1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
8 @chapter New features in 2.1 since 2.0
21 @item The naming of exported Scheme functions now follows Scheme conventions.
22 Changes be applied to Scheme files with convert-ly:
25 convert-ly -e -n --from=2.1.24 --to=2.1.26 *.scm
29 @item Notes can be excluded from auto-beaming, by marking them with
36 will print two separate eighth notes, and two beamed notes.
38 @item Translators and contexts have been split. The result of this
39 internal cleanup is that @code{Score} no longer is the top context;
40 @code{Score} is contained in the @code{Global} context. Consequently,
41 it is possible to tweak @code{Score} as follows:
44 \context Score \with @{
49 @item The number of staff lines in Tablature notation is now
50 automatically deduced from the @code{stringTunings} property.
52 @item The program reference has been cleaned up and revised.
54 @item The syntax for setting properties has been simplified:
55 the following table lists the differences:
60 \property A.B = #C \set A.B = #C
61 \property A.B \unset \unset A.B
62 \property A.B \set #C = #D \override A.B #C = #D
63 \property A.B \override #C = #D (removed)
64 \property A.B \revert #C \revert A.B #C
67 Furthermore, if @code{A} is left out, the bottommost context is used
68 by default. In other words, it is no longer necessary to explicitly
69 mention @code{Voice}, @code{Lyrics} or @code{ChordNames}.
74 \property Voice.autoBeaming = ##f
75 \property Staff.TimeSignature \set #'style = #'C
81 \set autoBeaming = ##f
82 \override Staff.TimeSignature #'style = #'C
86 @item Tweaks made with @code{\override} and @code{\revert} no longer
87 hide tweaks at higher context levels.
89 @item Melismata in lyrics are also properly handled in the MIDI output.
91 @item The lilypond-book script has been rewritten.
92 It is shorter, cleaner and faster. The special construct
93 @code{mbinclude} has been removed, plain @code{@@include} or
94 @code{\input} can be used now.
98 running convert-ly on the lilypond snippets like so:
100 lilypond-book --filter='convert-ly --from=2.0.0' my-book.tely
104 @item The @code{LyricsVoice} context has been removed. Lyrics should only
105 be constructed in @code{Lyrics}.
107 @item The @code{Thread} context has been removed. Note heads and rests
108 are now constructed at @code{Voice} level.
110 @item Harmonic notes can now be entered as
116 @item Drum notation is now supported as a regular feature:
117 percussion may be entered in @code{\drums} mode, and printed or
118 performed in a @code{DrumStaff} context:
122 \drums \new DrumStaff @{ hihat4 cowbell8 @}
126 @item The automatic staff changer was internally rewritten. As a
127 result, the syntax has been simplified as well:
130 \autochange @var{the music}
133 @item The ergonomic syntax of @code{\markup} now has an equivalent in
134 Scheme. The @code{markup*} macro creates such objects; the following
135 two markup commands are equivalent:
137 f4^#(markup* #:raise 0.2 #:bold "hi")
138 f4^\markup @{ \raise #0.2 \bold hi @}
141 @item Voice names, for vocal lines, have been added. They are similar
142 to instrument names. They can be set by defining @code{vocalName}
145 @item Safe mode has been reinstated for lilypond.
146 When lilypond is invoked with @code{--safe-mode}, @TeX{} and
147 PostScript file output is disallowed, and lilypond-bin is invoked with
148 @code{--safe-mode}, the user's Guile expressions are evaluated in a
149 safe environment and file inclusion is not allowed.
151 Warning: this does not protect against denial-of-service attacks using
152 Guile, @TeX{} or PostScript.
154 (This feature is still experimental.)
156 @item There is now a Scheme macro for defining markup
157 commands. Special mark-up commands can be defined in user-files too.
159 @item Many fixes for dimension scaling have been made,
160 resulting in correct results for scores that mix staves in different
163 @item Improved robustness when layout properties are accidentally removed.
165 @item A more cleanly constructed part combiner has been installed.
