1 @c -*- coding: utf-8; mode: texinfo; -*-
3 Translation of GIT committish: FILL-IN-HEAD-COMMITTISH
5 When revising a translation, copy the HEAD committish of the
6 version that you are working on. See TRANSLATION for details.
10 @unnumbered Introduction
12 @divClass{column-center-top}
15 @imageFloat{flat-design,png,right}
17 The inspiration for LilyPond came when two musicians became
18 annoyed with the bland and boring look of computer-printed
19 sheet music. All musicians prefer reading beautiful music, so why
20 couldn't programmers write software to produce better printed
23 This software just does that: it prints music in the best
24 traditions of classical engraving with minimum fuss. Don't waste
25 time on tuning spacing, moving around symbols, or shaping slurs.
26 Impress friends and colleagues with sharp sheet music!
29 @divClass{column-left-top}
30 @subheading Why use LilyPond?
35 @ref{Features}: What can LilyPond do?
38 @ref{Examples}: I want to see some music!
41 @ref{Freedom}: LilyPond is Free Software.
44 @ref{Background}: Our computational aesthetics.
49 @divClass{column-right-top}
50 @subheading Who uses it?
55 @ref{Productions}: Real-life use of LilyPond.
58 @ref{Testimonials}: What do people say?
63 @divClass{column-center-bottom}
64 @subheading Why not use LilyPond?
69 @ref{Text input}: You write music as @emph{text}?!
72 @ref{Alternate input}: Other ways of working with LilyPond.
80 * Features:: What can LilyPond do?
81 * Examples:: I want to see some music!
82 * Freedom:: Freedom and the GPL.
83 * Background:: Computational aesthetics.
84 * Productions:: Real-life use of LilyPond.
85 * Testimonials:: What do people say about it?
86 * Text input:: You write music as text?!
87 * Alternate input:: Other ways of working with LilyPond.
94 @unnumberedsec Features
96 @help{hoping to delegate this. Desired: an enthusiastic
97 attempt to sway people towards trying lilypond. The warnings
98 about writing music as text come in Crash Course, not here.}
100 Maybe draw inspiration from
101 @uref{http://lilypond.org/web/about/features} and
102 @uref{http://lilypond.org/web/switch/tour} and
103 @uref{http://lilypond.org/web/switch/advantages}
107 @subheading Why switch to LilyPond?
110 @subsubheading Excellent classical engraving
112 @imageFloat{flat-design,png,right}
114 The point of using LilyPond is to produce elegant sheet music that
115 is easy to read. LilyPond's developer community has spent
116 thousands of hours developing powerful music engraving software
117 that results in beautifully engraved music. All of LilyPond's
118 style settings, font designs and algorithms have been inspired by
119 the finest hand-engraved music. LilyPond output has the same
120 strong, balanced and elegant look as the best-engraved classical
121 scores. This is further explained in our @ref{Essay}.
124 @subsubheading Less fiddling
126 Spend less time with tweaking the output; LilyPond gets the
127 formatting correct right from the start. It determines spacing by
128 itself, and breaks lines and pages to provide a tight and uniform
129 layout. Clashes between lyrics, notes, and chords are resolved
130 and slurs and beams are sloped, automatically!
133 @subsubheading Text-based input
135 LilyPond takes ASCII input, which you can produce in your favorite
136 text editor, quickly and comfortably. No more futzing with the
137 mouse. The input contains all the information, so there is no
138 need to remember complex command sequences. Simply save an input
142 @subsubheading Accessibility
144 Text-based input also makes score-writing possible for users with
145 severe physical disabilities. Dexterity-impaired users who are
146 unable to type or control a computer mouse can use
147 speech-recognition software to edit LilyPond files. Even users
148 who are totally blind can use screen-reading software to write
149 LilyPond files -- an impossible task in graphical-based
150 score-writing programs.
153 @subsubheading Mix music and text
155 @imageFloat{lilypond-book,png,right}
157 Put fragments of music into texts without cutting and pasting
158 pictures. Integrate music into LaTeX or HTML seamlessly, or add
159 music to OpenOffice.org with ooolilypond.
