1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
8 @chapter New features in 2.1 since 2.0
21 @item Safe mode has been reinstated for lilypond-bin. When lilypond-bin
22 is invoked with @code{--safe-mode}, the user's Guile expressions are
23 evaluated in a safe environment and file inclusion is not allowed.
24 (This feature is still experimental.)
26 @item There is now a Scheme macro for defining markup
27 commands. Special mark-up commands can be defined in user-files too.
29 @item Many fixes for dimension scaling have been made,
30 resulting in correct results for scores that mix staves in different
33 @item Improved robustness when layout properties are accidentally removed.
35 @item A more cleanly constructed part combiner has been installed.
36 It is more robust and less buggy. The part-combiner can be used with
38 \newpartcombine @var{mus1} @var{mus2}
42 See @file{input/regression/new-part-combine.ly} for an example.
44 (This feature is still experimental.)
46 @item Formatting of rehearsal marks has been improved. The @code{\mark}
47 command now only does automatic incrementing for marks specified as
48 integer. For example, @code{\mark #1} will print an A in the default
49 style. See @file{input/regression/rehearsal-mark-letter.ly},
50 @file{input/regression/rehearsal-mark-number.ly}.
52 @item Formatting of ottava brackets has been much improved.
54 @item Objects in the output can now be documented: the following fragment
55 boxes the note head, and adds the text ``heads or tails?'' three
59 \context Voice \applyoutput #(add-balloon-text
60 'NoteHead "heads, or tails?"
68 @item Default staff sizes are now scalable. There are two new mechanisms for
69 setting staff sizes. Both are demonstrated in this fragment:
72 #(set-global-staff-size 15)
74 #(paper-set-staff-size (* 15 pt))
80 Both have the same effect on the global layout of a
81 piece. Similarly, the paper size may be changed as follows
84 #(set-paper-size "a4")
88 @item Warnings for bar check errors are more cleverly printed. This
89 makes @code{barCheckSynchronize} superfluous, so it is now switched
92 Warning: this will cause problems in scores that use bar checks to
95 @item The black note head was made a little rounder, which causes a less
96 frantic graphic impression.
99 A more concise syntax for checking octaves was introduced. A note may
100 be followed by @code{=}@var{quotes} which indicates what its absolute
101 octave should be. In the following example,
104 \relative c'' @{ c='' b=' d,='' @}
108 the d will generate a warning, because a d'' is
109 expected, but a d' is found.
110 @c @code adds ` ' very confusing.
112 @item There is a new mechanism for putting lyrics to melodies.
113 With this mechanism, @code{LyricVoice}s can be put melodies
114 individually, allowing for different melismatic sections in every
115 @code{LyricVoice}. See @file{input/regression/lyric-combine-new.ly}.
117 @item Bar lines may now be dotted.
120 @item The documentation now has links to a wiki, where everyone can
121 add personal comments to the manual.
123 @item Contexts may now be changed locally for an isolated music
124 expression. For example,
128 \consists "Pitch_squash_engraver"
134 @item The syntax for changing staffs has changed. The keyword
135 @code{\change} should now be used, e.g.
141 @item Features of spanner contexts, like @code{Staff}, can now be changed
142 using @code{\property}, eg.
146 \property Staff.StaffSymbol \set #'line-count = #4
152 puts a quarter note C on a staff with 4 lines.
155 @item Multi measure rests are now truly centered between the
156 clefs/barlines of the staff, their position is independent of symbols
159 @item Collision resolution for dots in chords has been improved greatly.
162 Spacing following barlines was improved for widely stretched lines.
165 Lyric hyphens and extenders now conform to standard typesetting
169 Lyrics are now aligned under note heads conforming to engraving
170 standards. The responsible code has been rewritten, and is drastically
171 simpler from the previous version. To aid this rewrite, the syntactic
172 function of the extender line ( __ ) has been changed: it is now
173 attached to the lyric syllable.
176 When redefining a context, the associated identifier is also
177 updated. For example, after reading the following snippet,
184 the definition of @code{ScoreContext} is updated to include the changed
189 The weight of the stafflines is now heavier at smaller staff sizes.
190 The font has been modified to match this look: at smaller sizes, the
191 font is heavier and the note heads are more rounded.
