1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
3 @settitle FAQ - GNU LilyPond FAQs
5 @node Top, , Windows32, (dir)
8 * FAQ - GNU LilyPond FAQs:: FAQ - GNU LilyPond FAQs
13 @node FAQ - GNU LilyPond FAQs, Miscellaneous, , Top
15 * Miscellaneous:: Miscellaneous
16 * Installing:: Installing
17 * Documentation:: Documentation
18 * Language- mudela:: Language- mudela
19 * Do you support -:: Do you support -
20 * How do I -:: How do I -
21 * Development:: Development
23 * Copyright:: Copyright
24 * Windows32:: Windows32
26 @chapter FAQ - GNU LilyPond FAQs
29 @node Miscellaneous, Installing, FAQ - GNU LilyPond FAQs, FAQ - GNU LilyPond FAQs
30 @section Miscellaneous
32 @subsubsection HELP! I'm stuck!
34 Please read this document carefully. If you are still at loss, send
35 your questions to the @strong{mailing list}, and not to authors
38 Note: relative paths are meant to be relative to the source directory
40 @node Installing, Documentation, Miscellaneous, FAQ - GNU LilyPond FAQs
44 @subsubsection If I install the .exe file on my DOS/windows 3.11 machine, it doesn't work
46 The NT port is done with the Cygnus GNU/Windows32 port of the GNU utils.
47 It does @emph{not} work with windows 3.x; you need Windows-NT (95/98?).
49 @subsubsection Where is guile-config
51 Old RedHat RPMS don't include guile-config. You need guile-config as it
52 was produced during the RPM build run. Build the RPM from source
53 (@file{.src.rpm}), and use the guile-config that is in
54 @file{/usr/src/redhat/BUILD/guile-1.3/guile-config/}.
56 @subsubsection I get all kinds of errors while compiling @file{parser.cc}
58 LilyPond uses features of bison version 1.25. Please confirm that
59 you are using a version 1.25 or better, that is @strong{GNU} bison
60 @strong{1.25}. Don't forget to do "make clean" after installing it. Don't
61 forget to remove the stale @file{bison.simple} as well.
63 If the problem persists, then please send a bug report to the mailing list.
65 @subsubsection I upgraded by applying a patch, and now my configure/build breaks.
67 Patches don't include automatically generated files, i.e.
68 @file{configure} and files generated by @file{configure}. Regenerate them
78 @subsubsection Some of your neat scripts fail, what directories do you use:
80 [This only applies if you don't do @code{make install}, and run out
81 of the source directory]
83 I have a directory which contains all our development projects
90 which looks like @file{/usr/}
103 @file{~/usr/src/bin/} is in the variable PATH, and contains symbolic
104 links to the compiled executables.
106 @subsubsection Is there an emacs mode?
108 Yes. It is included with the source archive as mudela-mode.el. If
109 you have an rpm it is in @file{/usr/doc/lilypond-X/}. You have to install it
112 @subsubsection How do I create the @file{.tfm} files?
114 You don't. The @file{.tfm} files should be generated automatically by
115 Metafont when you run TeX. Check your TeX installation, or ask
116 your local TeX guru. The supplied @file{.afm} files are intended to
117 be used by LilyPond, not by any other programs.
119 @node Documentation, Language- mudela, Installing, FAQ - GNU LilyPond FAQs
120 @section Documentation
122 @subsubsection Why is the documentation/website/etc. so lousy?
124 LilyPond development is moving quite fast, documentation will often lag
125 a bit behind. We must always make a choice between writing more
126 documentation, writing HTML, writing more code and answering email.
128 If you think you can make a correction, or devised a solution that
129 should be documented, please write it up, and us a diff.
131 @node Language- mudela, Do you support -, Documentation, FAQ - GNU LilyPond FAQs
132 @section Language: mudela
134 @subsubsection Why do I have to type the accidentals to the note if I
135 specified them in the keysignature?
144 Independently of how it was written and what the current key was, you
145 would say that you are playing and reading "two C-sharp" notes, so you
146 have to enter C-sharp twice.
148 @subsubsection What is @code{cis} anyway
150 @code{cis} is the dutch naming for C-sharp. The notes are named
151 a, b,.., g. The suffix -is means sharp, and -es flat. This system is
152 common in a number of languages (such as swedish, dutch, german.)
153 Certain other languages (such as English, French and Italian) just add
154 the word for "sharp" to the notename.
156 We chose the Dutch system, because we're dutch. You are free to chose
157 whatever names you like; they are user definable.
159 @subsubsection Why are [] around the notes, and () inbetween?
161 [] designate beams, a note can only be in one beam at the same
162 time. () is a slur, which connects notes. You need to be able to
170 @subsubsection I want to insert some TeX commands.
172 You shouldn't: it's against LilyPond philosophy to have typesetting
173 commands in the mudela source. Moreover, this would be difficult.
