1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
8 @chapter New features in 2.1 since 2.0
20 @item The @code{Lyrics} context has been removed. Lyrics should only
21 be constructed in @code{LyricsVoice}.
23 @item The @code{Thread} context has been removed. Note heads and rests
24 are now constructed at @code{Voice} level.
26 @item Harmonic notes can now be entered as
32 @item Drum notation is now supported as a regular feature:
33 percussion may be entered in @code{\drums} mode, and printed in a
34 @code{DrumStaff} context:
38 \drums \new DrumStaff @{ hihat4 cowbell8 @}
43 @item The automatic staff changer was internally rewritten. As a
44 result, the syntax has been simplified as well:
47 \autochange @var{the music}
50 @item The ergonomic syntax of @code{\markup} now has an equivalent in
51 Scheme. The @code{markup*} macro creates such objects; the following
52 two markup commands are equivalent:
54 f4^#(markup* #:raise 0.2 #:bold "hi")
55 f4^\markup @{ \raise #0.2 \bold hi @}
58 @item Voice names, for vocal lines, have been added. They are similar
59 to instrument names. They can be set by defining @code{vocalName}
62 @item Safe mode has been reinstated for lilypond.
63 When lilypond is invoked with @code{--safe-mode}, @TeX{} and
64 PostScript file output is disallowed, and lilypond-bin is invoked with
65 @code{--safe-mode}, the user's Guile expressions are evaluated in a
66 safe environment and file inclusion is not allowed.
68 Warning: this does not protect against denial-of-service attacks using
69 Guile, @TeX{} or PostScript.
71 (This feature is still experimental.)
73 @item There is now a Scheme macro for defining markup
74 commands. Special mark-up commands can be defined in user-files too.
76 @item Many fixes for dimension scaling have been made,
77 resulting in correct results for scores that mix staves in different
80 @item Improved robustness when layout properties are accidentally removed.
82 @item A more cleanly constructed part combiner has been installed.
83 It is more robust and less buggy. The part-combiner can be used with
85 \partcombine @var{mus1} @var{mus2}
89 See @file{input/regression/new-part-combine.ly} for an example.
91 @item Formatting of rehearsal marks has been improved. The @code{\mark}
92 command now only does automatic incrementing for marks specified as
93 integer. For example, @code{\mark #1} will print an A in the default
94 style. See @file{input/regression/rehearsal-mark-letter.ly},
95 @file{input/regression/rehearsal-mark-number.ly}.
97 @item Formatting of ottava brackets has been much improved.
99 @item Objects in the output can now be documented: the following fragment
100 boxes the note head, and adds the text ``heads or tails?'' three
101 spaces below the box.
104 \context Voice \applyoutput #(add-balloon-text
105 'NoteHead "heads, or tails?"
113 @item Default staff sizes are now scalable. There are two new mechanisms for
114 setting staff sizes. Both are demonstrated in this fragment:
117 #(set-global-staff-size 15)
119 #(paper-set-staff-size (* 15 pt))
125 Both have the same effect on the global layout of a
126 piece. Similarly, the paper size may be changed as follows
129 #(set-paper-size "a4")
133 @item Warnings for bar check errors are more cleverly printed. This
134 makes @code{barCheckSynchronize} superfluous, so it is now switched
137 Warning: this will cause problems in scores that use bar checks to
140 @item The black note head was made a little rounder, which causes a less
141 frantic graphic impression.
144 A more concise syntax for checking octaves was introduced. A note may
145 be followed by @code{=}@var{quotes} which indicates what its absolute
146 octave should be. In the following example,
149 \relative c'' @{ c='' b=' d,='' @}
153 the d will generate a warning, because a d'' is
154 expected, but a d' is found.
155 @c @code adds ` ' very confusing.
157 @item There is a new mechanism for putting lyrics to melodies.
158 With this mechanism, @code{LyricVoice}s can be put melodies
159 individually, allowing for different melismatic sections in every
160 @code{LyricVoice}. See @file{input/regression/lyric-combine-new.ly}.
162 @item Bar lines may now be dotted.
165 @item The documentation now has links to a wiki, where everyone can
166 add personal comments to the manual.
168 @item Contexts may now be changed locally for an isolated music
169 expression. For example,
173 \consists "Pitch_squash_engraver"
179 @item The syntax for changing staffs has changed. The keyword
180 @code{\change} should now be used, e.g.
186 @item Features of spanner contexts, like @code{Staff}, can now be changed
187 using @code{\property}, eg.
191 \property Staff.StaffSymbol \set #'line-count = #4
197 puts a quarter note C on a staff with 4 lines.
200 @item Multi measure rests are now truly centered between the
201 clefs/barlines of the staff, their position is independent of symbols
204 @item Collision resolution for dots in chords has been improved greatly.