193 @item Processing scores is now done while parsing the file. New
194 Scheme functions give more flexibility: for example, it is now possible
195 interpret a score, collecting synchronized musical events in a list, and
196 manipulate that information using inline Scheme. For an example, see
197 @file{input/no-notation/recording.ly}.
199 @item Font sizes can now truly be scaled continuously: the @code{font-size}
200 is similar to the old @code{font-relative-size}, but may be set to
201 fractional values; the closest design size will be scaled to achieve
202 the desired size. As a side-effect, there are now no longer
203 limitations in using smaller fonts (eg. grace notes) at small staff
206 @item The appearance of stem tips is now also engraved with rounded corners.
209 The placement of accidentals on chords and ledgered notes is improved.
214 @chapter New features in 2.0 since 1.8
219 Crescendos can now be drawn dotted or dashed.
222 Quarter tones are now supported. They are entered by suffixing
223 @code{ih} for a half-sharp and @code{eh} for a half-flat. Hence, the
224 following is an ascending list of pitches:
227 ceses ceseh ces ceh c cih cis cisih cisis
231 The following constructs have been removed from the syntax:
234 \duration #SCHEME-DURATION
236 \outputproperty @var{func} @var{symbol} = @var{value}
239 For @code{\outputproperty}, the following may be substituted:
242 \applyoutput #(outputproperty-compatibility @var{func}
243 @var{symbol} @var{value})
247 Clefs may now be transposed arbitrarily, for example
257 The syntax for chords and simultaneous music have changed.
258 Chords are entered as
264 while simultaneous music is entered as
267 <<@var{..music list..}>>
270 In effect, the meanings of both have been swapped relative to their 1.8
271 definition. The syntax for lists in @code{\markup} has changed
272 alongside, but figured bass mode was not changed, i.e.:
275 \markup @{ \center <@var{..list of markups..}> @}
276 \figure @{ <@var{figures}> @}
279 As chords the more often used than simultaneous music, this change will
283 Each music expression can now be tagged, to make different printed
284 versions from the same music expression. In the following example,
285 we see two versions of a piece of music, one for the full score, and
286 one with cue notes for the instrumental part:
290 @{ c4 f2 g4 @} % in the part, we have cue-notes
292 \tag #'score R1 % in the score: only a rest
296 The same can be applied to articulations, texts, etc.: they are
300 -\tag #@var{your-tags}
303 to an articulation, for example,
306 c4-\tag #'with-fingerings -4 -\tag #'with-strings \6
309 This defines a note, which has a conditional fingering and a
310 string-number indication.
313 The settings for chord-fingering are more flexible. You can specify a
314 list where fingerings may be placed, eg.
317 \property Voice.fingeringOrientations = #'(left down)
320 This will put the fingering for the lowest note below the chord, and the
324 The script previously known as @code{ly2dvi} has been renamed to
325 @code{lilypond}. The binary itself is now installed as
329 Markup text (ie. general text formatting) may now be used for lyrics too.
332 Two new commands for grace notes have been added, @code{\acciaccatura}
333 and @code{\appoggiatura},
340 Both reflect the traditional meanings of acciaccatura and appogiatura,
341 and both insert insert a slur from the first grace note to the main
345 Layout options for grace notes are now stored in a context property,
346 and may now be set separately from musical content.
349 The @code{\new} command will create a context with a unique
350 name automatically. Hence, for multi-staff scores, it is no longer
351 necessary to invent arbitrary context names. For example, a two-staff
352 score may be created by
356 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 1st staff} @}
357 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 2nd staff} @}
364 Octave checks make octave errors easier to correct.
371 This checks that @var{pitch} (without octave) yields @var{pitch} (with
372 octave) in \relative mode. If not, a warning is printed, and the
376 All articulations must now be entered postfix. For example,
383 is a pair of beamed slurred eighth notes.
386 The definition of @code{\relative} has been simplified. Octaves are
387 now always propagated in the order that music is entered. In the
392 \repeat "unfold" 3 BODY \alternative @{ ALT1 ALT2 @}
397 the octave of BODY is based on PRE, the starting octave of ALT1 on
398 BODY, the starting octave of ALT2 on ALT1, and the starting octave of
401 The same mechanism is used for all other music expressions, except the
402 chord. Backwards compatibility is retained through a special program option,
406 #(ly:set-option 'old-relative)
410 Windows users can double click a @code{.ly} file to process and view
411 it automagically through the new @code{lily-wins} frontend.