166 It is more robust and less buggy. The part-combiner can be used with
168 \partcombine @var{mus1} @var{mus2}
172 See @file{input/regression/new-part-combine.ly} for an example.
174 @item Formatting of rehearsal marks has been improved. The @code{\mark}
175 command now only does automatic incrementing for marks specified as
176 integer. For example, @code{\mark #1} will print an A in the default
177 style. See @file{input/regression/rehearsal-mark-letter.ly},
178 @file{input/regression/rehearsal-mark-number.ly}.
180 @item Formatting of ottava brackets has been much improved.
182 @item Objects in the output can now be documented: the following fragment
183 boxes the note head, and adds the text ``heads or tails?'' three
184 spaces below the box.
187 \context Voice \applyoutput #(add-balloon-text
188 'NoteHead "heads, or tails?"
196 @item Default staff sizes are now scalable. There are two new mechanisms for
197 setting staff sizes. Both are demonstrated in this fragment:
200 #(set-global-staff-size 15)
202 #(paper-set-staff-size (* 15 pt))
208 Both have the same effect on the global layout of a piece. Similarly,
209 the paper size may be changed as follows
212 #(set-paper-size "a4")
216 @item Warnings for bar check errors are more cleverly printed. This
217 makes @code{barCheckSynchronize} superfluous, so it is now switched
220 Warning: this will cause problems in scores that use bar checks to
223 @item The black note head was made a little rounder, which causes a less
224 frantic graphic impression.
227 A more concise syntax for checking octaves was introduced. A note may
228 be followed by @code{=}@var{quotes} which indicates what its absolute
229 octave should be. In the following example,
232 \relative c'' @{ c='' b=' d,='' @}
236 the d will generate a warning, because a d'' is
237 expected, but a d' is found.
238 @c @code adds ` ' very confusing.
240 @item There is a new mechanism for putting lyrics to melodies.
241 With this mechanism, @code{LyricVoice}s can be put melodies
242 individually, allowing for different melismatic sections in every
243 @code{LyricVoice}. See @file{input/regression/lyric-combine-new.ly}.
245 @item Bar lines may now be dotted.
248 @item The documentation now has links to a wiki, where everyone can
249 add personal comments to the manual.
251 @item Contexts may now be changed locally for an isolated music
252 expression. For example,
256 \consists "Pitch_squash_engraver"
262 @item The syntax for changing staffs has changed. The keyword
263 @code{\change} should now be used, e.g.
269 @item Features of spanner contexts, like @code{Staff}, can now be changed
270 using @code{\property}, eg.
274 \property Staff.StaffSymbol \set #'line-count = #4
280 puts a quarter note C on a staff with 4 lines.
283 @item Multi measure rests are now truly centered between the
284 clefs/barlines of the staff, their position is independent of symbols
287 @item Collision resolution for dots in chords has been improved greatly.
290 Spacing following barlines was improved for widely stretched lines.
293 Lyric hyphens and extenders now conform to standard typesetting
297 Lyrics are now aligned under note heads conforming to engraving
298 standards. The responsible code has been rewritten, and is drastically
299 simpler from the previous version. To aid this rewrite, the syntactic
300 function of the extender line ( __ ) has been changed: it is now
301 attached to the lyric syllable.
304 When redefining a context, the associated identifier is also
305 updated. For example, after reading the following snippet,
312 the definition of @code{ScoreContext} is updated to include the changed
317 The weight of the stafflines is now heavier at smaller staff sizes.
318 The font has been modified to match this look: at smaller sizes, the
319 font is heavier and the note heads are more rounded.
321 @item Processing scores is now done while parsing the file. New
322 Scheme functions give more flexibility: for example, it is now possible
323 interpret a score, collecting synchronized musical events in a list, and
324 manipulate that information using inline Scheme. For an example, see
325 @file{input/no-notation/recording.ly}.
327 @item Font sizes can now truly be scaled continuously: the @code{font-size}
328 is similar to the old @code{font-relative-size}, but may be set to
329 fractional values; the closest design size will be scaled to achieve
330 the desired size. As a side-effect, there are now no longer
331 limitations in using smaller fonts (eg. grace notes) at small staff
334 @item Stem tips are now also engraved with rounded corners.