163 @subsubheading Free software
165 LilyPond can be downloaded free of charge! Yep - It's free. Get
166 it from the download page.
168 It's also free (as in @qq{speech}) software. It comes with source
169 code, and permission to change and copy it. So, are you irritated
170 by a bug, or yearning for a feature? Simply add it yourself, or
171 pay someone else to do it.
174 @subsubheading Extensible design
176 All settings can be changed to suit your personal
177 typographical taste. If that still is not enough, there is always
178 the built-in scripting language, a dialect of the powerful
179 language LISP. Settings, variables and functions are all
180 documented in the comprehensive program reference manual.
183 @subsubheading Excellent support
185 LilyPond runs on all popular platforms: Linux, MacOS X, and
186 Windows. LilyPond comes with extensive documentation and hundreds
187 of example files. There is an active user community answering
188 questions on the Lilypond user mailing list, while the development
189 team makes sure that problems are solved quickly.
193 @divClass{column-center-bottom}
194 @subheading Where now?
196 Still not convinced? Look at some neat @ref{Examples}. If you've
197 already decided to try LilyPond, first read about our
204 @unnumberedsec Examples
206 Lilypond is a powerful and flexible tool for engraving tasks of
207 all kinds. Please browse our gallery of examples and be inspired!
210 Here is a passage from Franz Liszt's solo piano transcription
211 of the Overture to Wagner's @emph{Tannhäuser}. The spacing
212 in this example was all performed by Lilypond's formatting
213 algorithms, without tweaks of any kind. It
214 handles cross-staff beaming gracefully and puts the system brace
215 perfectly around all three staves.
217 @exampleImage{liszt-wagner}
221 @subsubheading Classical Music
222 This organ work by J.S. Bach is a fairly typical engraving project
225 @exampleImage{bach-bwv610}
229 @subsubheading Complex Notation
231 This example from @emph{Goyescas} by Enrique Granados shows some
232 of the more advanced features of typesetting, including kneed
233 beams, cross-staff stems, and voice-follow lines.
235 @exampleImage{granados}
239 @subsubheading Early Music
240 Lilypond also supports various types of ancient notation, such
241 as this passage of Gregorian chant.
243 @exampleImage{ancient-headword}
247 @subsubheading Modern Music
248 Contemporary composers find Lilypond well-suited to displaying
249 unusual notation. Here is an excerpt from Trevor Bača's
250 @emph{Čáry}, for unaccompanied bass flute.
257 @subsubheading Efficient, flexible creation of performance materials
258 Various performance materials can be created from the same source
259 code. This is an excerpt of @uref{http://nicolas.sceaux.free.fr/,
260 Nicolas Sceaux's} engraving of Handel's @emph{Giulio Cesare}, in
261 full score, piano-vocal reduction, and a violin part.
263 @exampleImage{sesto-full}
265 @exampleImage{sesto-piano}
267 @exampleImage{sesto-violin}
271 @help NEED BETTER TABLATURE EXAMPLE!!
274 @subsubheading Tablature
275 Lilypond supports tablature notation, which can be customized to
276 suit any instrument that reads from tablature. Here is a passage
277 from a Bach Lute Suite, with tablature generated automatically
278 from the notes entered for the traditional staff.
280 @exampleImage{bach-tab-example}
284 @subsubheading Schenker Graphs
285 Standard output can be modified heavily. Here someone has created
286 an impressive Schenkerian analysis.
288 @exampleImage{bach-schenker}
292 @subsubheading Vocal Music
293 Lilypond is excellent for vocal music of all kinds, from sacred
294 hymns to opera. Here is a medieval motet with slightly unusual
295 requirements. The tenor voice is written in a different meter
296 than the others, but must line up as if it were in the same meter.
297 Lilypond handles this most elegantly. Note also the incipits with
298 Vaticana style clefs, the slashed stems indicating plicated notes,
299 and the ligature braces above certain groups of notes.
301 @exampleImage{aucun-snippet}
305 @subsubheading Educational Applications
306 Lilypond is perfectly suited for educational purposes as well.
307 Here is an example of a simple counterpoint exercise.
309 @exampleImage{theory}
312 @help NEED BETTER POP EXAMPLE!! Also a better theory example would be nice.
