1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
8 @chapter New features in 2.1 since 2.0
21 @item The automatic staff changer was internally rewritten. The new
25 \autochange @var{the music}
28 @item The ergonomic syntax of @code{\markup} now has an equivalent in
29 Scheme. The @code{markup*} macro creates such objects; the following
30 two markup commands are equivalent:
32 f4^#(markup* #:raise 0.2 #:bold "hi")
33 f4^\markup @{ \raise #0.2 \bold hi @}
36 @item Voice names, for vocal lines, have been added. They are similar
37 to instrument names. They can be set by defining @code{vocalName}
40 @item Safe mode has been reinstated for lilypond.
41 When lilypond is invoked with @code{--safe-mode}, @TeX{} and
42 PostScript file output is disallowed, and lilypond-bin is invoked with
43 @code{--safe-mode}, the user's Guile expressions are evaluated in a
44 safe environment and file inclusion is not allowed.
46 Warning: this does protect against denial-of-service attacks using
47 Guile, @TeX{} or PostScript.
49 (This feature is still experimental.)
51 @item There is now a Scheme macro for defining markup
52 commands. Special mark-up commands can be defined in user-files too.
54 @item Many fixes for dimension scaling have been made,
55 resulting in correct results for scores that mix staves in different
58 @item Improved robustness when layout properties are accidentally removed.
60 @item A more cleanly constructed part combiner has been installed.
61 It is more robust and less buggy. The part-combiner can be used with
63 \partcombine @var{mus1} @var{mus2}
67 See @file{input/regression/new-part-combine.ly} for an example.
69 @item Formatting of rehearsal marks has been improved. The @code{\mark}
70 command now only does automatic incrementing for marks specified as
71 integer. For example, @code{\mark #1} will print an A in the default
72 style. See @file{input/regression/rehearsal-mark-letter.ly},
73 @file{input/regression/rehearsal-mark-number.ly}.
75 @item Formatting of ottava brackets has been much improved.
77 @item Objects in the output can now be documented: the following fragment
78 boxes the note head, and adds the text ``heads or tails?'' three
82 \context Voice \applyoutput #(add-balloon-text
83 'NoteHead "heads, or tails?"
91 @item Default staff sizes are now scalable. There are two new mechanisms for
92 setting staff sizes. Both are demonstrated in this fragment:
95 #(set-global-staff-size 15)
97 #(paper-set-staff-size (* 15 pt))
103 Both have the same effect on the global layout of a
104 piece. Similarly, the paper size may be changed as follows
107 #(set-paper-size "a4")
111 @item Warnings for bar check errors are more cleverly printed. This
112 makes @code{barCheckSynchronize} superfluous, so it is now switched
115 Warning: this will cause problems in scores that use bar checks to
118 @item The black note head was made a little rounder, which causes a less
119 frantic graphic impression.
122 A more concise syntax for checking octaves was introduced. A note may
123 be followed by @code{=}@var{quotes} which indicates what its absolute
124 octave should be. In the following example,
127 \relative c'' @{ c='' b=' d,='' @}
131 the d will generate a warning, because a d'' is
132 expected, but a d' is found.
133 @c @code adds ` ' very confusing.
135 @item There is a new mechanism for putting lyrics to melodies.
136 With this mechanism, @code{LyricVoice}s can be put melodies
137 individually, allowing for different melismatic sections in every
138 @code{LyricVoice}. See @file{input/regression/lyric-combine-new.ly}.
140 @item Bar lines may now be dotted.
143 @item The documentation now has links to a wiki, where everyone can
144 add personal comments to the manual.
146 @item Contexts may now be changed locally for an isolated music
147 expression. For example,
151 \consists "Pitch_squash_engraver"
157 @item The syntax for changing staffs has changed. The keyword
158 @code{\change} should now be used, e.g.
164 @item Features of spanner contexts, like @code{Staff}, can now be changed
165 using @code{\property}, eg.
169 \property Staff.StaffSymbol \set #'line-count = #4
175 puts a quarter note C on a staff with 4 lines.
178 @item Multi measure rests are now truly centered between the
179 clefs/barlines of the staff, their position is independent of symbols
182 @item Collision resolution for dots in chords has been improved greatly.
185 Spacing following barlines was improved for widely stretched lines.
188 Lyric hyphens and extenders now conform to standard typesetting
192 Lyrics are now aligned under note heads conforming to engraving
193 standards. The responsible code has been rewritten, and is drastically
194 simpler from the previous version. To aid this rewrite, the syntactic
195 function of the extender line ( __ ) has been changed: it is now
196 attached to the lyric syllable.
