1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
8 @chapter New features in 2.1 since 2.0
21 @item The @code{Thread} context has been removed. Note heads and rests
22 are now constructed at @code{Voice} level.
24 @item Harmonic notes can now be entered as
29 @item Drum notation is now supported as a regular feature:
30 percussion may be entered in @code{\drums} mode, and printed in a
31 @code{DrumStaff} context:
35 \drums \new DrumStaff @{ hihat4 cowbell8 @}
40 @item The automatic staff changer was internally rewritten. As a
41 result, the syntax has been simplified as well:
44 \autochange @var{the music}
47 @item The ergonomic syntax of @code{\markup} now has an equivalent in
48 Scheme. The @code{markup*} macro creates such objects; the following
49 two markup commands are equivalent:
51 f4^#(markup* #:raise 0.2 #:bold "hi")
52 f4^\markup @{ \raise #0.2 \bold hi @}
55 @item Voice names, for vocal lines, have been added. They are similar
56 to instrument names. They can be set by defining @code{vocalName}
59 @item Safe mode has been reinstated for lilypond.
60 When lilypond is invoked with @code{--safe-mode}, @TeX{} and
61 PostScript file output is disallowed, and lilypond-bin is invoked with
62 @code{--safe-mode}, the user's Guile expressions are evaluated in a
63 safe environment and file inclusion is not allowed.
65 Warning: this does not protect against denial-of-service attacks using
66 Guile, @TeX{} or PostScript.
68 (This feature is still experimental.)
70 @item There is now a Scheme macro for defining markup
71 commands. Special mark-up commands can be defined in user-files too.
73 @item Many fixes for dimension scaling have been made,
74 resulting in correct results for scores that mix staves in different
77 @item Improved robustness when layout properties are accidentally removed.
79 @item A more cleanly constructed part combiner has been installed.
80 It is more robust and less buggy. The part-combiner can be used with
82 \partcombine @var{mus1} @var{mus2}
86 See @file{input/regression/new-part-combine.ly} for an example.
88 @item Formatting of rehearsal marks has been improved. The @code{\mark}
89 command now only does automatic incrementing for marks specified as
90 integer. For example, @code{\mark #1} will print an A in the default
91 style. See @file{input/regression/rehearsal-mark-letter.ly},
92 @file{input/regression/rehearsal-mark-number.ly}.
94 @item Formatting of ottava brackets has been much improved.
96 @item Objects in the output can now be documented: the following fragment
97 boxes the note head, and adds the text ``heads or tails?'' three
101 \context Voice \applyoutput #(add-balloon-text
102 'NoteHead "heads, or tails?"
110 @item Default staff sizes are now scalable. There are two new mechanisms for
111 setting staff sizes. Both are demonstrated in this fragment:
114 #(set-global-staff-size 15)
116 #(paper-set-staff-size (* 15 pt))
122 Both have the same effect on the global layout of a
123 piece. Similarly, the paper size may be changed as follows
126 #(set-paper-size "a4")
130 @item Warnings for bar check errors are more cleverly printed. This
131 makes @code{barCheckSynchronize} superfluous, so it is now switched
134 Warning: this will cause problems in scores that use bar checks to
137 @item The black note head was made a little rounder, which causes a less
138 frantic graphic impression.
141 A more concise syntax for checking octaves was introduced. A note may
142 be followed by @code{=}@var{quotes} which indicates what its absolute
143 octave should be. In the following example,
146 \relative c'' @{ c='' b=' d,='' @}
150 the d will generate a warning, because a d'' is
151 expected, but a d' is found.
152 @c @code adds ` ' very confusing.
154 @item There is a new mechanism for putting lyrics to melodies.
155 With this mechanism, @code{LyricVoice}s can be put melodies
156 individually, allowing for different melismatic sections in every
157 @code{LyricVoice}. See @file{input/regression/lyric-combine-new.ly}.
159 @item Bar lines may now be dotted.
162 @item The documentation now has links to a wiki, where everyone can
163 add personal comments to the manual.
165 @item Contexts may now be changed locally for an isolated music
166 expression. For example,
170 \consists "Pitch_squash_engraver"
176 @item The syntax for changing staffs has changed. The keyword
177 @code{\change} should now be used, e.g.
183 @item Features of spanner contexts, like @code{Staff}, can now be changed
184 using @code{\property}, eg.
188 \property Staff.StaffSymbol \set #'line-count = #4
194 puts a quarter note C on a staff with 4 lines.
197 @item Multi measure rests are now truly centered between the
198 clefs/barlines of the staff, their position is independent of symbols
201 @item Collision resolution for dots in chords has been improved greatly.
