1 @c -*- coding: utf-8; mode: texinfo; -*-
2 @c This file is part of lilypond.tely
4 @c A menu is needed before every deeper *section nesting of @node's; run
5 @c M-x texinfo-all-menus-update
6 @c to automatically fill in these menus before saving changes
8 @node Non-musical notation
9 @chapter Non-musical notation
11 This section deals with general lilypond issues, rather than
16 * Titles and headers::
18 * Displaying LilyPond notation::
19 * Skipping corrected music::
26 The main format of input for LilyPond are text files. By convention,
27 these files end with ``@code{.ly}''.
30 * File structure (introduction)::
31 * Multiple scores in a book::
32 * Extracting fragments of notation::
34 * A single music expression::
35 * Including LilyPond files::
40 @node File structure (introduction)
41 @subsection File structure (introduction)
43 A basic example of a lilypond input file is
48 @{ @} % this is a single music expression;
49 % all the music goes in here.
57 There are many variations of this basic pattern, but this
58 example serves as a useful starting place.
60 The major part of this manual is concerned with entering various
61 forms of music in LilyPond. However, many music expressions are not
62 valid input on their own, for example, a @code{.ly} file containing
69 will result in a parsing error. Instead, music should be inside other
70 expressions, which may be put in a file by themselves. Such
71 expressions are called toplevel expressions. The next section enumerates
75 @node Multiple scores in a book
76 @subsection Multiple scores in a book
79 @cindex movements, multiple
81 A document may contain multiple pieces of music and texts. Examples
82 of these are an etude book, or an orchestral part with multiple
83 movements. Each movement is entered with a @code{\score} block,
91 and texts are entered with a @code{\markup} block,
101 The movements and texts are combined together in a @code{\book} block,
119 The header for each piece of music can be put inside the @code{\score}
120 block. The @code{piece} name from the header will be printed before
121 each movement. The title for the entire book can be put inside the
122 @code{\book}, but if it is not present, the @code{\header} which is at
123 the top of the file is inserted.
128 title = "Eight miniatures"
129 composer = "Igor Stravinsky"
133 \header @{ piece = "Romanze" @}
136 ..text of second verse..
139 ..text of third verse..
143 \header @{ piece = "Menuetto" @}
148 @node Extracting fragments of notation
149 @subsection Extracting fragments of notation
151 It is possible to quote small fragments of a large score directly from
152 the output. This can be compared to clipping a piece of a paper score
155 This is done by definining the measures that need to be cut out
156 separately. For example, including the following definition
164 (make-rhythmic-location 5 1 2)
165 (make-rhythmic-location 7 3 4)))
170 will extract a fragment starting halfway the fifth measure, ending in
171 the seventh measure. The meaning of @code{5 1 2} is: after a 1/2 note
172 in measure 5, and @code{7 3 4} after 3 quarter notes in measure 7.
174 More clip regions can be defined by adding more pairs of
175 rhythmic-locations to the list.
177 In order to use this feature, LilyPond must be invoked with
178 @code{-dclip-systems}. The clips are output as EPS files, and are
179 converted to PDF and PNG if these formats are switched on as well.
181 For more information on output formats, see @ref{Invoking lilypond}.
185 Examples: @inputfileref{input/regression/clip-systems.ly}
189 @subsection File structure
191 A @code{.ly} file contains any number of toplevel expressions, where a
192 toplevel expression is one of the following
196 An output definition, such as @code{\paper}, @code{\midi}, and
197 @code{\layout}. Such a definition at the toplevel changes the default
198 settings for the block entered.
201 A direct scheme expression, such as
202 @code{#(set-default-paper-size "a7" 'landscape)} or
203 @code{#(ly:set-option 'point-and-click #f)}.
206 A @code{\header} block. This sets the global header block. This
207 is the block containing the definitions for book-wide settings, like
208 composer, title, etc.
211 An @code{\addquote} statement. See @ref{Quoting other voices}
212 for more information.
215 A @code{\score} block. This score will be collected with other
216 toplevel scores, and combined as a single @code{\book}.
218 This behavior can be changed by setting the variable
219 @code{toplevel-score-handler} at toplevel. The default handler is
220 defined in the init file @file{scm/@/lily@/.scm}.
222 The @code{\score} must begin with a music expression, and may
223 contain only one music expression.
226 A @code{\book} block logically combines multiple movements
227 (i.e., multiple @code{\score} blocks) in one document. If there are
228 a number of @code{\scores}, a single output file will be created
229 in which all movements are concatenated.
231 This behavior can be changed by setting the variable
232 @code{toplevel-book-handler} at toplevel. The default handler is
233 defined in the init file @file{scm/@/lily@/.scm}.
