1 \input texinfo @c -*- coding: utf-8; mode: texinfo; -*-
2 @setfilename lilypond-changes.info
3 @settitle LilyPond Changes
8 @macro inputfileref{DIR,NAME}
9 @uref{../../\DIR\/collated-files.html#\NAME\,@file{\DIR\/\NAME\}}@c
11 @macro usermanref{NAME}
12 @inforef{\NAME\,,../user/lilypond/lilypond}@c
17 @macro inputfileref{DIR,NAME}
20 @macro usermanref{NAME}
21 See user manual, \NAME\
25 @macro textanchor{NAME}
32 @documentencoding utf-8
39 @top New features in 2.18 since 2.16
41 @allowcodebreaks false
49 * add new items at the top
51 * only show verbatim input for syntax/input changes
53 * try to be as brief possible in those cases
55 * don't try to provide real-world examples, they often get too big,
56 which scares away people.
58 * Write complete sentences.
60 * only show user-visible changes.
65 The PostScript functionality of stroke adjustment is no longer
66 applied automatically but left to the discretion of the PostScript
67 device (by default, Ghostscript uses it for resolutions up to
68 150dpi when generating raster images). When it is enabled, a more
69 complex drawing algorithm designed to benefit from stroke
70 adjustment is employed mostly for stems and bar lines.
72 Stroke adjustment can be forced by specifying the command line
73 option @samp{-dstrokeadjust} to LilyPond. When generating
74 @code{PDF} files, this will usually result in markedly better
75 looking @code{PDF} previews but significantly larger file size.
76 Print quality at high resolutions will be unaffected.
79 There is now a new context type called @code{NullVoice} which, while not
80 appearing in the printed output, can be used to align lyrics. This can
81 be particularly convenient when used in parallel with a
82 @code{\partcombine} construct.
84 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
85 soprano = \relative c' { c e g c }
86 alto = \relative c' { a c e g }
87 verse = \lyricmode { This is my song }
91 \partcombine \soprano \alto
92 \new NullVoice = "aligner" \soprano
93 \new Lyrics \lyricsto "aligner" \verse
101 Several articulations can be put into a single variable or
102 returned from an event function:
104 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
105 sempreStacc = -. ^\markup \italic sempre
106 \relative { c''4\sempreStacc c c c }
110 The baseline of score markups is now taken from the reference
111 point (usually the middle of the staff) of the first bottom system
112 rather than the top of the bounding rectangle. The following
113 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
115 violin: \score { \new Staff { <g d' a' e''>1 }
116 \layout { indent=0 } } ,
117 cello: \score { \new Staff { \clef "bass" <c, g, d a> }
118 \layout { indent=0 } }
121 previously looked like
124 violin: \general-align #Y #UP
125 \score { \new Staff { <g d' a' e''>1 }
126 \layout { indent=0 } } ,
127 cello: \general-align #Y #UP
128 \score { \new Staff { \clef "bass" <c, g, d a> }
129 \layout { indent=0 } }
132 without a reliable way to get both scores to line up.
135 LilyPond no longer automatically infers a @samp{\defaultchild}
136 context in a context definition with @samp{\accepts} clauses. Any
137 context definition without an explicit or inherited
138 @samp{\defaultchild} definition counts as a @samp{Bottom} context
139 and will be eligible for rhythmic events and overrides without
140 causing the implicit creation of other contexts. Be sure to
141 specify a @samp{\defaultchild} for non-@samp{Bottom} contexts when
142 defining them from scratch.
145 There is now extensive support for both discant and bass accordion
146 register symbols in the @samp{scm accreg} module, see
147 @ruser{Accordion Registers}.
