1 @c -*- coding: utf-8; mode: texinfo; -*-
2 @c This file is part of lilypond.tely
4 Translation of GIT committish: FILL-IN-HEAD-COMMITTISH
6 When revising a translation, copy the HEAD committish of the
7 version that you are working on. See TRANSLATION for details.
12 - unless you have a really good reason, use either
13 @l ilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
15 @l ilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
17 Don't use any other relative=X commands (make it a non-fragment
18 example), and don't use fragment without relative=2.
19 - use "aes" and "ees" instead of "as" and "aes". I know it's not
20 correct Dutch naming, but let's not confuse people with this until
21 we get to the Basic notation chapter.
26 @c old info that will probably be removed.
28 @c * more details about running lilypond; error messages,
29 @c compiling/viewing (emacs?)
30 @c * where to go from First steps+More basics?
32 @c wherever possible, do not include index entries here; the
33 @c index should point to stuff in the reference manual. -gp
35 @c Your first LilyPond score in 10 minutes?
40 This tutorial starts with an introduction to the LilyPond music
41 language and how to produce printed music. After this first contact we
42 will explain how to create common musical notation.
45 Many people learn programs by trying and fiddling around with the
46 program. This is also possible with LilyPond. If you click on a
47 picture in the HTML version of this manual, you will see the exact
48 LilyPond input that was used to generate that image.
52 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right]
54 c-\markup { \bold \huge { Click here. } }
58 By cutting and pasting everything in the @qq{ly snippet} section, you have a
59 starting template for experiments. If you like learning in this way,
60 you will probably want to print out or bookmark the
61 @ruser{Cheat sheet}, which is a table listing of the most common
62 commands for quick reference.
67 * Single staff notation::
68 * Multiple notes at once::
77 This section gives a basic introduction to working with LilyPond.
82 * Working on text files::
83 * How to read the tutorial::
87 @node Compiling a file
88 @subsection Compiling a file
90 The first example demonstrates how to start working with LilyPond. To
91 create sheet music, we write a text file that specifies the
92 notation. For example, if we write
101 the result looks like this
103 @c in this case we don't want verbatim
104 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right]
110 @strong{Warning:} Every piece of LilyPond input needs to have @strong{@{ curly
111 braces @}} placed around the input. The braces should also be
112 surrounded by a space unless they are at the beginning or end of a
113 line to avoid ambiguities. These may be omitted in some examples in this
114 manual, but don't forget them in your own music!
116 @cindex Case sensitive
117 In addition, LilyPond input is @strong{case sensitive}. @code{ @{c d e @}}
118 is valid input; @code{@{ C D E @}} will produce an error message.
122 @subheading Entering music and viewing output
124 In this section we will explain what commands to run
125 and how to view or print the output.
127 @subsubheading MacOS X
129 If you double click @code{LilyPond.app}, it will open with an example
130 file. Save it, for example, to @file{test.ly} on your Desktop, and
131 then process it with the menu command @samp{Compile > Typeset File}.
132 The resulting PDF file will be displayed on your screen.
134 Be warned that the first time you ever run LilyPond, it will take a minute
135 or two because all of the system fonts have to be analyzed first.
137 For future use of LilyPond, you should begin by
138 selecting @q{New} or @q{Open}. You must save your file before
139 typesetting it. If any errors occur in processing, please see the log
142 @subsubheading Windows
144 On Windows, if you double-click in the LilyPond icon on the Desktop, it
145 will open a simple text editor with an example file. Save it, for
146 example, to @file{test.ly} on your Desktop and then double-click on the
147 file to process it (the file icon looks like a note). After some
148 seconds, you will get a file @file{test.pdf}
149 on your desktop. Double-click on this PDF file to view the typeset
150 score. An alternative method to process the @file{test.ly} file
151 is to drag and drop it onto the LilyPond icon using your mouse pointer.
153 To edit an existing @file{.ly} file, right-click on it and select
154 @qq{Edit source}. To get an empty file to start from, run the editor
155 as described above and use @qq{New} in the @qq{File} menu.
157 Double-clicking the file does not only result in a PDF file, but also
158 produces a @file{.log} file that contains some information on what LilyPond
159 has done to the file. If any errors occur, please examine this file.
161 Note that there are several other text editors available, with better
162 support for LilyPond, see @rprogram{Text editor support}, for more information.