418 @chapter New features in 1.8 since 1.6
423 The chord entry code has been completely rewritten. It is now
424 cleaner and more flexible.
427 A new syntax has been added for text entry. This syntax is more
428 friendly than the old mechanism, and it is implemented in a more
429 robust and modular way. For more information, refer to the section on
430 "Text markup" in the notation manual.
433 The integration of the input language and Scheme has been made deeper:
434 you can now use LilyPond identifiers in Scheme, and use Scheme
435 expressions instead of LilyPond identifiers.
438 The internal representation of music has been cleaned up completely
439 and converted to Scheme data structures. The representation may be
443 A new uniform postfix syntax for articulation has been introduced.
444 A beamed slurred pair of eighth notes can be entered as
450 In version 2.0, postfix syntax will be the only syntax
451 available, and the dashes will become optional.
453 This will simplify the language: all articulations can be entered as
454 postfix, in any order.
457 A new syntax has been added for chords:
464 It is not necessary to update files to this syntax, but it will be for
465 using LilyPond version 2.0. In version 2.0, this syntax will be
475 \simultaneous @{ .. @}
478 for simultaneous music.
480 To convert your files from <PITCHES> to <<PITCHES>>, use the script
481 included in buildscripts/convert-new-chords.py
483 This change was introduced for the following reasons
487 It solves the "start score with chord" problem, where you have to
488 state \context Voice explicitly when a chord was the start of a
491 With the new syntax, it is possible to distinguish between
492 articulations (or fingerings) which are for a single chord note,
493 and which are for the entire chord. This allows for per-note
494 fingerings, and is more logical on the whole.
498 User code may now be executed during interpreting. The syntax for
502 \applycontext #SCHEME-FUNCTION
506 User code may now be executed on arbitrary grobs during interpreting.
507 The syntax for this feature is
510 \applyoutput #SCHEME-FUNCTION
514 SCHEME-FUNCTION takes a single argument, and is called for every grob
515 that is created in the current context.
518 New algorithms for chord-name formatting have been installed. They
519 can be tuned and have ergonomic syntax for entering exceptions.
522 Texts may now be put on multimeasure rests, e.g.
525 R1*20^\markup @{ "GP" @}
529 Ancient notation now prints ligatures in Gregorian square neumes
530 notation, roughly following the typographical style of the Liber
531 hymnarius of Solesmes, published in 1983. Ligatures are still printed
532 without the proper line breaking and horizontal spacing.
535 Glissandi can now be printed using the zigzag style.
538 LilyPond can now print clusters. The syntax is
541 \apply #notes-to-clusters @{ NOTE NOTE .. @}
545 For irregular meters, beat grouping marks can be printed. The
549 #(set-time-signature 7 8 '(3 2 2))
554 Nested horizontal brackets for music analysis can now be printed:
563 @item Ottava brackets are now fully supported as a feature. The syntax
571 @item Metronome markings are printed when a \tempo command is processed.
575 @item Fingerings can be put on chords horizontally.
579 @item The appearance of various glyphs has been fine-tuned.
583 @item Different types of percent style repeats may now be nested.
587 @item The emacs support has been extended.
591 The manual has been completely revised and extended.
595 @chapter New features in 1.6 since 1.4
601 Support for figured bass and tablature.
604 Completely rewritten beam formatting: provides much better output
609 Completely revised and improved music font.
613 Completely rewritten MIDI import support.
616 Completely rewritten grace note support. Practically speaking this
617 means that grace notes can be slurred to normal normal notes.
621 Improved accidental handling and formatting: styles for producing
622 cautionaries may vary, and complex collisions between accidentals of a
623 chord are handled much better.
626 Better spacing: both globally and locally. This includes subtle
627 details like optical stem spacing.
630 More support for ancient notation: mensural ligatures, ambitus
631 (pitch range) of voices, more shapes, etc.
634 More support for piano notation: bracket pedals, directed arpeggios,
638 Easier music polyphonic music entry.
641 More extensibility, many speedups and bugfixes
644 The manual has been thoroughly revised.
647 Development is now hosted at http://savannah.gnu.org, and sources
648 can be downloaded through anonymous CVS.
651 Support for windows: LilyPond is part of the cygwin distribution,
652 which comes with a user-friendly installer.