1 @c -*- coding: utf-8; mode: texinfo; -*-
2 @c This file is part of lilypond.tely
4 Translation of GIT committish: FILL-IN-HEAD-COMMITTISH
6 When revising a translation, copy the HEAD committish of the
7 version that you are working on. See TRANSLATION for details.
10 @c A menu is needed before every deeper *section nesting of @node's; run
11 @c M-x texinfo-all-menus-update
12 @c to automatically fill in these menus before saving changes
14 @node Non-musical notation
15 @chapter Non-musical notation
17 This section deals with general lilypond issues, rather than
22 * Titles and headers::
24 * Displaying LilyPond notation::
25 * Skipping corrected music::
32 The main format of input for LilyPond are text files. By convention,
33 these files end with @samp{.ly}.
36 * File structure (introduction)::
38 * A single music expression::
39 * Multiple scores in a book::
40 * Extracting fragments of notation::
41 * Including LilyPond files::
43 * Different editions from one source::
47 @node File structure (introduction)
48 @subsection File structure (introduction)
50 A basic example of a lilypond input file is
55 @{ @} % this is a single music expression;
56 % all the music goes in here.
64 There are many variations of this basic pattern, but this
65 example serves as a useful starting place.
67 The major part of this manual is concerned with entering various
68 forms of music in LilyPond. However, many music expressions are not
69 valid input on their own, for example, a @code{.ly} file containing
76 will result in a parsing error. Instead, music should be inside other
77 expressions, which may be put in a file by themselves. Such
78 expressions are called toplevel expressions; see @ref{File structure}, for
79 a list of all such expressions.
83 @subsection File structure
85 A @code{.ly} file contains any number of toplevel expressions, where a
86 toplevel expression is one of the following
90 An output definition, such as @code{\paper}, @code{\midi}, and
91 @code{\layout}. Such a definition at the toplevel changes the default
92 settings for the block entered.
95 A direct scheme expression, such as
96 @code{#(set-default-paper-size "a7" 'landscape)} or
97 @code{#(ly:set-option 'point-and-click #f)}.
100 A @code{\header} block. This sets the global header block. This
101 is the block containing the definitions for book-wide settings, like
102 composer, title, etc.
105 A @code{\score} block. This score will be collected with other
106 toplevel scores, and combined as a single @code{\book}.
108 This behavior can be changed by setting the variable
109 @code{toplevel-score-handler} at toplevel. The default handler is
110 defined in the init file @file{scm/@/lily@/.scm}.
112 The @code{\score} must begin with a music expression, and may
113 contain only one music expression.
116 A @code{\book} block logically combines multiple movements
117 (i.e., multiple @code{\score} blocks) in one document. If there are
118 a number of @code{\scores}, one output file will be created for
119 each @code{\book} block, in which all corresponding movements are
120 concatenated. The only reason to explicitly specify @code{\book} blocks
121 in a @code{.ly} file is if you wish multiple output files from a single
122 input file. One exception is within lilypond-book documents, where you
123 explicitly have to add a @code{\book} block if you want more than a
124 single @code{\score} or @code{\markup} in the same example.
126 This behavior can be changed by setting the variable
127 @code{toplevel-book-handler} at toplevel. The default handler is
128 defined in the init file @file{scm/@/lily@/.scm}.
131 A compound music expression, such as
136 This will add the piece in a @code{\score} and format it in a
137 single book together with all other toplevel @code{\score}s and music
138 expressions. In other words, a file containing only the above
139 music expression will be translated into
155 This behavior can be changed by setting the variable
156 @code{toplevel-music-handler} at toplevel. The default handler is
157 defined in the init file @file{scm/@/lily@/.scm}.
160 A markup text, a verse for example
163 2. The first line verse two.
167 Markup texts are rendered above, between or below the scores or music
168 expressions, wherever they appear.
174 An identifier, such as
179 This can be used later on in the file by entering @code{\foo}. The
180 name of an identifier should have alphabetic characters only; no
181 numbers, underscores or dashes.
185 The following example shows three things that may be entered at
190 % movements are non-justified by default
202 At any point in a file, any of the following lexical instructions can
206 @item @code{\version}
207 @item @code{\include}
208 @item @code{\sourcefilename}
209 @item @code{\sourcefileline}
214 @node A single music expression
215 @subsection A single music expression
217 A @code{\score} must contain a single music expression. However,
218 this music expression may be of any size. Recall that music
219 expressions may be included inside other expressions to form
220 larger expressions. All of these examples are single music
221 expressions; note the curly braces @{ @} or angle brackets <<
222 >> at the beginning and ending of the music.
