1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
8 @chapter New features in 2.1 since 2.0
21 @item Drum notation is now supported natively:
22 percussion may be entered in @code{\drums} mode, and printed in a
23 @code{DrumStaff} context:
27 \drums \new DrumStaff @{ hihat4 cowbell8 @}
32 @item The automatic staff changer was internally rewritten. As a
33 result, the syntax has been simplified as well:
36 \autochange @var{the music}
39 @item The ergonomic syntax of @code{\markup} now has an equivalent in
40 Scheme. The @code{markup*} macro creates such objects; the following
41 two markup commands are equivalent:
43 f4^#(markup* #:raise 0.2 #:bold "hi")
44 f4^\markup @{ \raise #0.2 \bold hi @}
47 @item Voice names, for vocal lines, have been added. They are similar
48 to instrument names. They can be set by defining @code{vocalName}
51 @item Safe mode has been reinstated for lilypond.
52 When lilypond is invoked with @code{--safe-mode}, @TeX{} and
53 PostScript file output is disallowed, and lilypond-bin is invoked with
54 @code{--safe-mode}, the user's Guile expressions are evaluated in a
55 safe environment and file inclusion is not allowed.
57 Warning: this does not protect against denial-of-service attacks using
58 Guile, @TeX{} or PostScript.
60 (This feature is still experimental.)
62 @item There is now a Scheme macro for defining markup
63 commands. Special mark-up commands can be defined in user-files too.
65 @item Many fixes for dimension scaling have been made,
66 resulting in correct results for scores that mix staves in different
69 @item Improved robustness when layout properties are accidentally removed.
71 @item A more cleanly constructed part combiner has been installed.
72 It is more robust and less buggy. The part-combiner can be used with
74 \partcombine @var{mus1} @var{mus2}
78 See @file{input/regression/new-part-combine.ly} for an example.
80 @item Formatting of rehearsal marks has been improved. The @code{\mark}
81 command now only does automatic incrementing for marks specified as
82 integer. For example, @code{\mark #1} will print an A in the default
83 style. See @file{input/regression/rehearsal-mark-letter.ly},
84 @file{input/regression/rehearsal-mark-number.ly}.
86 @item Formatting of ottava brackets has been much improved.
88 @item Objects in the output can now be documented: the following fragment
89 boxes the note head, and adds the text ``heads or tails?'' three
93 \context Voice \applyoutput #(add-balloon-text
94 'NoteHead "heads, or tails?"
102 @item Default staff sizes are now scalable. There are two new mechanisms for
103 setting staff sizes. Both are demonstrated in this fragment:
106 #(set-global-staff-size 15)
108 #(paper-set-staff-size (* 15 pt))
114 Both have the same effect on the global layout of a
115 piece. Similarly, the paper size may be changed as follows
118 #(set-paper-size "a4")
122 @item Warnings for bar check errors are more cleverly printed. This
123 makes @code{barCheckSynchronize} superfluous, so it is now switched
126 Warning: this will cause problems in scores that use bar checks to
129 @item The black note head was made a little rounder, which causes a less
130 frantic graphic impression.
133 A more concise syntax for checking octaves was introduced. A note may
134 be followed by @code{=}@var{quotes} which indicates what its absolute
135 octave should be. In the following example,
138 \relative c'' @{ c='' b=' d,='' @}
142 the d will generate a warning, because a d'' is
143 expected, but a d' is found.
144 @c @code adds ` ' very confusing.
146 @item There is a new mechanism for putting lyrics to melodies.
147 With this mechanism, @code{LyricVoice}s can be put melodies
148 individually, allowing for different melismatic sections in every
149 @code{LyricVoice}. See @file{input/regression/lyric-combine-new.ly}.
151 @item Bar lines may now be dotted.
154 @item The documentation now has links to a wiki, where everyone can
155 add personal comments to the manual.
157 @item Contexts may now be changed locally for an isolated music
158 expression. For example,
162 \consists "Pitch_squash_engraver"
168 @item The syntax for changing staffs has changed. The keyword
169 @code{\change} should now be used, e.g.
175 @item Features of spanner contexts, like @code{Staff}, can now be changed
176 using @code{\property}, eg.
180 \property Staff.StaffSymbol \set #'line-count = #4
186 puts a quarter note C on a staff with 4 lines.
189 @item Multi measure rests are now truly centered between the
190 clefs/barlines of the staff, their position is independent of symbols
193 @item Collision resolution for dots in chords has been improved greatly.
