3 @c A menu is needed before every deeper *section nesting of @node's; run
4 @c M-x texinfo-all-menus-update
5 @c to automagically fill in these menus before saving changes
7 @c FIXME: singular vs. plural: Beams/Beam
16 @c .{Reference Manual}
18 @node Reference Manual
19 @chapter Reference Manual
22 <!--- @@WEB-TITLE@@=Reference Manual --->
25 This document describes GNU LilyPond and its input format. The last
26 revision of this document was made for LilyPond 1.4.1. It supposes a
27 passing familiarity with how LilyPond input works. New users are
28 encouraged to study the tutorial first.
33 * Easier music entry::
53 @c FIXME: Note entry vs Music entry at top level menu is confusing.
59 The most basic forms of music are notes. Notes on their own don't
60 form valid input, but for the sake of brevity we omit @code{\score}
61 blocks and @code{\paper} declarations.
67 * Chromatic alterations::
72 * Automatic note splitting ::
74 * Easy Notation note heads ::
82 A note is printed by specifying its pitch, and then its duration.
83 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim]
92 @cindex Note specification
94 @cindex entering notes
96 The verbose syntax for pitch specification is
100 \pitch @var{scmpitch}
103 @var{scmpitch} is a pitch scheme object.
105 In Note and Chord mode, pitches may be designated by names. The default
106 names are the Dutch note names. The notes are specified by the letters
107 @code{a} through @code{g} (where the octave is formed by notes ranging
108 from @code{c} to @code{b}). The pitch @code{c} is an octave below
109 middle C and the letters span the octave above that C.
111 @cindex note names, Dutch
113 In Dutch, a sharp is formed by adding @code{-is} to the end of a pitch
114 name and a flat is formed by adding @code{-es}. Double sharps and double
115 flats are obtained by adding @code{-isis} or @code{-eses}. @code{aes}
116 and @code{ees} are contracted to @code{as} and @code{es} in Dutch, but
117 both forms are accepted.
119 LilyPond has predefined sets of note names for various other languages.
120 To use them, simply include the language specific init file. For
121 example: @code{\include "english.ly"}. The available language files and
122 the names they define are:
125 Note Names sharp flat
126 nederlands.ly c d e f g a bes b -is -es
127 english.ly c d e f g a bf b -s/-sharp -f/-flat
128 deutsch.ly c d e f g a b h -is -es
129 norsk.ly c d e f g a b h -iss/-is -ess/-es
130 svenska.ly c d e f g a b h -iss -ess
131 italiano.ly do re mi fa sol la sib si -d -b
132 catalan.ly do re mi fa sol la sib si -d/-s -b
133 espanol.ly do re mi fa sol la sib si -s -b
142 The optional octave specification takes the form of a series of
143 single quote (`@code{'}') characters or a series of comma
144 (`@code{,}') characters. Each @code{'} raises the pitch by one
145 octave; each @code{,} lowers the pitch by an octave.
147 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim,center]
148 c' c'' es' g' as' gisis' ais'
151 @node Chromatic alterations
152 @subsection Chromatic alterations
154 Normally, accidentals are printed automatically, but you may force
155 accidentals in the following ways: A reminder accidental
156 @cindex reminder accidental
158 can be forced by adding an exclamation mark @code{!} after the pitch. A
159 cautionary accidental,
160 @cindex cautionary accidental
161 @cindex parenthesized accidental
162 i.e., an accidental within parentheses can be obtained by adding the
163 question mark `@code{?}' after the pitch.
165 The automatic production of accidentals can be tuned in many
166 ways. Refer to @ref{Accidentals} for more information.
173 A rest is entered like a note, with note name `@code{r}':
175 @lilypond[singleline,verbatim]
179 Whole bar rests centered in the bar are specified using @code{R}, see
180 @ref{Multi measure rests}. See also @seeinternals{Rest}.
182 For polyphonic music, it can be convenient to specify the rest position
183 directly. You can do that by entering a note, with the keyword
184 @code{\rest} appended, e.g. Rest collisions will leave these rests alone.
186 @lilypond[singleline,verbatim]
196 @cindex Invisible rest
199 An invisible rest, or skip, can be entered like a note with note name
200 @code{s}, or with @code{\skip @var{duration}}:
202 @lilypond[singleline,verbatim]
206 The @code{s} syntax is only available in Note mode and Chord mode.
207 In other situations, you should use the @code{\skip} command, and it is
208 only available in Note mode and Chord mode.
210 @c FIXME: in lyrics mode, we have " " and _
212 In Lyrics mode, you can use `@code{" "}' and `@code{_}':
213 @lilypond[singleline,verbatim]
215 \context Lyrics \lyrics { lah2 di4 " " dah2 _4 di }
216 \notes\relative c'' { a2 a4 a a2 a4 a }
220 The unabbreviated `@code{\skip} @var{duration}' also works outside of
223 @lilypond[singleline,verbatim]
226 { \time 4/8 \skip 2 \time 4/4 }
227 \notes\relative c'' { a2 a1 }
232 The skip command is merely a empty musical placeholder. It does not
233 produce any output, not even transparent output.
238 @subsection Durations
242 @cindex @code{\duration}
245 In Note, Chord, and Lyrics mode, durations may be designated by numbers
246 and dots: durations are entered as their reciprocal values. For notes
247 longer than a whole you must use identifiers.
251 c'1 c'2 c'4 c'8 c'16 c'32 c'64 c'64
253 r1 r2 r4 r8 r16 r32 r64 r64
259 \notes \relative c'' {
261 a1 a2 a4 a8 a16 a32 a64 a64
263 r1 r2 r4 r8 r16 r32 r64 r64
268 \remove "Clef_engraver"
269 \remove "Staff_symbol_engraver"
270 \remove "Time_signature_engraver"
271 \consists "Pitch_squash_engraver"
278 If the duration is omitted then it is set to the previous duration
279 entered. At the start of parsing a quarter note is assumed. The
280 duration can be followed by dots (`@code{.}') to obtain dotted note
284 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim,center]
290 You can alter the length of duration by a fraction @var{N/M} by
291 appending `@code{*}@var{N/M}' (or `@code{*}@var{N}' if @var{M=1}). This
292 will not affect the appearance of the notes or rests produced.
294 Durations can also be produced through GUILE extension mechanism.
295 @lilypond[verbatim,fragment]
296 c\duration #(make-duration 2 1)
307 A tie connects two adjacent note heads of the same pitch. The tie in
308 effect extends the length of a note. A tie is entered with @code{~}.
310 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim,center]
311 e' ~ e' <c' e' g'> ~ <c' e' g'>
314 When ties are used with chords, all note heads whose pitches match are
315 connected. Ties are indicated using the tilde symbol `@code{~}'. If
316 you try to tie together chords which have no common pitches then no
317 ties will be created.
319 If you want less ties created for a chord, you can set
320 @code{Voice.sparseTies} to true. In this case, a single tie is used
321 for every tied chord.
322 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim,center]
323 \property Voice.sparseTies = ##t
324 <c' e' g'> ~ <c' e' g'>
327 In its meaning a tie is just a way of extending a note duration, similar
328 to the augmentation dot: the following example are two ways of notating
329 exactly the same concept.
331 @lilypond[fragment, singleline]
332 \time 3/4 c'2. c'2 ~ c'4
334 Ties should not be confused with slurs, which indicate articulation,
335 and phrasing slurs, which indicate musical phrasing.
337 See also @seeinternals{Tie}.
342 At present, the tie is represented as a separate event, temporally
343 located in between the notes. Tieing only a subset of the note heads
344 of a chord is not supported in a simple way. It can be achieved by
345 moving the tie-engraver into the Thread context and turning on and off
348 @node Automatic note splitting
349 @subsection Automatic note splitting
350 @c FIXME: This subsection doesn't belong in @ref{Note entry}.
352 There is a facility for automatically converting long notes to tied
353 notes. This is done by replacing the @code{Note_heads_engraver} by the
354 @code{Completion_heads_engraver}.
356 @lilypond[verbatim,center]
358 \notes\relative c'{ \time 2/4
359 c2. c8 d4 e f g a b c8 c2 b4 a g16 f4 e d c8. c2
363 \remove "Note_heads_engraver"
364 \consists "Completion_heads_engraver"
368 This engraver splits all running notes at the bar line, and inserts
369 ties. One of its uses is to debug complex scores: if the measures are
370 not entirely filled, then the ties exactly show how much each measure
375 Not all durations (especially those containing tuplets) can be
376 represented exactly; the engraver will not insert tuplets.
383 @cindex @code{\times}
385 Tuplets are made out of a music expression by multiplying all duration
388 @cindex @code{\times}
390 \times @var{fraction} @var{musicexpr}
393 The duration of @var{musicexpr} will be multiplied by the fraction.
394 In print, the fraction's denominator will be printed over the notes,
395 optionally with a bracket. The most common tuplet is the triplet in
396 which 3 notes have the length of 2, so the notes are 2/3 of
397 their written length:
399 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim,center]
400 g'4 \times 2/3 {c'4 c' c'} d'4 d'4
403 The property @code{tupletSpannerDuration} specifies how long each bracket
404 should last. With this, you can make lots of tuplets while typing
405 @code{\times} only once, thus saving typing work.
407 @lilypond[fragment, relative, singleline, verbatim]
408 \property Voice.tupletSpannerDuration = #(make-moment 1 4)
409 \times 2/3 { c'8 c c c c c }
412 The format of the number is determined by the property
413 @code{tupletNumberFormatFunction}. The default prints only the
414 denominator, but if you set it to the Scheme function
415 @code{fraction-tuplet-formatter}, Lilypond will print @var{num}:@var{den}
419 @cindex @code{tupletNumberFormatFunction}
420 @cindex tuplet formatting
422 See also @seeinternals{TupletBracket}.
426 Nested tuplets are not formatted automatically. In this case, outer
427 tuplet brackets should be moved automatically.
429 @node Easy Notation note heads
430 @subsection Easy Notation note heads
432 @cindex easy notation
435 A entirely different type of note head is the "easyplay" note head: a
436 note head that includes a note name. It is used in some publications by
437 Hal-Leonard Inc. music publishers.
439 @lilypond[singleline,verbatim,26pt]
441 \notes { c'2 e'4 f' | g'1 }
442 \paper { \translator { \EasyNotation } }
446 Note that @code{EasyNotation} overrides a @internalsref{Score} context. You
447 probably will want to print it with magnification or a large font size to make it more
454 If you view the result with Xdvi, then staff lines will show through
455 the letters. Printing the postscript file obtained with ly2dvi does
456 produce the correct result.
459 @node Easier music entry
460 @section Easier music entry
466 * Skipping corrected music::
469 When entering music with LilyPond, it is easy to introduce errors. This
470 section deals with tricks and features that help you enter music, and
471 find and correct mistakes.
474 @node Relative octaves
475 @subsection Relative octaves
477 @cindex relative octave specification
479 Octaves are specified by adding @code{'} and @code{,} to pitch names.
480 When you copy existing music, it is easy to accidentally put a pitch in
481 the wrong octave and hard to find such an error. To prevent these
482 errors, LilyPond features octave entry.
484 @cindex @code{\relative}
486 \relative @var{startpitch} @var{musicexpr}
489 The octave of notes that appear in @var{musicexpr} are calculated as
490 follows: If no octave changing marks are used, the basic interval
491 between this and the last note is always taken to be a fourth or less
492 (This distance is determined without regarding alterations; a
493 @code{fisis} following a @code{ceses} will be put above the
496 The octave changing marks @code{'} and @code{,} can be added to raise or
497 lower the pitch by an extra octave. Upon entering relative mode, an
498 absolute starting pitch must be specified that will act as the
499 predecessor of the first note of @var{musicexpr}.
501 Entering music that changes octave frequently is easy in relative mode.
502 @lilypond[fragment,singleline,verbatim,center]
508 And octave changing marks are used for intervals greater than a fourth.
509 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim,center]
514 If the preceding item is a chord, the first note of the chord is used
515 to determine the first note of the next chord. However, other notes
516 within the second chord are determined by looking at the immediately
519 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim,center]
526 @cindex @code{\notes}
528 The pitch after the @code{\relative} contains a note name. To parse
529 the pitch as a note name, you have to be in note mode, so there must
530 be a surrounding @code{\notes} keyword (which is not
533 The relative conversion will not affect @code{\transpose},
534 @code{\chords} or @code{\relative} sections in its argument. If you
535 want to use relative within transposed music, you must place an
536 additional @code{\relative} inside the @code{\transpose}.
541 @subsection Bar check
545 @cindex @code{barCheckSynchronize}
549 Whenever a bar check is encountered during interpretation, a warning
550 message is issued if it doesn't fall at a measure boundary. This can
551 help you find errors in the input. Depending on the value of
552 @code{barCheckSynchronize}, the beginning of the measure will be
553 relocated, so this can also be used to shorten measures.
555 A bar check is entered using the bar symbol, @code{|}:
557 \time 3/4 c2 e4 | g2.
562 @cindex skipTypesetting
564 Failed bar checks are most often caused by entering incorrect
565 durations. Incorrect durations often completely garble up the score,
566 especially if it is polyphonic, so you should start correcting the score
567 by scanning for failed bar checks and incorrect durations. To speed up
568 this process, you can use @code{skipTypesetting} (See @ref{Skipping
571 @c . {Point and click}
572 @node Point and click
573 @subsection Point and click
574 @cindex poind and click
576 Point and click lets you find notes in the input by clicking on them in
577 the Xdvi window. This makes it very easy to find input that causes some
578 error in the sheet music.
580 To use it, you need the following software
584 @uref{ftp://ftp.math.berkeley.edu/pub/Software/TeX/xdvi.tar.gz,plain
585 Xdvi} version 22.36 or newer.
587 Note that most @TeX{} distributions ship with xdvik, which is a
588 different and less well maintained program. To find out which xdvi you
589 are running, try @code{xdvi --version} or @code{xdvi.bin --version}.
591 @item An editor with a client/server interface (or a lightweight GUI editor).
593 @item Emacs. Emacs is an extensible text-editor. It is available from
594 @uref{http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/}. You need version 21 to use
596 @item GVim. GVim is a lightweight GUI variant of VIM, the popular VI
597 clone. It is available from @uref{http://www.vim.org}.
598 @item NEdit. NEdit is a somewhat Windows like editor, that has recently
599 become Free Software. It is available from @uref{http://www.nedit.org}.
603 Xdvi must be configured to find the @TeX{} fonts and music
604 fonts. Refer to the Xdvi documentation for more information.