228 @lilypond[ragged-right,verbatim,quote]
235 @lilypond[ragged-right,verbatim,quote]
237 \new Staff { c'4 c' c' c' }
238 \new Staff { d'4 d' d' d' }
246 \new Staff @{ \flute @}
247 \new Staff @{ \oboe @}
250 \new Staff @{ \violinI @}
251 \new Staff @{ \violinII @}
258 @node Multiple scores in a book
259 @subsection Multiple scores in a book
262 @cindex movements, multiple
264 A document may contain multiple pieces of music and texts. Examples
265 of these are an etude book, or an orchestral part with multiple
266 movements. Each movement is entered with a @code{\score} block,
274 and texts are entered with a @code{\markup} block,
284 All the movements and texts which appear in the same @code{.ly} file
285 will normally be typeset in the form of a single output file.
299 However, if you want multiple output files from the same @code{.ly}
300 file, then you can add multiple @code{\book} blocks, where each such
301 @code{\book} block will result in a separate output. If you do not
302 specify any @code{\book} block in the file, LilyPond will implicitly
303 treat the full file as a single @code{\book} block, see @ref{File
304 structure}. One important exception is within lilypond-book documents,
305 where you explicitly have to add a @code{\book} block, otherwise only
306 the first @code{\score} or @code{\markup} will appear in the output.
308 The header for each piece of music can be put inside the @code{\score}
309 block. The @code{piece} name from the header will be printed before
310 each movement. The title for the entire book can be put inside the
311 @code{\book}, but if it is not present, the @code{\header} which is at
312 the top of the file is inserted.
316 title = "Eight miniatures"
317 composer = "Igor Stravinsky"
321 \header @{ piece = "Romanze" @}
324 ..text of second verse..
327 ..text of third verse..
331 \header @{ piece = "Menuetto" @}
335 @node Extracting fragments of notation
336 @subsection Extracting fragments of notation
338 It is possible to quote small fragments of a large score directly from
339 the output. This can be compared to clipping a piece of a paper score
342 This is done by definining the measures that need to be cut out
343 separately. For example, including the following definition
351 (make-rhythmic-location 5 1 2)
352 (make-rhythmic-location 7 3 4)))
357 will extract a fragment starting halfway the fifth measure, ending in
358 the seventh measure. The meaning of @code{5 1 2} is: after a 1/2 note
359 in measure 5, and @code{7 3 4} after 3 quarter notes in measure 7.
361 More clip regions can be defined by adding more pairs of
362 rhythmic-locations to the list.
364 In order to use this feature, LilyPond must be invoked with
365 @code{-dclip-systems}. The clips are output as EPS files, and are
366 converted to PDF and PNG if these formats are switched on as well.
368 For more information on output formats, see @rprogram{Invoking lilypond}.
372 Examples: @lsr{non-notation,clip-systems.ly}
375 @node Including LilyPond files
376 @subsection Including LilyPond files
379 @cindex including files
381 A large project may be split up into separate files. To refer to another
385 \include "otherfile.ly"
388 The line @code{\include "file.ly"} is equivalent to pasting the contents
389 of file.ly into the current file at the place where you have the
390 \include. For example, for a large project you might write separate files
391 for each instrument part and create a @q{full score} file which brings
392 together the individual instrument files.