196 Spacing following barlines was improved for widely stretched lines.
199 Lyric hyphens and extenders now conform to standard typesetting
203 Lyrics are now aligned under note heads conforming to engraving
204 standards. The responsible code has been rewritten, and is drastically
205 simpler from the previous version. To aid this rewrite, the syntactic
206 function of the extender line ( __ ) has been changed: it is now
207 attached to the lyric syllable.
210 When redefining a context, the associated identifier is also
211 updated. For example, after reading the following snippet,
218 the definition of @code{ScoreContext} is updated to include the changed
223 The weight of the stafflines is now heavier at smaller staff sizes.
224 The font has been modified to match this look: at smaller sizes, the
225 font is heavier and the note heads are more rounded.
227 @item Processing scores is now done while parsing the file. New
228 Scheme functions give more flexibility: for example, it is now possible
229 interpret a score, collecting synchronized musical events in a list, and
230 manipulate that information using inline Scheme. For an example, see
231 @file{input/no-notation/recording.ly}.
233 @item Font sizes can now truly be scaled continuously: the @code{font-size}
234 is similar to the old @code{font-relative-size}, but may be set to
235 fractional values; the closest design size will be scaled to achieve
236 the desired size. As a side-effect, there are now no longer
237 limitations in using smaller fonts (eg. grace notes) at small staff
240 @item Stem tips are now also engraved with rounded corners.
243 The placement of accidentals on chords and ledgered notes is improved.
248 @chapter New features in 2.0 since 1.8
253 Crescendos can now be drawn dotted or dashed.
256 Quarter tones are now supported. They are entered by suffixing
257 @code{ih} for a half-sharp and @code{eh} for a half-flat. Hence, the
258 following is an ascending list of pitches:
261 ceses ceseh ces ceh c cih cis cisih cisis
265 The following constructs have been removed from the syntax:
268 \duration #SCHEME-DURATION
270 \outputproperty @var{func} @var{symbol} = @var{value}
273 For @code{\outputproperty}, the following may be substituted:
276 \applyoutput #(outputproperty-compatibility @var{func}
277 @var{symbol} @var{value})
281 Clefs may now be transposed arbitrarily, for example
291 The syntax for chords and simultaneous music have changed.
292 Chords are entered as
298 while simultaneous music is entered as
301 <<@var{..music list..}>>
304 In effect, the meanings of both have been swapped relative to their 1.8
305 definition. The syntax for lists in @code{\markup} has changed
306 alongside, but figured bass mode was not changed, i.e.:
309 \markup @{ \center <@var{..list of markups..}> @}
310 \figure @{ <@var{figures}> @}
313 As chords the more often used than simultaneous music, this change will
317 Each music expression can now be tagged, to make different printed
318 versions from the same music expression. In the following example,
319 we see two versions of a piece of music, one for the full score, and
320 one with cue notes for the instrumental part:
324 @{ c4 f2 g4 @} % in the part, we have cue-notes
326 \tag #'score R1 % in the score: only a rest
330 The same can be applied to articulations, texts, etc.: they are
334 -\tag #@var{your-tags}
337 to an articulation, for example,
340 c4-\tag #'with-fingerings -4 -\tag #'with-strings \6
343 This defines a note, which has a conditional fingering and a
344 string-number indication.
347 The settings for chord-fingering are more flexible. You can specify a
348 list where fingerings may be placed, eg.
351 \property Voice.fingeringOrientations = #'(left down)
354 This will put the fingering for the lowest note below the chord, and the
358 The script previously known as @code{ly2dvi} has been renamed to
359 @code{lilypond}. The binary itself is now installed as
363 Markup text (ie. general text formatting) may now be used for lyrics too.
366 Two new commands for grace notes have been added, @code{\acciaccatura}
367 and @code{\appoggiatura},
374 Both reflect the traditional meanings of acciaccatura and appogiatura,
375 and both insert insert a slur from the first grace note to the main
379 Layout options for grace notes are now stored in a context property,
380 and may now be set separately from musical content.
383 The @code{\new} command will create a context with a unique
384 name automatically. Hence, for multi-staff scores, it is no longer
385 necessary to invent arbitrary context names. For example, a two-staff
386 score may be created by
390 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 1st staff} @}
391 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 2nd staff} @}
398 Octave checks make octave errors easier to correct.
405 This checks that @var{pitch} (without octave) yields @var{pitch} (with
406 octave) in \relative mode. If not, a warning is printed, and the
410 All articulations must now be entered postfix. For example,
417 is a pair of beamed slurred eighth notes.
