1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
8 @chapter New features in 2.1 since 2.0
20 @item Voice names, for vocal lines, have been added. They are similar
21 to instrument names. They can be set by defining @code{vocalName}
24 @item Safe mode has been reinstated for lilypond.
25 When lilypond is invoked with @code{--safe-mode}, @TeX{} and
26 PostScript file output is disallowed, and lilypond-bin is invoked with
27 @code{--safe-mode}, the user's Guile expressions are evaluated in a
28 safe environment and file inclusion is not allowed.
30 Be warned that a DOS attack using Guile, @TeX{} or PostScript is
33 (This feature is still experimental.)
35 @item There is now a Scheme macro for defining markup
36 commands. Special mark-up commands can be defined in user-files too.
38 @item Many fixes for dimension scaling have been made,
39 resulting in correct results for scores that mix staves in different
42 @item Improved robustness when layout properties are accidentally removed.
44 @item A more cleanly constructed part combiner has been installed.
45 It is more robust and less buggy. The part-combiner can be used with
47 \newpartcombine @var{mus1} @var{mus2}
51 See @file{input/regression/new-part-combine.ly} for an example.
53 (This feature is still experimental.)
55 @item Formatting of rehearsal marks has been improved. The @code{\mark}
56 command now only does automatic incrementing for marks specified as
57 integer. For example, @code{\mark #1} will print an A in the default
58 style. See @file{input/regression/rehearsal-mark-letter.ly},
59 @file{input/regression/rehearsal-mark-number.ly}.
61 @item Formatting of ottava brackets has been much improved.
63 @item Objects in the output can now be documented: the following fragment
64 boxes the note head, and adds the text ``heads or tails?'' three
68 \context Voice \applyoutput #(add-balloon-text
69 'NoteHead "heads, or tails?"
77 @item Default staff sizes are now scalable. There are two new mechanisms for
78 setting staff sizes. Both are demonstrated in this fragment:
81 #(set-global-staff-size 15)
83 #(paper-set-staff-size (* 15 pt))
89 Both have the same effect on the global layout of a
90 piece. Similarly, the paper size may be changed as follows
93 #(set-paper-size "a4")
97 @item Warnings for bar check errors are more cleverly printed. This
98 makes @code{barCheckSynchronize} superfluous, so it is now switched
101 Warning: this will cause problems in scores that use bar checks to
104 @item The black note head was made a little rounder, which causes a less
105 frantic graphic impression.
108 A more concise syntax for checking octaves was introduced. A note may
109 be followed by @code{=}@var{quotes} which indicates what its absolute
110 octave should be. In the following example,
113 \relative c'' @{ c='' b=' d,='' @}
117 the d will generate a warning, because a d'' is
118 expected, but a d' is found.
119 @c @code adds ` ' very confusing.
121 @item There is a new mechanism for putting lyrics to melodies.
122 With this mechanism, @code{LyricVoice}s can be put melodies
123 individually, allowing for different melismatic sections in every
124 @code{LyricVoice}. See @file{input/regression/lyric-combine-new.ly}.
126 @item Bar lines may now be dotted.
129 @item The documentation now has links to a wiki, where everyone can
130 add personal comments to the manual.
132 @item Contexts may now be changed locally for an isolated music
133 expression. For example,
137 \consists "Pitch_squash_engraver"
143 @item The syntax for changing staffs has changed. The keyword
144 @code{\change} should now be used, e.g.
150 @item Features of spanner contexts, like @code{Staff}, can now be changed
151 using @code{\property}, eg.
155 \property Staff.StaffSymbol \set #'line-count = #4
161 puts a quarter note C on a staff with 4 lines.
164 @item Multi measure rests are now truly centered between the
165 clefs/barlines of the staff, their position is independent of symbols
168 @item Collision resolution for dots in chords has been improved greatly.
171 Spacing following barlines was improved for widely stretched lines.
174 Lyric hyphens and extenders now conform to standard typesetting
178 Lyrics are now aligned under note heads conforming to engraving
179 standards. The responsible code has been rewritten, and is drastically
180 simpler from the previous version. To aid this rewrite, the syntactic
181 function of the extender line ( __ ) has been changed: it is now
182 attached to the lyric syllable.
185 When redefining a context, the associated identifier is also
186 updated. For example, after reading the following snippet,
193 the definition of @code{ScoreContext} is updated to include the changed
198 The weight of the stafflines is now heavier at smaller staff sizes.
199 The font has been modified to match this look: at smaller sizes, the
200 font is heavier and the note heads are more rounded.