394 The initialization of LilyPond is done in a number of files that are
395 included by default when you start the program, normally transparent to the
396 user. Run lilypond --verbose to see a list of paths and files that Lily
399 Files placed in directory @file{PATH/TO/share/lilypond/VERSION/ly/} (where
400 VERSION is in the form @q{2.6.1}) are on the path and available to
401 @code{\include}. Files in the
402 current working directory are available to \include, but a file of the same
403 name in LilyPond's installation takes precedence. Files are
404 available to \include from directories in the search path specified as an
405 option when invoking @code{lilypond --include=DIR} which adds DIR to the
408 The @code{\include} statement can use full path information, but with the Unix
409 convention @samp{/} rather than the DOS/Windows @samp{\}. For example,
410 if @file{stuff.ly} is located one directory higher than the current working
414 \include "../stuff.ly"
419 @subsection Text encoding
421 LilyPond uses the Pango library to format multi-lingual texts, and
422 does not perform any input-encoding conversions. This means that any
423 text, be it title, lyric text, or musical instruction containing
424 non-ASCII characters, must be utf-8. The easiest way to enter such text is
425 by using a Unicode-aware editor and saving the file with utf-8 encoding. Most
426 popular modern editors have utf-8 support, for example, vim, Emacs,
429 @c Currently not working
431 Depending on the fonts installed, the following fragment shows Hebrew
438 @li lypondfile[fontload]{utf-8.ly}
440 The @TeX{} backend does not handle encoding specially at all. Strings
441 in the input are put in the output as-is. Extents of text items in the
442 @TeX{} backend, are determined by reading a file created via the
443 @file{texstr} backend,
446 lilypond -dbackend=texstr input/les-nereides.ly
447 latex les-nereides.texstr
450 The last command produces @file{les-nereides.textmetrics}, which is
451 read when you execute
454 lilypond -dbackend=tex input/les-nereides.ly
457 Both @file{les-nereides.texstr} and @file{les-nereides.tex} need
458 suitable LaTeX wrappers to load appropriate La@TeX{} packages for
459 interpreting non-ASCII strings.
463 To use a Unicode escape sequence, use
466 #(ly:export (ly:wide-char->utf-8 #x2014))
475 @node Different editions from one source
476 @subsection Different editions from one source
481 The @code{\tag} command marks music expressions with a name. These
482 tagged expressions can be filtered out later. With this mechanism it
483 is possible to make different versions of the same music source.
485 In the following example, we see two versions of a piece of music, one
486 for the full score, and one with cue notes for the instrumental part
502 The same can be applied to articulations, texts, etc.: they are
505 -\tag #@var{your-tag}
507 to an articulation, for example,
512 This defines a note with a conditional fingering indication.
515 @cindex removeWithTag
516 By applying the @code{\keepWithTag} and @code{\removeWithTag}
517 commands, tagged expressions can be filtered. For example,
521 \keepWithTag #'score @var{the music}
522 \keepWithTag #'part @var{the music}
527 @lilypondfile[ragged-right,quote]{tag-filter.ly}
529 The arguments of the @code{\tag} command should be a symbol
530 (such as @code{#'score} or @code{#'part}), followed by a
531 music expression. It is possible to put multiple tags on
532 a piece of music with multiple @code{\tag} entries,
535 \tag #'original-part \tag #'transposed-part @dots{}
541 Examples: @lsr{parts,tag@/-filter@/.ly}
546 Multiple rests are not merged if you create the score with both tagged
550 @node Titles and headers
551 @section Titles and headers
553 Almost all printed music includes a title and the composer's name;
554 some pieces include a lot more information.
559 * Reference to page numbers::
560 * Table of contents::
564 @node Creating titles
565 @subsection Creating titles
567 Titles are created for each @code{\score} block, as well as for the full
568 input file (or @code{\book} block).
570 The contents of the titles are taken from the @code{\header} blocks.
571 The header block for a book supports the following
577 The dedicatee of the music, centered at the top of the first page.
581 The title of the music, centered just below the dedication.
585 Subtitle, centered below the title.
587 @funindex subsubtitle
589 Subsubtitle, centered below the subtitle.
593 Name of the poet, flush-left below the subtitle.
597 Name of the composer, flush-right below the subtitle.
601 Meter string, flush-left below the poet.
605 Name of the opus, flush-right below the composer.
609 Name of the arranger, flush-right below the opus.
613 Name of the instrument, centered below the arranger. Also
614 centered at the top of pages (other than the first page).
618 Name of the piece, flush-left below the instrument.
620 @cindex page breaks, forcing
621 @funindex breakbefore
623 This forces the title to start on a new page (set to ##t or ##f).
627 Copyright notice, centered at the bottom of the first page. To
628 insert the copyright symbol, see @ref{Text encoding}.
632 Centered at the bottom of the last page.
636 Here is a demonstration of the fields available. Note that you
637 may use any @ref{Text markup}, commands in the header.