315 @subsubheading Popular Music
316 It is simple to create pop lead sheets with melody, lyrics,
317 chord names, and fretboards. In this example you see some of the
318 predefined fretboard diagrams, but these can be heavily customized
319 to suit nearly any situation.
324 @help NEED DIFFERENT ORCHESTRAL OR OPERA EXAMPLE?!
327 @subsubheading Large Projects
328 Lilypond is excellent for large projects like operas or works for
329 full symphony orchestra, as well. Score, parts, piano reductions,
330 and conductors' scores can be produced from the same source files.
332 @exampleImage{orchestral}
336 @divClass{column-center-bottom}
337 @subheading Where now?
339 Still not convinced? LilyPond is Free software, granting you
340 @ref{Freedom}. If you've already decided to try LilyPond, first
341 read about our @ref{Text input}.
346 @unnumberedsec Freedom
348 @divClass{column-center-top}
349 @subheading Free Software
351 @uref{http://www.gnu.org/, GNU} LilyPond is written and maintained
352 by a community of enthusiasts. It is published under the
353 @ref{GPL, GNU General Public License} and the @ref{FDL, GNU Free
354 Documentation License}, giving everybody the freedom to fix,
355 modify, and extend the program. Creating beautiful music should
356 not require hundreds of dollars of software!
360 @c @divClass{column-left-top}
362 @divClass{keep-bullets}
363 @subheading What are the benefits to users?
368 No cost: download and try it out! What do you have to lose?
371 Sharing: if you like the program, give a copy to your friends,
372 teachers, students, and colleagues!
375 Source available: if you are curious about how LilyPond creates
376 some notation, you can see exactly how it is done.
379 Extendible: you can add features, fix bugs, and change the
380 functionality. If you are not a programmer, you can hire somebody
383 This may not seem appealing to casual musicians, but the ability
384 to extend software can be highly valuable to serious composers,
385 companies, and academics.
388 Future safety: if a commercial company goes bankrupt, what happens
389 to any electronic music which depends on their products? This is
390 not a concern with LilyPond; even if the entire development team
391 quits (extremely unlikely), the program will still be legally
392 available for copying, modifications, and distribution.
401 @c @divClass{column-right-top}
403 @divClass{keep-bullets}
404 @subheading Why do LilyPond developers @qq{give away} their work for free?
406 Most of us view LilyPond development as a hobby or volunteer work.
407 So this question is really asking @qq{why do people volunteer}?
412 Fun: working towards a goal can be enjoyable, especially when you
416 Shared goals: we all want beautiful sheet music, but few people
417 have the expertise (and nobody has the time!), to create a program
418 which can handle all situations. By working together -- one
419 person improves the automatic beaming code, another person
420 improves the shape of slurs, and a third person writes
421 documentation explaining how to use these features -- we can
422 achieve our goal with only a fraction of the individual effort.
425 @qq{Gift culture}: the Free Software (or @qq{Open Source})
426 movement has created many great software projects, such as
427 @uref{http://kernel.org/, GNU/Linux},
428 @uref{http://www.getfirefox.com/, Mozilla Firefox}, and
429 @uref{http://www.wesnoth.org/, Battle for Wesnoth}. Having
430 benefitted from these projects, some developers want to @qq{give
431 back} to the community.
434 Work experience: contributing to open-source projects is a great
435 way to practice programming, documentation writing, or design.
436 This experience has helped some developers gain job offers or
446 @divClass{column-center-bottom}
447 @subheading Where now?
449 Still not convinced? Read our extensive essay about our engraving
450 philosophy in @ref{Background}. If you've already decided to try
451 LilyPond, first read about our @ref{Text input}.
456 @unnumberedsec Background
458 @divClass{column-center-top}
459 @subheading Background essay
461 We have an extensive essay describing computational aesthetics:
462 the art of creating beauty with a computer.
464 If you just want a quick introduction to LilyPond, the essay might
465 be too much material to read. If you would like to read it now,
466 please progress to @ref{Essay}.
469 @divClass{column-center-bottom}
470 @subheading Where now?
472 Still not convinced? Read about some of our users'
473 @ref{Productions} and sheet music. If you've already decided to
474 try LilyPond, first read about our @ref{Text input}.