148 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
149 #(use-modules (scm accreg))
153 { \clef "treble" \discant "10"
154 r8 s32 f'[ bes f] s e[ a e] s d[ g d] s16 e32[ a]
156 << { r16 <f bes> r <e a> r <d g> } \\
157 { d r a r bes r } >> |
161 { \clef "treble" \freeBass "1"
162 r8 d'32 s16. c32 s16. bes32 s16. a32[ cis] s16
163 \clef "bass" \stdBass "Master"
164 << { r16 <f, bes d>^"b" r <e a c>^"am" r <d g bes>^"gm" |
166 { d8_"D" c_"C" bes_"B" | a1_"A" }
173 New commands @code{markLengthOn} and @code{markLengthOff} control
174 the allowance of horizontal space for tempo and rehearsal marks.
176 @lilypond[quote,relative=2]
178 \compressFullBarRests
179 \tempo "Molto vivace" c2 c'
181 \tempo "Meno mosso" R1*16
186 \tempo "Molto vivace" c2 c'
188 \tempo "Meno mosso" R1*16
194 Rehearsal marks at the beginning of a line are now placed to the right
195 of the clef and key signature by default. As in previous versions, the
196 @code{break-alignable-interface} controls the behavior.
198 @lilypond[quote,relative=2]
199 \set Score.barNumberVisibility = #all-bar-numbers-visible
200 \set Timing.currentBarNumber = #72
201 \bar"||" \time 3/4 \key e\major \mark#10 \tempo "Adagio" b2.
205 Decimal numbers can now be written directly in music,
206 without a hash sign. Together with the previous change
207 in the way object properties are specified, the code to
208 change the length of stems has changed from this:
210 \override Stem #'length = #5.6
215 \override Stem.length = 5.6
219 One has to write a digit on both sides of the dot -- values like
220 @code{4.} or @code{-.3} are not allowed.
222 Decimal fractions are also not accepted in @code{\chordmode}.
225 A number of shorthands like @code{(}, @code{)}, @code{|},
226 @code{[}, @code{]}, @code{~}, @code{\(}, @code{\)} and others can
227 now freely be redefined like normal commands. An example would be
228 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
236 c8 \{ d e f \} % slurred
237 g ( a b c ) % no slur, but with melisma
240 \addlyrics { Li -- ly -- pond. }
245 The articulation shorthand for @code{\staccatissimo} has been
246 renamed from @code{-|} to@tie{}@code{-!}.
249 Tempo change ranges are now written as @code{\tempo 4 = 60 - 68}
250 rather than @code{\tempo 4 = 60 ~ 68}.
253 Grob @code{OctavateEight} was renamed to @code{ClefModifier}.
254 Related context properties were renamed from @code{xxxOctavationyyy}
255 to @code{xxxTranspositionyyy}.
258 There is a new @code{\absolute} command explicitly marking music
259 as being entered in absolute pitch. While this has been the
260 default previously, an explicit @code{\absolute} also prevents
261 reinterpretation when the passage is placed inside of
263 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
264 \relative c { c'4 \absolute { f'' g'' } c }
268 When @code{\relative} is used without an explicit reference pitch,
269 the reference pitch now is the middle of the first octave, making
270 the first entered pitch indistinguishable from absolute pitch.
271 Previously, omitting the reference pitch would have lead to a
272 default of @code{c'}. Since that choice was somewhat arbitrary,
273 recommended usage was to always specify the reference pitch.
276 A new command @code{\single} can be used for converting a property
277 override into a tweak to be applied on a single music expression:
279 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
280 <a \single\voiceTwoStyle e' a>1
284 Two ways of letting graphical objects not appear in the output are
285 overriding its @code{transparent} property with @code{#t}
286 (retaining the original spacing) or overriding its @code{stencil}
287 property with @code{#f} (not using any space at all). Those two
288 operations now have the shorthands @code{\hide} and @code{\omit},
289 respectively. They can either be given a music expression to
290 tweak, or the name of a graphical object for which an override
291 should be created (for specifying both, use @code{\single} on the
294 @lilypond[quote,verbatim]
295 \new Staff \with { \omit Clef }
296 \relative c'' <a e' \hide a>1
300 A new command @code{\temporary} can be applied to overrides in
301 order to not have them replace previous property settings. If a
302 @code{\revert} is applied to the same property subsequently, the
303 previous setting reappears:
305 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
306 \override NoteHead.color = #red c4
307 \override NoteHead.color = #green d
308 \revert NoteHead.color e2
309 \override NoteHead.color = #red c4
310 \temporary\override NoteHead.color = #green d
311 \revert NoteHead.color e
312 \revert NoteHead.color c
315 This is mainly useful for writing music functions that need to
316 have some property changed just for the duration of the function.