202 @item Processing scores is now done while parsing the file. New
203 Scheme functions give more flexibility: for example, it is now possible
204 interpret a score, collecting synchronized musical events in a list, and
205 manipulate that information using inline Scheme. For an example, see
206 @file{input/no-notation/recording.ly}.
208 @item Font sizes can now truly be scaled continuously: the @code{font-size}
209 is similar to the old @code{font-relative-size}, but may be set to
210 fractional values; the closest design size will be scaled to achieve
211 the desired size. As a side-effect, there are now no longer
212 limitations in using smaller fonts (eg. grace notes) at small staff
215 @item The appearance of stem tips is now also engraved with rounded corners.
218 The placement of accidentals on chords and ledgered notes is improved.
223 @chapter New features in 2.0 since 1.8
228 Crescendos can now be drawn dotted or dashed.
231 Quarter tones are now supported. They are entered by suffixing
232 @code{ih} for a half-sharp and @code{eh} for a half-flat. Hence, the
233 following is an ascending list of pitches:
236 ceses ceseh ces ceh c cih cis cisih cisis
240 The following constructs have been removed from the syntax:
243 \duration #SCHEME-DURATION
245 \outputproperty @var{func} @var{symbol} = @var{value}
248 For @code{\outputproperty}, the following may be substituted:
251 \applyoutput #(outputproperty-compatibility @var{func}
252 @var{symbol} @var{value})
256 Clefs may now be transposed arbitrarily, for example
266 The syntax for chords and simultaneous music have changed.
267 Chords are entered as
273 while simultaneous music is entered as
276 <<@var{..music list..}>>
279 In effect, the meanings of both have been swapped relative to their 1.8
280 definition. The syntax for lists in @code{\markup} has changed
281 alongside, but figured bass mode was not changed, i.e.:
284 \markup @{ \center <@var{..list of markups..}> @}
285 \figure @{ <@var{figures}> @}
288 As chords the more often used than simultaneous music, this change will
292 Each music expression can now be tagged, to make different printed
293 versions from the same music expression. In the following example,
294 we see two versions of a piece of music, one for the full score, and
295 one with cue notes for the instrumental part:
299 @{ c4 f2 g4 @} % in the part, we have cue-notes
301 \tag #'score R1 % in the score: only a rest
305 The same can be applied to articulations, texts, etc.: they are
309 -\tag #@var{your-tags}
312 to an articulation, for example,
315 c4-\tag #'with-fingerings -4 -\tag #'with-strings \6
318 This defines a note, which has a conditional fingering and a
319 string-number indication.
322 The settings for chord-fingering are more flexible. You can specify a
323 list where fingerings may be placed, eg.
326 \property Voice.fingeringOrientations = #'(left down)
329 This will put the fingering for the lowest note below the chord, and the
333 The script previously known as @code{ly2dvi} has been renamed to
334 @code{lilypond}. The binary itself is now installed as
338 Markup text (ie. general text formatting) may now be used for lyrics too.
341 Two new commands for grace notes have been added, @code{\acciaccatura}
342 and @code{\appoggiatura},
349 Both reflect the traditional meanings of acciaccatura and appogiatura,
350 and both insert insert a slur from the first grace note to the main
354 Layout options for grace notes are now stored in a context property,
355 and may now be set separately from musical content.
358 The @code{\new} command will create a context with a unique
359 name automatically. Hence, for multi-staff scores, it is no longer
360 necessary to invent arbitrary context names. For example, a two-staff
361 score may be created by
365 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 1st staff} @}
366 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 2nd staff} @}
373 Octave checks make octave errors easier to correct.
380 This checks that @var{pitch} (without octave) yields @var{pitch} (with
381 octave) in \relative mode. If not, a warning is printed, and the
385 All articulations must now be entered postfix. For example,
392 is a pair of beamed slurred eighth notes.
395 The definition of @code{\relative} has been simplified. Octaves are
396 now always propagated in the order that music is entered. In the
401 \repeat "unfold" 3 BODY \alternative @{ ALT1 ALT2 @}
406 the octave of BODY is based on PRE, the starting octave of ALT1 on
407 BODY, the starting octave of ALT2 on ALT1, and the starting octave of
410 The same mechanism is used for all other music expressions, except the
411 chord. Backwards compatibility is retained through a special program option,
415 #(ly:set-option 'old-relative)
419 Windows users can double click a @code{.ly} file to process and view
420 it automagically through the new @code{lily-wins} frontend.