639 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,line-width=11.0\cm]
642 paper-height = 10.0\cm
647 dedication = "dedicated to me"
648 title = \markup \center-align { "Title first line" "Title second line,
650 subtitle = "the subtitle,"
651 subsubtitle = #(string-append "subsubtitle LilyPond version "
654 composer = \markup \center-align { "composer" \small "(1847-1973)" }
655 texttranslator = "Text Translator"
656 meter = \markup { \teeny "m" \tiny "e" \normalsize "t" \large "e" \huge
658 arranger = \markup { \fontsize #8.5 "a" \fontsize #2.5 "r" \fontsize
659 #-2.5 "r" \fontsize #-5.3 "a" \fontsize #7.5 "nger" }
660 instrument = \markup \bold \italic "instrument"
684 As demonstrated before, you can use multiple @code{\header} blocks.
685 When same fields appear in different blocks, the latter is used.
686 Here is a short example.
690 composer = "Composer"
698 piece = "New piece" % overwrite previous one
703 If you define the @code{\header} inside the @code{\score} block, then
704 normally only the @code{piece} and @code{opus} headers will be printed.
705 Note that the music expression must come before the @code{\header}.
707 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,line-width=11.0\cm]
711 title = "title" % not printed
718 @funindex printallheaders
720 You may change this behavior (and print all the headers when defining
721 @code{\header} inside @code{\score}) by using
732 The default footer is empty, except for the first page, where the
733 @code{copyright} field from @code{\header} is inserted, and the last
734 page, where @code{tagline} from @code{\header} is added. The default
735 tagline is @qq{Music engraving by LilyPond (@var{version})}.@footnote{Nicely
736 printed parts are good PR for us, so please leave the tagline if you
739 Headers may be completely removed by setting them to false.
750 @subsection Custom titles
752 A more advanced option is to change the definitions of the following
753 variables in the @code{\paper} block. The init file
754 @file{ly/titling-init.ly} lists the default layout.
757 @funindex bookTitleMarkup
758 @item bookTitleMarkup
759 This is the title added at the top of the entire output document.
760 Typically, it has the composer and the title of the piece
762 @funindex scoreTitleMarkup
763 @item scoreTitleMarkup
764 This is the title put over a @code{\score} block. Typically, it has
765 the name of the movement (@code{piece} field).
767 @funindex oddHeaderMarkup
768 @item oddHeaderMarkup
769 This is the page header for odd-numbered pages.
771 @funindex evenHeaderMarkup
772 @item evenHeaderMarkup
773 This is the page header for even-numbered pages. If unspecified,
774 the odd header is used instead.
776 By default, headers are defined such that the page number is on the
777 outside edge, and the instrument is centered.
779 @funindex oddFooterMarkup
780 @item oddFooterMarkup
781 This is the page footer for odd-numbered pages.
783 @funindex evenFooterMarkup
784 @item evenFooterMarkup
785 This is the page footer for even-numbered pages. If unspecified,
786 the odd header is used instead.
788 By default, the footer has the copyright notice on the first, and
789 the tagline on the last page.
799 The following definition will put the title flush left, and the
800 composer flush right on a single line.
804 bookTitleMarkup = \markup {
806 \fromproperty #'header:title
807 \fromproperty #'header:composer
813 @node Reference to page numbers
814 @subsection Reference to page numbers
816 A particular place of a score can be marked using the @code{\label}
817 command, either at top-level or inside music. This label can then be
818 refered to in a markup, to get the number of the page where the marked
819 point is placed, using the @code{\page-ref} markup command.
821 @lilypond[verbatim,line-width=11.0\cm]
822 \header { tagline = ##f }
828 \pageBreak \mark A \label #'markA
833 \markup { The first score begins on page \page-ref #'firstScore "0" "?" }
834 \markup { Mark A is on page \page-ref #'markA "0" "?" }
838 The @code{\page-ref} markup command takes three arguments:
840 @item the label, a scheme symbol, eg. @code{#'firstScore};
841 @item a markup that will be used as a gauge to estimate the dimensions
843 @item a markup that will be used in place of the page number if the label
847 The reason why a gauge is needed is that, at the time markups are
848 interpreted, the page breaking has not yet occured, so the page numbers
849 are not yet known. To work around this issue, the actual markup
850 interpretation is delayed to a later time; however, the dimensions of
851 the markup have to be known before, so a gauge is used to decide these
852 dimensions. If the book has between 10 and 99 pages, it may be "00",
853 ie. a two digit number.
862 @node Table of contents
863 @subsection Table of contents
864 A table of contents is included using the @code{\markuplines \table-of-contents}
865 command. The elements which should appear in the table of contents are
866 entered with the @code{\tocItem} command, which may be used either at
867 top-level, or inside a music expression.