319 @code{\tag}, @code{\removeWithTag}, and @code{\keepWithTag} can
320 now accept a list of symbols rather than just a single symbol for
321 marking, removing, and keeping music with any of multiple tags.
322 This is particularly important for @code{\keepWithTag} since one
323 cannot achieve the same effect by using multiple consecutive
324 @code{\keepWithTag} commands.
327 The @samp{-d old-relative} option has been removed. Not actually
328 accessible from the command line any more, its remaining use was
329 for interpretating @code{\relative} in LilyPond files converted
330 automatically from version@tie{}1.8 or older. It is unclear how
331 much of this was actually still operative.
334 The meaning of @code{instrumentTransposition} has been reversed.
337 \set instrumentTransposition = #@{ b #@}
339 a written @code{c'} now sounds like @code{b}. Previously, this
340 would have been the other way round. This and the following change
341 should make dealing with transposing instruments more
345 The music generated by @code{\set} and @code{\override} commands
346 is no longer affected by @code{\transpose}. The main consequence
347 is that @code{\transpose} will transpose audible/@/concert pitch and
348 printed pitch by the same amount even when the transposed music
349 contains @code{\transposition}. Previously,
351 \transpose c' f' \transposition bes'
353 was equivalent to @code{\transposition f'}. Now it stays
354 equivalent to @code{\transposition bes'}.
357 When checking for collisions, LilyPond no longer treats objects as
358 rectangles. Instead, the actual shape of objects is approximated
359 using an integral-like approach. This generally results in more
360 even and snug positioning of objects and systems:
362 @lilypond[relative=1]
363 #(ly:set-option 'debug-skylines #t)
367 d4-.\downbow a4^"r'venu..." c \tempo "T1" e
370 Previously, the above snippet looked like this:
372 @lilypond[relative=1]
373 #(ly:set-option 'debug-skylines #t)
374 \override Hairpin #'vertical-skylines = #'()
375 \override DynamicText #'vertical-skylines = #'()
376 \override TextScript #'vertical-skylines = #'()
377 \override Score.MetronomeMark #'vertical-skylines = #'()
378 \override Staff.Clef #'vertical-skylines = #'()
382 d4-.\downbow a4^"r'venu..." c \tempo "T1" e
385 Affected objects include @code{Accidentals}, @code{Beams}, @code{Clefs},
386 @code{Dynamics}, @code{FiguredBass}, @code{Flags}, @code{Glissandos},
387 @code{Lyrics}, @code{MetronomeMarks}, @code{OttavaBrackets},
388 @code{Pedals}, @code{RehearsalMarks}, @code{Rests}, @code{Scripts},
389 @code{TextScripts}, @code{Ties}, @code{Tuplets} and @code{VoltaBrackets}.
392 Tuplets are now created with the @code{\tuplet} command, which
393 takes a fraction @code{@var{t}/@var{n}} to specify that @var{t}
394 notes are played in the time usually allowed for @var{n}. One
395 @code{\tuplet} command can create several tuplet groups if their
396 duration is typed after the fraction.
397 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
398 \tuplet 3/2 { c8 d e } \tuplet 3/2 { f e d } c2
399 \tuplet 3/2 4 { c8 d e f e d } c2
401 The @code{\times} command with its inverted fraction order
402 @code{@var{n}/@var{t}} is still available.
405 Introducing two new markup-commands; @code{\draw-dashed-line} and
406 @code{\draw-dotted-line}.