337 The placement of accidentals on chords and ledgered notes is improved.
342 @chapter New features in 2.0 since 1.8
347 Crescendos can now be drawn dotted or dashed.
350 Quarter tones are now supported. They are entered by suffixing
351 @code{ih} for a half-sharp and @code{eh} for a half-flat. Hence, the
352 following is an ascending list of pitches:
355 ceses ceseh ces ceh c cih cis cisih cisis
359 The following constructs have been removed from the syntax:
362 \duration #SCHEME-DURATION
364 \outputproperty @var{func} @var{symbol} = @var{value}
367 For @code{\outputproperty}, the following may be substituted:
370 \applyoutput #(outputproperty-compatibility @var{func}
371 @var{symbol} @var{value})
375 Clefs may now be transposed arbitrarily, for example
385 The syntax for chords and simultaneous music have changed.
386 Chords are entered as
392 while simultaneous music is entered as
395 <<@var{..music list..}>>
398 In effect, the meanings of both have been swapped relative to their 1.8
399 definition. The syntax for lists in @code{\markup} has changed
400 alongside, but figured bass mode was not changed, i.e.:
403 \markup @{ \center <@var{..list of markups..}> @}
404 \figure @{ <@var{figures}> @}
407 As chords the more often used than simultaneous music, this change will
411 Each music expression can now be tagged, to make different printed
412 versions from the same music expression. In the following example,
413 we see two versions of a piece of music, one for the full score, and
414 one with cue notes for the instrumental part:
418 @{ c4 f2 g4 @} % in the part, we have cue-notes
420 \tag #'score R1 % in the score: only a rest
424 The same can be applied to articulations, texts, etc.: they are
428 -\tag #@var{your-tags}
431 to an articulation, for example,
434 c4-\tag #'with-fingerings -4 -\tag #'with-strings \6
437 This defines a note, which has a conditional fingering and a
438 string-number indication.
441 The settings for chord-fingering are more flexible. You can specify a
442 list where fingerings may be placed, eg.
445 \property Voice.fingeringOrientations = #'(left down)
448 This will put the fingering for the lowest note below the chord, and the
452 The script previously known as @code{ly2dvi} has been renamed to
453 @code{lilypond}. The binary itself is now installed as
457 Markup text (ie. general text formatting) may now be used for lyrics too.
460 Two new commands for grace notes have been added, @code{\acciaccatura}
461 and @code{\appoggiatura},
468 Both reflect the traditional meanings of acciaccatura and appogiatura,
469 and both insert insert a slur from the first grace note to the main
473 Layout options for grace notes are now stored in a context property,
474 and may now be set separately from musical content.
477 The @code{\new} command will create a context with a unique
478 name automatically. Hence, for multi-staff scores, it is no longer
479 necessary to invent arbitrary context names. For example, a two-staff
480 score may be created by
484 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 1st staff} @}
485 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 2nd staff} @}
492 Octave checks make octave errors easier to correct.
499 This checks that @var{pitch} (without octave) yields @var{pitch} (with
500 octave) in \relative mode. If not, a warning is printed, and the
504 All articulations must now be entered postfix. For example,
511 is a pair of beamed slurred eighth notes.
514 The definition of @code{\relative} has been simplified. Octaves are
515 now always propagated in the order that music is entered. In the
520 \repeat "unfold" 3 BODY \alternative @{ ALT1 ALT2 @}
525 the octave of BODY is based on PRE, the starting octave of ALT1 on
526 BODY, the starting octave of ALT2 on ALT1, and the starting octave of
529 The same mechanism is used for all other music expressions, except the
530 chord. Backwards compatibility is retained through a special program option,
534 #(ly:set-option 'old-relative)
538 Windows users can double click a @code{.ly} file to process and view
539 it automagically through the new @code{lily-wins} frontend.
546 @chapter New features in 1.8 since 1.6
551 The chord entry code has been completely rewritten. It is now
552 cleaner and more flexible.