174 LilyPond uses TeX like a glorified output engine: the output consists
175 of (x,y) positions and symbols. You can only sensibly do TeX stuff in
176 the symbol string. You can access the symbol string easily for some
177 symbols (notably lyrics and @code{^"text"} commands).
179 @node Do you support -, How do I -, Language- mudela, FAQ - GNU LilyPond FAQs
180 @section Do you support ...
182 @subsubsection Do you support pop songs (chords, single staff, lyrics)?
184 Yes, see the @file{twinkle-pop} example.
186 @subsubsection Do you support guitar chord diagrams?
188 No. Go ahead and send a patch.
190 We ourselves don't play guitar, and don't know the fine points of this
191 notation. We would welcome anyone who could give this a try.
193 @subsubsection Do you support TAB notation?
195 No. The same as for the previous subsubsection goes.
198 @subsubsection Do you support multiple staff-sizes?
200 Yes. At this time you can choose between 11, 13, 16, 19, 20, 23 and 20
201 pt staff-size. Use the @code{staffLineLeading} property for setting the
202 size of the staff, and @code{fontSize} for setting the size of the
205 @subsubsection Do you support Gregorian chant notation?
210 @subsubsection Do you support grace notes?
212 Yes. See @file{input/test/grace.ly}
214 @node How do I -, Development, Do you support -, FAQ - GNU LilyPond FAQs
215 @section How do I ....
217 @subsubsection How do I change the TeX layout?
219 See @file{lilyponddefs.tex}, it has some comments. Or use @file{ly2dvi}.
221 @subsubsection How do I place lyrics under @emph{each} of the staves in a score, as choral music. I can work out how to put lyrics for each line all under the top line, or at the bottom but not between!
223 You change the order lyrics and staves. You have to name all
224 staves (lyric and melodic), otherwise they will end up in the same
229 < \melodic \type Staff = "treble" \trebleMelody
230 \lyric \type Lyrics = "tlyrics" \trebtext
231 \type Staff = "bass" \melodic \bassMelody
232 \lyric \type Lyrics = "blyrics" \basstext
239 @subsubsection How do I put more than one marking on a note.
248 or use spacing-notes to put markings at different horizontal positions
252 @{ s4\ff s4^"text" s4-\marcato s4 @}
257 This also works for crescendi, eg,
266 @subsubsection How do I combine multiple pieces into one document
268 There are several solutions:
278 produces one combined @file{foo.dvi}
279 @item make a toplevel @file{.ly} file that contains al pieces:
289 @item make a hybrid TeX/LilyPond @file{.doc} document (see the
290 @file{Documentation/tex} directory).
293 For the first two solutions, you will need to move @code{\header} info
294 in each individual piece from toplevel into the @code{\paper} block.
296 There are several examples in the @file{mutopia} directory.
298 @subsubsection How do I get bar numbers?
300 See @file{input/test/bar-scripts.ly}.
302 @subsubsection How do I change the tagline 'Lily was here'
304 In the @code{\header} field, add a @code{tagline} entry, eg
307 tagline="Typeset by GNU LilyPond"
311 to get a bit less frivolous tagging.
313 @node Development, Running, How do I -, FAQ - GNU LilyPond FAQs
316 @subsubsection Could you implement feature XXXX? It is really easy, just extend the syntax to allow YYYY!
318 In general finding a cute syntax (such as YYYY) isn't very hard. The
319 complicated issue how to adapt the internals to do XXXX. The parser is
320 really a simple front end to the complicated internals.
322 @subsubsection Can I join in on LilyPond development? How do I do this?
324 Yes, we do frequent releases, you are welcome to send in a patch or do
325 suggestions. Join the list @email{gnu-music-discuss@@gnu.org} to
329 @subsubsection Is there a GUI frontend? Should I start building one?
331 LilyPond currently has no graphical interface. We (LilyPond authors)
332 don't feel the need to write a GUI, but several others do:
334 Matthew Hiller has extended Midiscore and Koobase to handle mudela.
335 Check out @uref{http://zoo.cs.yale.edu/~meh25/}. He is now working on
336 `Denemo', a GTK based notation program (which is still being developed).
338 Federico Mena-Quintero and Elliot Lee of RedHat Advanced Development
339 labs have plans to write a GNOME based Music notation program. However,
340 there is no code, only plans.
342 Chris Cannam is working a rewrite of Rosegarden. The new design should
343 be more modular, and could conceivably be used to output
344 mudela. However, the not much seems to have happened the past year. See
345 @uref{http://www.all-day-breakfast.com/rosegarden/development.html}.
348 @subsubsection I want to implement XXXX! How should I do this?
350 Your best bet of getting us to include code, is to present it as a
351 "fait accompli", i.e., to send a patch to the mailing list.