479 @unnumberedsec Productions
481 @divClass{column-left-top}
484 Lilypond engravings have been used for performances around the world.
487 @divClass{keep-bullets}
491 @emph{Affaire Étrangère}, an opera by Valentin Villenave, with
492 libretto by Lewis Trondheim, premiered February 1, 2009, by
493 @uref{http://www.orchestre-montpellier.com/, L'Opéra Montpellier}.
496 @uref{http://www.mercurybaroque.org/02/02109.aspx, Mercury Baroque}'s
497 performance of Lully's @emph{Armide}, May 15-16, 2009, in Houston,
498 Texas (engraving by @uref{http://nicolas.sceaux.free.fr/,
502 Instrumental excerpts from Rameau's @emph{Hippolyte et Aricie} at
503 St. James's Church in Manhattan, May 8, 2009, by Frederick Renz
504 and his ensemble @uref{http://www.earlymusicny.org/, Early Music
505 New York} (engraving by Nicolas Sceaux).
513 @divClass{column-right-top}
514 @subheading Published sheet music
516 @divClass{keep-bullets}
520 @uref{http://www.mutopiaproject.org/index.html, Mutopia Project},
521 over 1500 pieces of classical sheet music for free download, and
522 the main showcase of LilyPond scores.
525 @uref{http://www.adoromusicpub.com/, Adoro Music Publishing},
526 high-quality scores of sacred music, available for immediate
527 download or in traditional paper format.
530 @uref{http://theshadylanepublishing.com/, The Shady Lane
532 a @qq{micro musical publishing house} whose goal is to promote a
533 new form of musical economy closer to the musicians and music
543 @divClass{column-center-bottom}
544 @subheading Where now?
546 Still not convinced? Read some of our users' @ref{Testimonials}.
547 If you've already decided to try LilyPond, first read about our
553 @unnumberedsec Testimonials
555 @divClass{testimonial-item}
556 @imageFloat{carter-brey,jpg, right}
557 @subsubheading @uref{http://nyphil.org/meet/orchestra/index.cfm?page=profile&personNum=7, Carter Brey}, Principal Cellist, New York Philharmonic
559 @qq{... I've written a couple of encore pieces for solo cello
560 which I've printed with LilyPond and which I'm going to submit to
561 Schirmer for publication. I'll bet their engraved version wouldn't
562 look half as sharp as mine!}
566 @divClass{testimonial-item}
567 @imageFloat{orm-finnendahl,jpg, left}
568 @subsubheading @uref{http://icem-www.folkwang-hochschule.de/~finnendahl/, Orm Finnendahl}, professor of Composition, Musikhochschule Freiburg
570 @qq{Although I don't know [LilyPond] very well yet, I'm *very*
571 impressed. I used the program to input a motet of Josquin Desprez
572 in mensural notation and there's no doubt that lilypond outscores
573 all other notation programs easily concerning speed, ease of use
578 @divClass{testimonial-item}
579 @imageFloat{darius-blasband,jpg, right}
580 @subsubheading Darius Blasband, composer (Brussels, Belgium)
582 @qq{[..after the first orchestra rehearsal] I got numerous
583 compliments about the quality of the scores. Even more
584 importantly, while Lilypond provides numerous hacks to improve the
585 way its scores look, what the orchestra got from me is basically
586 the raw, untouched output.}
591 @divClass{testimonial-item}
592 @subsubheading Kieren MacMillan, composer (Toronto, Canada)
594 @qq{thanks and kudos to the development team for their incredible
595 work. I've never seen anything approaching the output that I get
596 from Lilypond -- I'm totally confident that my music publishing
597 needs will be fulfilled beyond my expectations using this great
598 application. [..] basically untweaked Lilypond output [..] looks
599 better than most recent "professional" publications I've compared
600 it to (q.v., just about any Warner Bros. score, and even many of
601 the most recent by "the old houses"). [..]}
603 @qq{Beat that, Finale/Sibelius/Igor/whatever!!!}
607 @divClass{testimonial-item}
608 @subsubheading Chris Cannam, lead programmer of the @uref{http://www.rosegardenmusic.com/, RoseGarden} project.
