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
31 @item Drum notation is now supported as a regular feature:
32 percussion may be entered in @code{\drums} mode, and printed in a
33 @code{DrumStaff} context:
37 \drums \new DrumStaff @{ hihat4 cowbell8 @}
42 @item The automatic staff changer was internally rewritten. As a
43 result, the syntax has been simplified as well:
46 \autochange @var{the music}
49 @item The ergonomic syntax of @code{\markup} now has an equivalent in
50 Scheme. The @code{markup*} macro creates such objects; the following
51 two markup commands are equivalent:
53 f4^#(markup* #:raise 0.2 #:bold "hi")
54 f4^\markup @{ \raise #0.2 \bold hi @}
57 @item Voice names, for vocal lines, have been added. They are similar
58 to instrument names. They can be set by defining @code{vocalName}
61 @item Safe mode has been reinstated for lilypond.
62 When lilypond is invoked with @code{--safe-mode}, @TeX{} and
63 PostScript file output is disallowed, and lilypond-bin is invoked with
64 @code{--safe-mode}, the user's Guile expressions are evaluated in a
65 safe environment and file inclusion is not allowed.
67 Warning: this does not protect against denial-of-service attacks using
68 Guile, @TeX{} or PostScript.
70 (This feature is still experimental.)
72 @item There is now a Scheme macro for defining markup
73 commands. Special mark-up commands can be defined in user-files too.
75 @item Many fixes for dimension scaling have been made,
76 resulting in correct results for scores that mix staves in different
79 @item Improved robustness when layout properties are accidentally removed.
81 @item A more cleanly constructed part combiner has been installed.
82 It is more robust and less buggy. The part-combiner can be used with
84 \partcombine @var{mus1} @var{mus2}
88 See @file{input/regression/new-part-combine.ly} for an example.
90 @item Formatting of rehearsal marks has been improved. The @code{\mark}
91 command now only does automatic incrementing for marks specified as
92 integer. For example, @code{\mark #1} will print an A in the default
93 style. See @file{input/regression/rehearsal-mark-letter.ly},
94 @file{input/regression/rehearsal-mark-number.ly}.
96 @item Formatting of ottava brackets has been much improved.
98 @item Objects in the output can now be documented: the following fragment
99 boxes the note head, and adds the text ``heads or tails?'' three
100 spaces below the box.
103 \context Voice \applyoutput #(add-balloon-text
104 'NoteHead "heads, or tails?"
112 @item Default staff sizes are now scalable. There are two new mechanisms for
113 setting staff sizes. Both are demonstrated in this fragment:
116 #(set-global-staff-size 15)
118 #(paper-set-staff-size (* 15 pt))
124 Both have the same effect on the global layout of a
125 piece. Similarly, the paper size may be changed as follows
128 #(set-paper-size "a4")
132 @item Warnings for bar check errors are more cleverly printed. This
133 makes @code{barCheckSynchronize} superfluous, so it is now switched
136 Warning: this will cause problems in scores that use bar checks to
139 @item The black note head was made a little rounder, which causes a less
140 frantic graphic impression.
143 A more concise syntax for checking octaves was introduced. A note may
144 be followed by @code{=}@var{quotes} which indicates what its absolute
145 octave should be. In the following example,
148 \relative c'' @{ c='' b=' d,='' @}
152 the d will generate a warning, because a d'' is
153 expected, but a d' is found.
154 @c @code adds ` ' very confusing.
156 @item There is a new mechanism for putting lyrics to melodies.
157 With this mechanism, @code{LyricVoice}s can be put melodies
158 individually, allowing for different melismatic sections in every
159 @code{LyricVoice}. See @file{input/regression/lyric-combine-new.ly}.
161 @item Bar lines may now be dotted.
164 @item The documentation now has links to a wiki, where everyone can
165 add personal comments to the manual.
167 @item Contexts may now be changed locally for an isolated music
168 expression. For example,
172 \consists "Pitch_squash_engraver"
178 @item The syntax for changing staffs has changed. The keyword
179 @code{\change} should now be used, e.g.
185 @item Features of spanner contexts, like @code{Staff}, can now be changed
186 using @code{\property}, eg.
190 \property Staff.StaffSymbol \set #'line-count = #4
196 puts a quarter note C on a staff with 4 lines.
199 @item Multi measure rests are now truly centered between the
200 clefs/barlines of the staff, their position is independent of symbols
203 @item Collision resolution for dots in chords has been improved greatly.