420 The definition of @code{\relative} has been simplified. Octaves are
421 now always propagated in the order that music is entered. In the
426 \repeat "unfold" 3 BODY \alternative @{ ALT1 ALT2 @}
431 the octave of BODY is based on PRE, the starting octave of ALT1 on
432 BODY, the starting octave of ALT2 on ALT1, and the starting octave of
435 The same mechanism is used for all other music expressions, except the
436 chord. Backwards compatibility is retained through a special program option,
440 #(ly:set-option 'old-relative)
444 Windows users can double click a @code{.ly} file to process and view
445 it automagically through the new @code{lily-wins} frontend.
452 @chapter New features in 1.8 since 1.6
457 The chord entry code has been completely rewritten. It is now
458 cleaner and more flexible.
461 A new syntax has been added for text entry. This syntax is more
462 friendly than the old mechanism, and it is implemented in a more
463 robust and modular way. For more information, refer to the section on
464 "Text markup" in the notation manual.
467 The integration of the input language and Scheme has been made deeper:
468 you can now use LilyPond identifiers in Scheme, and use Scheme
469 expressions instead of LilyPond identifiers.
472 The internal representation of music has been cleaned up completely
473 and converted to Scheme data structures. The representation may be
477 A new uniform postfix syntax for articulation has been introduced.
478 A beamed slurred pair of eighth notes can be entered as
484 In version 2.0, postfix syntax will be the only syntax
485 available, and the dashes will become optional.
487 This will simplify the language: all articulations can be entered as
488 postfix, in any order.
491 A new syntax has been added for chords:
498 It is not necessary to update files to this syntax, but it will be for
499 using LilyPond version 2.0. In version 2.0, this syntax will be
509 \simultaneous @{ .. @}
512 for simultaneous music.
514 To convert your files from <PITCHES> to <<PITCHES>>, use the script
515 included in buildscripts/convert-new-chords.py
517 This change was introduced for the following reasons
521 It solves the "start score with chord" problem, where you have to
522 state \context Voice explicitly when a chord was the start of a
525 With the new syntax, it is possible to distinguish between
526 articulations (or fingerings) which are for a single chord note,
527 and which are for the entire chord. This allows for per-note
528 fingerings, and is more logical on the whole.
532 User code may now be executed during interpreting. The syntax for
536 \applycontext #SCHEME-FUNCTION
540 User code may now be executed on arbitrary grobs during interpreting.
541 The syntax for this feature is
544 \applyoutput #SCHEME-FUNCTION
548 SCHEME-FUNCTION takes a single argument, and is called for every grob
549 that is created in the current context.
552 New algorithms for chord-name formatting have been installed. They
553 can be tuned and have ergonomic syntax for entering exceptions.
556 Texts may now be put on multimeasure rests, e.g.
559 R1*20^\markup @{ "GP" @}
563 Ancient notation now prints ligatures in Gregorian square neumes
564 notation, roughly following the typographical style of the Liber
565 hymnarius of Solesmes, published in 1983. Ligatures are still printed
566 without the proper line breaking and horizontal spacing.
569 Glissandi can now be printed using the zigzag style.
572 LilyPond can now print clusters. The syntax is
575 \apply #notes-to-clusters @{ NOTE NOTE .. @}
579 For irregular meters, beat grouping marks can be printed. The
583 #(set-time-signature 7 8 '(3 2 2))
588 Nested horizontal brackets for music analysis can now be printed:
597 @item Ottava brackets are now fully supported as a feature. The syntax
605 @item Metronome markings are printed when a \tempo command is processed.
609 @item Fingerings can be put on chords horizontally.
613 @item The appearance of various glyphs has been fine-tuned.
617 @item Different types of percent style repeats may now be nested.
621 @item The emacs support has been extended.
625 The manual has been completely revised and extended.
629 @chapter New features in 1.6 since 1.4
635 Support for figured bass and tablature.
638 Completely rewritten beam formatting: provides much better output
643 Completely revised and improved music font.
647 Completely rewritten MIDI import support.
650 Completely rewritten grace note support. Practically speaking this
651 means that grace notes can be slurred to normal normal notes.
655 Improved accidental handling and formatting: styles for producing
656 cautionaries may vary, and complex collisions between accidentals of a
657 chord are handled much better.
660 Better spacing: both globally and locally. This includes subtle
661 details like optical stem spacing.
664 More support for ancient notation: mensural ligatures, ambitus
665 (pitch range) of voices, more shapes, etc.
668 More support for piano notation: bracket pedals, directed arpeggios,
672 Easier music polyphonic music entry.
675 More extensibility, many speedups and bugfixes
678 The manual has been thoroughly revised.
681 Development is now hosted at http://savannah.gnu.org, and sources
682 can be downloaded through anonymous CVS.
685 Support for windows: LilyPond is part of the cygwin distribution,
686 which comes with a user-friendly installer.