353 Please use the diff command to generate a patch, and don't send complete
354 files, even if the diff is larger than the whole file.
356 Don't forget to put your name and e-mail address in the file
357 @file{Documentation/topdocs/AUTHORS.texi}, or you won't get credits
361 @subsubsection Your make system does not adhere to GNU coding standards, could you please fix it?
363 No. We have evaluated the standard GNU combination for compiling
364 programs (autoconf, automake, libtool) and found to be inadequate for
367 @subsubsection gdb crashes when I debug!
369 Upgrade/downgrade to 4.17.
371 @node Running, Copyright, Development, FAQ - GNU LilyPond FAQs
374 @subsubsection I use dvilj4, and there are lots of warning messages for the printing
376 You should use dvips and ghostscript to print the @code{dvi} output: the
377 slurs and beams are PS @code{\special} commands.
380 subsubsection My symbols are all messed up after I upgraded, I get the wrong symbols and dvi-checksum errors!
382 We obviously mucked with the fonts in the upgrade. Remove @emph{all}
383 previous fonts, including the @file{.pk} and @file{.tfm} fonts in
384 @file{/var/lib/texmf}. A script automating this has been included, see
385 @file{buildscripts/clean-fonts.sh}.
387 @subsubsection all the pk and tfm fonts are created in the directory where the mudela file is, not in "/var/spool/texmf" where I think they should be.
389 Mats Bengtsson <mats.bengtsson@@s3.kth.se> writes:
391 The simple solution used by Anthony Fok in the Debian distribution of
392 Lilypond is to link the mf/ directory to
393 /usr/lib/texmf/fonts/source/public/lilypond Depending on what
394 distribution of teTeX and Linux you have installed, there might also
395 be other places like /usr/local/lib/texmf/fonts/source/public/lilypond
396 or /var/spool/texmf//fonts/source/public/lilypond
398 Wherever you put it, don't forget to run mktexlsr (or texhash for
399 older installations) afterwards, so that TeX will find the files.
400 Also, don't forget to remove all old .tfm and .*pk files when the font
401 is updated (as it will be in version 1.1.40, for example).
403 @subsubsection Are there scalable versions of the font?
405 Yes, they are type-3 fonts. In the @file{mf/}
412 in the mf/ subdirectory. This will also make @file{mfplain} for metapost.
413 The @file{pfa}s will be in the subdirectory @file{out/}.
415 @subsubsection How does PS output work?
419 Generate the PostScript Type-3 fonts.
421 Run lilypond with option @code{-f ps}:
428 @item To view the @file{.ps} output with GhostView, set GS_FONTPATH to the
429 directory containing the @file{pfa}s. In the source tree, this is @file{mf/out/}.
431 i.e. do something like:
434 export GS_FONTPATH=$HOME/usr/src/lilypond/mf/out
441 Direct PS output is still experimental. For creating nice looking ps
442 output, use TeX and @code{dvips}.
445 @subsubsection The beams and slurs are gone if use the XDvi magnifying glass!?
447 The beams and slurs are done in PostScript. XDvi doesn't show
448 PostScript in the magnifying glass. Complain to the XDvi maintainers.
451 @subsubsection A lot of musical stuff doesn't make it to the MIDI file, eg. dynamics, articulation, etc.
453 The MIDI output was originally put in as a proof that MIDI could be
454 done, and as a method of proof"reading" the input. The MIDI support
455 is by no means finished. Patches appreciated.
457 @node Copyright, Windows32, Running, FAQ - GNU LilyPond FAQs
460 @subsubsection What is Urtext? Critical Edition?
464 It may be translated best as `that what the composer intended to tell
467 Peter Chubb <peterc@@aurema.com> writes:
469 An Urtext is a reconstruction of the earliest form of a text,
470 including mistakes the original author wrote. Where there is no
471 available facsimile of the original, creating this can involve some
472 inspired detective work (in comparing various later editions and
473 trying to deduce what the original form was). As far as copyright
474 goes, my guess is that, for works that are otherwise out of copyright,
475 an Urtext is copyright to the person who reconstructed it, as a
476 derived work from the editions s/he consulted. If the edition is
477 created directly from a facsimile, as would be the case for most
478 Urtext editions of music, then the amount of new (copyright) material
481 A critical edition is an edition that is designed for critical
482 study of a text. It'll usually have lots of footnotes, alternative
483 readings, possible realisations of bass parts and harmonies, etc. It
484 aims to elucidate the author's original intentions, as opposed to
485 reproduce exactly what was written. The critical apparatus will be
486 copyright to its author.