606 To use point-and-click, add one of these lines to the top of your .ly
609 #(set! point-and-click line-location)
611 @cindex line-location
613 When viewing, Control-Mousebutton 1 will take you to the originating
614 spot in the @file{.ly} file. Control-Mousebutton 2 will show all
619 In your emacs startup file (usually @file{~/.emacs}), add the following
624 Make sure that the environment variable @code{XEDITOR} is set to
626 emacsclient --no-wait +%l %f
628 @cindex @var{XEDITOR}
630 If you use Emacs version 21, you can make emacs jump to the exact spot
631 (and not just the line) on a click. To use this feature, you must
632 enable column positioning. At the top of the @code{ly} file, replace
633 the @code{set!} line with the following line
635 #(set! point-and-click line-column-location)
637 @cindex line-colomn-location
638 Set @var{XEDITOR} to @code{emacsclient --no-wait +%l:%c %f}, or
639 use this argument with xdvi's @file{-editor} option.
641 If you correct large files with point-and-click, be sure to start
642 correcting at the end of the file. When you start at the top, and
643 insert one line, all following locations will be off by a line.
647 Set @var{XEDITOR} to @code{gvim +%l %f}, or
648 use this argument with xdvi's @code{-editor} option.
652 Set @var{XEDITOR} to @code{nc -noask +%l %f}, or
653 use this argument with xdvi's @code{-editor} option.
658 When you convert the @TeX{} file to PostScript using @code{dvips}, it
659 will complain about not finding @code{src:X:Y} files. These complaints
660 are harmless, and can be ignored.
662 @node Skipping corrected music
663 @subsection Skipping corrected music
665 The property @code{Score.skipTypesetting} can be used to switch on and
666 off typesetting completely during the interpretation phase. When
667 typesetting is switched off, the music is processed much more quickly.
668 You can use this to skip over the parts of a score that you have already
671 @lilypond[fragment,singleline,verbatim]
673 \property Score.skipTypesetting = ##t
675 \property Score.skipTypesetting = ##f
683 @section Staff notation
685 This section deals with music notation that occurs on staff level,
686 such as keys, clefs and time signatures.
688 @cindex Staff notation
700 @subsection Key signature
705 Setting or changing the key signature is done with the @code{\key}
708 @code{\key} @var{pitch} @var{type}
711 @cindex @code{\minor}
712 @cindex @code{\major}
713 @cindex @code{\minor}
714 @cindex @code{\ionian}
715 @cindex @code{\locrian}
716 @cindex @code{\aeolian}
717 @cindex @code{\mixolydian}
718 @cindex @code{\lydian}
719 @cindex @code{\phrygian}
720 @cindex @code{\dorian}
722 Here, @var{type} should be @code{\major} or @code{\minor} to get
723 @var{pitch}-major or @var{pitch}-minor, respectively.
724 The standard mode names @code{\ionian},
725 @code{\locrian}, @code{\aeolian}, @code{\mixolydian}, @code{\lydian},
726 @code{\phrygian}, and @code{\dorian} are also defined.
728 This command sets the context property @code{Staff.keySignature}.
729 Non-standard key signatures can be specified by setting this property
732 The printed signature is a @internalsref{KeySignature} grob, typically
733 created in @internalsref{Staff} context.
735 @cindex @code{keySignature}
742 The clef can be set or changed with the @code{\clef} command:
743 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim]
744 \key f\major c''2 \clef alto g'2
747 Supported clef-names include
748 @c Moved standard clefs to the top /MB
750 @item treble, violin, G, G2
759 G clef on 1st line, so-called French violin clef
774 By adding @code{_8} or @code{^8} to the clef name, the clef is
775 transposed one octave down or up, respectively. Note that you have to
776 enclose @var{clefname} in quotes if you use underscores or digits in the
782 The grob for this symbol is @internalsref{Clef}.
785 This command is equivalent to setting @code{clefGlyph},
786 @code{clefPosition} (which controls the Y position of the clef),
787 @code{centralCPosition} and @code{clefOctavation}. A clef is created
788 when any of these properties are changed.
791 @c . {Time signature}
793 @subsection Time signature
794 @cindex Time signature
798 The time signature is set or changed by the @code{\time}
800 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim]
801 \time 2/4 c'2 \time 3/4 c'2.
804 The actual symbol that's printed can be customized with the @code{style}
805 property. Setting it to @code{#'()} uses fraction style for 4/4 and
809 The grob for this symbol is @internalsref{TimeSignature}. There are
810 many more options for its layout. They are selected through the
811 @code{style} grob property. See @file{input/test/time.ly} for more
814 This command sets the property @code{timeSignatureFraction},
815 @code{beatLength} and @code{measureLength}. The property
816 @code{timeSignatureFraction} determine where bar lines should be
817 inserted, and how automatic beams should be generated. Changing the
818 value of @code{timeSignatureFraction} also causes a time signature
819 symbol to be printed.
826 @cindex partial measure
827 @cindex measure, partial
828 @cindex shorten measures
829 @cindex @code{\partial}
831 Partial measures, for example in upbeats, are entered using the
832 @code{\partial} command:
833 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim]
834 \partial 4* 5/16 c'16 c4 f16 a'2. ~ a'8. a'16 | g'1
837 The syntax for this command is
839 \partial @var{duration}
841 This is internally translated into
843 \property Score.measurePosition = -@var{length of duration}
846 The property @code{measurePosition} contains a rational number
847 indicating how much of the measure has passed at this point.
850 @node Unmetered music
851 @subsection Unmetered music
853 Bar lines and bar numbers are calculated automatically. For unmetered
854 music (e.g. cadenzas), this is not desirable. The commands
855 @code{\cadenzaOn} and @code{\cadenzaOff} can be used to switch off the
858 @lilypond[fragment,relative,singleline,verbatim]
866 The property @code{Score.timing} can be used to switch off this
871 @subsection Bar lines
875 @cindex measure lines
878 Bar lines are inserted automatically, but if you need a special type
879 of barline, you can force one using the @code{\bar} command:
880 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim] c4 \bar "|:" c4
883 The following bar types are available
884 @lilypond[fragment, relative, singleline, verbatim]
896 You are encouraged to use @code{\repeat} for repetitions. See
899 In scores with many staffs, the barlines are automatically placed at
900 top level, and they are connected between different staffs of a
901 @internalsref{StaffGroup}:
902 @lilypond[fragment, verbatim]
903 < \context StaffGroup <
904 \context Staff = up { e'4 d'
907 \context Staff = down { \clef bass c4 g e g } >
908 \context Staff = pedal { \clef bass c2 c2 } >
911 The grobs that are created at @internalsref{Staff} level. The name is
912 @internalsref{BarLine}.
914 The command @code{\bar @var{bartype}} is a short cut for
915 doing @code{\property Score.whichBar = @var{bartype}}
916 Whenever @code{whichBar} is set to a string, a bar line of that type is
917 created. @code{whichBar} is usually set automatically: at the start of
918 a measure it is set to @code{defaultBarType}. The contents of
919 @code{repeatCommands} is used to override default measure bars.
921 @code{whichBar} can also be set directly, using @code{\property} or
922 @code{\bar }. These settings take precedence over the automatic
923 @code{whichBar} settings.
926 @cindex Bar_line_engraver
928 @cindex repeatCommands
929 @cindex defaultBarType
938 The easiest way to enter such fragments with more than one voice on a
939 staff is to split chords using the separator @code{\\}. You can use
940 it for small, short-lived voices (make a chord of voices) or for
943 @lilypond[verbatim,fragment]
944 \context Voice = VA \relative c'' {
945 c4 < { f d e } \\ { b c2 } > c4 < g' \\ b, \\ f \\ d >
949 The separator causes @internalsref{Voice} contexts to be instantiated,
950 bearing the names @code{"1"}, @code{"2"}, etc.
952 Sometimes, it is necessary to instantiate these contexts by hand: For
953 Instantiate a separate Voice context for each part, and use
954 @code{\voiceOne}, up to @code{\voiceFour} to assign a stem directions
955 and horizontal shift for each part.
958 @lilypond[singleline, verbatim]
960 \context Staff < \context Voice = VA { \voiceOne cis2 b }
961 \context Voice = VB { \voiceThree b4 ais ~ ais4 gis4 }
962 \context Voice = VC { \voiceTwo fis4~ fis4 f ~ f } >
965 The identifiers @code{\voiceOne} to @code{\voiceFour} set directions
966 ties, slurs and stems, and set shift directions.
968 If you want more than four voices, you can also manually set
969 horizontal shifts and stem directions, as is shown in the following example:
970 @lilypond[fragment, verbatim]
971 \context Staff \notes\relative c''<
978 \context Voice=three {
979 \shiftOnn \stemUp ais
981 \context Voice=four {
982 \shiftOnnn \stemUp fis
988 Normally, note heads with a different number of dots are not merged, but
989 if you set the grob property @code{merge-differently-dotted}, they are:
990 @lilypond[verbatim,fragment,singleline]
993 \property Staff.NoteCollision \override
994 #'merge-differently-dotted = ##t
996 } \\ { [g'8. f16] [g'8. f'16] }
1000 Similarly, you can merge half note heads with eighth notes, by setting
1001 @code{merge-differently-headed}:
1002 @lilypond[fragment, relative=2,verbatim]
1005 \property Staff.NoteCollision
1006 \override #'merge-differently-headed = ##t
1007 c8 c4. } \\ { c2 c2 } >
1010 LilyPond also vertically shifts rests that are opposite of a stem.
1012 @lilypond[singleline,fragment,verbatim]
1013 \context Voice < c''4 \\ r4 >
1016 See also @internalsref{NoteCollision} and @internalsref{RestCollision}
1020 Resolving collisions is a very intricate subject, and LilyPond only
1021 handles a few situations. When it can not cope, you are advised to use
1022 @code{force-hshift} of the @internalsref{NoteColumn} grob and pitched
1023 rests to override typesetting decisions.
1028 Beams are used to group short notes into chunks that are aligned with
1029 the metrum. They are inserted automatically in most cases.
1031 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim, relative=2]
1032 \time 2/4 c8 c c c \time 6/8 c c c c8. c16 c8
1035 If you're not satisfied with the automatic beaming, you can enter the
1036 beams explicitly. If you have beaming patterns that differ from the
1037 defaults, you can also set the patterns for automatic beamer.
1039 See also @internalsref{Beam}.
1042 @cindex Automatic beams
1043 @subsection Manual beams
1044 @cindex beams, manual
1048 In some cases it may be necessary to override LilyPond's automatic
1049 beaming algorithm. For example, the auto beamer will not beam over
1050 rests or bar lines, If you want that, specify the begin and end point
1051 manually using a @code{[} before the first beamed note and a @code{]}
1052 after the last note:
1054 @lilypond[fragment,relative,verbatim]
1056 r4 [r8 g' a r8] r8 [g | a] r8
1060 @cindex @code{stemLeftBeamCount}
1062 Normally, beaming patterns within a beam are determined automatically.
1063 When this mechanism fouls up, the properties
1064 @code{Voice.stemLeftBeamCount} and @code{Voice.stemRightBeamCount} can
1065 be used to control the beam subdivision on a stem. If you set either
1066 property, its value will be used only once, and then it is erased.
1068 @lilypond[fragment,relative,verbatim]
1071 [f8 r16 \property Voice.stemLeftBeamCount = #1 f g a]
1074 @cindex @code{stemRightBeamCount}
1077 The property @code{subdivideBeams} can be set in order to subdivide
1078 all 16th or shorter beams at beat positions. This accomplishes the
1079 same effect as twiddling with @code{stemLeftBeamCount} and
1080 @code{stemRightBeamCount}, but it take less typing.
1085 \property Voice.subdivideBeams = ##t
1087 [c32 c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c]
1088 \property Score.beatLength = #(make-moment 1 8)
1089 [c32 c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c]
1093 \notes \relative c' {
1095 \property Voice.subdivideBeams = ##t
1097 [c32 c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c]
1098 \property Score.beatLength = #(make-moment 1 8)
1099 [c32 c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c]
1103 @cindex subdivideBeams
1105 Kneed beams are inserted automatically, when a large gap between two
1106 adjacent beamed notes is detected. This behavior can be tuned through
1107 the grob property @code{auto-knee-gap}.
1109 @cindex beams, kneed
1111 @cindex auto-knee-gap
1115 @c TODO -> why this ref? Document?
1116 @cindex @code{neutral-direction}
1120 Auto knee beams can not be used together with hara kiri staffs.
1123 * Setting automatic beam behavior ::
1127 @no de Beam typography
1128 @sub section Beam typography
1130 One of the strong points of LilyPond is how beams are formatted. Beams
1131 are quantized, meaning that the left and right endpoints beams start
1132 exactly on staff lines. Without quantization, small wedges of white
1133 space appear between the beam and staff line, and this looks untidy.
1135 Beams are also slope-damped: melodies that go up or down should also
1136 have beams that go up or down, but the slope of the beams should be
1137 less than the slope of the notes themselves.
1139 Some beams should be horizontal. These are so-called concave beams.
1141 [TODO: some pictures.]
1144 @c . {Automatic beams}
1145 @node Setting automatic beam behavior
1146 @subsection Setting automatic beam behavior
1148 @cindex @code{autoBeamSettings}
1149 @cindex @code{(end * * * *)}
1150 @cindex @code{(begin * * * *)}
1151 @cindex automatic beams, tuning
1152 @cindex tuning automatic beaming
1154 In normal time signatures, automatic beams can start on any note but can
1155 only end in a few positions within the measure: beams can end on a beat,
1156 or at durations specified by the properties in
1157 @code{Voice.autoBeamSettings}. The defaults for @code{autoBeamSettings}
1158 are defined in @file{scm/auto-beam.scm}.
1160 The value of @code{autoBeamSettings} is changed using
1161 @code{\override} and unset using @code{\revert}:
1163 \property Voice.autoBeamSettings \override #'(@var{BE} @var{P} @var{Q} @var{N} @var{M}) = @var{dur}
1164 \property Voice.autoBeamSettings \revert #'(@var{BE} @var{P} @var{Q} @var{N} @var{M})
1166 Here, @var{BE} is the symbol @code{begin} or @code{end}. It determines
1167 whether the rule applies to begin or end-points. The quantity
1168 @var{P}/@var{Q} refers to the length of the beamed notes (and `@code{*
1169 *}' designates notes of any length), @var{N}/@var{M} refers to a time
1170 signature (wildcards, `@code{* *}' may be entered to designate all time
1173 For example, if you want automatic beams to end on every quarter note,
1174 you can use the following:
1176 \property Voice.autoBeamSettings \override
1177 #'(end * * * *) = #(make-moment 1 4)
1179 Since the duration of a quarter note is 1/4 of a whole note, it is
1180 entered as @code{(make-moment 1 4)}.
1182 The same syntax can be used to specify beam starting points. In this
1183 example, automatic beams can only end on a dotted quarter note.