206 Spacing following barlines was improved for widely stretched lines.
209 Lyric hyphens and extenders now conform to standard typesetting
213 Lyrics are now aligned under note heads conforming to engraving
214 standards. The responsible code has been rewritten, and is drastically
215 simpler from the previous version. To aid this rewrite, the syntactic
216 function of the extender line ( __ ) has been changed: it is now
217 attached to the lyric syllable.
220 When redefining a context, the associated identifier is also
221 updated. For example, after reading the following snippet,
228 the definition of @code{ScoreContext} is updated to include the changed
233 The weight of the stafflines is now heavier at smaller staff sizes.
234 The font has been modified to match this look: at smaller sizes, the
235 font is heavier and the note heads are more rounded.
237 @item Processing scores is now done while parsing the file. New
238 Scheme functions give more flexibility: for example, it is now possible
239 interpret a score, collecting synchronized musical events in a list, and
240 manipulate that information using inline Scheme. For an example, see
241 @file{input/no-notation/recording.ly}.
243 @item Font sizes can now truly be scaled continuously: the @code{font-size}
244 is similar to the old @code{font-relative-size}, but may be set to
245 fractional values; the closest design size will be scaled to achieve
246 the desired size. As a side-effect, there are now no longer
247 limitations in using smaller fonts (eg. grace notes) at small staff
250 @item Stem tips are now also engraved with rounded corners.
253 The placement of accidentals on chords and ledgered notes is improved.
258 @chapter New features in 2.0 since 1.8
263 Crescendos can now be drawn dotted or dashed.
266 Quarter tones are now supported. They are entered by suffixing
267 @code{ih} for a half-sharp and @code{eh} for a half-flat. Hence, the
268 following is an ascending list of pitches:
271 ceses ceseh ces ceh c cih cis cisih cisis
275 The following constructs have been removed from the syntax:
278 \duration #SCHEME-DURATION
280 \outputproperty @var{func} @var{symbol} = @var{value}
283 For @code{\outputproperty}, the following may be substituted:
286 \applyoutput #(outputproperty-compatibility @var{func}
287 @var{symbol} @var{value})
291 Clefs may now be transposed arbitrarily, for example
301 The syntax for chords and simultaneous music have changed.
302 Chords are entered as
308 while simultaneous music is entered as
311 <<@var{..music list..}>>
314 In effect, the meanings of both have been swapped relative to their 1.8
315 definition. The syntax for lists in @code{\markup} has changed
316 alongside, but figured bass mode was not changed, i.e.:
319 \markup @{ \center <@var{..list of markups..}> @}
320 \figure @{ <@var{figures}> @}
323 As chords the more often used than simultaneous music, this change will
327 Each music expression can now be tagged, to make different printed
328 versions from the same music expression. In the following example,
329 we see two versions of a piece of music, one for the full score, and
330 one with cue notes for the instrumental part:
334 @{ c4 f2 g4 @} % in the part, we have cue-notes
336 \tag #'score R1 % in the score: only a rest
340 The same can be applied to articulations, texts, etc.: they are
344 -\tag #@var{your-tags}
347 to an articulation, for example,
350 c4-\tag #'with-fingerings -4 -\tag #'with-strings \6
353 This defines a note, which has a conditional fingering and a
354 string-number indication.
357 The settings for chord-fingering are more flexible. You can specify a
358 list where fingerings may be placed, eg.
361 \property Voice.fingeringOrientations = #'(left down)
364 This will put the fingering for the lowest note below the chord, and the
368 The script previously known as @code{ly2dvi} has been renamed to
369 @code{lilypond}. The binary itself is now installed as
373 Markup text (ie. general text formatting) may now be used for lyrics too.
376 Two new commands for grace notes have been added, @code{\acciaccatura}
377 and @code{\appoggiatura},
384 Both reflect the traditional meanings of acciaccatura and appogiatura,
385 and both insert insert a slur from the first grace note to the main
389 Layout options for grace notes are now stored in a context property,
390 and may now be set separately from musical content.
393 The @code{\new} command will create a context with a unique
394 name automatically. Hence, for multi-staff scores, it is no longer
395 necessary to invent arbitrary context names. For example, a two-staff
396 score may be created by
400 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 1st staff} @}
401 \new Staff @{ @var{notes for 2nd staff} @}
408 Octave checks make octave errors easier to correct.
415 This checks that @var{pitch} (without octave) yields @var{pitch} (with
416 octave) in \relative mode. If not, a warning is printed, and the
420 All articulations must now be entered postfix. For example,
427 is a pair of beamed slurred eighth notes.
