1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
8 @chapter New features in 2.1 since 2.0
20 @item Formatting of ottava brackets has been much improved.
22 @item Objects in the output can now be documented: the following fragment
23 boxes the note head, and adds the text ``heads or tails?'' three
27 \context Voice \applyoutput #(add-balloon-text
28 'NoteHead "heads, or tails?"
36 @item Default staff sizes are now scalable. There are two new mechanisms for
37 setting staff sizes. Both are demonstrated in this fragment:
42 #(paper-set-staff-size (* 15 pt))
48 Both have the same effect on the global layout of a
49 piece. Similarly, the paper size may be changed as follows
52 #(set-paper-size "a4")
56 @item Warnings for bar check errors are more cleverly printed. This
57 makes @code{barCheckSynchronize} superfluous, so it is now switched
60 Warning: this will cause problems in scores that use bar checks to
63 @item The black note head was made a little rounder, which causes a less
64 frantic graphic impression.
67 A more concise syntax for checking octaves was introduced. A note may
68 be followed by @code{=}@var{quotes} which indicates what its absolute
69 octave should be. In the following example,
72 \relative c'' @{ c='' b=' d,='' @}
76 the d will generate a warning, because a d'' is
77 expected, but a d' is found.
78 @c @code adds ` ' very confusing.
80 @item There is a new mechanism for putting lyrics to melodies.
81 With this mechanism, @code{LyricVoice}s can be put melodies
82 individually, allowing for different melismatic sections in every
83 @code{LyricVoice}. See @file{input/regression/lyric-combine-new.ly}.
85 @item Bar lines may now be dotted.
88 @item The documentation now has links to a wiki, where everyone can
89 add personal comments to the manual.
91 @item Contexts may now be changed locally for an isolated music
92 expression. For example,
96 \consists "Pitch_squash_engraver"
102 @item The syntax for changing staffs has changed. The keyword
103 @code{\change} should now be used, e.g.
109 @item Features of spanner contexts, like @code{Staff}, can now be changed
110 using @code{\property}, eg.
114 \property Staff.StaffSymbol \set #'line-count = #4
120 puts a quarter note C on a staff with 4 lines.
123 @item Multi measure rests are now truly centered between the
124 clefs/barlines of the staff, their position is independent of symbols
127 @item Collision resolution for dots in chords has been improved greatly.
130 Spacing following barlines was improved for widely stretched lines.
133 Lyric hyphens and extenders now conform to standard typesetting
137 Lyrics are now aligned under note heads conforming to engraving
138 standards. The responsible code has been rewritten, and is drastically
139 simpler from the previous version. To aid this rewrite, the syntactic
140 function of the extender line ( __ ) has been changed: it is now
141 attached to the lyric syllable.
144 When redefining a context, the associated identifier is also
145 updated. For example, after reading the following snippet,
152 the definition of @code{ScoreContext} is updated to include the changed
157 The weight of the stafflines is now heavier at smaller staff sizes.
158 The font has been modified to match this look: at smaller sizes, the
159 font is heavier and the note heads are more rounded.
161 @item Processing scores is now done while parsing the file. New
162 Scheme functions give more flexibility: for example, it is now possible
163 interpret a score, collecting synchronized musical events in a list, and
164 manipulate that information using inline Scheme. For an example, see
165 @file{input/no-notation/recording.ly}.
167 @item Font sizes can now truly be scaled continuously: the @code{font-size}
168 is similar to the old @code{font-relative-size}, but may be set to
169 fractional values; the closest design size will be scaled to achieve
170 the desired size. As a side-effect, there are now no longer
171 limitations in using smaller fonts (eg. grace notes) at small staff
174 @item The appearance of stem tips is now also engraved with rounded corners.