1185 \property Voice.autoBeamSettings \override
1186 #'(end * * * *) = #(make-moment 3 8)
1188 In 4/4 time signature, this means that automatic beams could end only on
1189 3/8 and on the fourth beat of the measure (after 3/4, that is 2 times
1190 3/8 has passed within the measure).
1192 You can also restrict rules to specific time signatures. A rule that
1193 should only be applied in @var{N}/@var{M} time signature is formed by
1194 replacing the second asterisks by @var{N} and @var{M}. For example, a
1195 rule for 6/8 time exclusively looks like
1197 \property Voice.autoBeamSettings \override
1198 #'(begin * * 6 8) = ...
1201 If you want a rule to apply to certain types of beams, you can use the
1202 first pair of asterisks. Beams are classified according to the shortest
1203 note they contain. For a beam ending rule that only applies to beams
1204 with 32nd notes (and no shorter notes), you would use @code{(end 1
1208 @c Automatic beams can not be put on the last note in a score.
1210 If a score ends while an automatic beam has not been ended and is still
1211 accepting notes, this last beam will not be typeset at all.
1213 @cindex automatic beam generation
1215 @cindex @code{Voice.autoBeaming}
1218 For melodies that have lyrics, you may want to switch off
1219 automatic beaming. This is done by setting @code{Voice.autoBeaming} to
1225 It is not possible to specify beaming parameters for beams with mixed
1226 durations, that differ from the beaming parameters of all separate
1227 durations, i.e., you'll have to specify manual beams to get:
1228 @lilypond[fragment,singleline,relative]
1229 \property Voice.autoBeamSettings
1230 \override #'(end * * * *) = #(make-moment 3 8)
1231 \time 12/8 c'8 c c c16 c c c c c [c c c c] c8 c c4
1234 It is not possible to specify beaming parameters that act differently in
1235 different parts of a measure. This means that it is not possible to use
1236 automatic beaming in irregular meters such as @code{5/8}.
1239 @section Accidentals
1241 This section describes how to change the way that LilyPond automatically
1242 inserts accidentals before the running notes.
1245 * Using the predefined accidental macros::
1246 * Defining your own accidental typesettings::
1249 @node Using the predefined accidental macros
1250 @subsection Using the predefined accidental macros
1251 The constructs for describing the accidental typesetting rules are
1252 quite hairy, so non-experts should stick to the macros defined in
1253 @file{ly/property-init.ly}.
1254 @cindex @file{property-init.ly}
1256 The normal way of using the macros is to enter the macro name right after the
1257 creation of the context in which the accidental typesetting described
1258 by the macro is to take effect. I.e. if you want to use
1259 piano-accidentals in a pianostaff then you issue
1260 @code{\pianoAccidentals} first thing after the creation of the piano
1264 \notes \relative c'' <
1265 \context Staff = sa @{ cis4 d e2 @}
1266 \context GrandStaff <
1268 \context Staff = sb @{ cis4 d e2 @}
1269 \context Staff = sc @{ es2 c @}
1271 \context Staff = sd @{ es2 c @}
1275 @lilypond[singleline]
1277 \notes \relative c'' <
1278 \context Staff = sa { cis4 d e2 }
1279 \context GrandStaff <
1281 \context Staff = sb { cis4 d e2 }
1282 \context Staff = sc { es2 c }
1284 \context Staff = sd { es2 c }
1289 minimumVerticalExtent = #'(-4.0 . 4.0)
1297 @item \defaultAccidentals
1298 @cindex @code{\defaultAccidentals}
1299 This is the default typesetting behaviour. It should correspond
1300 to 18th century common practice: Accidentals are
1301 remembered to the end of the measure in which they occur and
1302 only on their own octave.
1304 @item \voiceAccidentals
1305 @cindex @code{\voiceAccidentals}
1306 The normal behaviour is to remember the accidentals on
1308 This macro, however, typesets accidentals individually for each
1310 Apart from that the rule is similar to
1311 @code{\defaultAccidentals}.
1313 Warning: This leads to some weird and often unwanted results
1314 because accidentals from one voice DO NOT get cancelled in other
1316 @lilypond[singleline,relative,fragment,verbatim]
1319 \context Voice=va { \voiceOne es g }
1320 \context Voice=vb { \voiceTwo c, e }
1323 Hence you should only use @code{\voiceAccidentals}
1324 if the voices are to be read solely by
1325 individual musicians. if the staff should be readable also
1326 by one musician/conductor then you should use
1327 @code{\modernVoiceAccidentals} or @code{\modernVoiceCautionaries}
1330 @item \modernAccidentals
1331 @cindex @code{\modernAccidentals}
1332 This rule should correspond to the common practice in the 20th
1334 The rule is a bit more complex than @code{\defaultAccidentals}:
1335 You get all the same accidentals, but temporary
1336 accidentals also get cancelled in other octaves. Further more,
1337 in the same octave, they also get cancelled in the following measure:
1338 @lilypond[singleline,fragment,verbatim]
1340 cis' c'' cis'2 | c'' c'
1343 @item \modernCautionaries
1344 @cindex @code{\modernCautionaries}
1345 This rule is similar to @code{\modernAccidentals}, but the
1346 ``extra'' accidentals (the ones not typeset by
1347 @code{\defaultAccidentals}) are typeset as cautionary accidentals
1348 (i.e. in reduced size):
1349 @lilypond[singleline,fragment,verbatim]
1351 cis' c'' cis'2 | c'' c'
1354 @item \modernVoiceAccidentals
1355 @cindex @code{\modernVoiceAccidentals}
1356 Multivoice accidentals to be read both by musicians playing one voice
1357 and musicians playing all voices.
1359 Accidentals are typeset for each voice, but they ARE cancelled
1360 across voices in the same @internalsref{Staff}.
1362 @item \modernVoiceCautionaries
1363 @cindex @code{\modernVoiceCautionaries}
1364 The same as @code{\modernVoiceAccidentals}, but with the
1365 extra accidentals (the ones not typeset by
1366 @code{\voiceAccidentals}) typeset as cautionaries.
1367 Notice that even though all accidentals typeset by
1368 @code{\defaultAccidentals} ARE typeset by this macro then some
1369 of them are typeset as cautionaries.
1371 @item \pianoAccidentals
1372 @cindex @code{\pianoAccidentals}
1373 20th century practice for piano notation. Very similar to
1374 @code{\modernAccidentals} but accidentals also get cancelled
1375 across the staves in the same @internalsref{GrandStaff} or
1376 @internalsref{PianoStaff}.
1378 @item \pianoCautionaries
1379 @cindex @code{\pianoCautionaries}
1380 As @code{\pianoAccidentals} but with the extra accidentals
1381 typeset as cationaries.
1384 @cindex @code{\noResetKey}
1385 Same as @code{\defaultAccidentals} but with accidentals lasting
1386 ``forever'' and not only until the next measure:
1387 @lilypond[singleline,fragment,verbatim,relative]
1392 @item \forgetAccidentals
1393 @cindex @code{\forgetAccidentals}
1394 This is sort of the opposite of @code{\noResetKey}: Accidentals
1395 are not remembered at all - and hence all accidentals are
1396 typeset relative to the key signature, regardless of what was
1397 before in the music:
1398 @lilypond[singleline,fragment,verbatim,relative]
1400 \key d\major c4 c cis cis d d dis dis
1404 @node Defining your own accidental typesettings
1405 @subsection Defining your own accidental typesettings
1407 This section must be considered gurus-only, and hence it must be
1408 sufficient with a short description of the system and a reference to
1409 the internal documentation.
1411 The idea of the algorithm is to try several different rules and then
1412 use the rule that gives the highest number of accidentals.
1413 Each rule cosists of
1416 In which context is the rule applied. I.e. if context is
1417 @internalsref{Score} then all staves share accidentals, and if
1418 context is @internalsref{Staff} then all voices in the same
1419 staff share accidentals, but staves don't - like normally.
1421 Whether the accidental changes all octaves or only the current
1424 Over how many barlines the accidental lasts.
1425 If lazyness is @code{-1} then the accidental is forget
1426 immidiately, and if lazyness is @code{#t} then the accidental
1430 As described in the internal documentation of
1431 @reng{Accidental_engraver}, the properties @code{autoAccidentals} and
1432 @code{autoCautionaries} contain lists of rule descriptions. Notice
1433 that the contexts must be listed from in to out - that is
1434 @internalsref{Thread} before @internalsref{Voice},
1435 @internalsref{Voice} before @internalsref{Staff}, etc.
1436 see the macros in @file{ly/property-init.ly} for examples of how the
1441 Currently the simultaneous notes are considered to be entered in
1442 sequential mode. This means that in a chord the accidentals are
1443 typeset as if the notes in the chord happened one at a time - in the
1444 order in which they appear in the input file.
1446 Of course this is only a problem when you have simultainous notes
1447 which accidentals should depend on each other.
1448 Notice that the problem only occurs when using non-default accidentals
1449 - as the default accidentals only depend on other accidentals on the
1450 same staff and same pitch and hence cannot depend on other
1453 This example shows two examples of the same music giving different
1454 accidentals depending on the order in which the notes occur in the
1457 @lilypond[singleline,fragment,verbatim]
1458 \property Staff.autoAccidentals = #'( Staff (any-octave . 0) )
1459 cis'4 <c'' c'> r2 | cis'4 <c' c''> r2 | <cis' c''> r | <c'' cis'> r |
1462 The only solution is to manually insert the problematic
1463 accidentals using @code{!} and @code{?}.
1465 @node Expressive marks
1466 @section Expressive marks
1481 A slur indicates that notes are to be played bound or @emph{legato}.
1482 They are entered using parentheses:
1483 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim,center]
1484 f'()g'()a' [a'8 b'(] a'4 g'2 )f'4
1487 See also @seeinternals{Slur}.
1489 Slurs avoid crossing stems, and are generally attached to note heads.
1490 However, in some situations with beams, slurs may be attached to stem
1491 ends. If you want to override this layout you can do this through the
1492 grob-property @code{attachment} of @internalsref{Slur} in
1493 @internalsref{Voice} context It's value is a pair of symbols, specifying
1494 the attachment type of the left and right end points.
1496 @lilypond[fragment,relative,verbatim]
1498 \property Voice.Stem \set #'length = #5.5
1500 \property Voice.Slur \set #'attachment = #'(stem . stem)
1504 If a slur would strike through a stem or beam, the slur will be moved
1505 away upward or downward. If this happens, attaching the slur to the
1506 stems might look better:
1508 @lilypond[fragment,relative,verbatim]
1511 \property Voice.Slur \set #'attachment = #'(stem . stem)
1516 Similarly, the curvature of a slur is adjusted to stay clear of note
1517 heads and stems. When that would increase the curvature too much, the
1518 slur is reverted to its default shape. The threshold for this
1519 decision is in @internalsref{Slur}'s grob-property @code{beautiful}.
1520 It is loosely related to the enclosed area between the slur and the
1521 notes. Usually, the default setting works well, but in some cases you
1522 may prefer a curved slur when LilyPond decides for a vertically moved
1523 one. You can indicate this preference by increasing the
1524 @code{beautiful} value:
1526 @lilyp ond[verbatim,singleline,relative]
1528 c16( a' f' a a f a, )c,
1529 c( a' f' a a f d, )c
1530 \property Voice.Slur \override #'beautiful = #5.0
1531 c( a' f' a a f d, )c
1537 Producing nice slurs is a difficult problem, and LilyPond currently
1538 uses a simple, empiric method to produce slurs. In some cases, the
1539 results of this method are ugly.
1542 This is reflected by the
1543 @code{beautiful} property, which it is an arbitrary parameter in the
1544 slur formatter. Useful values can only be determined by trial and
1548 @cindex Adjusting slurs
1550 @node Phrasing slurs
1551 @subsection Phrasing slurs
1553 @cindex phrasing slurs
1554 @cindex phrasing marks
1556 A phrasing slur (or phrasing mark) connects chords and is used to
1557 indicate a musical sentence. It is started using @code{\(} and @code{\)}
1560 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim,center,relative]
1561 \time 6/4 c' \( d () e f () e \) d
1564 Typographically, the phrasing slur behaves almost exactly like a normal
1565 slur. See also @seeinternals{PhrasingSlur}.
1569 @subsection Breath marks
1571 Breath marks are entered using @code{\breathe}. See also
1572 @seeinternals{BreathingSign}.
1574 @lilypond[fragment,relative]
1583 @cindex beats per minute
1584 @cindex metronome marking
1586 Metronome settings can be entered as follows:
1588 @cindex @code{\tempo}
1590 \tempo @var{duration} = @var{perminute}
1593 For example, @code{\tempo 4 = 76} requests output with 76 quarter notes
1598 The tempo setting is not printed, but is only used in the MIDI
1599 output. You can trick lily into producing a metronome mark,
1600 though. Details are in @ref{Text markup}.
1605 @subsection Text spanners
1606 @cindex Text spanners
1608 Some textual indications, e.g. rallentando or accelerando, often extend
1609 over many measures. This is indicated by following the text with a
1610 dotted line. You can create such texts using text spanners. The syntax
1613 \spanrequest \start "text"
1614 \spanrequest \stop "text"
1616 LilyPond will respond by creating a @internalsref{TextSpanner} grob (typically
1617 in @internalsref{Voice} context). The string to be printed, as well as the
1618 style is set through grob properties.
1620 An application---or rather, a hack---is to fake octavation indications.
1621 @lilypond[fragment,relative,verbatim]
1622 \relative c' { a''' b c a
1623 \property Voice.TextSpanner \set #'type = #'dotted-line
1624 \property Voice.TextSpanner \set #'edge-height = #'(0 . 1.5)
1625 \property Voice.TextSpanner \set #'edge-text = #'("8va " . "")
1626 \property Staff.centralCPosition = #-13
1627 a\spanrequest \start "text" b c a \spanrequest \stop "text" }
1645 @subsection Articulations
1646 @cindex Articulations
1648 @cindex articulations
1652 A variety of symbols can appear above and below notes to indicate
1653 different characteristics of the performance. They are added to a note
1654 by adding a dash and the the character signifying the
1655 articulation. They are demonstrated here.
1656 @lilypond[singleline]
1658 \notes \context Voice {
1659 \property Voice.TextScript \set #'font-family = #'typewriter
1660 \property Voice.TextScript \set #'font-shape = #'upright
1666 c''4-^_"c-\\^{ }" s4
1671 The script is automatically placed, but if you need to force
1672 directions, you can use @code{_} to force them down, or @code{^} to
1674 @lilypond[fragment, verbatim]
1679 Other symbols can be added using the syntax
1680 @var{note}@code{-\}@var{name}. Again, they can be forced up or down
1681 using @code{^} and @code{_}.
