1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
8 @chapter New features in 2.1 since 2.0
21 @item The lilypond-book script has been rewritten. It now supports
22 running convert-ly on the lilypond snippets like so:
24 lilypond-book --filter='convert-ly --from=2.0.0' my-book.tely
26 It is also twice as short and thrice as fast. The special construct
27 @code{mbinclude} has been removed, plain @code{@@include} or
28 @code{\\input} can be used now.
30 @item The @code{Lyrics} context has been removed. Lyrics should only
31 be constructed in @code{LyricsVoice}.
33 @item The @code{Thread} context has been removed. Note heads and rests
34 are now constructed at @code{Voice} level.
36 @item Harmonic notes can now be entered as
42 @item Drum notation is now supported as a regular feature:
43 percussion may be entered in @code{\drums} mode, and printed in a
44 @code{DrumStaff} context:
48 \drums \new DrumStaff @{ hihat4 cowbell8 @}
53 @item The automatic staff changer was internally rewritten. As a
54 result, the syntax has been simplified as well:
57 \autochange @var{the music}
60 @item The ergonomic syntax of @code{\markup} now has an equivalent in
61 Scheme. The @code{markup*} macro creates such objects; the following
62 two markup commands are equivalent:
64 f4^#(markup* #:raise 0.2 #:bold "hi")
65 f4^\markup @{ \raise #0.2 \bold hi @}
68 @item Voice names, for vocal lines, have been added. They are similar
69 to instrument names. They can be set by defining @code{vocalName}
72 @item Safe mode has been reinstated for lilypond.
73 When lilypond is invoked with @code{--safe-mode}, @TeX{} and
74 PostScript file output is disallowed, and lilypond-bin is invoked with
75 @code{--safe-mode}, the user's Guile expressions are evaluated in a
76 safe environment and file inclusion is not allowed.
78 Warning: this does not protect against denial-of-service attacks using
79 Guile, @TeX{} or PostScript.
81 (This feature is still experimental.)
83 @item There is now a Scheme macro for defining markup
84 commands. Special mark-up commands can be defined in user-files too.
86 @item Many fixes for dimension scaling have been made,
87 resulting in correct results for scores that mix staves in different
90 @item Improved robustness when layout properties are accidentally removed.
92 @item A more cleanly constructed part combiner has been installed.
93 It is more robust and less buggy. The part-combiner can be used with
95 \partcombine @var{mus1} @var{mus2}
99 See @file{input/regression/new-part-combine.ly} for an example.
101 @item Formatting of rehearsal marks has been improved. The @code{\mark}
102 command now only does automatic incrementing for marks specified as
103 integer. For example, @code{\mark #1} will print an A in the default
104 style. See @file{input/regression/rehearsal-mark-letter.ly},
105 @file{input/regression/rehearsal-mark-number.ly}.
107 @item Formatting of ottava brackets has been much improved.
109 @item Objects in the output can now be documented: the following fragment
110 boxes the note head, and adds the text ``heads or tails?'' three
111 spaces below the box.
114 \context Voice \applyoutput #(add-balloon-text
115 'NoteHead "heads, or tails?"
123 @item Default staff sizes are now scalable. There are two new mechanisms for
124 setting staff sizes. Both are demonstrated in this fragment:
127 #(set-global-staff-size 15)
129 #(paper-set-staff-size (* 15 pt))
135 Both have the same effect on the global layout of a
136 piece. Similarly, the paper size may be changed as follows
139 #(set-paper-size "a4")
143 @item Warnings for bar check errors are more cleverly printed. This
144 makes @code{barCheckSynchronize} superfluous, so it is now switched
147 Warning: this will cause problems in scores that use bar checks to
150 @item The black note head was made a little rounder, which causes a less
151 frantic graphic impression.
154 A more concise syntax for checking octaves was introduced. A note may
155 be followed by @code{=}@var{quotes} which indicates what its absolute
156 octave should be. In the following example,
159 \relative c'' @{ c='' b=' d,='' @}
163 the d will generate a warning, because a d'' is
164 expected, but a d' is found.
165 @c @code adds ` ' very confusing.
167 @item There is a new mechanism for putting lyrics to melodies.
168 With this mechanism, @code{LyricVoice}s can be put melodies
169 individually, allowing for different melismatic sections in every
170 @code{LyricVoice}. See @file{input/regression/lyric-combine-new.ly}.
172 @item Bar lines may now be dotted.
175 @item The documentation now has links to a wiki, where everyone can
176 add personal comments to the manual.
178 @item Contexts may now be changed locally for an isolated music
179 expression. For example,
183 \consists "Pitch_squash_engraver"
189 @item The syntax for changing staffs has changed. The keyword
190 @code{\change} should now be used, e.g.
196 @item Features of spanner contexts, like @code{Staff}, can now be changed
197 using @code{\property}, eg.