166 Begin by opening a terminal window and starting a text editor. For
167 example, you could open an xterm and execute
168 @code{joe}@footnote{There are macro files for VIM addicts, and there
169 is a @code{LilyPond-mode} for Emacs addicts. If they have not been
170 installed already, refer to the file @file{INSTALL.txt}. The
171 easiest editing environment is @file{LilyPondTool}. See
172 @rprogram{Text editor support}, for more information.}. In your
173 text editor, enter the following input and save the file as
183 To process @file{test.ly}, proceed as follows
190 You will see something resembling
197 Interpreting music... [1]
198 Preprocessing graphical objects...
199 Calculating line breaks... [2]
200 Layout output to `test.ps'...
201 Converting to `test.pdf'...
205 @cindex Viewing music
208 The result is the file @file{test.pdf} which you can print or view
209 with the standard facilities of your operating system.@footnote{If
210 your system does not have any such tools installed, you can try
211 @uref{http://@/www@/.cs@/.wisc@/.edu/@/~ghost/,Ghostscript}, a freely
212 available package for viewing and printing PDF and PostScript files.}
215 @node Simple notation
216 @subsection Simple notation
218 LilyPond will add some notation elements automatically. In the next
219 example, we have only specified four pitches, but LilyPond has
220 added a clef, time signature, and rhythms.
222 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
229 This behavior may be altered, but in most cases these automatic values
235 The easiest way to enter notes is by using @code{\relative} mode. In
236 this mode, the @rglos{interval} between the previous note and the
237 current note is assumed to be within a @rglos{fourth}. We begin by
238 entering the most elementary piece of music, a @rglos{scale}.
240 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
247 The initial note is @rglos{middle C}. Each successive note
248 is within a fourth of the previous note -- in other words, the first
249 @samp{c} is the closest C to middle C. This is followed by the closest
250 D to the previous note. We can create melodies which have larger intervals:
252 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
260 As you may notice, this example does not start on middle C. The first
261 note -- the @samp{d} -- is the closest D to middle C.
263 To add intervals that are larger than a fourth, we can raise the octave
264 by adding a single quote @code{'} (or apostrophe) to the note name. We can
265 lower the octave by adding a comma @code{,} to the note name.
267 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
275 To change a note by two (or more!) octaves, we use multiple @code{''} or
276 @code{,,} -- but be careful that you use two single quotes @code{''} and
277 not one double quote @code{"}@tie{}! The initial value in
278 @code{\relative c'} may also be modified like this.
281 @subheading Durations (rhythms)
283 The @rglos{duration} of a note is specified by a number after the note
284 name. @samp{1} for a @rglos{whole note}, @samp{2} for a @rglos{half note},
285 @samp{4} for a @rglos{quarter note} and so on. Beams are added
288 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
292 a16 a a a a32 a a a a64 a a a a a a a a2
297 If you do not specify a duration, the previous duration is used
298 for the next note. The duration of the first note defaults to a quarter.
300 To create @rglos{dotted note}s, add a dot @samp{.} to the duration number.
302 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
312 A @rglos{rest} is entered just like a note with the name @samp{r}:
314 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
322 @subheading Time signature
324 The @rglos{time signature}) can be set with the @code{\time} command:
326 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
340 The @rglos{clef} can be set using the @code{\clef} command:
342 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
356 @subheading All together
358 Here is a small example showing all these elements together:
360 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
372 @item Entering pitches and durations
373 see @ruser{Pitches}, and @ruser{Durations}.
376 @item Time signatures and other timing commands
377 see @ruser{Time signature}.
384 @node Working on text files
385 @subsection Working on text files
387 LilyPond input files are similar to source files in many common programming languages.
388 They are case sensitive, and white-space is generally equivalent. Expressions are
389 formed with curly braces @{ @}, and comments are denoted with @code{%} or
392 If the previous sentence sounds like nonsense, don't worry! We'll explain
393 what all these terms mean:
397 @cindex Case sensitive
398 @item @strong{Case sensitive}:
399 it matters whether you enter a letter
400 in lower case (i.e. @code{a, b, s, t}) or upper case (i.e.
401 @code{A, B, S, T}). Notes are lower case: @code{@{ c d e @}}
402 is valid input; @code{@{ C D E @}} will produce an error message.