1685 @cindex staccatissimo
1693 @cindex organ pedal marks
1702 @cindex prallmordent
1706 @cindex thumb marking
1713 \property Score.LyricText \override #'font-family =#'typewriter
1714 \property Score.LyricText \override #'font-shape = #'upright
1715 \context Staff \notes {
1716 c''-\accent c''-\marcato c''-\staccatissimo c''^\fermata
1717 c''-\stopped c''-\staccato c''-\tenuto c''-\upbow
1718 c''-\downbow c''^\lheel c''-\rheel c''^\ltoe
1719 c''-\rtoe c''-\turn c''-\open c''-\flageolet
1720 c''-\reverseturn c''-\trill c''-\prall c''-\mordent
1721 c''-\prallprall c''-\prallmordent c''-\upprall c''-\downprall
1722 c''-\upmordent c''-\downmordent c''-\pralldown c''-\prallup
1723 c''-\lineprall c''-\thumb c''-\segno c''-\coda
1725 \context Lyrics \lyrics {
1726 accent__ marcato__ staccatissimo__ fermata
1727 stopped__ staccato__ tenuto__ upbow
1728 downbow__ lheel__ rheel__ ltoe
1729 rtoe__ turn__ open__ flageolet
1730 reverseturn__ trill__ prall__ mordent
1731 prallprall__ prallmordent__ uprall__ downprall
1732 upmordent__ downmordent__ pralldown__ prallup__
1733 lineprall__ thumb__ segno__ coda
1737 linewidth = 5.875\in
1746 Fingering instructions can also be entered in this shorthand. For
1747 finger changes, use markup texts:
1749 @lilypond[verbatim, singleline, fragment]
1750 c'4-1 c'4-2 c'4-3 c'4-4
1755 @cindex @code{\script}
1760 See also @seeinternals{Script} and @seeinternals{Fingering}.
1764 All of these note ornaments appear in the printed output but have no
1765 effect on the MIDI rendering of the music.
1767 Unfortunately, there is no support for adding fingering instructions or
1768 ornaments to individual note heads. Some hacks exist, though. See
1769 @file{input/test/script-horizontal.ly}.
1774 @subsection Text scripts
1775 @cindex Text scripts
1777 In addition, it is possible to place arbitrary strings of text or markup
1778 text (see @ref{Text markup}) above or below notes by using a string:
1781 By default, these indications do not influence the note spacing, but
1782 by using the command @code{\fatText}, the widths will be taken into
1785 @lilypond[fragment,singleline,verbatim] \relative c' {
1786 c4^"longtext" \fatText c4_"longlongtext" c4 }
1789 It is possible to use @TeX{} commands in the strings, but this should be
1790 avoided because it makes it impossible for LilyPond to compute the
1791 exact length of the string, which may lead to collisions. Also, @TeX{}
1792 commands won't work with direct PostScript output (see @ref{PostScript
1795 Text scripts are created in form of @internalsref{TextScript} grobs, in
1796 @internalsref{Voice} context.
1798 @ref{Text markup} describes how to change the font or access
1799 special symbols in text scripts.
1804 @subsection Grace notes
1808 @cindex @code{\grace}
1812 Grace notes are ornaments are written out ornaments
1813 @lilypond[relative=2,verbatim,ifragment]
1814 c4 \grace c16 c4 \grace { [c16 d16] } c4
1817 In normal notation, grace notes are supposed to take up no logical
1818 time in a measure. Such an idea is practical for normal notation, but
1819 is not strict enough to put it into a program. The model that LilyPond
1820 uses for grace notes internally is that all timing is done in two
1823 Every point in musical time consists of two rational numbers: one
1824 denotes the logical time, one denotes the grace timing. The above
1825 example is shown here with timing tuples.
1828 \score { \notes \relative c''{
1829 c4^"(0,0)" \grace c16_" "_"(1/4,-1/16)" c4^"(1/4,0)" \grace {
1830 [c16_"(2/4,-1/8)" d16^"(2/4,-1/16)" ] } c4_" "_"(2/4,0)"
1832 \paper { linewidth = 8.\cm }
1836 The advantage of this approach is that you can use almost any lilypond
1837 construction together with grace notes, for example slurs and clef
1838 changes may appear halfway in between grace notes:
1840 @lilypond[relative=2,verbatim,fragment]
1841 c4 \grace { [ c16 c, \clef bass c, b(] } )c4
1844 The placement of these grace notes is synchronized between different
1845 staffs, using this grace timing.
1847 @lilypond[relative=2,verbatim,fragment]
1848 < \context Staff = SA { e4 \grace { c16 d e f } e4 }
1849 \context Staff = SB { c4 \grace { g8 b } c4 } >
1853 Unbeamed eighth notes and shorter by default have a slash through the
1854 stem. This can be controlled with grob property @code{flag-style} of
1855 @internalsref{Stem}. The change in formatting is accomplished by
1856 inserting @code{\startGraceMusic} before handling the grace notes, and
1857 @code{\stopGraceMusic} after finishing the grace notes. You can add to
1858 these definitions to globally change grace note formatting. The
1859 standard definitions are in @file{ly/grace-init.ly}.
1862 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim]
1863 \relative c'' \context Voice {
1864 \grace c8 c4 \grace { [c16 c16] } c4
1866 \property Voice.Stem \override #'flag-style = #'()
1868 \property Voice.Stem \revert #'flag-style
1875 Grace note synchronization can also lead to surprises. Staff notation,
1876 such as key signatures, barlines, etc. are also synchronized. Take
1877 care when you mix staffs with grace notes and staffs without.
1879 @lilypond[relative=2,verbatim,fragment]
1880 < \context Staff = SA { e4 \bar "|:" \grace c16 d4 }
1881 \context Staff = SB { c4 \bar "|:" d4 } >
1884 Grace sections should only be used within sequential music
1885 expressions. Nesting, juxtaposing, or ending sequential music with a
1886 grace section is not supported, and might produce crashes or other
1898 @subsection Glissando
1901 @cindex @code{\glissando}
1903 A glissando line can be requested by attaching a @code{\glissando} to
1906 @lilypond[fragment,relative,verbatim]
1912 Printing of an additional text (such as @emph{gliss.}) must be done
1913 manually. See also @seeinternals{Glissando}.
1919 @subsection Dynamics
1932 @cindex @code{\ffff}
1942 Absolute dynamic marks are specified using an identifier after a
1943 note: @code{c4-\ff}. The available dynamic marks are: @code{\ppp},
1944 @code{\pp}, @code{\p}, @code{\mp}, @code{\mf}, @code{\f}, @code{\ff},
1945 @code{\fff}, @code{\fff}, @code{\fp}, @code{\sf}, @code{\sff},
1946 @code{\sp}, @code{\spp}, @code{\sfz}, and @code{\rfz}.
1948 @lilypond[verbatim,singleline,fragment,relative]
1949 c'\ppp c\pp c \p c\mp c\mf c\f c\ff c\fff
1955 @cindex @code{\decr}
1956 @cindex @code{\rced}
1962 A crescendo mark is started with @code{\cr} and terminated with
1963 @code{\rc} (the textual reverse of @code{cr}). A decrescendo mark is
1964 started with @code{\decr} and terminated with @code{\rced}. There are
1965 also shorthands for these marks. A crescendo can be started with
1966 @code{\<} and a decrescendo can be started with @code{\>}. Either one
1967 can be terminated with @code{\!}. Note that @code{\!} must go before
1968 the last note of the dynamic mark whereas @code{\rc} and @code{\rced} go
1969 after the last note. Because these marks are bound to notes, if you
1970 want several marks during one note, you have to use spacer notes.
1972 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim,center]
1973 c'' \< \! c'' d'' \decr e'' \rced
1974 < f''1 { s4 s4 \< \! s4 \> \! s4 } >
1977 You can also use a text saying @emph{cresc.} instead of hairpins. Here
1978 is an example how to do it:
1980 @lilypond[fragment,relative=2,verbatim]
1981 c4 \cresc c4 \endcresc c4
1988 You can also supply your own texts:
1989 @lilypond[fragment,relative,verbatim]
1991 \property Voice.crescendoText = "cresc. poco"
1992 \property Voice.crescendoSpanner = #'dashed-line
1999 Dynamics are grobs of @internalsref{DynamicText} and
2000 @internalsref{Hairpin}. Vertical positioning of these symbols is
2001 handled by the @internalsref{DynamicLineSpanner} grob. If you want to
2002 adjust padding or vertical direction of the dynamics, you must set
2003 properties for the @internalsref{DynamicLineSpanner} grob. Predefined
2004 identifiers to set the vertical direction are \dynamicUp and
2007 @cindex direction, of dynamics
2008 @cindex @code{\dynamicDown}
2009 @cindex @code{\dynamicUp}
2017 @cindex @code{\repeat}
2019 To specify repeats, use the @code{\repeat} keyword. Since repeats
2020 should work differently when played or printed, there are a few
2021 different variants of repeats.
2025 Repeated music is fully written (played) out. Useful for MIDI
2026 output, and entering repetitive music.
2029 This is the normal notation: Repeats are not written out, but
2030 alternative endings (voltas) are printed, left to right.
2033 Alternative endings are written stacked. This has limited use but may be
2034 used to typeset two lines of lyrics in songs with repeats, see
2035 @file{input/star-spangled-banner.ly}.
2041 Make beat or measure repeats. These look like percent signs.
2047 * Repeats and MIDI::
2048 * Manual repeat commands::
2050 * Tremolo subdivisions::
2055 @subsection Repeat syntax
2057 The syntax for repeats is
2060 \repeat @var{variant} @var{repeatcount} @var{repeatbody}
2063 If you have alternative endings, you may add
2064 @cindex @code{\alternative}
2066 \alternative @code{@{} @var{alternative1}
2068 @var{alternative3} @dots{} @code{@}}
2070 where each @var{alternative} is a music expression.
2072 Normal notation repeats are used like this:
2073 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim]
2075 \repeat volta 2 { c'4 d' e' f' }
2076 \repeat volta 2 { f' e' d' c' }
2079 With alternative endings:
2080 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim]
2082 \repeat volta 2 {c'4 d' e' f'}
2083 \alternative { {d'2 d'} {f' f} }
2086 Folded repeats look like this:
2089 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim]
2091 \repeat fold 2 {c'4 d' e' f'}
2092 \alternative { {d'2 d'} {f' f} }
2096 If you don't give enough alternatives for all of the repeats, then
2097 the first alternative is assumed to be repeated often enough to equal
2098 the specified number of repeats.
2100 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim]
2104 \repeat volta 4 { e | c2 d2 | e2 f2 | }
2105 \alternative { { g4 g g } { a | a a a a | b2. } }
2110 @node Repeats and MIDI
2111 @subsection Repeats and MIDI
2113 @cindex expanding repeats
2115 For instructions on how to unfoldi repeats for MIDI output, see
2116 the example file @file{input/test/unfold-all-repeats.ly}.
2121 Notice that timing information is not remembered at the start of an
2122 alternative, so you have to reset timing information after a repeat,
2123 e.g. using a bar-check (See @ref{Bar check}), setting
2124 @code{Score.measurePosition} or entering @code{\partial}. Slurs or ties
2125 are also not repeated.
2127 It is possible to nest @code{\repeat}s, although this probably is only
2128 meaningful for unfolded repeats.
2130 Folded repeats offer little more over simultaneous music.
2132 @node Manual repeat commands
2133 @subsection Manual repeat commands
2135 @cindex @code{repeatCommands}
2137 The property @code{repeatCommands} can be used to control the layout of
2138 repeats. Its value is a Scheme list of repeat commands, where each repeat
2146 @item (volta . @var{text})
2147 Print a volta bracket saying @var{text}.
2149 Stop a running volta bracket
2152 @lilypond[verbatim, fragment]
2154 \property Score.repeatCommands = #'((volta "93") end-repeat)
2156 \property Score.repeatCommands = #'((volta #f))
2161 Repeats brackets are @internalsref{VoltaBracket} grobs.
2163 @node Tremolo repeats
2164 @subsection Tremolo repeats
2165 @cindex tremolo beams
2167 To place tremolo marks between notes, use @code{\repeat} with tremolo
2169 @lilypond[verbatim,center,singleline]
2171 \context Voice \notes\relative c' {
2172 \repeat "tremolo" 8 { c16 d16 }
2173 \repeat "tremolo" 4 { c16 d16 }
2174 \repeat "tremolo" 2 { c16 d16 }
2175 \repeat "tremolo" 4 c16
2180 Tremolo beams are @internalsref{Beam} grobs. Single stem tremolos are
2181 @internalsref{StemTremolo}. The single stem tremolo @emph{must} be
2182 entered without @code{@{} and @code{@}}.
2186 Only powers of two and undotted notes are supported repeat counts.
2188 @node Tremolo subdivisions
2189 @subsection Tremolo subdivisions
2190 @cindex tremolo marks
2191 @cindex @code{tremoloFlags}
2193 Tremolo marks can be printed on a single note by adding
2194 `@code{:}[@var{length}]' after the note. The length must be at least 8.
2195 A @var{length} value of 8 gives one line across the note stem. If the
2196 length is omitted, then then the last value (stored in
2197 @code{Voice.tremoloFlags}) is used.
2199 @lilypond[verbatim,fragment,center]
2200 c'2:8 c':32 | c': c': |
2206 Tremolos in this style do not carry over into the MIDI output.
2209 @node Measure repeats
2210 @subsection Measure repeats
2212 @cindex percent repeats
2213 @cindex measure repeats
2215 In the @code{percent} style, a note pattern can be repeated. It is
2216 printed once, and then the pattern is replaced with a special sign.
2217 Patterns of a one and two measures are replaced by percent-like signs,
2218 patterns that divide the measure length are replaced by slashes.
2220 @lilypond[verbatim,singleline]
2221 \context Voice { \repeat "percent" 4 { c'4 }
2222 \repeat "percent" 2 { c'2 es'2 f'4 fis'4 g'4 c''4 }
2226 The signs are represented by these grobs: @internalsref{RepeatSlash} and
2227 @internalsref{PercentRepeat} and @internalsref{DoublePercentRepeat}.
2231 You can not nest percent repeats, e.g. by filling in the first measure
2232 with slashes, and repeating that measure with percents.
2234 @node Rhythmic music
2235 @section Rhythmic music
2237 Sometimes you might want to show only the rhythm of a melody. This can
2238 be done with the rhythmic staff. All pitches of notes on such a staff
2239 are squashed, and the staff itself looks has a single staff line:
2241 @lilypond[fragment,relative,verbatim]
2242 \context RhythmicStaff {
2244 c4 e8 f g2 | r4 g r2 | g1:32 | r1 |
2249 * Percussion staves::
2252 @node Percussion staves
2253 @subsection Percussion staves
2256 To typeset more than one piece of percussion to be played by the same
2257 musician one typically uses a multiline staff where each staff
2258 position refers to a specific piece of percussion.