870 \markuplines \table-of-contents
873 \tocItem \markup "First score"
877 \tocItem \markup "Some particular point in the first score"
882 \tocItem \markup "Second score"
890 The markups which are used to format the table of contents are defined
891 in the @code{\paper} block. The default ones are @code{tocTitleMarkup},
892 for formatting the title of the table, and @code{tocItemMarkup}, for
893 formatting the toc elements, composed of the element title and page
894 number. These variables may be changed by the user:
898 %% Translate the toc title into French:
899 tocTitleMarkup = \markup \huge \column {
900 \fill-line { \null "Table des matières" \null }
903 %% use larfer font size
904 tocItemMarkup = \markup \large \fill-line {
905 \fromproperty #'toc:text \fromproperty #'toc:page
910 Note how the toc element text and page number are refered to in
911 the @code{tocItemMarkup} definition.
913 New commands and markups may also be defined to build more elaborated
916 @item first, define a new markup variable in the @code{\paper} block
917 @item then, define a music function which aims at adding a toc element
918 using this markup paper variable.
921 In the following example, a new style is defined for entering act names
922 in the table of contents of an opera:
926 tocActMarkup = \markup \large \column {
928 \fill-line { \null \italic \fromproperty #'toc:text \null }
934 #(define-music-function (parser location text) (markup?)
935 (add-toc-item! 'tocActMarkup text))
938 @lilypond[line-width=11.0\cm]
939 \header { tagline = ##f }
941 tocActMarkup = \markup \large \column {
943 \fill-line { \null \italic \fromproperty #'toc:text \null }
949 #(define-music-function (parser location text) (markup?)
950 (add-toc-item! 'tocActMarkup text))
953 \markuplines \table-of-contents
954 \tocAct \markup { Atto Primo }
955 \tocItem \markup { Coro. Viva il nostro Alcide }
956 \tocItem \markup { Cesare. Presti omai l'Egizzia terra }
957 \tocAct \markup { Atto Secondo }
958 \tocItem \markup { Sinfonia }
959 \tocItem \markup { Cleopatra. V'adoro, pupille, saette d'Amore }
966 Init files: @file{ly/@/toc@/-init@/.ly}.
970 @funindex \table-of-contents
971 @code{\table-of-contents}
981 MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a standard for
982 connecting and controlling digital instruments. A MIDI file is a
983 series of notes in a number of tracks. It is not an actual
984 sound file; you need special software to translate between the
985 series of notes and actual sounds.
987 Pieces of music can be converted to MIDI files, so you can listen to
988 what was entered. This is convenient for checking the music; octaves
989 that are off or accidentals that were mistyped stand out very much
990 when listening to the MIDI output.
994 Many musically interesting effects, such as swing, articulation,
995 slurring, etc., are not translated to midi.
997 The midi output allocates a channel for each staff, and one for global
998 settings. Therefore the midi file should not have more than 15 staves
999 (or 14 if you do not use drums). Other staves will remain silent.
1001 Not all midi players correctly handle tempo changes in the midi
1002 output. Players that are known to work include
1003 @uref{http://@/timidity@/.sourceforge@/.net/,timidity}.
1006 * Creating MIDI files::
1008 * MIDI instrument names::
1011 @node Creating MIDI files
1012 @subsection Creating MIDI files
1014 To create a MIDI from a music piece of music, add a @code{\midi} block
1015 to a score, for example,
1023 tempoWholesPerMinute = #(ly:make-moment 72 4)
1029 The tempo can be specified using the @code{\tempo} command within the
1030 actual music, see @ref{Metronome marks}. An alternative, which does not
1031 result in a metronome mark in the printed score, is shown in the example
1032 above. In this example the tempo of quarter notes is set to 72 beats per
1035 specification can not take dotted note lengths as an argument. In this
1036 case, break the dotted notes into smaller units. For example, a tempo
1037 of 90 dotted quarter notes per minute can be specified as 270 eighth
1041 tempoWholesPerMinute = #(ly:make-moment 270 8)
1044 If there is a @code{\midi} command in a @code{\score}, only MIDI will
1045 be produced. When notation is needed too, a @code{\layout} block must
1055 @cindex layout block
1059 Ties, dynamics, and tempo changes are interpreted. Dynamic marks,
1060 crescendi and decrescendi translate into MIDI volume levels. Dynamic
1061 marks translate to a fixed fraction of the available MIDI volume
1062 range, crescendi and decrescendi make the volume vary linearly between
1063 their two extremes. The fractions can be adjusted by
1064 @code{dynamicAbsoluteVolumeFunction} in @internalsref{Voice} context.