404 @item @strong{Whitespace insensitive}:
405 it does not matter how many
406 spaces (or new lines) you add. @code{@{ c d e @}} means the same thing
407 as @code{@{ c @tie{} @tie{} @tie{} d e @}} and
415 Of course, the previous example is hard to read. A good rule of thumb
416 is to indent code blocks with either a tab or two spaces:
423 @item @strong{Expressions:}
424 Every piece of LilyPond input needs to have
425 @strong{@{ curly braces @}} placed around the input. These braces tell
426 LilyPond that the input is a single music expression, just like
427 parenthesis @samp{()} in mathematics. The braces should
428 be surrounded by a space unless they are at the beginning or end of a
429 line to avoid ambiguities.
431 A function (such as @code{\relative @{ @}}) also counts as a single
436 @cindex block comment
437 @item @strong{Comments}:
438 A comment is a remark for the human reader of the music input; it is
439 ignored while parsing, so it has no effect on the printed output.
440 There are two types of comments. The percent symbol @samp{%}
441 introduces a line comment; anything after @samp{%} on that line is
442 ignored. A block comment marks a whole section of music
443 input as a comment. Anything that is enclosed in @code{%@{} and @code{%@}} is
444 ignored. (Comments do not nest.) The following fragment shows possible uses for comments
447 % notes for twinkle twinkle follow
451 This line, and the notes below
452 are ignored, since they are in a
461 There are more tips for constructing input files in
462 @ruser{Suggestions for writing LilyPond files}.
465 @node How to read the tutorial
466 @subsection How to read the tutorial
468 As we saw in @ruser{Working on text files}, LilyPond input must be
469 surrounded by @{ @} marks or a @code{\relative c'' @{ ... @}}. For the
470 rest of this manual, most examples will omit this.
472 If you are reading the HTML documentation and wish to see the exact
473 exact LilyPond code that was used to create the example, simply click
474 on the picture. If you are not reading the HTML version, you could
475 copy and paste the displayed input, but you @strong{must} add the
476 @code{\relative c'' @{ @}} like this:
480 ... example goes here...
484 Why omit the braces? Most examples
485 in this manual can be inserted into the middle of a longer piece of
486 music. For these examples, it does not make sense to add
487 @code{\relative c'' @{ @}} -- you should not place a @code{\relative}
488 inside another @code{\relative}, so you would not be able to copy
489 a small documentation example and paste it inside a longer piece
493 @node Single staff notation
494 @section Single staff notation
496 This section introduces common notation that is used for one voice
500 * Relative note names::
501 * Accidentals and key signatures::
503 * Articulation and dynamics::
504 * Automatic and manual beams::
505 * Advanced rhythmic commands::
509 @node Relative note names
510 @subsection Relative note names
512 As we saw in @ruser{Simple notation}, LilyPond calculates the pitch of
513 each note relative to the previous one@footnote{There is another mode of
514 entering pitches, @ruser{Absolute note names}, but in practice relative
515 mode is much easier and safer to use.}. If no extra octave marks
516 (@code{'} and @code{,}) are added, it assumes that each pitch is within
517 a fourth of the previous note.
519 LilyPond examines pitches based on the note names -- in other words,
520 an augmented fourth is @emph{not} the same as a diminished fifth. If we
521 begin at a C, then an F-sharp will be placed a higher than the C, while
522 a G-flat will be placed lower than the C.
524 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
532 @item Relative octaves
533 see @ruser{Relative octaves}.
535 see @ruser{Octave check}.
541 @node Accidentals and key signatures
542 @subsection Accidentals and key signatures
544 @subheading Accidentals
546 A @rglos{sharp} pitch is made by adding @samp{is} to
547 the name, and a @rglos{flat} pitch by adding @samp{es}. As
548 you might expect, a @rglos{double sharp} or @rglos{double flat} is
549 made by adding @samp{isis} or @samp{eses}@footnote{This syntax
550 derived from note naming conventions in Nordic and Germanic languages,
551 like German and Dutch. To use other names for accidentals, see
552 @ruser{Note names in other languages}.}
554 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
555 cis1 ees fisis, aeses
558 @cindex key signature, setting
559 @subheading Key signatures
561 The key signature is set with the command @code{\key} followed by
562 a pitch and @code{\major} or @code{\minor}.