488 A playing edition is one that has been edited for modern usage.
489 It'll have fewer or no alternative readings, it'll be in modern
490 notation, it may have additional editorial marks (phrase marks, slurs,
491 etc.) will often have a fully realised basso continuo part (if oone
492 was present in the original) and may have had key changes, time
493 signature changes, time compression (original in 4/1, playing edition
494 in 4/4, for example, with all semibreves replaced with crotchets)
495 Copyright is in the arranger/editor.
497 @subsubsection How does copyright for sheet music work? Can I enter and spread my newly bought Bach urtext?
499 Silas S. Brown <ssb22@@hermes.cam.ac.uk>:
503 There are several aspects to sheet music copyright:
505 1. The music itself - copyright for the composer's life plus 70 years (so
506 not applicable to Bach).
508 2. If the music is an arrangement, then the arranger holds copyright on
509 that arrangement. However, you can produce your own arrangement using
510 that arrangement as a reference point. Obviously your arrangement must be
511 sufficently different to be called your own arrangement - you need to do
512 more than change one note!
514 3. In some countries, the same applies for editions. This could be
515 relevant to the Bach example. If a modern person has edited the music,
516 then they hold the copyright on the edition. This does not stop you from
517 removing the editorial features - remove all editorial slurs, phrasemarks,
518 ornaments etc and only leave those that you know to be original. You can
519 then add some of your own if you want to be your own editor.
521 4. If there are lyrics, then the lyricist also holds copyright. This
522 does not stop you from using the music without the lyrics if it is
523 otherwise out of copyright.
525 5. The copyright of the printed page is held by the publisher for 30
526 years after printing (25 in some countries). This stops you from
527 photocopying (unless it's "fair use" eg. you're partially sighted and need
528 to enlarge the music) or otherwise reproducing the typesetting that is
529 used on it. But the copyright is only held over the typesetting work, not
530 the music itself. Since Mudela specifies the notes, independently of any
531 typesetting work that went into your reference copy, you are not
532 duplicating any of the publisher's work.
534 6. If you want to violate copyright, there are two main cases where you
535 may do so: fair use, and with permission. The former is rather fuzzily
536 defined, but it includes such things as including small extracts of a
537 score in a critique, and making a large print or Braille copy for a blind
538 or partially-sighted performer (many people argue that in this case it
539 should always be kept with the original copy and/or destroyed after it is
540 no longer needed). The latter is obvious: You can always write to the
541 composer, arranger, editor, lyricist or publisher in subsubsection and ask if
542 you can do whatever it is you're trying to do. Some will respond more
543 readily than others, but anything that they say will override any copying
544 restrictions imposed on you.
546 References - best one I know is the UK-based Performing Right Society,
547 @uref{http://www.prs.co.uk/} (especially "membership") and their links to other
548 international equivalents.
551 Werner Lemberg @email{wl@@gnu.org} writes:
555 Typesetting [at least in Austria or Germany, but not in France] [..]
556 isn't copyrighted -- typesetting is a handcraft, not an
559 What's copyrighted in an Urtext edition is the editor's comment or
560 the revision remarks, cadenzas added by the editor, etc.
562 Urtext editions per se are @emph{not} copyrighted -- if you print
563 exactly what the composer has written, how can there some copyright be
564 added? Copyrighted are usually only the `Critical notes', the foreword,
565 and the cadenzas some editors have added.
567 This means that the `Photocopying forbidden' sign in many scores is not
568 always correct for e.g. J.S. Bach -- you are allowed to copy the pages
569 which don't contain editorial stuff which is probably copyrighted.
571 A very unfortunate situation for the publishers.
576 Glen Prideaux, @email{glenprideaux@@MailAndNews.com}:
579 One has to be careful. In Australia typesetting IS covered by copyright, but
580 only for 25 years (as opposed to 50 years from the death of the
581 author/composer/artist for virtually any other copyright). If the
582 typesetting originates in a country that does not protect typesetting then
583 there may indeed be no copyright protection available to control the use of
587 Juergen Reuter @email{reuterj@@ira.uka.de}
589 [More information can be had at: ]
591 @uref{http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/}
594 @uref{http://fairuse.stanford.edu/}
595 (meta site about copyright with many links to other resources)
597 @uref{http://host.mpa.org/crc.html}
598 (copyright from the viewpoint of the USA music publishers' association)
600 @uref{http://www.wipo.int}
601 (World Intellectual Property Organization (a UNO agency); with
602 information about international copyright)
606 See @uref{http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Studio/1714/harpsichord.html}
607 for a summary of copyright relative to old music, also for the
608 expert forum for such subsubsections.
611 @node Windows32, Top, Copyright, FAQ - GNU LilyPond FAQs
614 @subsubsection I downloaded the windows32 port, and it doesn't match the website!
616 The website is usually made from the latest snapshots. Binary releases,
617 in particular the windows32 binaries, are only made every once in a while.
618 They may lag several versions behind the latest version.
620 @subsubsection But i want a native DOS/Windows-NT/95 port
622 Reconsider. Try Linux. It's fun!