1 article(GNU Music project - manifesto)(Han-Wen Nienhuys and Jan Nieuwenhuizen)()
5 Provide musicians with free software for
12 it()interchanging music
18 These systems should encourage laymen to take up composing, in the
19 same way that GNU tools have created a whole new generation of
22 The public deserves free tools for composing and printing.
27 Emacs and TeX() serve as useful examples of what programs by the GMP
32 The software should be of high-quality from the application view.
33 For example, the notation should be high-quality from an engraving
34 point of view, like TeX()
36 dit(high-quality) The software should be of high-quality point of
37 view, like all GNU software, it should have no limits, be fast,
41 Printed music has a lot of styles, and special symbols. It may be
42 unfeasible to provide and maintain lots of code that is hardwired
43 into the system. The tools should be extensible/programmable like
47 That is, for technical users (that can read a manual). The learning
48 curve should be as flat as possible but not at the expense of comfort
55 dit(A set of music fonts)
56 In development, the Feta font.
57 dit(A typesetting engine)
58 In development, included in LilyPond.
59 A system with rules on how to set properties of items to be printed
60 (up/down directions, breaking, dimensions, etc)
61 It should be suited to interactive typesetting (so, incremental
62 algorithms are needed)
64 which can display clear notewriting in (say) an X-window
65 Ideally the system should cooperate with the typesetting engine
66 dit(An ASCII language)
67 In development, LilyPond has a language.
68 Having an ASCII format which enables urtext, and easy sharing (via
69 mail and news forums) encourages cooperation and exchange of music.
70 dit(A printing engine)
71 In development, included in LilyPond.
73 The natural way to enter composed music is singing or playing it. The
74 GMP should have module which can take keyboard input or microphone
75 input and convert it to computer data. (microphone input would be
78 (have no clue about this)
79 dit(A scanning system)
80 Having a system which can produce mudela from printed scores, greatly
81 simplifies creating a collection of music
82 dit(A music-understanding system)
83 (difficult) A system to generate accompaniments, figured bass,
84 automatic accompaniment, etc.
85 dit(A performing system)
86 A system which can play credible performances of abstract music
87 representations. LilyPond has a bare bones system, but it cannot
88 (yet) be described as "credible".
94 it()A noninteractive typesetter, suited for batch jobs, and typesetting
95 existing music. This would couple the ASCII language, the printing
96 engine and the typesetting engine
97 LilyPond is currently representing this section.
98 it()A GUI for composing. This would combine the display engine, the input
99 system and the typesetting engine.
100 it()Libraries for reading and writing various audio/music/notation
104 Find sponsors. This project will take a long time, and in its infant
105 stages, having a hard and small core which does a lot of work, is more
106 efficient than lots of people doing small subprojects. Finanicial
107 support would be desirable.