236 A compound music expression, such as
241 This will add the piece in a @code{\score} and format it in a
242 single book together with all other toplevel @code{\score}s and music
243 expressions. In other words, a file containing only the above
244 music expression will be translated into
260 This behavior can be changed by setting the variable
261 @code{toplevel-music-handler} at toplevel. The default handler is
262 defined in the init file @file{scm/@/lily@/.scm}.
265 A markup text, a verse for example
268 2. The first line verse two.
272 Markup texts are rendered above, between or below the scores or music
273 expressions, wherever they appear.
276 An identifier, such as
281 This can be used later on in the file by entering @code{\foo}. The
282 name of an identifier should have alphabetic characters only; no
283 numbers, underscores or dashes.
287 The following example shows three things that may be entered at
292 % movements are non-justified by default
304 At any point in a file, any of the following lexical instructions can
308 @item @code{\version}
309 @item @code{\include}
310 @item @code{\renameinput}
314 @node A single music expression
315 @subsection A single music expression
317 A @code{\score} must contain a single music expression. However,
318 this music expression may be of any size. Recall that music
319 expressions may be included inside other expressions to form
320 larger expressions. All of these examples are single music
321 expressions; note the curly braces @{ @} or angle brackets <<
322 >> at the beginning and ending of the music.
328 @lilypond[ragged-right,verbatim,quote]
335 @lilypond[ragged-right,verbatim,quote]
337 \new Staff { c'4 c' c' c' }
338 \new Staff { d'4 d' d' d' }
346 \new Staff @{ \flute @}
347 \new Staff @{ \oboe @}
350 \new Staff @{ \violinI @}
351 \new Staff @{ \violinII @}
358 @node Including LilyPond files
359 @subsection Including LilyPond files
362 @cindex including files
364 A large project may be split up into separate files. To refer to another
368 \include "otherfile.ly"
371 The line @code{\include "file.ly"} is equivalent to pasting the contents
372 of file.ly into the current file at the place where you have the
373 \include. For example, for a large project you might write separate files
374 for each instrument part and create a ``full score'' file which brings
375 together the individual instrument files.
377 The initialization of LilyPond is done in a number of files that are
378 included by default when you start the program, normally transparent to the
379 user. Run lilypond --verbose to see a list of paths and files that Lily
382 Files placed in directory @file{PATH/TO/share/lilypond/VERSION/ly/} (where
383 VERSION is in the form ``2.6.1'') are on the path and available to
384 @code{\include}. Files in the
385 current working directory are available to \include, but a file of the same
386 name in LilyPond's installation takes precedence. Files are
387 available to \include from directories in the search path specified as an
388 option when invoking @code{lilypond --include=DIR} which adds DIR to the
391 The @code{\include} statement can use full path information, but with the Unix
392 convention @code{"/"} rather than the DOS/Windows @code{"\"}. For example,
393 if @file{stuff.ly} is located one directory higher than the current working
397 \include "../stuff.ly"
402 @subsection Text encoding
404 LilyPond uses the Pango library to format multi-lingual texts, and
405 does not perform any input-encoding conversions. This means that any
406 text, be it title, lyric text, or musical instruction containing
407 non-ASCII characters, must be utf-8. The easiest way to enter such text is
408 by using a Unicode-aware editor and saving the file with utf-8 encoding. Most
409 popular modern editors have utf-8 support, for example, vim, Emacs,
412 @c Currently not working
414 Depending on the fonts installed, the following fragment shows Hebrew
421 @li lypondfile[fontload]{utf-8.ly}
423 The @TeX{} backend does not handle encoding specially at all. Strings
424 in the input are put in the output as-is. Extents of text items in the
425 @TeX{} backend, are determined by reading a file created via the
426 @file{texstr} backend,
429 lilypond -b texstr input/les-nereides.ly
430 latex les-nereides.texstr
433 The last command produces @file{les-nereides.textmetrics}, which is
434 read when you execute
437 lilypond -b tex input/les-nereides.ly
440 Both @file{les-nereides.texstr} and @file{les-nereides.tex} need
441 suitable LaTeX wrappers to load appropriate La@TeX{} packages for
442 interpreting non-ASCII strings.
446 To use a Unicode escape sequence, use
449 #(ly:export (ly:wide-char->utf-8 #x2014))
455 @inputfileref{input/regression,utf-8.ly}
459 @node Titles and headers
460 @section Titles and headers
462 Almost all printed music includes a title and the composer's name;
463 some pieces include a lot more information.