2260 LilyPond is shipped with a bunch of scheme functions which allows you
2261 to do this fairly easily.
2263 The system is based on the general midi drum-pitches.
2264 In order to use the drum pitches you include
2265 @file{ly/drumpitch-init.ly}. This file defines the pitches from the scheme
2266 variable @code{drum-pitch-names} - which definition can be read in
2267 @file{scm/drums.scm}. You see that each piece of percussion has a full
2268 name and an abbreviated name - and you may freely select whether to
2269 refer to the full name or the abbreviation in your music definition.
2271 To typeset the music on a staff you apply the scheme function
2272 @code{drums->paper} to the percussion music. This function takes a
2273 list of percussion instrument names, notehead scripts and staff
2274 positions (that is: pitches relative to the C-clef) and uses this to
2275 transform the input music by moving the pitch, changing the notehead
2276 and (optionally) adding a script:
2277 @lilypond[singleline,verbatim]
2278 \include "drumpitch-init.ly"
2279 up = \notes { crashcymbal4 hihat8 halfopenhihat hh hh hh openhihat }
2280 down = \notes { bassdrum4 snare8 bd r bd sn4 }
2282 \apply #(drums->paper 'drums) \context Staff <
2284 \context Voice = up { \voiceOne \up }
2285 \context Voice = down { \voiceTwo \down }
2290 In the above example the music was transformed using the list @code{'drums}.
2291 Currently the following lists are defined in @file{scm/drums.scm}:
2294 To typeset a typical drum kit on a five line staff.
2296 \include "drumpitch-init.ly"
2297 nam = \lyrics { cymc cyms cymr hh hhc hho hhho hhp cb hc
2298 bd sn ss tomh tommh tomml toml tomfh tomfl }
2299 mus = \notes { cymc cyms cymr hh hhc hho hhho hhp cb hc
2300 bd sn ss tomh tommh tomml toml tomfh tomfl s16 }
2303 \apply #(drums->paper 'drums) \context Staff <
2307 \context Lyrics \nam
2312 \remove Bar_engraver
2313 \remove Time_signature_engraver
2314 minimumVerticalExtent = #'(-4.0 . 5.0)
2318 \remove Stem_engraver
2323 Notice that the scheme supports six different toms.
2324 If you are using fewer toms then you simply select the toms that produce
2325 the desired result - i.e. to get toms on the three middle lines you
2326 use @code{tommh}, @code{tomml} and @code{tomfh}.
2328 Because the general midi contain no rimshots we use the sidestick for
2329 this purpose instead.
2331 To typeset timbales on a two line staff.
2332 @lilypond[singleline]
2333 \include "drumpitch-init.ly"
2334 nam = \lyrics { timh ssh timl ssl cb }
2335 mus = \notes { timh ssh timl ssl cb s16 }
2338 \apply #(drums->paper 'timbales) \context Staff <
2342 \context Lyrics \nam
2347 \remove Bar_engraver
2348 \remove Time_signature_engraver
2349 StaffSymbol \override #'line-count = #2
2350 StaffSymbol \override #'staff-space = #2
2351 minimumVerticalExtent = #'(-3.0 . 4.0)
2355 \remove Stem_engraver
2362 To typeset congas on a two line staff.
2363 @lilypond[singleline]
2364 \include "drumpitch-init.ly"
2365 nam = \lyrics { cgh cgho cghm ssh cgl cglo cglm ssl }
2366 mus = \notes { cgh cgho cghm ssh cgl cglo cglm ssl s16 }
2369 \apply #(drums->paper 'congas) \context Staff <
2373 \context Lyrics \nam
2378 \remove Bar_engraver
2379 \remove Time_signature_engraver
2380 StaffSymbol \override #'line-count = #2
2381 StaffSymbol \override #'staff-space = #2
2382 minimumVerticalExtent = #'(-3.0 . 4.0)
2386 \remove Stem_engraver
2392 To typeset bongos on a two line staff.
2393 @lilypond[singleline]
2394 \include "drumpitch-init.ly"
2395 nam = \lyrics { boh boho bohm ssh bol bolo bolm ssl }
2396 mus = \notes { boh boho bohm ssh bol bolo bolm ssl s16 }
2399 \apply #(drums->paper 'bongos) \context Staff <
2403 \context Lyrics \nam
2408 \remove Bar_engraver
2409 \remove Time_signature_engraver
2410 StaffSymbol \override #'line-count = #2
2411 StaffSymbol \override #'staff-space = #2
2412 minimumVerticalExtent = #'(-3.0 . 4.0)
2416 \remove Stem_engraver
2422 To typeset all kinds of simple percussion on one line staves.
2423 @lilypond[singleline]
2424 \include "drumpitch-init.ly"
2425 nam = \lyrics { tri trio trim gui guis guil cb cl tamb cab mar hc }
2426 mus = \notes { tri trio trim gui guis guil cb cl tamb cab mar hc s16 }
2429 \apply #(drums->paper 'percussion) \context Staff <
2433 \context Lyrics \nam
2438 \remove Bar_engraver
2439 \remove Time_signature_engraver
2440 StaffSymbol \override #'line-count = #1
2441 minimumVerticalExtent = #'(-2.0 . 3.0)
2445 \remove Stem_engraver
2452 If you don't like any of the predefined lists you can define your own
2453 list at the top of your file:
2455 @lilypond[singleline, verbatim]
2457 (bassdrum default #f ,(make-pitch -1 2 0))
2458 (snare default #f ,(make-pitch 0 1 0))
2459 (hihat cross #f ,(make-pitch 0 5 0))
2460 (pedalhihat xcircle "stopped" ,(make-pitch 0 5 0))
2461 (lowtom diamond #f ,(make-pitch -1 6 0))
2463 \include "drumpitch-init.ly"
2464 up = \notes { hh8 hh hh hh hhp4 hhp }
2465 down = \notes { bd4 sn bd toml8 toml }
2467 \apply #(drums->paper 'mydrums) \context Staff <
2469 \context Voice = up { \voiceOne \up }
2470 \context Voice = down { \voiceTwo \down }
2475 To use a modified existing list instead of building your own from
2476 scratch you can append your modifications to the start of the existing
2480 #(define mydrums (append `(
2481 (bassdrum default #f ,(make-pitch -1 2 0))
2482 (lowtom diamond #f ,(make-pitch -1 6 0))
2486 @c FIXME: Too many levels of headers when using subsubsections.
2487 @c Perhaps junk subsection ``Percussion staves''
2488 @subsubsection Percussion staves with normal staves
2489 When you include @file{drumpitch-init.ly} then the default pitches
2490 are overridden so that you after the inclusion cannot use the common
2491 dutch pitch names anymore. Hence you might wan't to reinclude
2492 @file{nederlands.ly} after the drum-pattern-definitions:
2493 @lilypond[singleline,verbatim]
2494 \include "drumpitch-init.ly"
2495 up = \notes { crashcymbal4 hihat8 halfopenhihat hh hh hh openhihat }
2496 down = \notes { bassdrum4 snare8 bd r bd sn4 }
2497 \include "nederlands.ly"
2498 bass = \notes \transpose c, { a4. e8 r e g e }
2501 \apply #(drums->paper 'drums) \context Staff = drums <
2503 \context Voice = up { \voiceOne \up }
2504 \context Voice = down { \voiceTwo \down }
2506 \context Staff = bass { \clef "F_8" \bass }
2511 @subsubsection Percussion midi output
2512 In order to produce correct midi output you need to produce two score
2513 blocks - one for the paper and one for the midi.
2514 To use the percussion channel you set the property @code{instrument}
2515 to @code{'drums}. Because the drum-pitches themself are similar to the
2516 general midi pitches all you have to do is to insert the voices with
2517 none of the scheme functions to get the correct midi output:
2521 \apply #(drums->paper 'mydrums) \context Staff <
2523 \context Voice = up @{ \voiceOne \up @}
2524 \context Voice = down @{ \voiceTwo \down @}
2530 \property Staff.instrument = #'drums
2539 This scheme is to be considered a temporary implementation. Even
2540 though the scheme will probably keep on working then the future might
2541 bring some other way of typesetting drums, and probably
2542 there will be made no great efforts in keeping things downwards
2547 @section Piano music
2549 Piano music is an odd type of notation. Piano staves are two normal
2550 staves coupled with a brace. The staves are largely independent, but
2551 sometimes voices can cross between the two staves. The
2552 @internalsref{PianoStaff} is especially built to handle this cross-staffing
2553 behavior. In this section we discuss the @internalsref{PianoStaff} and some
2554 other pianistic peculiarities.
2557 * Automatic staff changes::
2558 * Manual staff switches::
2561 * Voice follower lines::
2565 @c . {Automatic staff changes}
2566 @node Automatic staff changes
2567 @subsection Automatic staff changes
2568 @cindex Automatic staff changes
2570 Voices can switch automatically between the top and the bottom
2571 staff. The syntax for this is
2573 \autochange Staff \context Voice @{ @dots{}@var{music}@dots{} @}
2575 The autochanger switches on basis of pitch (central C is the turning
2576 point), and it looks ahead skipping over rests to switch rests in
2577 advance. Here is a practical example:
2579 @lilypond[verbatim,singleline]
2580 \score { \notes \context PianoStaff <
2581 \context Staff = "up" {
2582 \autochange Staff \context Voice = VA < \relative c' {
2583 g4 a b c d r4 a g } > }
2584 \context Staff = "down" {
2589 Spacer rests are used to prevent the bottom staff from
2590 terminating too soon.
2593 @node Manual staff switches
2594 @subsection Manual staff switches
2596 @cindex manual staff switches
2597 @cindex staff switch, manual
2599 Voices can be switched between staves manually, using the following command:
2601 \translator Staff = @var{staffname} @var{music}
2603 The string @var{staffname} is the name of the staff. It switches the
2604 current voice from its current staff to the Staff called
2605 @var{staffname}. Typically @var{staffname} is @code{"up"} or
2613 Piano pedal instruction can be expressed using
2614 @code{\sustainDown}, @code{\sustainUp}, @code{\unaCorda},
2615 @code{\treCorde}, @code{\sostenutoDown} and @code{\sostenutoUp}.
2617 These identifiers are shorthands for spanner commands of the types
2618 @internalsref{Sustain}, @internalsref{UnaCorda} and @internalsref{Sostenuto}:
2620 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim]
2621 c''4 \spanrequest \start "Sustain" c''4
2622 c''4 \spanrequest \stop "Sustain"
2625 The symbols that are printed can be modified by setting
2626 @code{pedal@var{X}Strings}, where @var{X} is one of the pedal types:
2627 Sustain, Sostenuto or UnaCorda. Refer to the generated documentation of
2628 @rgrob{SustainPedal}, for example, for more information.
2630 Pedals can also be indicated by a sequence of brackets, by setting the
2631 @code{pedal-type} property of SustainPedal grobs:
2633 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim]
2634 \property Staff.SustainPedal \override #'pedal-type = #'bracket
2635 c''4 \sustainDown d''4 e''4 a'4
2636 \sustainUp \sustainDown
2637 f'4 g'4 a'4 \sustainUp
2640 A third style of pedal notation is a mixture of text and brackets,
2641 obtained by setting @code{pedal-type} to @code{mixed}:
2643 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim]
2644 \property Staff.SustainPedal \override #'pedal-type = #'mixed
2645 c''4 \sustainDown d''4 e''4 c'4
2646 \sustainUp \sustainDown
2647 f'4 g'4 a'4 \sustainUp
2650 The default '*Ped' style for sustain and damper pedals corresponds to
2651 @code{\pedal-type = #'text}. However, @code{mixed} is the default style
2652 for a sostenuto pedal:
2654 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim]
2655 c''4 \sostenutoDown d''4 e''4 c'4 f'4 g'4 a'4 \sostenutoUp
2658 For fine-tuning of the appearance of a pedal bracket, the properties
2659 @code{edge-width}, @code{edge-height}, and @code{shorten-pair} of
2660 @code{PianoPedalBracket} grobs (see the detailed documentation of
2661 @rgrob{PianoPedalBracket}) can be modified. For example, the bracket
2662 may be extended to the end of the note head.
2664 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim]
2665 \property Staff.PianoPedalBracket \override
2666 #'shorten-pair = #'(0 . -1.0)
2667 c''4 \sostenutoDown d''4 e''4 c'4
2668 f'4 g'4 a'4 \sostenutoUp
2675 @subsection Arpeggio
2678 @cindex broken arpeggio
2679 @cindex @code{\arpeggio}
2681 You can specify an arpeggio sign on a chord by attaching an
2682 @code{\arpeggio} to a note of the chord.
2685 @lilypond[fragment,relative,verbatim]
2686 \context Voice <c\arpeggio e g c>
2689 When an arpeggio crosses staves in piano music, you attach an arpeggio
2690 to the chords in both staves, and set
2691 @code{PianoStaff.connectArpeggios}.
2693 @lilypond[fragment,relative,verbatim]
2694 \context PianoStaff <
2695 \property PianoStaff.connectArpeggios = ##t
2696 \context Voice = one { <c'\arpeggio e g c> }
2697 \context Voice = other { \clef bass <c,,\arpeggio e g>}
2701 This command creates @internalsref{Arpeggio} grobs. Cross staff arpeggios
2702 are @code{PianoStaff.Arpeggio}.
2704 To add an arrow head to explicitly specify the direction of the
2705 arpeggio, you should set the arpeggio grob property
2706 @code{arpeggio-direction}.
2708 @lilypond[fragment,relative,verbatim]
2710 \property Voice.Arpeggio \set #'arpeggio-direction = #1
2712 \property Voice.Arpeggio \set #'arpeggio-direction = #-1
2717 A square bracket on the left indicates that the player should not
2718 arpeggiate the chord. To draw these brackets, set the
2719 @code{molecule-callback} property of @code{Arpeggio} or
2720 @code{PianoStaff.Arpeggio} grobs to @code{\arpeggioBracket}, and use
2721 @code{\arpeggio} statements within the chords as before.
2723 @lilypond[fragment,relative,verbatim]
2724 \context PianoStaff <
2725 \property PianoStaff.connectArpeggios = ##t
2726 \property PianoStaff.Arpeggio \override
2727 #'molecule-callback = \arpeggioBracket
2728 \context Voice = one { <c'\arpeggio e g c> }
2729 \context Voice = other { \clef bass <c,,\arpeggio e g>}
2736 It is not possible to mix connected arpeggios and unconnected
2737 arpeggios in one PianoStaff at the same time.