199 When redefining a context, the associated identifier is also
200 updated. For example, after reading the following snippet,
207 the definition of @code{ScoreContext} is updated to include the changed
212 The weight of the stafflines is now heavier at smaller staff sizes.
213 The font has been modified to match this look: at smaller sizes, the
214 font is heavier and the note heads are more rounded.
216 @item Processing scores is now done while parsing the file. New
217 Scheme functions give more flexibility: for example, it is now possible
218 interpret a score, collecting synchronized musical events in a list, and
219 manipulate that information using inline Scheme. For an example, see
220 @file{input/no-notation/recording.ly}.
222 @item Font sizes can now truly be scaled continuously: the @code{font-size}
223 is similar to the old @code{font-relative-size}, but may be set to
224 fractional values; the closest design size will be scaled to achieve
225 the desired size. As a side-effect, there are now no longer
226 limitations in using smaller fonts (eg. grace notes) at small staff
229 @item The appearance of stem tips is now also engraved with rounded corners.
232 The placement of accidentals on chords and ledgered notes is improved.
237 @chapter New features in 2.0 since 1.8
242 Crescendos can now be drawn dotted or dashed.
245 Quarter tones are now supported. They are entered by suffixing
246 @code{ih} for a half-sharp and @code{eh} for a half-flat. Hence, the
247 following is an ascending list of pitches:
250 ceses ceseh ces ceh c cih cis cisih cisis
254 The following constructs have been removed from the syntax:
257 \duration #SCHEME-DURATION
259 \outputproperty @var{func} @var{symbol} = @var{value}
262 For @code{\outputproperty}, the following may be substituted:
265 \applyoutput #(outputproperty-compatibility @var{func}
266 @var{symbol} @var{value})
270 Clefs may now be transposed arbitrarily, for example
280 The syntax for chords and simultaneous music have changed.
281 Chords are entered as
287 while simultaneous music is entered as
290 <<@var{..music list..}>>
293 In effect, the meanings of both have been swapped relative to their 1.8
294 definition. The syntax for lists in @code{\markup} has changed
295 alongside, but figured bass mode was not changed, i.e.:
298 \markup @{ \center <@var{..list of markups..}> @}
299 \figure @{ <@var{figures}> @}
302 As chords the more often used than simultaneous music, this change will
306 Each music expression can now be tagged, to make different printed
307 versions from the same music expression. In the following example,
308 we see two versions of a piece of music, one for the full score, and
309 one with cue notes for the instrumental part:
313 @{ c4 f2 g4 @} % in the part, we have cue-notes
315 \tag #'score R1 % in the score: only a rest
319 The same can be applied to articulations, texts, etc.: they are
323 -\tag #@var{your-tags}
326 to an articulation, for example,
329 c4-\tag #'with-fingerings -4 -\tag #'with-strings \6
332 This defines a note, which has a conditional fingering and a
333 string-number indication.
336 The settings for chord-fingering are more flexible. You can specify a
337 list where fingerings may be placed, eg.
340 \property Voice.fingeringOrientations = #'(left down)
343 This will put the fingering for the lowest note below the chord, and the
347 The script previously known as @code{ly2dvi} has been renamed to
348 @code{lilypond}. The binary itself is now installed as
352 Markup text (ie. general text formatting) may now be used for lyrics too.
355 Two new commands for grace notes have been added, @code{\acciaccatura}
356 and @code{\appoggiatura},
363 Both reflect the traditional meanings of acciaccatura and appogiatura,
364 and both insert insert a slur from the first grace note to the main
368 Layout options for grace notes are now stored in a context property,
369 and may now be set separately from musical content.
372 The @code{\new} command will create a context with a unique
373 name automatically. Hence, for multi-staff scores, it is no longer
374 necessary to invent arbitrary context names. For example, a two-staff
375 score may be created by
379 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 1st staff} @}
380 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 2nd staff} @}
387 Octave checks make octave errors easier to correct.
394 This checks that @var{pitch} (without octave) yields @var{pitch} (with
395 octave) in \relative mode. If not, a warning is printed, and the
399 All articulations must now be entered postfix. For example,
406 is a pair of beamed slurred eighth notes.
409 The definition of @code{\relative} has been simplified. Octaves are
410 now always propagated in the order that music is entered. In the
415 \repeat "unfold" 3 BODY \alternative @{ ALT1 ALT2 @}
420 the octave of BODY is based on PRE, the starting octave of ALT1 on
421 BODY, the starting octave of ALT2 on ALT1, and the starting octave of
424 The same mechanism is used for all other music expressions, except the
425 chord. Backwards compatibility is retained through a special program option,
429 #(ly:set-option 'old-relative)
433 Windows users can double click a @code{.ly} file to process and view
434 it automagically through the new @code{lily-wins} frontend.