1065 For each type of MIDI instrument, a volume range can be defined. This
1066 gives a basic equalizer control, which can enhance the quality of
1067 the MIDI output remarkably. The equalizer can be controlled by
1068 setting @code{instrumentEqualizer}, or by setting
1071 \set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = #0.2
1072 \set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = #0.8
1075 To remove dynamics from the MIDI output, insert the following lines
1076 in the @code{\midi@{@}} section.
1083 \remove "Dynamic_performer"
1091 Unterminated (de)crescendos will not render properly in the midi file,
1092 resulting in silent passages of music. The workaround is to explicitly
1093 terminate the (de)crescendo. For example,
1100 will not work properly but
1110 MIDI output is only created when the @code{\midi} command is within
1111 a @code{\score} block. If you put it within an explicitly instantiated
1112 context ( i.e. @code{\new Score} ) the file will fail. To solve this,
1113 enclose the @code{\new Score} and the @code{\midi} in a @code{\score} block.
1117 \new Score @{ @dots{}notes@dots{} @}
1124 @subsection MIDI block
1128 The MIDI block is analogous to the layout block, but it is somewhat
1129 simpler. The @code{\midi} block is similar to @code{\layout}. It can contain
1130 context definitions.
1133 @cindex context definition
1135 Context definitions follow precisely the same syntax as within the
1136 \layout block. Translation modules for sound are called performers.
1137 The contexts for MIDI output are defined in @file{ly/@/performer@/-init@/.ly}.
1140 @node MIDI instrument names
1141 @subsection MIDI instrument names
1143 @cindex instrument names
1144 @funindex Staff.midiInstrument
1146 The MIDI instrument name is set by the @code{Staff.midiInstrument}
1147 property. The instrument name should be chosen from the list in
1148 @ref{MIDI instruments}.
1151 \set Staff.midiInstrument = "glockenspiel"
1155 If the selected instrument does not exactly match an instrument from
1156 the list of MIDI instruments, the Grand Piano (@code{"acoustic grand"})
1160 @c Yes, this is a cop-out; this info doesn't belong in the Scheme
1161 @c chapter, but I'm not certain where to stick it.
1162 @c I think I'll eventually split this chapter into a "paper/layout"
1163 @c chapter and a "misc issues" chapter. -gp
1164 @node Displaying LilyPond notation
1165 @section Displaying LilyPond notation
1167 @funindex \displayLilyMusc
1168 Displaying a music expression in LilyPond notation can be
1169 done using the music function @code{\displayLilyMusic}. For example,
1173 \displayLilyMusic \transpose c a, @{ c e g a bes @}
1180 @{ a, cis e fis g @}
1183 By default, LilyPond will print these messages to the console along
1184 with all the other messages. To split up these messages and save
1185 the results of @code{\display@{STUFF@}}, redirect the output to
1189 lilypond file.ly >display.txt
1193 @node Skipping corrected music
1194 @section Skipping corrected music
1197 @funindex skipTypesetting
1198 @funindex showLastLength
1200 When entering or copying music, usually only the music near the end (where
1202 are adding notes) is interesting to view and correct. To speed up
1203 this correction process, it is possible to skip typesetting of all but
1204 the last few measures. This is achieved by putting
1207 showLastLength = R1*5
1212 in your source file. This will render only the last 5 measures
1213 (assuming 4/4 time signature) of every @code{\score} in the input
1214 file. For longer pieces, rendering only a small part is often an order
1215 of magnitude quicker than rendering it completely
1217 Skipping parts of a score can be controlled in a more fine-grained
1218 fashion with the property @code{Score.skipTypesetting}. When it is
1219 set, no typesetting is performed at all.
1221 This property is also used to control output to the MIDI file. Note that
1222 it skips all events, including tempo and instrument changes. You have
1225 @lilypond[quote,fragment,ragged-right,verbatim]
1228 \set Score.skipTypesetting = ##t
1230 \set Score.skipTypesetting = ##f
1234 In polyphonic music, @code{Score.skipTypesetting} will affect all
1235 voices and staves, saving even more time.