177 The placement of accidentals on chords and ledgered notes is improved.
182 @chapter New features in 2.0 since 1.8
187 Crescendos can now be drawn dotted or dashed.
190 Quarter tones are now supported. They are entered by suffixing
191 @code{ih} for a half-sharp and @code{eh} for a half-flat. Hence, the
192 following is an ascending list of pitches:
195 ceses ceseh ces ceh c cih cis cisih cisis
199 The following constructs have been removed from the syntax:
202 \duration #SCHEME-DURATION
204 \outputproperty @var{func} @var{symbol} = @var{value}
207 For @code{\outputproperty}, the following may be substituted:
210 \applyoutput #(outputproperty-compatibility @var{func}
211 @var{symbol} @var{value})
215 Clefs may now be transposed arbitrarily, for example
225 The syntax for chords and simultaneous music have changed.
226 Chords are entered as
232 while simultaneous music is entered as
235 <<@var{..music list..}>>
238 In effect, the meanings of both have been swapped relative to their 1.8
239 definition. The syntax for lists in @code{\markup} has changed
240 alongside, but figured bass mode was not changed, i.e.:
243 \markup @{ \center <@var{..list of markups..}> @}
244 \figure @{ <@var{figures}> @}
247 As chords the more often used than simultaneous music, this change will
251 Each music expression can now be tagged, to make different printed
252 versions from the same music expression. In the following example,
253 we see two versions of a piece of music, one for the full score, and
254 one with cue notes for the instrumental part:
258 @{ c4 f2 g4 @} % in the part, we have cue-notes
260 \tag #'score R1 % in the score: only a rest
264 The same can be applied to articulations, texts, etc.: they are
268 -\tag #@var{your-tags}
271 to an articulation, for example,
274 c4-\tag #'with-fingerings -4 -\tag #'with-strings \6
277 This defines a note, which has a conditional fingering and a
278 string-number indication.
281 The settings for chord-fingering are more flexible. You can specify a
282 list where fingerings may be placed, eg.
285 \property Voice.fingeringOrientations = #'(left down)
288 This will put the fingering for the lowest note below the chord, and the
292 The script previously known as @code{ly2dvi} has been renamed to
293 @code{lilypond}. The binary itself is now installed as
297 Markup text (ie. general text formatting) may now be used for lyrics too.
300 Two new commands for grace notes have been added, @code{\acciaccatura}
301 and @code{\appoggiatura},
308 Both reflect the traditional meanings of acciaccatura and appogiatura,
309 and both insert insert a slur from the first grace note to the main
313 Layout options for grace notes are now stored in a context property,
314 and may now be set separately from musical content.
317 The @code{\new} command will create a context with a unique
318 name automatically. Hence, for multi-staff scores, it is no longer
319 necessary to invent arbitrary context names. For example, a two-staff
320 score may be created by
324 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 1st staff} @}
325 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 2nd staff} @}
332 Octave checks make octave errors easier to correct.
339 This checks that @var{pitch} (without octave) yields @var{pitch} (with
340 octave) in \relative mode. If not, a warning is printed, and the
344 All articulations must now be entered postfix. For example,
351 is a pair of beamed slurred eighth notes.
354 The definition of @code{\relative} has been simplified. Octaves are
355 now always propagated in the order that music is entered. In the
360 \repeat "unfold" 3 BODY \alternative @{ ALT1 ALT2 @}
365 the octave of BODY is based on PRE, the starting octave of ALT1 on
366 BODY, the starting octave of ALT2 on ALT1, and the starting octave of
369 The same mechanism is used for all other music expressions, except the
370 chord. Backwards compatibility is retained through a special program option,
374 #(ly:set-option 'old-relative)
378 Windows users can double click a @code{.ly} file to process and view
379 it automagically through the new @code{lily-wins} frontend.
386 @chapter New features in 1.8 since 1.6
391 The chord entry code has been completely rewritten. It is now
392 cleaner and more flexible.
395 A new syntax has been added for text entry. This syntax is more
396 friendly than the old mechanism, and it is implemented in a more
397 robust and modular way. For more information, refer to the section on
398 "Text markup" in the notation manual.
