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 A @code{\score} block. This score will be collected with other
212 toplevel scores, and combined as a single @code{\book}.
214 This behavior can be changed by setting the variable
215 @code{toplevel-score-handler} at toplevel. The default handler is
216 defined in the init file @file{scm/@/lily@/.scm}.
218 The @code{\score} must begin with a music expression, and may
219 contain only one music expression.
222 A @code{\book} block logically combines multiple movements
223 (i.e., multiple @code{\score} blocks) in one document. If there are
224 a number of @code{\scores}, a single output file will be created
225 in which all movements are concatenated.
227 This behavior can be changed by setting the variable
228 @code{toplevel-book-handler} at toplevel. The default handler is
229 defined in the init file @file{scm/@/lily@/.scm}.
232 A compound music expression, such as
237 This will add the piece in a @code{\score} and format it in a
238 single book together with all other toplevel @code{\score}s and music
239 expressions. In other words, a file containing only the above
240 music expression will be translated into
256 This behavior can be changed by setting the variable
257 @code{toplevel-music-handler} at toplevel. The default handler is
258 defined in the init file @file{scm/@/lily@/.scm}.
261 A markup text, a verse for example
264 2. The first line verse two.
268 Markup texts are rendered above, between or below the scores or music
269 expressions, wherever they appear.
272 An identifier, such as
277 This can be used later on in the file by entering @code{\foo}. The
278 name of an identifier should have alphabetic characters only; no
279 numbers, underscores or dashes.
283 The following example shows three things that may be entered at
288 % movements are non-justified by default
300 At any point in a file, any of the following lexical instructions can
304 @item @code{\version}
305 @item @code{\include}
306 @item @code{\sourcefilename}
307 @item @code{\sourcefileline}
312 @node A single music expression
313 @subsection A single music expression
315 A @code{\score} must contain a single music expression. However,
316 this music expression may be of any size. Recall that music
317 expressions may be included inside other expressions to form
318 larger expressions. All of these examples are single music
319 expressions; note the curly braces @{ @} or angle brackets <<
320 >> at the beginning and ending of the music.
326 @lilypond[ragged-right,verbatim,quote]
333 @lilypond[ragged-right,verbatim,quote]
335 \new Staff { c'4 c' c' c' }
336 \new Staff { d'4 d' d' d' }
344 \new Staff @{ \flute @}
345 \new Staff @{ \oboe @}
348 \new Staff @{ \violinI @}
349 \new Staff @{ \violinII @}
356 @node Including LilyPond files
357 @subsection Including LilyPond files
360 @cindex including files
362 A large project may be split up into separate files. To refer to another
366 \include "otherfile.ly"
369 The line @code{\include "file.ly"} is equivalent to pasting the contents
370 of file.ly into the current file at the place where you have the
371 \include. For example, for a large project you might write separate files
372 for each instrument part and create a ``full score'' file which brings
373 together the individual instrument files.
375 The initialization of LilyPond is done in a number of files that are
376 included by default when you start the program, normally transparent to the
377 user. Run lilypond --verbose to see a list of paths and files that Lily
380 Files placed in directory @file{PATH/TO/share/lilypond/VERSION/ly/} (where
381 VERSION is in the form ``2.6.1'') are on the path and available to
382 @code{\include}. Files in the
383 current working directory are available to \include, but a file of the same
384 name in LilyPond's installation takes precedence. Files are
385 available to \include from directories in the search path specified as an
386 option when invoking @code{lilypond --include=DIR} which adds DIR to the
389 The @code{\include} statement can use full path information, but with the Unix
390 convention @code{"/"} rather than the DOS/Windows @code{"\"}. For example,
391 if @file{stuff.ly} is located one directory higher than the current working
395 \include "../stuff.ly"
400 @subsection Text encoding
402 LilyPond uses the Pango library to format multi-lingual texts, and
403 does not perform any input-encoding conversions. This means that any
404 text, be it title, lyric text, or musical instruction containing
405 non-ASCII characters, must be utf-8. The easiest way to enter such text is
406 by using a Unicode-aware editor and saving the file with utf-8 encoding. Most
407 popular modern editors have utf-8 support, for example, vim, Emacs,
410 @c Currently not working
412 Depending on the fonts installed, the following fragment shows Hebrew
419 @li lypondfile[fontload]{utf-8.ly}
421 The @TeX{} backend does not handle encoding specially at all. Strings
422 in the input are put in the output as-is. Extents of text items in the
423 @TeX{} backend, are determined by reading a file created via the
424 @file{texstr} backend,
427 lilypond -b texstr input/les-nereides.ly
428 latex les-nereides.texstr
431 The last command produces @file{les-nereides.textmetrics}, which is
432 read when you execute
435 lilypond -b tex input/les-nereides.ly
438 Both @file{les-nereides.texstr} and @file{les-nereides.tex} need
439 suitable LaTeX wrappers to load appropriate La@TeX{} packages for
440 interpreting non-ASCII strings.