204 Spacing following barlines was improved for widely stretched lines.
207 Lyric hyphens and extenders now conform to standard typesetting
211 Lyrics are now aligned under note heads conforming to engraving
212 standards. The responsible code has been rewritten, and is drastically
213 simpler from the previous version. To aid this rewrite, the syntactic
214 function of the extender line ( __ ) has been changed: it is now
215 attached to the lyric syllable.
218 When redefining a context, the associated identifier is also
219 updated. For example, after reading the following snippet,
226 the definition of @code{ScoreContext} is updated to include the changed
231 The weight of the stafflines is now heavier at smaller staff sizes.
232 The font has been modified to match this look: at smaller sizes, the
233 font is heavier and the note heads are more rounded.
235 @item Processing scores is now done while parsing the file. New
236 Scheme functions give more flexibility: for example, it is now possible
237 interpret a score, collecting synchronized musical events in a list, and
238 manipulate that information using inline Scheme. For an example, see
239 @file{input/no-notation/recording.ly}.
241 @item Font sizes can now truly be scaled continuously: the @code{font-size}
242 is similar to the old @code{font-relative-size}, but may be set to
243 fractional values; the closest design size will be scaled to achieve
244 the desired size. As a side-effect, there are now no longer
245 limitations in using smaller fonts (eg. grace notes) at small staff
248 @item Stem tips are now also engraved with rounded corners.
251 The placement of accidentals on chords and ledgered notes is improved.
256 @chapter New features in 2.0 since 1.8
261 Crescendos can now be drawn dotted or dashed.
264 Quarter tones are now supported. They are entered by suffixing
265 @code{ih} for a half-sharp and @code{eh} for a half-flat. Hence, the
266 following is an ascending list of pitches:
269 ceses ceseh ces ceh c cih cis cisih cisis
273 The following constructs have been removed from the syntax:
276 \duration #SCHEME-DURATION
278 \outputproperty @var{func} @var{symbol} = @var{value}
281 For @code{\outputproperty}, the following may be substituted:
284 \applyoutput #(outputproperty-compatibility @var{func}
285 @var{symbol} @var{value})
289 Clefs may now be transposed arbitrarily, for example
299 The syntax for chords and simultaneous music have changed.
300 Chords are entered as
306 while simultaneous music is entered as
309 <<@var{..music list..}>>
312 In effect, the meanings of both have been swapped relative to their 1.8
313 definition. The syntax for lists in @code{\markup} has changed
314 alongside, but figured bass mode was not changed, i.e.:
317 \markup @{ \center <@var{..list of markups..}> @}
318 \figure @{ <@var{figures}> @}
321 As chords the more often used than simultaneous music, this change will
325 Each music expression can now be tagged, to make different printed
326 versions from the same music expression. In the following example,
327 we see two versions of a piece of music, one for the full score, and
328 one with cue notes for the instrumental part:
332 @{ c4 f2 g4 @} % in the part, we have cue-notes
334 \tag #'score R1 % in the score: only a rest
338 The same can be applied to articulations, texts, etc.: they are
342 -\tag #@var{your-tags}
345 to an articulation, for example,
348 c4-\tag #'with-fingerings -4 -\tag #'with-strings \6
351 This defines a note, which has a conditional fingering and a
352 string-number indication.
355 The settings for chord-fingering are more flexible. You can specify a
356 list where fingerings may be placed, eg.
359 \property Voice.fingeringOrientations = #'(left down)
362 This will put the fingering for the lowest note below the chord, and the
366 The script previously known as @code{ly2dvi} has been renamed to
367 @code{lilypond}. The binary itself is now installed as
371 Markup text (ie. general text formatting) may now be used for lyrics too.
374 Two new commands for grace notes have been added, @code{\acciaccatura}
375 and @code{\appoggiatura},
382 Both reflect the traditional meanings of acciaccatura and appogiatura,
383 and both insert insert a slur from the first grace note to the main
387 Layout options for grace notes are now stored in a context property,
388 and may now be set separately from musical content.
391 The @code{\new} command will create a context with a unique
392 name automatically. Hence, for multi-staff scores, it is no longer
393 necessary to invent arbitrary context names. For example, a two-staff
394 score may be created by
398 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 1st staff} @}
399 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 2nd staff} @}
406 Octave checks make octave errors easier to correct.
413 This checks that @var{pitch} (without octave) yields @var{pitch} (with
414 octave) in \relative mode. If not, a warning is printed, and the
418 All articulations must now be entered postfix. For example,
425 is a pair of beamed slurred eighth notes.