430 The definition of @code{\relative} has been simplified. Octaves are
431 now always propagated in the order that music is entered. In the
436 \repeat "unfold" 3 BODY \alternative @{ ALT1 ALT2 @}
441 the octave of BODY is based on PRE, the starting octave of ALT1 on
442 BODY, the starting octave of ALT2 on ALT1, and the starting octave of
445 The same mechanism is used for all other music expressions, except the
446 chord. Backwards compatibility is retained through a special program option,
450 #(ly:set-option 'old-relative)
454 Windows users can double click a @code{.ly} file to process and view
455 it automagically through the new @code{lily-wins} frontend.
462 @chapter New features in 1.8 since 1.6
467 The chord entry code has been completely rewritten. It is now
468 cleaner and more flexible.
471 A new syntax has been added for text entry. This syntax is more
472 friendly than the old mechanism, and it is implemented in a more
473 robust and modular way. For more information, refer to the section on
474 "Text markup" in the notation manual.
477 The integration of the input language and Scheme has been made deeper:
478 you can now use LilyPond identifiers in Scheme, and use Scheme
479 expressions instead of LilyPond identifiers.
482 The internal representation of music has been cleaned up completely
483 and converted to Scheme data structures. The representation may be
487 A new uniform postfix syntax for articulation has been introduced.
488 A beamed slurred pair of eighth notes can be entered as
494 In version 2.0, postfix syntax will be the only syntax
495 available, and the dashes will become optional.
497 This will simplify the language: all articulations can be entered as
498 postfix, in any order.
501 A new syntax has been added for chords:
508 It is not necessary to update files to this syntax, but it will be for
509 using LilyPond version 2.0. In version 2.0, this syntax will be
519 \simultaneous @{ .. @}
522 for simultaneous music.
524 To convert your files from <PITCHES> to <<PITCHES>>, use the script
525 included in buildscripts/convert-new-chords.py
527 This change was introduced for the following reasons
531 It solves the "start score with chord" problem, where you have to
532 state \context Voice explicitly when a chord was the start of a
535 With the new syntax, it is possible to distinguish between
536 articulations (or fingerings) which are for a single chord note,
537 and which are for the entire chord. This allows for per-note
538 fingerings, and is more logical on the whole.
542 User code may now be executed during interpreting. The syntax for
546 \applycontext #SCHEME-FUNCTION
550 User code may now be executed on arbitrary grobs during interpreting.
551 The syntax for this feature is
554 \applyoutput #SCHEME-FUNCTION
558 SCHEME-FUNCTION takes a single argument, and is called for every grob
559 that is created in the current context.
562 New algorithms for chord-name formatting have been installed. They
563 can be tuned and have ergonomic syntax for entering exceptions.
566 Texts may now be put on multimeasure rests, e.g.
569 R1*20^\markup @{ "GP" @}
573 Ancient notation now prints ligatures in Gregorian square neumes
574 notation, roughly following the typographical style of the Liber
575 hymnarius of Solesmes, published in 1983. Ligatures are still printed
576 without the proper line breaking and horizontal spacing.
579 Glissandi can now be printed using the zigzag style.
582 LilyPond can now print clusters. The syntax is
585 \apply #notes-to-clusters @{ NOTE NOTE .. @}
589 For irregular meters, beat grouping marks can be printed. The
593 #(set-time-signature 7 8 '(3 2 2))
598 Nested horizontal brackets for music analysis can now be printed:
607 @item Ottava brackets are now fully supported as a feature. The syntax
615 @item Metronome markings are printed when a \tempo command is processed.
619 @item Fingerings can be put on chords horizontally.
623 @item The appearance of various glyphs has been fine-tuned.
627 @item Different types of percent style repeats may now be nested.
631 @item The emacs support has been extended.
635 The manual has been completely revised and extended.
639 @chapter New features in 1.6 since 1.4
645 Support for figured bass and tablature.
648 Completely rewritten beam formatting: provides much better output
653 Completely revised and improved music font.
657 Completely rewritten MIDI import support.
660 Completely rewritten grace note support. Practically speaking this
661 means that grace notes can be slurred to normal normal notes.
665 Improved accidental handling and formatting: styles for producing
666 cautionaries may vary, and complex collisions between accidentals of a
667 chord are handled much better.
670 Better spacing: both globally and locally. This includes subtle
671 details like optical stem spacing.
674 More support for ancient notation: mensural ligatures, ambitus
675 (pitch range) of voices, more shapes, etc.
678 More support for piano notation: bracket pedals, directed arpeggios,
682 Easier music polyphonic music entry.
685 More extensibility, many speedups and bugfixes
688 The manual has been thoroughly revised.
691 Development is now hosted at http://savannah.gnu.org, and sources
692 can be downloaded through anonymous CVS.
695 Support for windows: LilyPond is part of the cygwin distribution,
696 which comes with a user-friendly installer.