201 \property Staff.StaffSymbol \set #'line-count = #4
207 puts a quarter note C on a staff with 4 lines.
210 @item Multi measure rests are now truly centered between the
211 clefs/barlines of the staff, their position is independent of symbols
214 @item Collision resolution for dots in chords has been improved greatly.
217 Spacing following barlines was improved for widely stretched lines.
220 Lyric hyphens and extenders now conform to standard typesetting
224 Lyrics are now aligned under note heads conforming to engraving
225 standards. The responsible code has been rewritten, and is drastically
226 simpler from the previous version. To aid this rewrite, the syntactic
227 function of the extender line ( __ ) has been changed: it is now
228 attached to the lyric syllable.
231 When redefining a context, the associated identifier is also
232 updated. For example, after reading the following snippet,
239 the definition of @code{ScoreContext} is updated to include the changed
244 The weight of the stafflines is now heavier at smaller staff sizes.
245 The font has been modified to match this look: at smaller sizes, the
246 font is heavier and the note heads are more rounded.
248 @item Processing scores is now done while parsing the file. New
249 Scheme functions give more flexibility: for example, it is now possible
250 interpret a score, collecting synchronized musical events in a list, and
251 manipulate that information using inline Scheme. For an example, see
252 @file{input/no-notation/recording.ly}.
254 @item Font sizes can now truly be scaled continuously: the @code{font-size}
255 is similar to the old @code{font-relative-size}, but may be set to
256 fractional values; the closest design size will be scaled to achieve
257 the desired size. As a side-effect, there are now no longer
258 limitations in using smaller fonts (eg. grace notes) at small staff
261 @item Stem tips are now also engraved with rounded corners.
264 The placement of accidentals on chords and ledgered notes is improved.
269 @chapter New features in 2.0 since 1.8
274 Crescendos can now be drawn dotted or dashed.
277 Quarter tones are now supported. They are entered by suffixing
278 @code{ih} for a half-sharp and @code{eh} for a half-flat. Hence, the
279 following is an ascending list of pitches:
282 ceses ceseh ces ceh c cih cis cisih cisis
286 The following constructs have been removed from the syntax:
289 \duration #SCHEME-DURATION
291 \outputproperty @var{func} @var{symbol} = @var{value}
294 For @code{\outputproperty}, the following may be substituted:
297 \applyoutput #(outputproperty-compatibility @var{func}
298 @var{symbol} @var{value})
302 Clefs may now be transposed arbitrarily, for example
312 The syntax for chords and simultaneous music have changed.
313 Chords are entered as
319 while simultaneous music is entered as
322 <<@var{..music list..}>>
325 In effect, the meanings of both have been swapped relative to their 1.8
326 definition. The syntax for lists in @code{\markup} has changed
327 alongside, but figured bass mode was not changed, i.e.:
330 \markup @{ \center <@var{..list of markups..}> @}
331 \figure @{ <@var{figures}> @}
334 As chords the more often used than simultaneous music, this change will
338 Each music expression can now be tagged, to make different printed
339 versions from the same music expression. In the following example,
340 we see two versions of a piece of music, one for the full score, and
341 one with cue notes for the instrumental part:
345 @{ c4 f2 g4 @} % in the part, we have cue-notes
347 \tag #'score R1 % in the score: only a rest
351 The same can be applied to articulations, texts, etc.: they are
355 -\tag #@var{your-tags}
358 to an articulation, for example,
361 c4-\tag #'with-fingerings -4 -\tag #'with-strings \6
364 This defines a note, which has a conditional fingering and a
365 string-number indication.
368 The settings for chord-fingering are more flexible. You can specify a
369 list where fingerings may be placed, eg.
372 \property Voice.fingeringOrientations = #'(left down)
375 This will put the fingering for the lowest note below the chord, and the
379 The script previously known as @code{ly2dvi} has been renamed to
380 @code{lilypond}. The binary itself is now installed as
384 Markup text (ie. general text formatting) may now be used for lyrics too.
387 Two new commands for grace notes have been added, @code{\acciaccatura}
388 and @code{\appoggiatura},
395 Both reflect the traditional meanings of acciaccatura and appogiatura,
396 and both insert insert a slur from the first grace note to the main
400 Layout options for grace notes are now stored in a context property,
401 and may now be set separately from musical content.
404 The @code{\new} command will create a context with a unique
405 name automatically. Hence, for multi-staff scores, it is no longer
406 necessary to invent arbitrary context names. For example, a two-staff
407 score may be created by
411 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 1st staff} @}
412 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 2nd staff} @}
419 Octave checks make octave errors easier to correct.
426 This checks that @var{pitch} (without octave) yields @var{pitch} (with
427 octave) in \relative mode. If not, a warning is printed, and the
431 All articulations must now be entered postfix. For example,
438 is a pair of beamed slurred eighth notes.