610 @qq{Lilypond is obviously the zillion-ton gorilla [of great music
615 @divClass{testimonial-item}
616 @subsubheading Chris Snyder, @uref{http://www.adoromusicpub.com/, Adoro Music Publishing}
618 @qq{The way that music is entered for LilyPond causes me to think in a
619 more musical way -- there have been times when I've been stumped as
620 to how to tell Lily to engrave something, only to realize that
621 even if I did get it exactly as the composer wanted, the music
622 would be confusing to read. LilyPond makes it much easier for me
623 to work in my dual editor+engraver role.}
625 @qq{I've been using LilyPond exclusively for my fledgling music
626 publishing business. Virtually without exception, every composer
627 has been blown away by the quality of the engraving when presented
628 with the proofs of their music about to be published. I deserve
629 some of the credit for this -- I spend a lot of time tweaking
630 output, especially ties (mainly in chords) -- but LilyPond gives
631 me an excellent starting point, a very intuitive interface, and
632 the ability to modify absolutely anything if I want to take the
633 time. I'm convinced that no commercial product can come close.}
637 @divClass{testimonial-item}
638 @subsubheading David Bobroff, Bass Trombone, Iceland Symphony Orchestra
640 @qq{I think Lilypond is great [..] The more I learn about LilyPond
645 @divClass{testimonial-item}
646 @subsubheading Vaylor Trucks, Electric guitar player (Yes, @uref{http://www.allmanbrothersband.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=userpage&file=content&page_id=12, related to})
648 @qq{I am super impressed with LilyPond [..]}
650 @qq{THIS IS THE BEST PROGRAM EVER!!!}
652 @qq{Thank you all SO MUCH for your hard work and dedication!}
656 @divClass{testimonial-item}
657 @subsubheading @uref{http://nicolas.sceaux.free.fr/, Nicolas Sceaux}, @uref{http://www.mutopiaproject.org/, Mutopia} contributor
659 @qq{I had a kind of hate-passion relationship with it. Passion
660 because the first score I saw was so amazing! The description of
661 LilyPond lies about its beautifulness, it is too modest! [..] as
662 LilyPond is getting always better, and as I look closer how things
663 are done in scheme, I have less and less frustrations. Anyway,
664 what I mean is: thank you for providing LilyPond, it is really
669 @divClass{testimonial-item}
670 @subsubheading @uref{http://www.troff.org/whoswho.html#werner, Werner Lemberg}, Conductor at the Theatre in Koblenz, Germany and distinguished GNU Hacker.
672 @qq{Anyway, LilyPond does an amazingly good job!}
676 @divClass{testimonial-item}
677 @subsubheading Paul Davis, developer of @uref{http://jackaudio.org/, JACK} and @uref{http://www.ardour.org/, Ardour}.
679 @qq{I think [LilyPond is] an incredible program, and it produces
680 wonderful, wonderful output. when i read an interview about it
681 last year, i was raving to several friends of mine about its
686 @divClass{column-center-bottom}
687 @subheading Where now?
689 Read about our @ref{Text input}.
695 @unnumberedsec Text input
697 @c TRANSLATORS: so far it's mostly from
698 @c http://lilypond.org/web/switch/howto
700 @subheading @qq{Compiling} Music
702 @imageClickable{nereid-shot-small,png, (click to enlarge), nereid-shot,png, right}
704 LilyPond is a @emph{compiled} system: it is run on a text file
705 containing the notes. The resulting output is viewed on-screen or
706 printed. In some ways, LilyPond is more similar to a programming
707 language than graphical score editing software.
709 You do not write music by dragging notes from a graphical toolbar
710 and placing them on a dynamically refreshing score; you write
711 music by typing text. This text is interpreted (or @qq{compiled})
712 by LilyPond, which produces beautifully engraved sheet music.
714 People accustomed to graphical user interfaces might need to learn
715 a new way of working, but the results are definitely worth it!
717 @warning{We present a quick overview of our text input -- it's not
718 as complicated as it sounds! Don't worry about understanding
719 every detail in these examples; our beginner documentation covers
720 everything at a much more gradual pace.}
723 @subsubheading It's as simple as A B C
725 Notes are encoded with letters and numbers. Special commands are
726 entered with backslashes.