2741 @node Voice follower lines
2742 @subsection Voice follower lines
2744 @cindex follow voice
2745 @cindex staff switching
2748 @cindex @code{followVoice}
2750 Whenever a voice switches to another staff a line connecting the notes
2751 can be printed automatically. This is enabled if the property
2752 @code{PianoStaff.followVoice} is set to true:
2754 @lilypond[fragment,relative,verbatim]
2755 \context PianoStaff <
2756 \property PianoStaff.followVoice = ##t
2757 \context Staff \context Voice {
2759 \translator Staff=two
2762 \context Staff=two {\clef bass \skip 1*2 }
2766 The associated grob is @internalsref{VoiceFollower}.
2772 Tablature notation is used music for plucked string instruments. It
2773 notates pitches not by using note heads, but by indicating on which
2774 string and fret a note must be played. LilyPond offers limited
2775 support for tablature, by abusing the fingering system.
2778 * Tablatures basic::
2779 * Non-guitar tablatures::
2780 * Tablature in addition to normal staff::
2783 @node Tablatures basic
2784 @subsection Tablatures basic
2785 @cindex Tablatures basic
2787 Tablature can be typeset with Lilypond by using the
2788 @internalsref{TabStaff} and @internalsref{TabVoice} contexts. As
2789 tablature is a recent feature in Lilypond, most of the guitar special
2790 effects such as hammer, pull, bend are not yet supported.
2792 With the @internalsref{TabStaff}, the string number associated to a note
2793 is given though the fingering mechanism, e.g. @code{c4-3} for a C
2794 quarter on the third string. The string 1 is the lowest one, and the
2795 tuning defaults to the standard guitar tuning (with 6 strings).
2797 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim]
2800 \property Staff.Stem \override #'direction = #1
2809 @node Non-guitar tablatures
2810 @subsection Non-guitar tablatures
2811 @cindex Non-guitar tablatures
2813 There are many ways to customize Lilypond tablatures.
2815 First you can change the number of strings, by setting the number of
2816 lines in the @internalsref{TabStaff}. You can change the strings
2817 tuning. A string tuning is given as a Scheme list with one integer
2818 number for each string, the number being the pitch of an open string.
2820 Finally, it is possible to change the Scheme function to format the
2821 tablature note text. The default is @var{fret-number-tablature-format},
2822 which uses the fret number, but for some instruments that may not use
2823 this notation, just create your own tablature-format function. This
2824 function takes three argument: the string number, the string tuning and
2828 @node Tablature in addition to normal staff
2829 @subsection Tablature in addition to normal staff
2830 @cindex Tablature in addition to normal staff
2832 It is possible to typeset both tablature and a "normal" staff, as
2833 commonly done in many parts.
2835 A common trick for that is to put the notes in a variables, and to hide
2836 the fingering information (which correspond to the string number) for
2845 \context StaffGroup <
2847 % Hide fingering number
2848 \property Staff.Fingering \override #'transparent = ##t
2853 \property Staff.Stem \override #'direction = #1
2867 LilyPond has support for both entering and printing chords.
2868 @lilypond[verbatim,singleline]
2869 twoWays = \notes \transpose c'' {
2879 < \context ChordNames \twoWays
2880 \context Voice \twoWays > }
2883 This example also shows that the chord printing routines do not try to
2884 be intelligent. If you enter @code{f bes d}, it does not interpret
2885 this as an inversion.
2887 As you can see chords really are a set of pitches. They are internally
2888 stored as simultaneous music expressions. This means you can enter
2889 chords by name and print them as notes, enter them as notes and print
2890 them as chord names, or (the most common case) enter them by name, and
2895 * Printing named chords::
2900 @subsection Chords mode
2903 Chord mode is a mode where you can input sets of pitches using common
2904 names. It is introduced by the keyword @code{\chords}. It is similar
2905 to note mode, but words are also looked up in a chord modifier table
2906 (containing @code{maj}, @code{dim}, etc). Dashes and carets are used
2907 to indicate chord additions and subtractions, so articulation scripts
2908 can not be entered in Chord mode.
2910 Throughout these examples, chords have been shifted around the staff
2911 using @code{\transpose}.
2913 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim]
2917 c:9 c:9-.5+.7+ c:3-.5-
2927 The second type of modifier that may appear after the @code{:} is a
2928 named modifier. Named modifiers are listed in the file
2929 @file{chord-modifiers.ly}. The available modifiers are @code{m} and
2930 @code{min} which lower the 3rd half a step, `@code{aug}' which
2931 raises the 5th, `@code{dim}' which lowers the 5th,
2932 `@code{maj}' which adds a raised 7th, and `@code{sus}'
2933 which replaces the 5th with a 4th.
2935 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim]
2938 c1:m c:min7 c:maj c:aug c:dim c:sus
2944 Chord subtractions are used to eliminate notes from a chord. The
2945 notes to be subtracted are listed after a @code{^} character,
2948 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim,center]
2957 Chord inversions can be specified by appending `@code{/}' and the name
2958 of a single note to a chord. In a chord inversion, the inverted note is
2959 transposed down until it is the lowest note in the chord. If the note
2960 is not in the chord, a warning will be printed.
2962 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim,center]
2972 Bass notes can be added by `@code{/+}' and
2973 the name of a single note to a chord. This has the effect of
2974 adding the specified note to the chord, lowered by an octave,
2975 so it becomes the lowest note in the chord.
2977 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim,center]
2986 The formal syntax for named chords is as follows:
2988 @var{tonic}[@var{duration}][@code{-}@var{modifiers}][@code{^}@var{subtractions}][@code{/}@var{inversion}][@code{/+}@var{bass}].
2991 @var{tonic} should be the tonic note of the chord, and @var{duration} is
2992 the chord duration in the usual notation. There are two kinds of
2993 modifiers. One type is formed by @emph{chord additions}. Additions are
2994 obtained by listing intervals separated by dots. An interval is written
2995 by its number with an optional @code{+} or @code{-} to indicate raising
2996 or lowering by half a step. Chord additions have two effects: they adds
2997 the specified interval and all lower odd numbered intervals to the
2998 chord, and they may lower or raise the specified interval.
3003 Implementation details are gory. For example @code{c:4} not only adds
3004 a fourth, but also removes the third.
3007 @c . {Printing named chords}
3008 @node Printing named chords
3009 @subsection Printing named chords
3011 @cindex printing chord names
3015 For displaying printed chord names, use the @internalsref{ChordNames} context.
3016 The chords may be entered either using the notation described above, or
3017 directly using simultaneous music.
3019 @lilypond[verbatim,singleline]
3021 \chords {a1 b c} <d f g> <e g b>
3025 \context ChordNames \scheme
3026 \context Staff \transpose c'' \scheme
3031 You can make the chord changes stand out by setting
3032 @code{ChordNames.chordChanges} to true. This will only display chord
3033 names when there's a change in the chords scheme and at the start of a
3038 c1:m c:m \break c:m c:m d
3042 \context ChordNames {
3043 \property ChordNames.chordChanges = ##t
3045 \context Staff \transpose c'' \scheme
3047 \paper{linewidth= 9.\cm}
3051 LilyPond examines chords specified as lists of notes to determine a name
3052 to give the chord. LilyPond will not try to identify chord inversions or
3053 an added bass note, which may result in strange chord names when chords
3054 are entered as a list of pitches:
3056 @lilypond[verbatim,center,singleline]
3065 \context ChordNames \scheme
3066 \context Staff \scheme
3072 By default, a chord name system proposed by Harald Banter (See
3073 @ref{Literature}) is used. The system is very regular and predictable.
3074 Typical American style chord names may be selected by setting the
3075 @code{style} property of the @code{ChordNames.ChordName} grob to
3076 @code{'american}. Similarly @code{'jazz} selects Jazz chordnames.
3078 Routines that determine the names to be printed are written in Scheme,
3079 and may be customized by the user. The code can be found in
3080 @file{scm/chord-name.scm}. Here's an example showing the differences in
3084 @c maybe just junk verbatim option?
3085 @lilypond[verbatim,singleline]
3095 \context ChordNames = banter \scheme
3096 \context ChordNames = american {
3097 \property ChordNames.ChordName \override
3098 #'style = #'american \scheme }
3099 \context ChordNames = jazz {
3100 \property ChordNames.ChordName \override
3101 #'style = #'jazz \scheme }
3102 \context Staff \transpose c'' \scheme
3109 @section Writing parts
3111 Orchestral music involves some special notation, both in the full score,
3112 as in the individual parts. This section explains how to tackle common
3113 problems in orchestral music.
3120 * Instrument names::
3122 * Multi measure rests::
3123 * Automatic part combining::
3124 * Hara kiri staves::
3125 * Sound output for transposing instruments::
3128 @c . {Rehearsal marks}
3129 @node Rehearsal marks
3130 @subsection Rehearsal marks
3131 @cindex Rehearsal marks
3133 @cindex @code{\mark}
3135 To print a rehearsal mark, use the @code{\mark} command.
3136 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim]
3143 c1 \mark #'(music "scripts-segno")
3148 As you can see, the mark is incremented automatically if you use
3149 @code{\mark \default}. The value to use is stored in the property
3150 @code{rehearsalMark} is used and automatically incremented. The grob
3151 is @internalsref{RehearsalMark} in @internalsref{Score} context. See
3152 @code{input/test/boxed-molecule.ly} if you need boxes around the
3156 @subsection Bar numbers
3160 @cindex measure numbers
3161 @cindex currentBarNumber
3163 Bar numbers are printed by default at the start of the line. The
3164 number itself is a property that can be set by modifying the
3165 @code{currentBarNumber} property, i.e.
3167 \property Score.currentBarNumber = #217
3170 If you want boxed bar numbers, see the example file
3171 @code{input/test/boxed-molecule.ly}.
3173 See also @seeinternals{BarNumber}.
3177 Printing bar numbers at regular intervals is not implemented.
3178 Barnumbers can collide with the StaffGroup, if there is one at the
3179 top. To solve this, You have to twiddle with the
3180 @internalsref{padding} property of @internalsref{BarNumber} if your
3181 score starts with a @internalsref{StaffGroup}.
3183 @node Instrument names
3184 @subsection Instrument names
3186 In scores, the instrument name is printed before the staff. This can
3187 be done by setting @code{Staff.instrument} and
3188 @code{Staff.instr}. This will print a string before the start of the
3189 staff. For the first start, @code{instrument} is used, for the next
3190 ones @code{instr} is used.
3192 @lilypond[verbatim,singleline]
3193 \property Staff.instrument = "ploink " { c''4 }
3196 You can also use markup texts to construct more complicated instrument
3200 @lilypond[verbatim,singleline]
3202 '((font-relative-size . -2 ) (music "accidentals--1")))
3205 \property Staff.instrument = #`((kern . 0.5) (lines
3206 "2 Clarinetti" (columns " (B" ,text-flat ")")))
3214 When you put a name on a grand staff or piano staff the width of the
3215 brace is not taken into account. You must add extra spaces to the end of
3216 the name to avoid a collision.
3219 @subsection Transpose
3221 @cindex transposition of pitches
3222 @cindex @code{\transpose}
3224 A music expression can be transposed with @code{\transpose}. The syntax
3227 \transpose @var{pitch} @var{musicexpr}
3230 This means that middle C in @var{musicexpr} is transposed to
3233 @code{\transpose} distinguishes between enharmonic pitches: both
3234 @code{\transpose cis'} or @code{\transpose des'} will transpose up half
3235 a tone. The first version will print sharps and the second version
3238 @lilypond[singleline, verbatim]
3239 mus =\notes { \key d \major cis d fis g }
3240 \score { \notes \context Staff {
3248 If you want to use both @code{\transpose} and @code{\relative}, then
3249 you must use @code{\transpose} first. @code{\relative} will have no
3250 effect music that appears inside a @code{\transpose}.
3252 @c . {Multi measure rests}
3253 @node Multi measure rests
3254 @subsection Multi measure rests
3255 @cindex Multi measure rests
3259 Multi measure rests are entered using `@code{R}'. It is specifically
3260 meant for full bar rests and for entering parts: the rest can expand to
3262 rests, or it can be printed as a single multimeasure rest This expansion
3263 is controlled by the property @code{Score.skipBars}. If this is set to true,
3264 Lily will not expand empty measures, and the appropriate number is added
3267 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim]
3268 \time 3/4 r2. | R2. | R2.*2
3269 \property Score.skipBars = ##t R2.*17 R2.*4
3272 Notice that the @code{R2.} is printed as a whole rest, centered in the
3275 @cindex whole rests for a full measure
3277 The grob for this object is @internalsref{MultiMeasureRest}.
3281 Currently, there is no way to automatically condense multiple rests
3282 into a single multimeasure rest. Multi measure rests do not take part
3285 @cindex condensing rests
3287 @node Automatic part combining
3288 @subsection Automatic part combining
3289 @cindex automatic part combining
3290 @cindex part combiner
3293 Automatic part combining is used to merge two parts of music onto a
3294 staff in an intelligent way. It is aimed primarily at typesetting
3295 orchestral scores. When the two parts are identical for a period of
3296 time, only one is shown. In places where the two parts differ, they
3297 are typeset as separate voices, and stem directions are set
3298 automatically. Also, solo and @emph{a due} parts can be identified
3301 The syntax for part combining is
3304 \partcombine @var{context} @var{musicexpr1} @var{musicexpr2}
3306 where the pieces of music @var{musicexpr1} and @var{musicexpr2} will be
3307 combined into one context of type @var{context}. The music expressions
3308 must be interpreted by contexts whose names should start with @code{one}
3311 The most useful function of the part combiner is to combine parts into
3312 one voice, as common for wind parts in orchestral scores:
3314 @lilypond[verbatim,singleline,fragment]
3316 \context Voice=one \partcombine Voice
3317 \context Thread=one \relative c'' {
3320 \context Thread=two \relative c'' {
3326 Notice that the first @code{g} appears only once, although it was
3327 specified twice (once in each part). Stem, slur and tie directions are
3328 set automatically, depending whether there is a solo or unisono. The
3329 first part (with context called @code{one}) always gets up stems, and
3330 `solo', while the second (called @code{two}) always gets down stems and
3333 If you just want the merging parts, and not the textual markings, you
3334 may set the property @var{soloADue} to false.
3336 @lilypond[verbatim,singleline,fragment]
3338 \property Staff.soloADue = ##f
3339 \context Voice=one \partcombine Voice
3340 \context Thread=one \relative c'' {
3343 \context Thread=two \relative c'' {
3349 There are a number of other properties that you can use to tweak the
3350 behavior of part combining, refer to the automatically generated
3351 documentation of @reng{Thread_devnull_engraver} and
3352 @reng{Voice_devnull_engraver}. Look at the documentation of the
3353 responsible engravers, @code{Thread_devnull_engraver},
3354 @code{Voice_devnull_engraver} and @code{A2_engraver}.