471 @node Creating titles
472 @subsection Creating titles
474 Titles are created for each @code{\score} block, and over a
477 The contents of the titles are taken from the @code{\header} blocks.
478 The header block for a book supports the following
484 The dedicatee of the music, centered at the top of the first page.
488 The title of the music, centered just below the dedication.
492 Subtitle, centered below the title.
494 @funindex subsubtitle
496 Subsubtitle, centered below the subtitle.
500 Name of the poet, flush-left below the subtitle.
504 Name of the composer, flush-right below the subtitle.
508 Meter string, flush-left below the poet.
512 Name of the opus, flush-right below the composer.
516 Name of the arranger, flush-right below the opus.
520 Name of the instrument, centered below the arranger. Also
521 centered at the top of pages (other than the first page).
525 Name of the piece, flush-left below the instrument.
527 @cindex page breaks, forcing
528 @funindex breakbefore
530 This forces the title to start on a new page (set to ##t or ##f).
534 Copyright notice, centered at the bottom of the first page. To
535 insert the copyright symbol, see @ref{Text encoding}.
539 Centered at the bottom of the last page.
543 Here is a demonstration of the fields available. Note that you
544 may use any @ref{Text markup} commands in the header.
546 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,line-width=11.0\cm]
549 paper-height = 10.0\cm
554 dedication = "dedicated to me"
555 title = \markup \center-align { "Title first line" "Title second line,
557 subtitle = "the subtitle,"
558 subsubtitle = #(string-append "subsubtitle LilyPond version "
561 composer = \markup \center-align { "composer" \small "(1847-1973)" }
562 texttranslator = "Text Translator"
563 meter = \markup { \teeny "m" \tiny "e" \normalsize "t" \large "e" \huge
565 arranger = \markup { \fontsize #8.5 "a" \fontsize #2.5 "r" \fontsize
566 #-2.5 "r" \fontsize #-5.3 "a" \fontsize #7.5 "nger" }
567 instrument = \markup \bold \italic "instrument"
591 As demonstrated before, you can use multiple @code{\header} blocks.
592 When same fields appear in different blocks, the latter is used.
593 Here is a short example.
597 composer = "Composer"
605 piece = "New piece" % overwrite previous one
610 If you define the @code{\header} inside the @code{\score} block, then
611 normally only the @code{piece} and @code{opus} headers will be printed.
612 Note that the music expression must come before the @code{\header}.
614 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,line-width=11.0\cm]
618 title = "title" % not printed
625 @funindex printallheaders
627 You may change this behavior (and print all the headers when defining
628 @code{\header} inside @code{\score}) by using
639 The default footer is empty, except for the first page, where the
640 @code{copyright} field from @code{\header} is inserted, and the last
641 page, where @code{tagline} from @code{\header} is added. The default
642 tagline is ``Music engraving by LilyPond (@var{version})''.@footnote{Nicely
643 printed parts are good PR for us, so please leave the tagline if you
646 Headers may be completely removed by setting them to false.
657 @subsection Custom titles
659 A more advanced option is to change the definitions of the following
660 variables in the @code{\paper} block. The init file
661 @file{ly/titling-init.ly} lists the default layout.
664 @funindex bookTitleMarkup
665 @item bookTitleMarkup
666 This is the title put over an entire @code{\book} block. Typically,
667 it has the composer and the title of the piece
669 @funindex scoreTitleMarkup
670 @item scoreTitleMarkup
671 This is the title put over a @code{\score} block within a
672 @code{\book}. Typically, it has the name of the movement (@code{piece}
675 @funindex oddHeaderMarkup
676 @item oddHeaderMarkup
677 This is the page header for odd-numbered pages.
679 @funindex evenHeaderMarkup
680 @item evenHeaderMarkup
681 This is the page header for even-numbered pages. If unspecified,
682 the odd header is used instead.
684 By default, headers are defined such that the page number is on the
685 outside edge, and the instrument is centered.
687 @funindex oddFooterMarkup
688 @item oddFooterMarkup
689 This is the page footer for odd-numbered pages.
691 @funindex evenFotterMarkup
692 @item evenFooterMarkup
693 This is the page footer for even-numbered pages. If unspecified,
694 the odd header is used instead.
696 By default, the footer has the copyright notice on the first, and
697 the tagline on the last page.
707 The following definition will put the title flush left, and the
708 composer flush right on a single line.
712 bookTitleMarkup = \markup {
714 \fromproperty #'header:title
715 \fromproperty #'header:composer
724 The @code{breakbefore=##t} header requires that there is a @code{piece}
725 header as well. It may be used as a normal header, or left blank
726 (@code{=""}) as in the example above, but it must be present.
736 MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a standard for
737 connecting and controlling digital instruments. A MIDI file is a
738 series of notes in a number of tracks. It is not an actual
739 sound file; you need special software to translate between the
740 series of notes and actual sounds.
742 Pieces of music can be converted to MIDI files, so you can listen to
743 what was entered. This is convenient for checking the music; octaves
744 that are off or accidentals that were mistyped stand out very much
745 when listening to the MIDI output.
749 Many musically interesting effects, such as swing, articulation,
750 slurring, etc., are not translated to midi.