401 The integration of the input language and Scheme has been made deeper:
402 you can now use LilyPond identifiers in Scheme, and use Scheme
403 expressions instead of LilyPond identifiers.
406 The internal representation of music has been cleaned up completely
407 and converted to Scheme data structures. The representation may be
411 A new uniform postfix syntax for articulation has been introduced.
412 A beamed slurred pair of eighth notes can be entered as
418 In version 2.0, postfix syntax will be the only syntax
419 available, and the dashes will become optional.
421 This will simplify the language: all articulations can be entered as
422 postfix, in any order.
425 A new syntax has been added for chords:
432 It is not necessary to update files to this syntax, but it will be for
433 using LilyPond version 2.0. In version 2.0, this syntax will be
443 \simultaneous @{ .. @}
446 for simultaneous music.
448 To convert your files from <PITCHES> to <<PITCHES>>, use the script
449 included in buildscripts/convert-new-chords.py
451 This change was introduced for the following reasons
455 It solves the "start score with chord" problem, where you have to
456 state \context Voice explicitly when a chord was the start of a
459 With the new syntax, it is possible to distinguish between
460 articulations (or fingerings) which are for a single chord note,
461 and which are for the entire chord. This allows for per-note
462 fingerings, and is more logical on the whole.
466 User code may now be executed during interpreting. The syntax for
470 \applycontext #SCHEME-FUNCTION
474 User code may now be executed on arbitrary grobs during interpreting.
475 The syntax for this feature is
478 \applyoutput #SCHEME-FUNCTION
482 SCHEME-FUNCTION takes a single argument, and is called for every grob
483 that is created in the current context.
486 New algorithms for chord-name formatting have been installed. They
487 can be tuned and have ergonomic syntax for entering exceptions.
490 Texts may now be put on multimeasure rests, e.g.
493 R1*20^\markup @{ "GP" @}
497 Ancient notation now prints ligatures in Gregorian square neumes
498 notation, roughly following the typographical style of the Liber
499 hymnarius of Solesmes, published in 1983. Ligatures are still printed
500 without the proper line breaking and horizontal spacing.
503 Glissandi can now be printed using the zigzag style.
506 LilyPond can now print clusters. The syntax is
509 \apply #notes-to-clusters @{ NOTE NOTE .. @}
513 For irregular meters, beat grouping marks can be printed. The
517 #(set-time-signature 7 8 '(3 2 2))
522 Nested horizontal brackets for music analysis can now be printed:
531 @item Ottava brackets are now fully supported as a feature. The syntax
539 @item Metronome markings are printed when a \tempo command is processed.
543 @item Fingerings can be put on chords horizontally.
547 @item The appearance of various glyphs has been fine-tuned.
551 @item Different types of percent style repeats may now be nested.
555 @item The emacs support has been extended.
559 The manual has been completely revised and extended.
563 @chapter New features in 1.6 since 1.4
569 Support for figured bass and tablature.
572 Completely rewritten beam formatting: provides much better output
577 Completely revised and improved music font.
581 Completely rewritten MIDI import support.
584 Completely rewritten grace note support. Practically speaking this
585 means that grace notes can be slurred to normal normal notes.
589 Improved accidental handling and formatting: styles for producing
590 cautionaries may vary, and complex collisions between accidentals of a
591 chord are handled much better.
594 Better spacing: both globally and locally. This includes subtle
595 details like optical stem spacing.
598 More support for ancient notation: mensural ligatures, ambitus
599 (pitch range) of voices, more shapes, etc.
602 More support for piano notation: bracket pedals, directed arpeggios,
606 Easier music polyphonic music entry.
609 More extensibility, many speedups and bugfixes
612 The manual has been thoroughly revised.
615 Development is now hosted at http://savannah.gnu.org, and sources
616 can be downloaded through anonymous CVS.
619 Support for windows: LilyPond is part of the cygwin distribution,
620 which comes with a user-friendly installer.