3358 In @code{soloADue} mode, when the two voices play the same notes on and
3359 off, the part combiner may typeset @code{a2} more than once in a
3362 @lilypond[fragment,singleline]
3364 \context Voice=one \partcombine Voice
3365 \context Thread=one \relative c'' {
3368 \context Thread=two \relative c'' {
3374 @cindex @code{Thread_devnull_engraver}
3375 @cindex @code{Voice_engraver}
3376 @cindex @code{A2_engraver}
3378 @node Hara kiri staves
3379 @subsection Hara kiri staves
3381 In orchestral scores, staff lines that only have rests are usually removed.
3382 This saves some space. LilyPond also supports this through the hara
3383 kiri@footnote{Hara kiri, also called Seppuku, is the ritual suicide of
3384 the Japanese Samourai warriors.} staff. This staff commits suicide when
3385 it finds itself to be empty after the line-breaking process. It will
3386 not disappear when it contains normal rests, you must use multi measure
3389 The hara kiri staff is specialized version of the @internalsref{Staff}
3390 context. It is available as the context identifier
3391 @code{\HaraKiriStaffContext}. Observe how the second staff in this
3392 example disappears in the second line.
3396 \notes \relative c' <
3397 \context Staff = SA { e4 f g a \break c1 }
3398 \context Staff = SB { c4 d e f \break R1 }
3402 \translator { \HaraKiriStaffContext }
3408 @node Sound output for transposing instruments
3409 @subsection Sound output for transposing instruments
3411 When you want to make a MIDI file from a score containing transposed
3412 and untransposed instruments, you have to instruct LilyPond the pitch
3413 offset (in semitones) for the transposed instruments. This is done
3414 using the @code{transposing} property. It does not affect printed
3417 @cindex @code{transposing}
3420 \property Staff.instrument = #"Cl. in B-flat"
3421 \property Staff.transposing = #-2
3427 @node Ancient notation
3428 @section Ancient notation
3431 * Ancient note heads::
3438 @node Ancient note heads
3439 @subsection Ancient note heads
3441 To get a longa note head, you have to use mensural note heads. This
3442 is accomplished by setting the @code{style} property of the
3443 NoteHead grob to @code{mensural}. There is also a note head style
3444 @code{baroque} which gives mensural note heads for @code{\longa} and
3445 @code{\breve} but standard note heads for shorter notes.
3447 @lilypond[fragment,singleline,verbatim]
3448 \property Voice.NoteHead \set #'style = #'mensural
3449 \property Voice.NoteHead \set #'font-family = #'ancient
3454 @subsection Custodes
3459 A @emph{custos} (plural: @emph{custodes}; latin word for `guard') is a
3460 staff context symbol that appears at the end of a staff line. It
3461 anticipates the pitch of the first note(s) of the following line and
3462 thus helps the player or singer to manage line breaks during
3463 performance, thus enhancing readability of a score.
3468 \property Staff.Custos \set #'style = #'mensural
3473 \consists Custos_engraver
3479 Custodes were frequently used in music notation until the 17th century.
3480 There were different appearances for different notation styles.
3481 Nowadays, they have survived only in special forms of musical notation
3482 such as via the @emph{editio vaticana} dating back to the beginning of
3485 For typesetting custodes, just put a @code{Custos_engraver} into the
3486 @internalsref{Staff} context when declaring the @code{\paper} block. In this
3487 block, you can also globally control the appearance of the custos symbol
3488 by setting the custos @code{style} property. Currently supported styles
3489 are @code{vaticana}, @code{medicaea}, @code{hufnagel} and
3496 \consists Custos_engraver
3497 Custos \override #'style = #'mensural
3502 The property can also be set locally, for example in a @code{\notes}
3507 \property Staff.Custos \override #'style = #'vaticana
3508 c'1 d' e' d' \break c' d' e' d'
3513 @subsection Ancient clefs
3515 LilyPond supports a variety of clefs, many of them ancient. These can
3516 be selected from the @code{ancient} font family, by setting
3517 @code{Staff.clefGlyph}) to one of the following values
3526 @item clefs-vaticana_do
3527 Editio Vaticana style do clef
3528 @item clefs-vaticana_fa
3529 Editio Vaticana style fa clef
3530 @item clefs-medicaea_do
3531 Editio Medicaea style do clef
3532 @item clefs-medicaea_fa
3533 Editio Medicaea style fa clef
3534 @item clefs-mensural1_c
3535 modern style mensural C clef
3536 @item clefs-mensural2_c
3537 historic style small mensural C clef
3538 @item clefs-mensural3_c
3539 historic style big mensural C clef
3540 @item clefs-mensural1_f
3541 historic style traditional mensural F clef
3542 @item clefs-mensural2_f
3543 historic style new mensural F clef
3544 @item clefs-mensural_g
3545 historic style mensural G clef
3546 @item clefs-hufnagel_do
3547 historic style hufnagel do clef
3548 @item clefs-hufnagel_fa
3549 historic style hufnagel fa clef
3550 @item clefs-hufnagel_do_fa
3551 historic style hufnagel combined do/fa clef
3552 @item clefs-percussion
3553 modern style percussion clef
3556 @emph{Modern style} means ``as is typeset in current editions.''
3557 @emph{Historic style} means ``as was typeset or written in contemporary
3558 historic editions''. @emph{Editio XXX style} means ``as is/was printed in
3561 @cindex Vaticana, Editio
3562 @cindex Medicaea, Editio
3563 @cindex hufnagel clefs
3567 @subsection Figured bass
3569 @cindex Basso continuo
3571 LilyPond has limited support for figured bass:
3573 @lilypond[verbatim,fragment]
3575 \context FiguredBass
3580 \context Voice { c4 g8 }
3584 The support for figured bass consists of two parts: there is an input
3585 mode, introduced by @code{\figures}, where you can enter bass figures
3586 as numbers, and there is a context called @internalsref{FiguredBass}
3587 that takes care of making @internalsref{BassFigure} grobs.
3589 In figures input mode, a group of bass figures is delimited by
3590 @code{<} and @code{>}. The duration is entered after the @code{>}.
3595 \context FiguredBass
3599 Accidentals are added to the numbers if you alterate them by
3600 appending @code{-}, @code{!} and @code{+}.
3606 \context FiguredBass
3607 \figures { <4- 6+ 7!> }
3610 Spaces or dashes may be inserted by using @code{_}. Brackets are
3611 introduced with @code{[} and @code{]}.
3617 \context FiguredBass
3618 \figures { < [4 6] 8 [_ 12]> }
3621 Although the support for figured bass may superficially resemble chord
3622 support, it works much simpler: in figured bass simply stores the
3623 numbers, and then prints the numbers you entered. There is no
3624 conversion to pitches, and no realizations of the bass are played in
3628 @c . {Tuning output}
3630 @section Tuning output
3632 LilyPond tries to take as much formatting as possible out of your
3633 hands. Nevertheless, there are situations where it needs some help, or
3634 where you want to override its decisions. In this section we discuss
3635 ways to do just that.
3637 Formatting is internally done by manipulating so called grobs (graphic
3638 objects). Each grob carries with it a set of properties (grob
3639 properties) specific to that object. For example, a stem grob has
3640 properties that specify its direction, length and thickness.
3642 The most direct way of tuning the output is by altering the values of
3643 these properties. There are two ways of doing that: first, you can
3644 temporarily change the definition of a certain type of grob, thus
3645 affecting a whole set of objects. Second, you can select one specific
3646 object, and set a grob property in that object.
3649 * Tuning groups of grobs ::
3650 * Tuning per grob ::
3655 @node Tuning groups of grobs
3656 @subsection Tuning groups of grobs
3658 @cindex grob description
3662 A grob definition is a Scheme association list, that is stored in a
3663 context property. By assigning to that property (using plain
3664 @code{\property}), you can change the resulting grobs.
3666 @lilypond[verbatim, fragment]
3667 c'4 \property Voice.Stem = #'()
3670 The @code{\property} assignment effectively empties the definition of
3671 the Stem object. One of the effects is that the recipe of how it should be
3672 printed is erased, with the effect of rendering it invisible. The above
3673 assignment is available as a standard identifier, for the case that you
3677 \property Voice.Stem = \turnOff
3684 This mechanism is fairly crude, since you can only set, but not modify,
3685 the definition of a grob. For this reason, there is a more advanced
3688 The definition of a grob is actually a list of default grob
3689 properties. For example, the definition of the Stem grob (available in
3690 @file{scm/grob-description.scm}), defines the following values for
3695 (beamed-lengths . (0.0 2.5 2.0 1.5))
3696 (Y-extent-callback . ,Stem::height)
3700 You can add a property on top of the existing definition, or remove a
3701 property, thus overriding the system defaults:
3703 c'4 \property Voice.Stem \override #'thickness = #4.0
3704 c'4 \property Voice.Stem \revert #'thickness
3707 You should balance @code{\override} and @code{\revert}. If that's too
3708 much work, you can use the @code{\set} shorthand. It performs a revert
3709 followed by an override. The following example gives exactly the same
3710 result as the previous one.
3712 c'4 \property Voice.Stem \set #'thickness = #4.0
3713 c'4 \property Voice.Stem \set #'thickness = #0.8
3716 If you use @code{\set}, you must explicitly restore the default.
3719 Formally the syntax for these constructions is
3721 \property @var{context}.@var{grobname} \override @var{symbol} = @var{value}
3722 \property @var{context}.@var{grobname} \set @var{symbol} = @var{value}
3723 \property @var{context}.@var{grobname} \revert @var{symbol}
3725 Here @var{symbol} is a Scheme expression of symbol type, @var{context}
3726 and @var{grobname} are strings and @var{value} is a Scheme expression.
3729 If you revert a setting which was not set in the first place, then it
3730 has no effect. However, if the setting was set as a system default, it
3731 may remove the default value, and this may give surprising results,
3732 including crashes. In other words, @code{\override} and @code{\revert},
3733 must be carefully balanced.
3735 These are examples of correct nesting of @code{\override}, @code{\set},
3738 A clumsy but correct form:
3740 \override \revert \override \revert \override \revert
3743 Shorter version of the same:
3745 \override \set \set \revert
3748 A short form, using only @code{\set}. This requires you to know the
3751 \set \set \set \set @var{to default value}
3754 If there is no default (i.e. by default, the grob property is unset),
3757 \set \set \set \revert
3760 For the digirati, the grob description is an Scheme association
3761 list. Since a Scheme list is a singly linked list, we can treat it as a
3762 stack, and @code{\override} and @code{\revert} are just push and pop
3763 operations. This pushing and popping is also used for overriding
3764 automatic beaming settings.
3768 LilyPond will hang or crash if @var{value} contains cyclic references.
3769 The backend is not very strict in type-checking grob properties. If you
3770 @code{\revert} properties that are expected to be set by default,
3774 @cindex adjusting staff symbol
3775 @cindex StaffSymbol, using \property
3776 @cindex staff lines, setting number of
3778 Some grobs are created at the moment that their context is created. An
3779 example of such a grob is the staff itself (i.e. the horizontal lines).
3780 You can not change the appearance of the staff symbol by manipulating
3781 @code{\property Staff.StaffSymbol}. At the moment that @code{\property
3782 Staff} is interpreted, a Staff context is made, and the StaffSymbol is
3783 created before any @code{\override} is effective. You can deal with this
3784 either overriding properties in a @code{\translator} definition, or by
3785 using @code{\outputproperty}.
3790 @node Tuning per grob
3791 @subsection Tuning per grob
3793 @cindex \outputproperty
3795 A second way of tuning grobs is the more arcane @code{\outputproperty}
3796 feature. The syntax is as follows:
3798 \outputproperty @var{predicate} @var{symbol} = @var{value}
3800 Here @code{predicate} is a Scheme function taking a grob argument, and
3801 returning a boolean. This statement is processed by the
3802 @code{Output_property_engraver}. It instructs the engraver to feed all
3803 grobs that it sees to @var{predicate}. Whenever the predicate returns
3804 true, the grob property @var{symbol} will be set to @var{value}.
3806 You will need to combine this statement with @code{\context} to select
3807 the appropriate context to apply this to.
3809 Here are some random examples.
3812 In the following example, all note heads occurring at current staff
3813 level, are shifted up and right by setting their @code{extra-offset}
3816 @lilypond[fragment,verbatim,singleline]
3818 \context Staff \outputproperty
3819 #(make-type-checker 'note-head-interface)
3820 #'extra-offset = #'(0.5 . 0.75)
3824 @cindex @code{extra-offset}
3826 In this example, the predicate checks the @code{text} grob property, to
3827 shift only the `m.d.' text, but not the fingering instruction "2".
3828 @lilypond[verbatim,singleline]
3829 #(define (make-text-checker text)
3830 (lambda (grob) (equal? text (ly-get-grob-property grob 'text))))
3833 \notes\relative c''' {
3834 \property Voice.Stem \set #'direction = #1
3835 \outputproperty #(make-text-checker "m.d.")
3836 #'extra-offset = #'(-3.5 . -4.5)
3844 If possible, avoid this feature: the semantics are not very clean, and
3845 the syntax and semantics are up for rewrite.
3850 @node Font selection
3851 @subsection Font selection
3853 The most common thing to change about the appearance of fonts is
3854 their size. The font size of a @internalsref{Voice},
3855 @internalsref{Staff} or @internalsref{Thread} context, can be easily
3856 changed by setting the @code{fontSize} property for that context:
3857 @lilypond[fragment,relative=1]
3858 c4 c4 \property Voice.fontSize = #-1
3861 This command will not change the size of variable symbols, such as
3862 beams or slurs. You can use this command to get smaller symbol for
3863 cue notes, but that involves some more subtleties. An elaborate
3864 example of those is in @file{input/test/cue-notes.ly}.
3870 The font used for printing a grob can be selected by setting
3871 @code{font-name}, e.g.
3873 \property Staff.TimeSignature
3874 \set #'font-name = #"cmr17"
3876 You may use any font which is available to @TeX{}, such as foreign
3877 fonts or fonts that do not belong to the Computer Modern font family.
3878 Font selection for the standard fonts, @TeX{}'s Computer Modern fonts,
3879 can also be adjusted with a more fine-grained mechanism. By setting
3880 the grob properties described below, you can select a different font.
3881 All three mechanisms work for every grob that supports
3882 @code{font-interface}.
3886 A symbol indicating the general class of the typeface. Supported are
3887 @code{roman} (Computer Modern), @code{braces} (for piano staff
3888 braces), @code{music} (the standard music font), @code{ancient} (the
3889 ancient notation font) @code{dynamic} (font for dynamic signs) and
3893 A symbol indicating the shape of the font, there are typically several
3894 font shapes available for each font family. Choices are @code{italic},
3895 @code{caps} and @code{upright}
3898 A symbol indicating the series of the font. There are typically several
3899 font series for each font family and shape. Choices are @code{medium}
3902 @item font-relative-size
3903 A number indicating the size relative the standard size. For example,
3904 with 20pt staff height, relative size -1 corresponds to 16pt staff
3905 height, and relative size +1 corresponds to 23 pt staff height.