752 The midi output allocates a channel for each staff, and one for global
753 settings. Therefore the midi file should not have more than 15 staves
754 (or 14 if you do not use drums). Other staves will remain silent.
756 Not all midi players correctly handle tempo changes in the midi
757 output. Players that are known to work include
758 @uref{http://@/timidity@/.sourceforge@/.net/,timidity}.
761 * Creating MIDI files::
763 * MIDI instrument names::
766 @node Creating MIDI files
767 @subsection Creating MIDI files
769 To create a MIDI from a music piece of music, add a @code{\midi} block
770 to a score, for example,
781 The tempo is specified using the @code{\tempo} command. In this
782 example the tempo of quarter notes is set to 72 beats per minute.
785 If there is a @code{\midi} command in a @code{\score}, only MIDI will
786 be produced. When notation is needed too, a @code{\layout} block must
800 Ties, dynamics, and tempo changes are interpreted. Dynamic marks,
801 crescendi and decrescendi translate into MIDI volume levels. Dynamic
802 marks translate to a fixed fraction of the available MIDI volume
803 range, crescendi and decrescendi make the volume vary linearly between
804 their two extremes. The fractions can be adjusted by
805 @code{dynamicAbsoluteVolumeFunction} in @internalsref{Voice} context.
806 For each type of MIDI instrument, a volume range can be defined. This
807 gives a basic equalizer control, which can enhance the quality of
808 the MIDI output remarkably. The equalizer can be controlled by
809 setting @code{instrumentEqualizer}, or by setting
812 \set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = #0.2
813 \set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = #0.8
816 To remove dynamics from the MIDI output, insert the following lines
817 in the @code{\midi@{@}} section.
824 \remove "Dynamic_performer"
825 \remove "Span_dynamic_performer"
833 Unterminated (de)crescendos will not render properly in the midi file,
834 resulting in silent passages of music. The workaround is to explicitly
835 terminate the (de)crescendo. For example,
842 will not work properly but
853 @subsection MIDI block
857 The MIDI block is analogous to the layout block, but it is somewhat
858 simpler. The @code{\midi} block is similar to @code{\layout}. It can contain
862 @cindex context definition
864 Context definitions follow precisely the same syntax as within the
865 \layout block. Translation modules for sound are called performers.
866 The contexts for MIDI output are defined in @file{ly/@/performer@/-init@/.ly}.
869 @node MIDI instrument names
870 @subsection MIDI instrument names
872 @cindex instrument names
873 @funindex Staff.midiInstrument
875 The MIDI instrument name is set by the @code{Staff.midiInstrument}
876 property. The instrument name should be chosen from the list in
877 @ref{MIDI instruments}.
880 \set Staff.midiInstrument = "glockenspiel"
884 If the selected instrument does not exactly match an instrument from
885 the list of MIDI instruments, the Grand Piano (@code{"acoustic grand"})
889 @c Yes, this is a cop-out; this info doesn't belong in the Scheme
890 @c chapter, but I'm not certain where to stick it.
891 @c I think I'll eventually split this chapter into a "paper/layout"
892 @c chapter and a "misc issues" chapter. -gp
893 @node Displaying LilyPond notation
894 @section Displaying LilyPond notation
896 @funindex \displayLilyMusc
897 Displaying a music expression in LilyPond notation can be
898 done using the music function @code{\displayLilyMusic}. For example,
902 \displayLilyMusic \transpose c a, @{ c e g a bes @}
912 By default, LilyPond will print these messages to the console along
913 with all the other messages. To split up these messages and save
914 the results of @code{\display@{STUFF@}}, redirect the output to
918 lilypond file.ly >display.txt
922 @node Skipping corrected music
923 @section Skipping corrected music
926 @funindex skipTypesetting
927 @funindex showLastLength
929 When entering or copying music, usually only the music near the end (where
931 are adding notes) is interesting to view and correct. To speed up
932 this correction process, it is possible to skip typesetting of all but
933 the last few measures. This is achieved by putting
936 showLastLength = R1*5
941 in your source file. This will render only the last 5 measures
942 (assuming 4/4 time signature) of every @code{\score} in the input
943 file. For longer pieces, rendering only a small part is often an order
944 of magnitude quicker than rendering it completely
946 Skipping parts of a score can be controlled in a more fine-grained
947 fashion with the property @code{Score.skipTypesetting}. When it is
948 set, no typesetting is performed at all.
950 This property is also used to control output to the MIDI file. Note that
951 it skips all events, including tempo and instrument changes. You have
954 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim]
957 \set Score.skipTypesetting = ##t
959 \set Score.skipTypesetting = ##f
963 In polyphonic music, @code{Score.skipTypesetting} will affect all
964 voices and staves, saving even more time.