIDI import support.
633 Completely rewritten grace note support. Practically speaking this
634 means that grace notes can be slurred to normal normal notes.
638 Improved accidental handling and formatting: styles for producing
639 cautionaries may vary, and complex collisions between accidentals of a
640 chord are handled much better.
643 Better spacing: both globally and locally. This includes subtle
644 details like optical stem spacing.
647 More support for ancient notation: mensural ligatures, ambitus
648 (pitch range) of voices, more shapes, etc.
651 More support for piano notation: bracket pedals, directed arpeggios,
655 Easier music polyphonic music entry.
658 More extensibility, many speedups and bugfixes
661 The manual has been thoroughly revised.
664 Development is now hosted at http://savannah.gnu.org, and sources
665 can be downloaded through anonymous CVS.
668 Support for windows: LilyPond is part of the cygwin distribution,
669 which comes with a user-friendly installer.