728 @imageFloat{text-input-1-annotate,png,center}
729 @imageFloat{text-input-1-output,png,center}
731 Alterations are made with different names: add @code{-is} for
732 sharp, and @code{-es} for flat (these are Dutch note names, other
733 languages are available). LilyPond figures out where to put
736 @imageFloat{text-input-2-annotate,png,center}
737 @imageFloat{text-input-2-output,png,center}
740 @subsubheading Pop music
742 Put chords and lyrics together to get a lead sheet:
744 @imageFloat{text-input-pop-annotate,png,center}
745 @imageFloat{text-input-pop-output,png,center}
749 @subsubheading Orchestral parts
751 The input file contains the notes of piece. Score and parts can
752 be made from a single input file. So, changing a note always
753 affects both parts and score. To share the notes, the music is
754 assigned to a variable:
756 @imageFloat{text-input-parts-both-annotate,png,center}
759 This variable is then used in a single part (here transposed, with
760 condensed multi rests):
762 @imageFloat{text-input-parts-single-annotate,png,center}
763 @imageFloat{text-input-parts-single-output,png,center}
766 The same variable is used in the full score (here in concert
769 @imageFloat{text-input-score-annotate,png,center}
770 @imageFloat{text-input-score-output,png,center}
773 @subsubheading Beginner Documentation
775 We realize that many users find this way of entering music a bit
776 odd. For this reason, we have written extensive documentation to
777 help new users, beginning with @ref{Learning}.
779 Please read the Learning Manual before complaining about bugs!
780 New users occasionally believe that LilyPond is not working
781 correctly, when in fact it is working precisely as designed.
783 @help{any suggestions for a picture here?}
786 @subsubheading Easier editing environments
788 LilyPond is primarily concerned with producing top-quality
789 engraved sheet music; creating a Graphical User Interface (GUI)
790 would distract us from this goal. However, there are other
791 projects aimed at making it easier to create LilyPond input files.
793 Some editing environments include syntax highlighting, automatic
794 command completion, and pre-made templates. Other programs
795 actually provide a GUI which allows direct manipulation of a
796 graphical score. For more information, see our documentation
797 about @ref{Alternate input}.
800 @divClass{column-center-bottom}
801 @subheading Where now?
803 You are now ready to @ref{Download, Download LilyPond}. Still not
804 convinced? Read about easier editing environments in
805 @ref{Alternate input}.
810 @node Alternate input
811 @unnumberedsec Alternate input
813 @divClass{column-center-top}
814 @subheading Graphical environment: Denemo
816 @sourceimage{logo-linux,,,}
818 FIXME: insert text and a graphic
822 @divClass{column-center-top}
823 @subheading Mixed environment: LilyPondTool
825 @sourceimage{logo-linux,,,}
826 @sourceimage{logo-freebsd,,,}
827 @sourceimage{logo-macosx,,,}
828 @sourceimage{logo-windows,,,}
831 FIXME: insert text and a graphic
835 @divClass{column-center-top}
836 @subheading Text environment: Emacs and Vim
838 @sourceimage{logo-linux,,,}
839 @sourceimage{logo-freebsd,,,}
840 @sourceimage{logo-macosx,,,}
841 @sourceimage{logo-windows,,,}
844 FIXME: insert text and a graphic
848 @divClass{column-center-top}
851 FIXME: insert text and a graphic(s)
856 @divClass{column-center-bottom}
857 @subheading Where now?
859 You are now ready to @ref{Download, Download LilyPond}.
861 Still not convinced? Many composers, musicians, and conductors
862 have learned how to write music in our input format. Experienced
863 users even report that they can enter a full score in LilyPond
864 faster than with a piano keyboard or mouse+GUI! Perhaps you would
865 like to review the @ref{Features}, @ref{Examples}, or the
866 @ref{Freedom} that LilyPond provides, or read about users'
867 @ref{Productions} and @ref{Testimonials}. In addition, our
868 approach to the computational aesthetics of classical engraving is
869 explained in our @ref{Background}.
875 All logos and product images are copyright and trademark