555 A new syntax has been added for text entry. This syntax is more
556 friendly than the old mechanism, and it is implemented in a more
557 robust and modular way. For more information, refer to the section on
558 "Text markup" in the notation manual.
561 The integration of the input language and Scheme has been made deeper:
562 you can now use LilyPond identifiers in Scheme, and use Scheme
563 expressions instead of LilyPond identifiers.
566 The internal representation of music has been cleaned up completely
567 and converted to Scheme data structures. The representation may be
571 A new uniform postfix syntax for articulation has been introduced.
572 A beamed slurred pair of eighth notes can be entered as
578 In version 2.0, postfix syntax will be the only syntax
579 available, and the dashes will become optional.
581 This will simplify the language: all articulations can be entered as
582 postfix, in any order.
585 A new syntax has been added for chords:
592 It is not necessary to update files to this syntax, but it will be for
593 using LilyPond version 2.0. In version 2.0, this syntax will be
603 \simultaneous @{ .. @}
606 for simultaneous music.
608 To convert your files from <PITCHES> to <<PITCHES>>, use the script
609 included in buildscripts/convert-new-chords.py
611 This change was introduced for the following reasons
615 It solves the "start score with chord" problem, where you have to
616 state \context Voice explicitly when a chord was the start of a
619 With the new syntax, it is possible to distinguish between
620 articulations (or fingerings) which are for a single chord note,
621 and which are for the entire chord. This allows for per-note
622 fingerings, and is more logical on the whole.
626 User code may now be executed during interpreting. The syntax for
630 \applycontext #SCHEME-FUNCTION
634 User code may now be executed on arbitrary grobs during interpreting.
635 The syntax for this feature is
638 \applyoutput #SCHEME-FUNCTION
642 SCHEME-FUNCTION takes a single argument, and is called for every grob
643 that is created in the current context.
646 New algorithms for chord-name formatting have been installed. They
647 can be tuned and have ergonomic syntax for entering exceptions.
650 Texts may now be put on multimeasure rests, e.g.
653 R1*20^\markup @{ "GP" @}
657 Ancient notation now prints ligatures in Gregorian square neumes
658 notation, roughly following the typographical style of the Liber
659 hymnarius of Solesmes, published in 1983. Ligatures are still printed
660 without the proper line breaking and horizontal spacing.
663 Glissandi can now be printed using the zigzag style.
666 LilyPond can now print clusters. The syntax is
669 \apply #notes-to-clusters @{ NOTE NOTE .. @}
673 For irregular meters, beat grouping marks can be printed. The
677 #(set-time-signature 7 8 '(3 2 2))
682 Nested horizontal brackets for music analysis can now be printed:
691 @item Ottava brackets are now fully supported as a feature. The syntax
699 @item Metronome markings are printed when a \tempo command is processed.
703 @item Fingerings can be put on chords horizontally.
707 @item The appearance of various glyphs has been fine-tuned.
711 @item Different types of percent style repeats may now be nested.
715 @item The emacs support has been extended.
719 The manual has been completely revised and extended.
723 @chapter New features in 1.6 since 1.4
729 Support for figured bass and tablature.
732 Completely rewritten beam formatting: provides much better output
737 Completely revised and improved music font.
741 Completely rewritten MIDI import support.
744 Completely rewritten grace note support. Practically speaking this
745 means that grace notes can be slurred to normal normal notes.
749 Improved accidental handling and formatting: styles for producing
750 cautionaries may vary, and complex collisions between accidentals of a
751 chord are handled much better.
754 Better spacing: both globally and locally. This includes subtle
755 details like optical stem spacing.
758 More support for ancient notation: mensural ligatures, ambitus
759 (pitch range) of voices, more shapes, etc.
762 More support for piano notation: bracket pedals, directed arpeggios,
766 Easier music polyphonic music entry.
769 More extensibility, many speedups and bugfixes
772 The manual has been thoroughly revised.
775 Development is now hosted at http://savannah.gnu.org, and sources
776 can be downloaded through anonymous CVS.
779 Support for windows: LilyPond is part of the cygwin distribution,
780 which comes with a user-friendly installer.