427 @chapter New features in 1.8 since 1.6
432 The chord entry code has been completely rewritten. It is now
433 cleaner and more flexible.
436 A new syntax has been added for text entry. This syntax is more
437 friendly than the old mechanism, and it is implemented in a more
438 robust and modular way. For more information, refer to the section on
439 "Text markup" in the notation manual.
442 The integration of the input language and Scheme has been made deeper:
443 you can now use LilyPond identifiers in Scheme, and use Scheme
444 expressions instead of LilyPond identifiers.
447 The internal representation of music has been cleaned up completely
448 and converted to Scheme data structures. The representation may be
452 A new uniform postfix syntax for articulation has been introduced.
453 A beamed slurred pair of eighth notes can be entered as
459 In version 2.0, postfix syntax will be the only syntax
460 available, and the dashes will become optional.
462 This will simplify the language: all articulations can be entered as
463 postfix, in any order.
466 A new syntax has been added for chords:
473 It is not necessary to update files to this syntax, but it will be for
474 using LilyPond version 2.0. In version 2.0, this syntax will be
484 \simultaneous @{ .. @}
487 for simultaneous music.
489 To convert your files from <PITCHES> to <<PITCHES>>, use the script
490 included in buildscripts/convert-new-chords.py
492 This change was introduced for the following reasons
496 It solves the "start score with chord" problem, where you have to
497 state \context Voice explicitly when a chord was the start of a
500 With the new syntax, it is possible to distinguish between
501 articulations (or fingerings) which are for a single chord note,
502 and which are for the entire chord. This allows for per-note
503 fingerings, and is more logical on the whole.
507 User code may now be executed during interpreting. The syntax for
511 \applycontext #SCHEME-FUNCTION
515 User code may now be executed on arbitrary grobs during interpreting.
516 The syntax for this feature is
519 \applyoutput #SCHEME-FUNCTION
523 SCHEME-FUNCTION takes a single argument, and is called for every grob
524 that is created in the current context.
527 New algorithms for chord-name formatting have been installed. They
528 can be tuned and have ergonomic syntax for entering exceptions.
531 Texts may now be put on multimeasure rests, e.g.
534 R1*20^\markup @{ "GP" @}
538 Ancient notation now prints ligatures in Gregorian square neumes
539 notation, roughly following the typographical style of the Liber
540 hymnarius of Solesmes, published in 1983. Ligatures are still printed
541 without the proper line breaking and horizontal spacing.
544 Glissandi can now be printed using the zigzag style.
547 LilyPond can now print clusters. The syntax is
550 \apply #notes-to-clusters @{ NOTE NOTE .. @}
554 For irregular meters, beat grouping marks can be printed. The
558 #(set-time-signature 7 8 '(3 2 2))
563 Nested horizontal brackets for music analysis can now be printed:
572 @item Ottava brackets are now fully supported as a feature. The syntax
580 @item Metronome markings are printed when a \tempo command is processed.
584 @item Fingerings can be put on chords horizontally.
588 @item The appearance of various glyphs has been fine-tuned.
592 @item Different types of percent style repeats may now be nested.
596 @item The emacs support has been extended.
600 The manual has been completely revised and extended.
604 @chapter New features in 1.6 since 1.4
610 Support for figured bass and tablature.
613 Completely rewritten beam formatting: provides much better output
618 Completely revised and improved music font.
622 Completely rewritten MIDI import support.
625 Completely rewritten grace note support. Practically speaking this
626 means that grace notes can be slurred to normal normal notes.
630 Improved accidental handling and formatting: styles for producing
631 cautionaries may vary, and complex collisions between accidentals of a
632 chord are handled much better.
635 Better spacing: both globally and locally. This includes subtle
636 details like optical stem spacing.
639 More support for ancient notation: mensural ligatures, ambitus
640 (pitch range) of voices, more shapes, etc.
643 More support for piano notation: bracket pedals, directed arpeggios,
647 Easier music polyphonic music entry.
650 More extensibility, many speedups and bugfixes
653 The manual has been thoroughly revised.
656 Development is now hosted at http://savannah.gnu.org, and sources
657 can be downloaded through anonymous CVS.
660 Support for windows: LilyPond is part of the cygwin distribution,
661 which comes with a user-friendly installer.