207 Spacing following barlines was improved for widely stretched lines.
210 Lyric hyphens and extenders now conform to standard typesetting
214 Lyrics are now aligned under note heads conforming to engraving
215 standards. The responsible code has been rewritten, and is drastically
216 simpler from the previous version. To aid this rewrite, the syntactic
217 function of the extender line ( __ ) has been changed: it is now
218 attached to the lyric syllable.
221 When redefining a context, the associated identifier is also
222 updated. For example, after reading the following snippet,
229 the definition of @code{ScoreContext} is updated to include the changed
234 The weight of the stafflines is now heavier at smaller staff sizes.
235 The font has been modified to match this look: at smaller sizes, the
236 font is heavier and the note heads are more rounded.
238 @item Processing scores is now done while parsing the file. New
239 Scheme functions give more flexibility: for example, it is now possible
240 interpret a score, collecting synchronized musical events in a list, and
241 manipulate that information using inline Scheme. For an example, see
242 @file{input/no-notation/recording.ly}.
244 @item Font sizes can now truly be scaled continuously: the @code{font-size}
245 is similar to the old @code{font-relative-size}, but may be set to
246 fractional values; the closest design size will be scaled to achieve
247 the desired size. As a side-effect, there are now no longer
248 limitations in using smaller fonts (eg. grace notes) at small staff
251 @item Stem tips are now also engraved with rounded corners.
254 The placement of accidentals on chords and ledgered notes is improved.
259 @chapter New features in 2.0 since 1.8
264 Crescendos can now be drawn dotted or dashed.
267 Quarter tones are now supported. They are entered by suffixing
268 @code{ih} for a half-sharp and @code{eh} for a half-flat. Hence, the
269 following is an ascending list of pitches:
272 ceses ceseh ces ceh c cih cis cisih cisis
276 The following constructs have been removed from the syntax:
279 \duration #SCHEME-DURATION
281 \outputproperty @var{func} @var{symbol} = @var{value}
284 For @code{\outputproperty}, the following may be substituted:
287 \applyoutput #(outputproperty-compatibility @var{func}
288 @var{symbol} @var{value})
292 Clefs may now be transposed arbitrarily, for example
302 The syntax for chords and simultaneous music have changed.
303 Chords are entered as
309 while simultaneous music is entered as
312 <<@var{..music list..}>>
315 In effect, the meanings of both have been swapped relative to their 1.8
316 definition. The syntax for lists in @code{\markup} has changed
317 alongside, but figured bass mode was not changed, i.e.:
320 \markup @{ \center <@var{..list of markups..}> @}
321 \figure @{ <@var{figures}> @}
324 As chords the more often used than simultaneous music, this change will
328 Each music expression can now be tagged, to make different printed
329 versions from the same music expression. In the following example,
330 we see two versions of a piece of music, one for the full score, and
331 one with cue notes for the instrumental part:
335 @{ c4 f2 g4 @} % in the part, we have cue-notes
337 \tag #'score R1 % in the score: only a rest
341 The same can be applied to articulations, texts, etc.: they are
345 -\tag #@var{your-tags}
348 to an articulation, for example,
351 c4-\tag #'with-fingerings -4 -\tag #'with-strings \6
354 This defines a note, which has a conditional fingering and a
355 string-number indication.
358 The settings for chord-fingering are more flexible. You can specify a
359 list where fingerings may be placed, eg.
362 \property Voice.fingeringOrientations = #'(left down)
365 This will put the fingering for the lowest note below the chord, and the
369 The script previously known as @code{ly2dvi} has been renamed to
370 @code{lilypond}. The binary itself is now installed as
374 Markup text (ie. general text formatting) may now be used for lyrics too.
377 Two new commands for grace notes have been added, @code{\acciaccatura}
378 and @code{\appoggiatura},
385 Both reflect the traditional meanings of acciaccatura and appogiatura,
386 and both insert insert a slur from the first grace note to the main
390 Layout options for grace notes are now stored in a context property,
391 and may now be set separately from musical content.
394 The @code{\new} command will create a context with a unique
395 name automatically. Hence, for multi-staff scores, it is no longer
396 necessary to invent arbitrary context names. For example, a two-staff
397 score may be created by
401 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 1st staff} @}
402 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 2nd staff} @}
409 Octave checks make octave errors easier to correct.
416 This checks that @var{pitch} (without octave) yields @var{pitch} (with
417 octave) in \relative mode. If not, a warning is printed, and the
421 All articulations must now be entered postfix. For example,
428 is a pair of beamed slurred eighth notes.