444 To use a Unicode escape sequence, use
447 #(ly:export (ly:wide-char->utf-8 #x2014))
453 @inputfileref{input/regression,utf-8.ly}
457 @node Titles and headers
458 @section Titles and headers
460 Almost all printed music includes a title and the composer's name;
461 some pieces include a lot more information.
469 @node Creating titles
470 @subsection Creating titles
472 Titles are created for each @code{\score} block, and over a
475 The contents of the titles are taken from the @code{\header} blocks.
476 The header block for a book supports the following
482 The dedicatee of the music, centered at the top of the first page.
486 The title of the music, centered just below the dedication.
490 Subtitle, centered below the title.
492 @funindex subsubtitle
494 Subsubtitle, centered below the subtitle.
498 Name of the poet, flush-left below the subtitle.
502 Name of the composer, flush-right below the subtitle.
506 Meter string, flush-left below the poet.
510 Name of the opus, flush-right below the composer.
514 Name of the arranger, flush-right below the opus.
518 Name of the instrument, centered below the arranger. Also
519 centered at the top of pages (other than the first page).
523 Name of the piece, flush-left below the instrument.
525 @cindex page breaks, forcing
526 @funindex breakbefore
528 This forces the title to start on a new page (set to ##t or ##f).
532 Copyright notice, centered at the bottom of the first page. To
533 insert the copyright symbol, see @ref{Text encoding}.
537 Centered at the bottom of the last page.
541 Here is a demonstration of the fields available. Note that you
542 may use any @ref{Text markup} commands in the header.
544 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,line-width=11.0\cm]
547 paper-height = 10.0\cm
552 dedication = "dedicated to me"
553 title = \markup \center-align { "Title first line" "Title second line,
555 subtitle = "the subtitle,"
556 subsubtitle = #(string-append "subsubtitle LilyPond version "
559 composer = \markup \center-align { "composer" \small "(1847-1973)" }
560 texttranslator = "Text Translator"
561 meter = \markup { \teeny "m" \tiny "e" \normalsize "t" \large "e" \huge
563 arranger = \markup { \fontsize #8.5 "a" \fontsize #2.5 "r" \fontsize
564 #-2.5 "r" \fontsize #-5.3 "a" \fontsize #7.5 "nger" }
565 instrument = \markup \bold \italic "instrument"
589 As demonstrated before, you can use multiple @code{\header} blocks.
590 When same fields appear in different blocks, the latter is used.
591 Here is a short example.
595 composer = "Composer"
603 piece = "New piece" % overwrite previous one
608 If you define the @code{\header} inside the @code{\score} block, then
609 normally only the @code{piece} and @code{opus} headers will be printed.
610 Note that the music expression must come before the @code{\header}.
612 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,line-width=11.0\cm]
616 title = "title" % not printed
623 @funindex printallheaders
625 You may change this behavior (and print all the headers when defining
626 @code{\header} inside @code{\score}) by using
637 The default footer is empty, except for the first page, where the
638 @code{copyright} field from @code{\header} is inserted, and the last
639 page, where @code{tagline} from @code{\header} is added. The default
640 tagline is ``Music engraving by LilyPond (@var{version})''.@footnote{Nicely
641 printed parts are good PR for us, so please leave the tagline if you
644 Headers may be completely removed by setting them to false.
655 @subsection Custom titles
657 A more advanced option is to change the definitions of the following
658 variables in the @code{\paper} block. The init file
659 @file{ly/titling-init.ly} lists the default layout.
662 @funindex bookTitleMarkup
663 @item bookTitleMarkup
664 This is the title put over an entire @code{\book} block. Typically,
665 it has the composer and the title of the piece
667 @funindex scoreTitleMarkup
668 @item scoreTitleMarkup
669 This is the title put over a @code{\score} block within a
670 @code{\book}. Typically, it has the name of the movement (@code{piece}
673 @funindex oddHeaderMarkup
674 @item oddHeaderMarkup
675 This is the page header for odd-numbered pages.
677 @funindex evenHeaderMarkup
678 @item evenHeaderMarkup
679 This is the page header for even-numbered pages. If unspecified,
680 the odd header is used instead.
682 By default, headers are defined such that the page number is on the
683 outside edge, and the instrument is centered.
685 @funindex oddFooterMarkup
686 @item oddFooterMarkup
687 This is the page footer for odd-numbered pages.
689 @funindex evenFotterMarkup
690 @item evenFooterMarkup
691 This is the page footer for even-numbered pages. If unspecified,
692 the odd header is used instead.
694 By default, the footer has the copyright notice on the first, and
695 the tagline on the last page.
705 The following definition will put the title flush left, and the
706 composer flush right on a single line.
710 bookTitleMarkup = \markup {
712 \fromproperty #'header:title
713 \fromproperty #'header:composer
727 MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a standard for
728 connecting and controlling digital instruments. A MIDI file is a
729 series of notes in a number of tracks. It is not an actual
730 sound file; you need special software to translate between the
731 series of notes and actual sounds.