428 The definition of @code{\relative} has been simplified. Octaves are
429 now always propagated in the order that music is entered. In the
434 \repeat "unfold" 3 BODY \alternative @{ ALT1 ALT2 @}
439 the octave of BODY is based on PRE, the starting octave of ALT1 on
440 BODY, the starting octave of ALT2 on ALT1, and the starting octave of
443 The same mechanism is used for all other music expressions, except the
444 chord. Backwards compatibility is retained through a special program option,
448 #(ly:set-option 'old-relative)
452 Windows users can double click a @code{.ly} file to process and view
453 it automagically through the new @code{lily-wins} frontend.
460 @chapter New features in 1.8 since 1.6
465 The chord entry code has been completely rewritten. It is now
466 cleaner and more flexible.
469 A new syntax has been added for text entry. This syntax is more
470 friendly than the old mechanism, and it is implemented in a more
471 robust and modular way. For more information, refer to the section on
472 "Text markup" in the notation manual.
475 The integration of the input language and Scheme has been made deeper:
476 you can now use LilyPond identifiers in Scheme, and use Scheme
477 expressions instead of LilyPond identifiers.
480 The internal representation of music has been cleaned up completely
481 and converted to Scheme data structures. The representation may be
485 A new uniform postfix syntax for articulation has been introduced.
486 A beamed slurred pair of eighth notes can be entered as
492 In version 2.0, postfix syntax will be the only syntax
493 available, and the dashes will become optional.
495 This will simplify the language: all articulations can be entered as
496 postfix, in any order.
499 A new syntax has been added for chords:
506 It is not necessary to update files to this syntax, but it will be for
507 using LilyPond version 2.0. In version 2.0, this syntax will be
517 \simultaneous @{ .. @}
520 for simultaneous music.
522 To convert your files from <PITCHES> to <<PITCHES>>, use the script
523 included in buildscripts/convert-new-chords.py
525 This change was introduced for the following reasons
529 It solves the "start score with chord" problem, where you have to
530 state \context Voice explicitly when a chord was the start of a
533 With the new syntax, it is possible to distinguish between
534 articulations (or fingerings) which are for a single chord note,
535 and which are for the entire chord. This allows for per-note
536 fingerings, and is more logical on the whole.
540 User code may now be executed during interpreting. The syntax for
544 \applycontext #SCHEME-FUNCTION
548 User code may now be executed on arbitrary grobs during interpreting.
549 The syntax for this feature is
552 \applyoutput #SCHEME-FUNCTION
556 SCHEME-FUNCTION takes a single argument, and is called for every grob
557 that is created in the current context.
560 New algorithms for chord-name formatting have been installed. They
561 can be tuned and have ergonomic syntax for entering exceptions.
564 Texts may now be put on multimeasure rests, e.g.
567 R1*20^\markup @{ "GP" @}
571 Ancient notation now prints ligatures in Gregorian square neumes
572 notation, roughly following the typographical style of the Liber
573 hymnarius of Solesmes, published in 1983. Ligatures are still printed
574 without the proper line breaking and horizontal spacing.
577 Glissandi can now be printed using the zigzag style.
580 LilyPond can now print clusters. The syntax is
583 \apply #notes-to-clusters @{ NOTE NOTE .. @}
587 For irregular meters, beat grouping marks can be printed. The
591 #(set-time-signature 7 8 '(3 2 2))
596 Nested horizontal brackets for music analysis can now be printed:
605 @item Ottava brackets are now fully supported as a feature. The syntax
613 @item Metronome markings are printed when a \tempo command is processed.
617 @item Fingerings can be put on chords horizontally.
621 @item The appearance of various glyphs has been fine-tuned.
625 @item Different types of percent style repeats may now be nested.
629 @item The emacs support has been extended.
633 The manual has been completely revised and extended.
637 @chapter New features in 1.6 since 1.4
643 Support for figured bass and tablature.
646 Completely rewritten beam formatting: provides much better output
651 Completely revised and improved music font.
655 Completely rewritten MIDI import support.
658 Completely rewritten grace note support. Practically speaking this
659 means that grace notes can be slurred to normal normal notes.
663 Improved accidental handling and formatting: styles for producing
664 cautionaries may vary, and complex collisions between accidentals of a
665 chord are handled much better.
668 Better spacing: both globally and locally. This includes subtle
669 details like optical stem spacing.
672 More support for ancient notation: mensural ligatures, ambitus
673 (pitch range) of voices, more shapes, etc.
676 More support for piano notation: bracket pedals, directed arpeggios,
680 Easier music polyphonic music entry.
683 More extensibility, many speedups and bugfixes
686 The manual has been thoroughly revised.
689 Development is now hosted at http://savannah.gnu.org, and sources
690 can be downloaded through anonymous CVS.
693 Support for windows: LilyPond is part of the cygwin distribution,
694 which comes with a user-friendly installer.