441 The definition of @code{\relative} has been simplified. Octaves are
442 now always propagated in the order that music is entered. In the
447 \repeat "unfold" 3 BODY \alternative @{ ALT1 ALT2 @}
452 the octave of BODY is based on PRE, the starting octave of ALT1 on
453 BODY, the starting octave of ALT2 on ALT1, and the starting octave of
456 The same mechanism is used for all other music expressions, except the
457 chord. Backwards compatibility is retained through a special program option,
461 #(ly:set-option 'old-relative)
465 Windows users can double click a @code{.ly} file to process and view
466 it automagically through the new @code{lily-wins} frontend.
473 @chapter New features in 1.8 since 1.6
478 The chord entry code has been completely rewritten. It is now
479 cleaner and more flexible.
482 A new syntax has been added for text entry. This syntax is more
483 friendly than the old mechanism, and it is implemented in a more
484 robust and modular way. For more information, refer to the section on
485 "Text markup" in the notation manual.
488 The integration of the input language and Scheme has been made deeper:
489 you can now use LilyPond identifiers in Scheme, and use Scheme
490 expressions instead of LilyPond identifiers.
493 The internal representation of music has been cleaned up completely
494 and converted to Scheme data structures. The representation may be
498 A new uniform postfix syntax for articulation has been introduced.
499 A beamed slurred pair of eighth notes can be entered as
505 In version 2.0, postfix syntax will be the only syntax
506 available, and the dashes will become optional.
508 This will simplify the language: all articulations can be entered as
509 postfix, in any order.
512 A new syntax has been added for chords:
519 It is not necessary to update files to this syntax, but it will be for
520 using LilyPond version 2.0. In version 2.0, this syntax will be
530 \simultaneous @{ .. @}
533 for simultaneous music.
535 To convert your files from <PITCHES> to <<PITCHES>>, use the script
536 included in buildscripts/convert-new-chords.py
538 This change was introduced for the following reasons
542 It solves the "start score with chord" problem, where you have to
543 state \context Voice explicitly when a chord was the start of a
546 With the new syntax, it is possible to distinguish between
547 articulations (or fingerings) which are for a single chord note,
548 and which are for the entire chord. This allows for per-note
549 fingerings, and is more logical on the whole.
553 User code may now be executed during interpreting. The syntax for
557 \applycontext #SCHEME-FUNCTION
561 User code may now be executed on arbitrary grobs during interpreting.
562 The syntax for this feature is
565 \applyoutput #SCHEME-FUNCTION
569 SCHEME-FUNCTION takes a single argument, and is called for every grob
570 that is created in the current context.
573 New algorithms for chord-name formatting have been installed. They
574 can be tuned and have ergonomic syntax for entering exceptions.
577 Texts may now be put on multimeasure rests, e.g.
580 R1*20^\markup @{ "GP" @}
584 Ancient notation now prints ligatures in Gregorian square neumes
585 notation, roughly following the typographical style of the Liber
586 hymnarius of Solesmes, published in 1983. Ligatures are still printed
587 without the proper line breaking and horizontal spacing.
590 Glissandi can now be printed using the zigzag style.
593 LilyPond can now print clusters. The syntax is
596 \apply #notes-to-clusters @{ NOTE NOTE .. @}
600 For irregular meters, beat grouping marks can be printed. The
604 #(set-time-signature 7 8 '(3 2 2))
609 Nested horizontal brackets for music analysis can now be printed:
618 @item Ottava brackets are now fully supported as a feature. The syntax
626 @item Metronome markings are printed when a \tempo command is processed.
630 @item Fingerings can be put on chords horizontally.
634 @item The appearance of various glyphs has been fine-tuned.
638 @item Different types of percent style repeats may now be nested.
642 @item The emacs support has been extended.
646 The manual has been completely revised and extended.
650 @chapter New features in 1.6 since 1.4
656 Support for figured bass and tablature.
659 Completely rewritten beam formatting: provides much better output
664 Completely revised and improved music font.
668 Completely rewritten MIDI import support.
671 Completely rewritten grace note support. Practically speaking this
672 means that grace notes can be slurred to normal normal notes.
676 Improved accidental handling and formatting: styles for producing
677 cautionaries may vary, and complex collisions between accidentals of a
678 chord are handled much better.
681 Better spacing: both globally and locally. This includes subtle
682 details like optical stem spacing.
685 More support for ancient notation: mensural ligatures, ambitus
686 (pitch range) of voices, more shapes, etc.
689 More support for piano notation: bracket pedals, directed arpeggios,
693 Easier music polyphonic music entry.
696 More extensibility, many speedups and bugfixes
699 The manual has been thoroughly revised.
702 Development is now hosted at http://savannah.gnu.org, and sources
703 can be downloaded through anonymous CVS.
706 Support for windows: LilyPond is part of the cygwin distribution,
707 which comes with a user-friendly installer.