1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
8 @chapter New features in 2.1 since 2.0
14 @item The syntax for changing staffs has changed. The keyword
15 @code{\change} should now be used, e.g.
21 @item Features of spanner contexts, like @code{Staff}, can now be changed easily:
25 StaffSymbol \set #'line-count = #4
32 puts a quarter note C on a staff with 4 lines.
40 @item Multi measure rests are now truly centered between the
41 clefs/barlines of the staff, their position is independent of symbols
44 @item Collision resolution for dots in chords has been improved greatly.
47 Spacing following barlines was improved for widely stretched lines.
50 Lyric hyphens and extenders now conform to standard typesetting
54 Lyrics are now aligned under note heads conforming to engraving
55 standards. The responsible code has been rewritten, and is drastically
56 simpler from the previous version. To aid this rewrite, the syntactic
57 function of the extender line ( __ ) has been changed: it is now
58 attached to the lyric syllable.
61 When redefining a context, the associated identifier is also
62 updated. For example, after reading following the snippet,
69 the definition of @code{ScoreContext} is updated to include the changed
74 The weight of the stafflines is now heavier at smaller staff sizes.
75 The font has been modified to match this look: at smaller sizes, the
76 font is heavier and the note heads are more rounded.
78 @item Processing scores is now done while parsing the file. New
79 Scheme functions give more flexibility: for example, it is now possible
80 interpret a score, collecting synchronized musical events in a list, and
81 manipulate that information using inline Scheme. For an example, see
82 @file{input/no-notation/recording.ly}.
84 @item Font sizes can now truly be scaled continuously: the @code{font-size}
85 is similar to the old @code{font-relative-size}, but may be set to
86 fractional values; the closest design size will be scaled to achieve
87 the desired size. As a side-effect, there are now no longer
88 limitations in using smaller fonts (eg. grace notes) at small staff
91 @item The appearance of stem tips is now also engraved with rounded corners.
94 The placement of accidentals on chords and ledgered notes is improved.
99 @chapter New features in 2.0 since 1.8
104 Crescendos can now be drawn dotted or dashed.
107 Quarter tones are now supported. They are entered by suffixing
108 @code{ih} for a half-sharp and @code{eh} for a half-flat. Hence, the
109 following is an ascending list of pitches:
112 ceses ceseh ces ceh c cih cis cisih cisis
116 The following constructs have been removed from the syntax:
119 \duration #SCHEME-DURATION
121 \outputproperty @var{func} @var{symbol} = @var{value}
124 For @code{\outputproperty}, the following may be substituted:
127 \applyoutput #(outputproperty-compatibility @var{func}
128 @var{symbol} @var{value})
132 Clefs may now be transposed arbitrarily, for example
142 The syntax for chords and simultaneous music have changed.
143 Chords are entered as
149 while simultaneous music is entered as
152 <<@var{..music list..}>>
155 In effect, the meanings of both have been swapped relative to their 1.8
156 definition. The syntax for lists in @code{\markup} has changed
157 alongside, but figured bass mode was not changed, i.e.:
160 \markup @{ \center <@var{..list of markups..}> @}
161 \figure @{ <@var{figures}> @}
164 As chords the more often used than simultaneous music, this change will
168 Each music expression can now be tagged, to make different printed
169 versions from the same music expression. In the following example,
170 we see two versions of a piece of music, one for the full score, and
171 one with cue notes for the instrumental part:
175 @{ c4 f2 g4 @} % in the part, we have cue-notes
177 \tag #'score R1 % in the score: only a rest
181 The same can be applied to articulations, texts, etc.: they are
185 -\tag #@var{your-tags}
188 to an articulation, for example,
191 c4-\tag #'with-fingerings -4 -\tag #'with-strings \6
194 This defines a note, which has a conditional fingering and a
195 string-number indication.
198 The settings for chord-fingering are more flexible. You can specify a
199 list where fingerings may be placed, eg.
202 \property Voice.fingeringOrientations = #'(left down)
205 This will put the fingering for the lowest note below the chord, and the
209 The script previously known as @code{ly2dvi} has been renamed to
210 @code{lilypond}. The binary itself is now installed as
214 Markup text (ie. general text formatting) may now be used for lyrics too.
217 Two new commands for grace notes have been added, @code{\acciaccatura}
218 and @code{\appoggiatura},
225 Both reflect the traditional meanings of acciaccatura and appogiatura,
226 and both insert insert a slur from the first grace note to the main
230 Layout options for grace notes are now stored in a context property,
231 and may now be set separately from musical content.
234 The @code{\new} command will create a context with a unique
235 name automatically. Hence, for multi-staff scores, it is no longer
236 necessary to invent arbitrary context names. For example, a two-staff
237 score may be created by
241 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 1st staff} @}
242 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 2nd staff} @}
249 Octave checks make octave errors easier to correct.
256 This checks that @var{pitch} (without octave) yields @var{pitch} (with
257 octave) in \relative mode. If not, a warning is printed, and the
261 All articulations must now be entered postfix. For example,
268 is a pair of beamed slurred eighth notes.