431 The definition of @code{\relative} has been simplified. Octaves are
432 now always propagated in the order that music is entered. In the
437 \repeat "unfold" 3 BODY \alternative @{ ALT1 ALT2 @}
442 the octave of BODY is based on PRE, the starting octave of ALT1 on
443 BODY, the starting octave of ALT2 on ALT1, and the starting octave of
446 The same mechanism is used for all other music expressions, except the
447 chord. Backwards compatibility is retained through a special program option,
451 #(ly:set-option 'old-relative)
455 Windows users can double click a @code{.ly} file to process and view
456 it automagically through the new @code{lily-wins} frontend.
463 @chapter New features in 1.8 since 1.6
468 The chord entry code has been completely rewritten. It is now
469 cleaner and more flexible.
472 A new syntax has been added for text entry. This syntax is more
473 friendly than the old mechanism, and it is implemented in a more
474 robust and modular way. For more information, refer to the section on
475 "Text markup" in the notation manual.
478 The integration of the input language and Scheme has been made deeper:
479 you can now use LilyPond identifiers in Scheme, and use Scheme
480 expressions instead of LilyPond identifiers.
483 The internal representation of music has been cleaned up completely
484 and converted to Scheme data structures. The representation may be
488 A new uniform postfix syntax for articulation has been introduced.
489 A beamed slurred pair of eighth notes can be entered as
495 In version 2.0, postfix syntax will be the only syntax
496 available, and the dashes will become optional.
498 This will simplify the language: all articulations can be entered as
499 postfix, in any order.
502 A new syntax has been added for chords:
509 It is not necessary to update files to this syntax, but it will be for
510 using LilyPond version 2.0. In version 2.0, this syntax will be
520 \simultaneous @{ .. @}
523 for simultaneous music.
525 To convert your files from <PITCHES> to <<PITCHES>>, use the script
526 included in buildscripts/convert-new-chords.py
528 This change was introduced for the following reasons
532 It solves the "start score with chord" problem, where you have to
533 state \context Voice explicitly when a chord was the start of a
536 With the new syntax, it is possible to distinguish between
537 articulations (or fingerings) which are for a single chord note,
538 and which are for the entire chord. This allows for per-note
539 fingerings, and is more logical on the whole.
543 User code may now be executed during interpreting. The syntax for
547 \applycontext #SCHEME-FUNCTION
551 User code may now be executed on arbitrary grobs during interpreting.
552 The syntax for this feature is
555 \applyoutput #SCHEME-FUNCTION
559 SCHEME-FUNCTION takes a single argument, and is called for every grob
560 that is created in the current context.
563 New algorithms for chord-name formatting have been installed. They
564 can be tuned and have ergonomic syntax for entering exceptions.
567 Texts may now be put on multimeasure rests, e.g.
570 R1*20^\markup @{ "GP" @}
574 Ancient notation now prints ligatures in Gregorian square neumes
575 notation, roughly following the typographical style of the Liber
576 hymnarius of Solesmes, published in 1983. Ligatures are still printed
577 without the proper line breaking and horizontal spacing.
580 Glissandi can now be printed using the zigzag style.
583 LilyPond can now print clusters. The syntax is
586 \apply #notes-to-clusters @{ NOTE NOTE .. @}
590 For irregular meters, beat grouping marks can be printed. The
594 #(set-time-signature 7 8 '(3 2 2))
599 Nested horizontal brackets for music analysis can now be printed:
608 @item Ottava brackets are now fully supported as a feature. The syntax
616 @item Metronome markings are printed when a \tempo command is processed.
620 @item Fingerings can be put on chords horizontally.
624 @item The appearance of various glyphs has been fine-tuned.
628 @item Different types of percent style repeats may now be nested.
632 @item The emacs support has been extended.
636 The manual has been completely revised and extended.
640 @chapter New features in 1.6 since 1.4
646 Support for figured bass and tablature.
649 Completely rewritten beam formatting: provides much better output
654 Completely revised and improved music font.
658 Completely rewritten MIDI import support.
661 Completely rewritten grace note support. Practically speaking this
662 means that grace notes can be slurred to normal normal notes.
666 Improved accidental handling and formatting: styles for producing
667 cautionaries may vary, and complex collisions between accidentals of a
668 chord are handled much better.
671 Better spacing: both globally and locally. This includes subtle
672 details like optical stem spacing.
675 More support for ancient notation: mensural ligatures, ambitus
676 (pitch range) of voices, more shapes, etc.
679 More support for piano notation: bracket pedals, directed arpeggios,
683 Easier music polyphonic music entry.
686 More extensibility, many speedups and bugfixes
689 The manual has been thoroughly revised.
692 Development is now hosted at http://savannah.gnu.org, and sources
693 can be downloaded through anonymous CVS.
696 Support for windows: LilyPond is part of the cygwin distribution,
697 which comes with a user-friendly installer.