733 Pieces of music can be converted to MIDI files, so you can listen to
734 what was entered. This is convenient for checking the music; octaves
735 that are off or accidentals that were mistyped stand out very much
736 when listening to the MIDI output.
740 Many musically interesting effects, such as swing, articulation,
741 slurring, etc., are not translated to midi.
743 The midi output allocates a channel for each staff, and one for global
744 settings. Therefore the midi file should not have more than 15 staves
745 (or 14 if you do not use drums). Other staves will remain silent.
747 Not all midi players correctly handle tempo changes in the midi
748 output. Players that are known to work include
749 @uref{http://@/timidity@/.sourceforge@/.net/,timidity}.
752 * Creating MIDI files::
754 * MIDI instrument names::
757 @node Creating MIDI files
758 @subsection Creating MIDI files
760 To create a MIDI from a music piece of music, add a @code{\midi} block
761 to a score, for example,
772 The tempo is specified using the @code{\tempo} command. In this
773 example the tempo of quarter notes is set to 72 beats per minute.
776 If there is a @code{\midi} command in a @code{\score}, only MIDI will
777 be produced. When notation is needed too, a @code{\layout} block must
791 Ties, dynamics, and tempo changes are interpreted. Dynamic marks,
792 crescendi and decrescendi translate into MIDI volume levels. Dynamic
793 marks translate to a fixed fraction of the available MIDI volume
794 range, crescendi and decrescendi make the volume vary linearly between
795 their two extremes. The fractions can be adjusted by
796 @code{dynamicAbsoluteVolumeFunction} in @internalsref{Voice} context.
797 For each type of MIDI instrument, a volume range can be defined. This
798 gives a basic equalizer control, which can enhance the quality of
799 the MIDI output remarkably. The equalizer can be controlled by
800 setting @code{instrumentEqualizer}, or by setting
803 \set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = #0.2
804 \set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = #0.8
807 To remove dynamics from the MIDI output, insert the following lines
808 in the @code{\midi@{@}} section.
815 \remove "Dynamic_performer"
816 \remove "Span_dynamic_performer"
824 Unterminated (de)crescendos will not render properly in the midi file,
825 resulting in silent passages of music. The workaround is to explicitly
826 terminate the (de)crescendo. For example,
833 will not work properly but
844 @subsection MIDI block
848 The MIDI block is analogous to the layout block, but it is somewhat
849 simpler. The @code{\midi} block is similar to @code{\layout}. It can contain
853 @cindex context definition
855 Context definitions follow precisely the same syntax as within the
856 \layout block. Translation modules for sound are called performers.
857 The contexts for MIDI output are defined in @file{ly/@/performer@/-init@/.ly}.
860 @node MIDI instrument names
861 @subsection MIDI instrument names
863 @cindex instrument names
864 @funindex Staff.midiInstrument
866 The MIDI instrument name is set by the @code{Staff.midiInstrument}
867 property. The instrument name should be chosen from the list in
868 @ref{MIDI instruments}.
871 \set Staff.midiInstrument = "glockenspiel"
875 If the selected instrument does not exactly match an instrument from
876 the list of MIDI instruments, the Grand Piano (@code{"acoustic grand"})
880 @c Yes, this is a cop-out; this info doesn't belong in the Scheme
881 @c chapter, but I'm not certain where to stick it.
882 @c I think I'll eventually split this chapter into a "paper/layout"
883 @c chapter and a "misc issues" chapter. -gp
884 @node Displaying LilyPond notation
885 @section Displaying LilyPond notation
887 @funindex \displayLilyMusc
888 Displaying a music expression in LilyPond notation can be
889 done using the music function @code{\displayLilyMusic}. For example,
893 \displayLilyMusic \transpose c a, @{ c e g a bes @}
903 By default, LilyPond will print these messages to the console along
904 with all the other messages. To split up these messages and save
905 the results of @code{\display@{STUFF@}}, redirect the output to
909 lilypond file.ly >display.txt
913 @node Skipping corrected music
914 @section Skipping corrected music
917 @funindex skipTypesetting
918 @funindex showLastLength
920 When entering or copying music, usually only the music near the end (where
922 are adding notes) is interesting to view and correct. To speed up
923 this correction process, it is possible to skip typesetting of all but
924 the last few measures. This is achieved by putting
927 showLastLength = R1*5
932 in your source file. This will render only the last 5 measures
933 (assuming 4/4 time signature) of every @code{\score} in the input
934 file. For longer pieces, rendering only a small part is often an order
935 of magnitude quicker than rendering it completely
937 Skipping parts of a score can be controlled in a more fine-grained
938 fashion with the property @code{Score.skipTypesetting}. When it is
939 set, no typesetting is performed at all.
941 This property is also used to control output to the MIDI file. Note that
942 it skips all events, including tempo and instrument changes. You have
945 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim]
948 \set Score.skipTypesetting = ##t
950 \set Score.skipTypesetting = ##f
954 In polyphonic music, @code{Score.skipTypesetting} will affect all
955 voices and staves, saving even more time.