271 The definition of @code{\relative} has been simplified. Octaves are
272 now always propagated in the order that music is entered. In the
277 \repeat "unfold" 3 BODY \alternative @{ ALT1 ALT2 @}
282 the octave of BODY is based on PRE, the starting octave of ALT1 on
283 BODY, the starting octave of ALT2 on ALT1, and the starting octave of
286 The same mechanism is used for all other music expressions, except the
287 chord. Backwards compatibility is retained through a special program option,
291 #(ly:set-option 'old-relative)
295 Windows users can double click a @code{.ly} file to process and view
296 it automagically through the new @code{lily-wins} frontend.
303 @chapter New features in 1.8 since 1.6
308 The chord entry code has been completely rewritten. It is now
309 cleaner and more flexible.
312 A new syntax has been added for text entry. This syntax is more
313 friendly than the old mechanism, and it is implemented in a more
314 robust and modular way. For more information, refer to the section on
315 "Text markup" in the notation manual.
318 The integration of the input language and Scheme has been made deeper:
319 you can now use LilyPond identifiers in Scheme, and use Scheme
320 expressions instead of LilyPond identifiers.
323 The internal representation of music has been cleaned up completely
324 and converted to Scheme data structures. The representation may be
328 A new uniform postfix syntax for articulation has been introduced.
329 A beamed slurred pair of eighth notes can be entered as
335 In version 2.0, postfix syntax will be the only syntax
336 available, and the dashes will become optional.
338 This will simplify the language: all articulations can be entered as
339 postfix, in any order.
342 A new syntax has been added for chords:
349 It is not necessary to update files to this syntax, but it will be for
350 using LilyPond version 2.0. In version 2.0, this syntax will be
360 \simultaneous @{ .. @}
363 for simultaneous music.
365 To convert your files from <PITCHES> to <<PITCHES>>, use the script
366 included in buildscripts/convert-new-chords.py
368 This change was introduced for the following reasons
372 It solves the "start score with chord" problem, where you have to
373 state \context Voice explicitly when a chord was the start of a
376 With the new syntax, it is possible to distinguish between
377 articulations (or fingerings) which are for a single chord note,
378 and which are for the entire chord. This allows for per-note
379 fingerings, and is more logical on the whole.
383 User code may now be executed during interpreting. The syntax for
387 \applycontext #SCHEME-FUNCTION
391 User code may now be executed on arbitrary grobs during interpreting.
392 The syntax for this feature is
395 \applyoutput #SCHEME-FUNCTION
399 SCHEME-FUNCTION takes a single argument, and is called for every grob
400 that is created in the current context.
403 New algorithms for chord-name formatting have been installed. They
404 can be tuned and have ergonomic syntax for entering exceptions.
407 Texts may now be put on multimeasure rests, e.g.
410 R1*20^\markup @{ "GP" @}
414 Ancient notation now prints ligatures in Gregorian square neumes
415 notation, roughly following the typographical style of the Liber
416 hymnarius of Solesmes, published in 1983. Ligatures are still printed
417 without the proper line breaking and horizontal spacing.
420 Glissandi can now be printed using the zigzag style.
423 LilyPond can now print clusters. The syntax is
426 \apply #notes-to-clusters @{ NOTE NOTE .. @}
430 For irregular meters, beat grouping marks can be printed. The
434 #(set-time-signature 7 8 '(3 2 2))
439 Nested horizontal brackets for music analysis can now be printed:
448 @item Ottava brackets are now fully supported as a feature. The syntax
456 @item Metronome markings are printed when a \tempo command is processed.
460 @item Fingerings can be put on chords horizontally.
464 @item The appearance of various glyphs has been fine-tuned.
468 @item Different types of percent style repeats may now be nested.
472 @item The emacs support has been extended.
476 The manual has been completely revised and extended.
480 @chapter New features in 1.6 since 1.4
486 Support for figured bass and tablature.
489 Completely rewritten beam formatting: provides much better output
494 Completely revised and improved music font.
498 Completely rewritten MIDI import support.
501 Completely rewritten grace note support. Practically speaking this
502 means that grace notes can be slurred to normal normal notes.
506 Improved accidental handling and formatting: styles for producing
507 cautionaries may vary, and complex collisions between accidentals of a
508 chord are handled much better.
511 Better spacing: both globally and locally. This includes subtle
512 details like optical stem spacing.
515 More support for ancient notation: mensural ligatures, ambitus
516 (pitch range) of voices, more shapes, etc.
519 More support for piano notation: bracket pedals, directed arpeggios,
523 Easier music polyphonic music entry.
526 More extensibility, many speedups and bugfixes
529 The manual has been thoroughly revised.
532 Development is now hosted at http://savannah.gnu.org, and sources
533 can be downloaded through anonymous CVS.
536 Support for windows: LilyPond is part of the cygwin distribution,
537 which comes with a user-friendly installer.