441 @chapter New features in 1.8 since 1.6
446 The chord entry code has been completely rewritten. It is now
447 cleaner and more flexible.
450 A new syntax has been added for text entry. This syntax is more
451 friendly than the old mechanism, and it is implemented in a more
452 robust and modular way. For more information, refer to the section on
453 "Text markup" in the notation manual.
456 The integration of the input language and Scheme has been made deeper:
457 you can now use LilyPond identifiers in Scheme, and use Scheme
458 expressions instead of LilyPond identifiers.
461 The internal representation of music has been cleaned up completely
462 and converted to Scheme data structures. The representation may be
466 A new uniform postfix syntax for articulation has been introduced.
467 A beamed slurred pair of eighth notes can be entered as
473 In version 2.0, postfix syntax will be the only syntax
474 available, and the dashes will become optional.
476 This will simplify the language: all articulations can be entered as
477 postfix, in any order.
480 A new syntax has been added for chords:
487 It is not necessary to update files to this syntax, but it will be for
488 using LilyPond version 2.0. In version 2.0, this syntax will be
498 \simultaneous @{ .. @}
501 for simultaneous music.
503 To convert your files from <PITCHES> to <<PITCHES>>, use the script
504 included in buildscripts/convert-new-chords.py
506 This change was introduced for the following reasons
510 It solves the "start score with chord" problem, where you have to
511 state \context Voice explicitly when a chord was the start of a
514 With the new syntax, it is possible to distinguish between
515 articulations (or fingerings) which are for a single chord note,
516 and which are for the entire chord. This allows for per-note
517 fingerings, and is more logical on the whole.
521 User code may now be executed during interpreting. The syntax for
525 \applycontext #SCHEME-FUNCTION
529 User code may now be executed on arbitrary grobs during interpreting.
530 The syntax for this feature is
533 \applyoutput #SCHEME-FUNCTION
537 SCHEME-FUNCTION takes a single argument, and is called for every grob
538 that is created in the current context.
541 New algorithms for chord-name formatting have been installed. They
542 can be tuned and have ergonomic syntax for entering exceptions.
545 Texts may now be put on multimeasure rests, e.g.
548 R1*20^\markup @{ "GP" @}
552 Ancient notation now prints ligatures in Gregorian square neumes
553 notation, roughly following the typographical style of the Liber
554 hymnarius of Solesmes, published in 1983. Ligatures are still printed
555 without the proper line breaking and horizontal spacing.
558 Glissandi can now be printed using the zigzag style.
561 LilyPond can now print clusters. The syntax is
564 \apply #notes-to-clusters @{ NOTE NOTE .. @}
568 For irregular meters, beat grouping marks can be printed. The
572 #(set-time-signature 7 8 '(3 2 2))
577 Nested horizontal brackets for music analysis can now be printed:
586 @item Ottava brackets are now fully supported as a feature. The syntax
594 @item Metronome markings are printed when a \tempo command is processed.
598 @item Fingerings can be put on chords horizontally.
602 @item The appearance of various glyphs has been fine-tuned.
606 @item Different types of percent style repeats may now be nested.
610 @item The emacs support has been extended.
614 The manual has been completely revised and extended.
618 @chapter New features in 1.6 since 1.4
624 Support for figured bass and tablature.
627 Completely rewritten beam formatting: provides much better output
632 Completely revised and improved music font.
636 Completely rewritten MIDI import support.
639 Completely rewritten grace note support. Practically speaking this
640 means that grace notes can be slurred to normal normal notes.
644 Improved accidental handling and formatting: styles for producing
645 cautionaries may vary, and complex collisions between accidentals of a
646 chord are handled much better.
649 Better spacing: both globally and locally. This includes subtle
650 details like optical stem spacing.
653 More support for ancient notation: mensural ligatures, ambitus
654 (pitch range) of voices, more shapes, etc.
657 More support for piano notation: bracket pedals, directed arpeggios,
661 Easier music polyphonic music entry.
664 More extensibility, many speedups and bugfixes
667 The manual has been thoroughly revised.
670 Development is now hosted at http://savannah.gnu.org, and sources
671 can be downloaded through anonymous CVS.
674 Support for windows: LilyPond is part of the cygwin distribution,
675 which comes with a user-friendly installer.