409 The dashed-line extends to the whole length given by @var{dest}, if
410 @code{full-length} is set to @code{#t} (this is the default) without any
411 space at the beginning or end. @code{off} will then be altered to fit.
412 To insist on the given (or default) values of @code{on}, @code{off} use
413 @code{\override #'(full-length . #f)}. Manual settings for @code{on},
414 @code{off} and @code{phase} are possible.
417 The dotted-line always extends to the whole length given by @var{dest},
418 without any space at the beginning or end. Manual settings for
419 @code{off} are possible to get larger or smaller space between the dots.
420 The given (or default) value of @code{off} will be altered to fit the
423 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
425 \draw-dashed-line #'(5.1 . 2.3)
426 \override #'(on . 0.3)
427 \override #'(off . 0.5)
428 \draw-dashed-line #'(5.1 . 2.3)
429 \draw-dotted-line #'(5.1 . 2.3)
430 \override #'(thickness . 2)
431 \override #'(off . 0.2)
432 \draw-dotted-line #'(5.1 . 2.3)
437 Starting with version@tie{}2.17.10, error messages or the
438 @code{textedit} @acronym{URI} used for point-and-click
439 functionality specify column numbers starting with@tie{}1 rather
440 than@tie{}0. The byte offset (also part of @code{textedit}
441 @acronym{URI}s) still starts at@tie{}0.
444 The @code{\clef} command supports optional transposition:
445 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=1]
453 The LilyPond syntax of dot-separated words @code{Voice.Accidental}
454 has been made interchangeable with @code{#'(Voice Accidental)}, a
455 Scheme list of symbols. As one result, code like
457 \override Voice.TextSpanner #'(bound-details left text) = "rit."
461 \override Voice.TextSpanner bound-details.left.text = "rit."
465 \override #'(Voice TextSpanner) bound-details.left.text = "rit."
469 Grob and grob property path no longer need to be specified as two
470 separate arguments to commands like @samp{\override} and
471 @code{\revert}, allowing for the syntax
473 \override Voice.TextSpanner.bound-details.left.text = "rit."
475 Since complementary music functions like @samp{\overrideProperty}
476 cannot support forms with and without separating space at the same
477 time, using a single dotted path is now the preferred form.
478 Specifying grob path and grob property path separately, currently
479 still supported with @samp{\override} and @samp{\revert} for
480 compatibility reasons, is deprecated.
483 Due to words now being accepted as symbol function arguments, the
484 interfaces of @samp{\accidentalStyle}, @samp{\alterBroken},
485 @samp{\footnote} and @samp{\tweak} had to be redesigned where
486 optional symbol arguments were involved. Please check the
487 respective music function documentation for details.
490 Several commands now accept symbol lists (conveniently entered as
491 dot-separated words) for various kinds of arguments. These
492 include @samp{\accidentalStyle}, @samp{\alterBroken},
493 @samp{\footnote}, @samp{\hide}, @samp{\omit},
494 @samp{\overrideProperty}, @samp{\shape}, and @samp{\tweak}.
497 The bar line user interface has changed. Bar glyphs now resemble the
498 appearance of the bar line, so a left repeat sign has to be coded
499 as @code{.|:}. The command @code{\defineBarLine} provides an easy way
500 to define additional bar line styles.
503 Accidentals in the key signature may be printed in octaves other
504 than their traditional positions, or in multiple octaves.
505 @lilypond[quote,relative=0]
506 \override Staff.KeySignature #'flat-positions = #'((-5 . 5))
507 \override Staff.KeyCancellation #'flat-positions = #'((-5 . 5))
508 \clef bass \key es \major es g bes d
509 \clef treble \bar "||" \key es \major es g bes d
510 \override Staff.KeySignature #'sharp-positions = #'(2)
511 \bar "||" \key d \major b fis b2
517 For older news, go to
518 @uref{http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.16/Documentation/changes/},
519 @uref{http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.14/Documentation/changes/},
520 or @uref{../,go back} to the Documentation index.