3907 @item font-design-size
3908 A number indicating the design size of the font.
3910 This is a feature of the Computer Modern Font: each point size has a
3911 slightly different design. Smaller design sizes are relatively wider,
3912 which enhances readability.
3915 For any of these properties, the value @code{*} (i.e. the @emph{symbol},
3916 @code{*}, entered as @code{#'*}), acts as a wildcard. This can be used
3917 to override default setting, which are always present. For example:
3919 \property Lyrics . LyricText \override #'font-series = #'bold
3920 \property Lyrics . LyricText \override #'font-family = #'typewriter
3921 \property Lyrics . LyricText \override #'font-shape = #'*
3924 @cindex @code{font-style}
3926 There are also pre-cooked font selection qualifiers. These are
3927 selected through the grob property @code{font-style}. For example,
3928 the style @code{finger} selects family @code{number} and relative size
3929 @code{-3}. Styles available include @code{volta}, @code{finger},
3930 @code{tuplet}, @code{timesig}, @code{mmrest}, @code{script},
3931 @code{large}, @code{Large} and @code{dynamic}. The style sheets and
3932 tables for selecting fonts are located in @file{scm/font.scm}. Refer
3933 to this file for more information.
3935 @cindex magnification
3937 The size of the font may be scaled with the grob property
3938 @code{font-magnification}. For example, @code{2.0} blows up all
3939 letters by a factor 2 in both directions.
3943 Relative size is not linked to any real size.
3945 There is no style sheet provided for other fonts besides the @TeX{}
3946 family, and the style sheet can not be modified easiyl.
3948 @cindex font selection
3949 @cindex font magnification
3950 @cindex @code{font-interface}
3954 @subsection Text markup
3958 LilyPond has an internal mechanism to typeset texts. You can
3959 form text markup expressions by composing scheme expressions
3960 in the following way.
3962 @lilypond[verbatim, singleline]
3967 c^#'(italic "italic")
3968 d_#'((bold italic) "ff")
3970 f_#'(lines "one" (bold "two"))
3971 g^#'(music "noteheads-2" ((raise . 2.4) "flags-u3"))
3975 Normally, the Scheme markup text is stored in the @code{text} property
3976 of a grob. Formally, it is defined as follows:
3979 text: string | (head? text+)
3980 head: markup | (markup+)
3981 markup-item: property | abbrev
3982 property: (@var{key} . @var{value})
3983 abbrev: @code{columns lines roman music bold italic named super sub}
3984 @code{overstrike text finger volta timesig mmrest mark script}
3985 @code{large Large dynamic}
3988 The markup is broken down and converted into a list of grob properties,
3989 which are prepended to the property list. The @var{key}-@var{value}
3990 pair is a grob property. A list of properties available is included in
3991 the generated documentation for @rint{Text_interface}.
3993 The following abbreviations are defined:
3996 horizontal mode: set all text on one line (default)
3998 vertical mode: set every text on a new line
4002 selects the Feta font (the standard font for music notation glyphs),
4003 and uses named lookup
4010 lookup by character name
4012 plain text lookup (by character value)
4018 the next text or character overstrikes this one
4020 select fingering number fontstyle
4022 select volta number fontstyle
4024 select time signature number fontstyle
4026 select multi measure rest number fontstyle
4028 select mark number fontstyle
4030 select scriptsize roman fontstyle
4032 select large roman fontstyle
4034 select Large roman fontstyle
4036 select dynamics fontstyle
4040 @cindex metronome mark
4042 One practical application of complicated markup is to fake a metronome
4046 #(define note '(columns
4047 (music "noteheads-2" ((kern . -0.1) "flags-stem"))))
4048 #(define eight-note `(columns ,note ((kern . -0.1)
4049 (music ((raise . 3.5) "flags-u3")))))
4050 #(define dotted-eight-note
4051 `(columns ,eight-note (music "dots-dot")))
4054 \notes\relative c'' {
4055 a1^#`((columns (font-relative-size . -1)) ,dotted-eight-note " = 64")
4061 TextScript \override #'font-shape = #'upright
4069 The syntax and semantics of markup texts are not clean, and both
4070 syntax and semantics are slated for a rewrite.
4073 @section Global layout
4075 The global layout determined by three factors: the page layout, the
4076 line breaks and the spacing. These all influence each other: The
4077 choice of spacing determines how densely each system of music is set,
4078 whree line breaks breaks are chosen, and thus ultimately how many
4079 pages a piece of music takes. In this section we will explain how the
4080 lilypond spacing engine works, and how you can tune its results.
4082 Globally spoken, this procedure happens in three steps: first,
4083 flexible distances (``springs'') are chosen, based on durations. All
4084 possible line breaking combination are tried, and the one with the
4085 best results---a layout that has uniform density and requires as
4086 little stretching or cramping as possible---is chosen. When the score
4087 is processed by @TeX{}, page are filled with systems, and page breaks
4088 are chosen whenever the page gets full.
4100 The spacing engine translates differences in durations into
4101 stretchable distances (``springs'') of differing lengths. Longer
4102 durations get more space, shorter durations get less. The basis for
4103 assigning spaces to durations, is that the shortest durations get a
4104 fixed amount of space, and the longer durations get more: doubling a
4105 duration adds a fixed amount of space to the note.
4107 For example, the following piece contains lots of half, quarter and
4108 8th notes, the eighth note is followed by 1 note head width. The The
4109 quarter note is followed by 2 NHW, the half by 3 NHW, etc.
4110 @lilypond[fragment, verbatim, relative=1]
4111 c2 c4. c8 c4. c8 c4. c8 c8 c8 c4 c4 c4
4114 These two amounts of space are @code{shortest-duration-space}
4115 @code{spacing-increment}, grob properties of
4116 @internalsref{SpacingSpanner}. Normally @code{spacing-increment} is
4117 set to 1.2, which is the width of a note head, and
4118 @code{shortest-duration-space} is set to 2.0, meaning that the
4119 shortest note gets 2 noteheads of space. For normal notes, this space
4120 is always counted from the left edge of the symbol, so the short notes
4121 in a score is generally followed by one note head width of space.
4123 If one would follow the above procedure exactly, then adding a single
4124 32th note to a score that uses 8th and 16th notes, would widen up the
4125 entire score a lot. The shortest note is no longer a 16th, but a 64th,
4126 thus adding 2 noteheads of space to every note. To prevent this, the
4127 shortest duration for spacing is not the shortest note in the score,
4128 but the most commonly found shortest note. Notes that are even
4129 shorter this are followed by a space that is proportonial to their
4130 duration relative to the common shortest note. So if we were to add
4131 only a few 16th notes to the example above, they would be followed by
4134 @lilypond[fragment, verbatim, relative=1]
4135 c2 c4. c8 c4. [c16 c] c4. c8 c8 c8 c4 c4 c4
4138 The most common shortest duration is determined as follows: in every
4139 measure, the shortest duration is determined. The most common short
4140 duration, is taken as the basis for the spacing, with the stipulation
4141 that this shortest duration should always be equal to or shorter than
4142 1/8th note. The shortest duration is printed when you run lilypond
4143 with @code{--verbose}. These durations may also be customized. If you
4144 set the @code{common-shortest-duration} in
4145 @internalsref{SpacingSpanner}, then this sets the base duration for
4146 spacing. The maximum duration for this base (normally 1/8th), is set
4147 through @code{base-shortest-duration}.
4149 @cindex @code{common-shortest-duration}
4150 @cindex @code{base-shortest-duration}
4151 @cindex @code{stem-spacing-correction}
4152 @cindex @code{spacing}
4154 In the introduction it was explained that stem directions influence
4155 spacing. This is controlled with @code{stem-spacing-correction} in
4156 @internalsref{NoteSpacing}. The @code{StaffSpacing} grob contains the
4157 same property for controlling the stem/barline spacing. In the
4158 following example shows these corrections, once with default settings,
4159 and once with exaggerated corrections.
4165 \property Staff.NoteSpacing \override #'stem-spacing-correction
4167 \property Staff.StaffSpacing \override #'stem-spacing-correction
4172 \paper { linewidth = -1. } }
4179 Spacing is determined on a score wide basis. If you have a score that
4180 changes its character (measured in durations) half way during the
4181 score, the part containing the longer durations will be spaced too
4184 Generating optically pleasing spacing is black magic. LilyPond tries
4185 to deal with a number of frequent cases. Here is an example that is
4186 not handled correctly, due to the combination of chord collisions and
4191 \context PianoStaff \notes \transpose c''' <
4192 \context Staff = up { s1 }
4193 \context Staff = down { [c8 c \translator Staff=up <c d> c
4194 \translator Staff=down c c c] }
4196 \paper { linewidth = -1 }
4203 @subsection Font size
4204 @cindex font size, setting
4205 @cindex staff size, setting
4206 @cindex @code{paper} file
4208 The Feta font provides musical symbols at seven different sizes.
4209 These fonts are 11 point, 13 point, 16 point, 19 pt, 20 point, 23
4210 point, and 26 point. The point size of a font is the height of the
4211 five lines in a staff when displayed in the font.
4213 Definitions for these sizes are the files @file{paperSZ.ly}, where
4214 @code{SZ} is one of 11, 13, 16, 19, 20, 23 and 26. If you include any
4215 of these files, the identifiers @code{paperEleven},
4216 @code{paperThirteen}, @code{paperSixteen}, @code{paperNineteen},
4217 @code{paperTwenty}, @code{paperTwentythree}, and @code{paperTwentysix}
4218 are defined respectively. The default @code{\paper} block is also
4219 set. These files should be imported at toplevel, i.e.
4221 \include "paper26.ly"
4225 The font definitions are generated using a Scheme function. For more
4226 details, see the file @file{scm/font.scm}.
4231 @subsection Line breaking
4234 @cindex breaking lines
4236 Line breaks are normally computed automatically. They are chosen such
4237 that it looks neither cramped nor loose, and that consecutive lines have
4240 Occasionally you might want to override the automatic breaks; you can
4241 do this by specifying @code{\break}. This will force a line break at
4242 this point. Line breaks can only occur at places where there are bar
4243 lines. If you want to have a line break where there is no bar line,
4244 you can force an invisible bar line by entering @code{\bar
4245 ""}. Similarly, @code{\noBreak} forbids a line break at a certain
4248 If you want linebreaks at regular intervals, you can use the following:
4250 < \repeat 7 unfold @{ s1 * 4 \break @}
4254 This makes the following 28 measures (assuming 4/4 time) be broken every
4258 @subsection Page layout
4261 @cindex breaking pages
4263 @cindex @code{indent}
4264 @cindex @code{linewidth}
4266 The most basic settings influencing the spacing are @code{linewidth}
4267 and @code{indent}, both set in the @code{\paper} block. They control
4268 the indentation of the first line of music, and the lengths of the
4269 lines. If @code{linewidth} set to a negative value, a single
4270 unjustified line is produced. A similar effect for scores that are
4271 longer than one line, can be produced by setting @code{raggedright} to
4272 true in the @code{\paper} block.
4276 The page layout process happens outside lilypond. Ly2dvi sets page
4277 layout instructions. Ly2dvi responds to the following variables in the
4278 @code{\paper} block. The variable @code{textheight} sets the total
4279 height of the music on each page. The spacing between systems is
4280 controlled with @code{interscoreline}, its default is 16pt.
4281 The distance between the score lines will stretch in order to fill the
4282 full page @code{interscorelinefill} is set to a positive number. In
4283 that case @code{interscoreline} specifies the minimum spacing.
4285 @cindex @code{textheight}
4286 @cindex @code{interscoreline}
4287 @cindex @code{interscorelinefill}
4289 Page breaks are normally computed by @TeX{}, so they are not under
4290 direct control of LilyPond. However, you can insert a commands into
4291 the @file{.tex} output to instruct @TeX{} where to break pages. You
4292 can insert a @code{\newpage} from within lilypond. This is done by
4293 setting the @code{between-systems-strings} on the
4294 @internalsref{NonMusicalPaperColumn} where the system is broken.
4298 @cindex @code{papersize}
4300 To change the paper size, you must first set the
4301 @code{papersize} paper variable variable. Set it to
4302 the strings @code{a4}, @code{letter}, or @code{legal}. After this
4303 specification, you must set the font as described above. If you want
4304 the default font, then use the 20 point font.
4307 \paper@{ papersize = "a4" @}
4308 \include "paper16.ly"
4311 The file @code{paper16.ly} will now include a file named @file{a4.ly}, which
4312 will set the paper variables @code{hsize} and @code{vsize} (used by
4313 Lilypond and @code{ly2dvi})
4323 LilyPond can produce MIDI output. The performance lacks lots of
4324 interesting effects, such as swing, articulation, slurring, etc., but it
4325 is good enough for proof-hearing the music you have entered. Ties,
4326 dynamics and tempo changes are interpreted.
4328 Dynamic marks, crescendi and decrescendi translate into MIDI volume
4329 levels. Dynamic marks translate to a fixed fraction of the available
4330 MIDI volume range, crescendi and decrescendi make the the volume vary
4331 linearly between their two extremities. The fractions be adjusted by
4332 overriding the @code{absolute-volume-alist} defined in
4333 @file{scm/midi.scm}.
4335 For each type of musical instrument (that MIDI supports), a volume range
4336 can be defined. This gives you basic equalizer control, which can
4337 enhance the quality of the MIDI output remarkably. You can add
4338 instruments and ranges or change the default settings by overriding the
4339 @code{instrument-equalizer-alist} defined in @file{scm/midi.scm}.
4341 Both loudness controls are combined to produce the final MIDI volume.
4347 * MIDI instrument names::
4352 @subsection MIDI block
4356 The MIDI block is analogous to the paper block, but it is somewhat
4357 simpler. The @code{\midi} block can contain:
4361 @item a @code{\tempo} definition
4362 @item context definitions
4365 Assignments in the @code{\midi} block are not allowed.
4369 @cindex context definition
4371 Context definitions follow precisely the same syntax as within the
4372 \paper block. Translation modules for sound are called performers.
4373 The contexts for MIDI output are defined in @file{ly/performer-init.ly}.
4376 @node MIDI instrument names
4377 @subsection MIDI instrument names
4379 @cindex instrument names
4380 @cindex @code{Staff.midiInstrument}
4381 @cindex @code{Staff.instrument}
4383 The MIDI instrument name is set by the @code{Staff.midiInstrument}
4384 property or, if that property is not set, the @code{Staff.instrument}
4385 property. The instrument name should be chosen from the list in
4386 @ref{MIDI instruments}.
4390 If the selected string does not exactly match, then LilyPond uses the
4391 default (Grand Piano). It is not possible to select an instrument by