564 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
573 @subheading Warning: key signatures and pitches
575 To determine whether to print an accidental, LilyPond examines the
576 pitches and the key signature. The key signature only affects
577 the @emph{printed} accidentals, not the actual pitches! This is a
578 feature that often causes confusion to newcomers, so let us explain it
581 LilyPond makes a sharp distinction between musical content and
582 layout. The alteration (flat, natural or sharp) of a note is part of
583 the pitch, and is therefore musical content. Whether an accidental (a
584 @emph{printed} flat, natural or sharp sign) is printed in front of the
585 corresponding note is a question of layout. Layout is something that
586 follows rules, so accidentals are printed automatically according to
587 those rules. The pitches in your music are works of art, so they will
588 not be added automatically, and you must enter what you want to hear.
592 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
598 No note has a printed accidental, but you must still add the @samp{is} to
599 @code{cis} and @code{fis}.
601 The code @samp{e} does not mean @qq{print a black dot just below the
602 first line of the staff.} Rather, it means: @qq{there is a note with
603 pitch E-natural.} In the key of A-flat major, it @emph{does} get an
606 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
611 Adding all alterations explicitly might require a little more effort
612 when typing, but the advantage is that transposing is easier, and
613 accidentals can be printed according to different conventions. See
614 @ruser{Automatic accidentals}, for some examples how accidentals can be printed
615 according to different rules.
621 see @ruser{Accidentals}, and @ruser{Automatic accidentals}.
623 see @ruser{Key signature}.
629 @subsection Ties and slurs
633 A @rglos{tie} is created by appending a tilde @samp{~} to the first
636 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
644 A @rglos{slur} is a curve drawn across many notes. The starting note
645 and ending note are marked with @samp{(} and @samp{)} respectively.
647 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
648 d4( c16) cis( d e c cis d) e( d4)
651 @cindex slurs, phrasing
652 @cindex phrasing slurs
653 @subheading Phrasing slurs
655 Slurs to indicate longer phrasing can be entered with @code{\(} and
656 @code{\)}. You can have both legato slurs and phrasing slurs at the
657 same time, but you cannot have simultaneous slurs or simultaneous
660 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
661 a8(\( ais b c) cis2 b'2 a4 cis,\)
666 @cindex slurs versus ties
667 @subheading Warnings: slurs vs. ties
669 A slur looks like a @rglos{tie}, but it has a different meaning. A
670 tie simply makes the first note longer, and can only be used on
671 pairs of notes with the same pitch. Slurs indicate the articulations
672 of notes, and can be used on larger groups of notes. Slurs and ties
675 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
676 c2~( c8 fis fis4 ~ fis2 g2)
687 see @ruser{Phrasing slurs}.
692 @node Articulation and dynamics
693 @subsection Articulation and dynamics
698 @subheading Articulations
700 Common @rglos{articulation}s can be added to a note using a dash @samp{-}
701 and a single character:
703 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
704 c-. c-- c-> c-^ c-+ c-_
708 @subheading Fingerings
709 Similarly, fingering indications can be added to a note using a dash
710 (@samp{-}) and the digit to be printed:
712 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
716 Articulations and fingerings are usually placed automatically, but you
717 can specify a direction using @samp{^} (up) or @samp{_} (down). You can
718 also use multiple articulations on the same note. However, in most cases
719 it is best to let LilyPond determine the articulation directions.
721 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
722 c_-^1 d^. f^4_2-> e^-_+
726 Dynamic signs are made by adding the markings (with a backslash) to
729 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
737 Crescendi and decrescendi are started with the commands @code{\<} and
738 @code{\>}. An ending dynamic, for example @code{\f}, will finish the
739 (de)crescendo, or the command @code{\!} can be used
741 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
749 see @ruser{Articulations}.
751 see @ruser{Fingering instructions}.
753 see @ruser{Dynamics}.
758 @node Automatic and manual beams
759 @subsection Automatic and manual beams
761 @cindex beams, by hand
762 All @rglos{beam}s are drawn automatically:
764 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
765 a8 ais d ees r d c16 b a8
769 If you do not like the automatic beams, they may be overridden
770 manually. Mark the first note to be beamed with @samp{[} and the last one
773 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
774 a8[ ais] d[ ees r d] a b
780 @item Automatic beams
781 see @ruser{Automatic beams}.
783 see @ruser{Manual beams}.
788 @node Advanced rhythmic commands
789 @subsection Advanced rhythmic commands
793 @cindex partial measure
794 @subheading Partial measure
796 A pickup (or @rglos{anacrusis}) is entered with the keyword
797 @code{\partial}. It is followed by a duration: @code{\partial 4} is
798 a quarter note pickup and @code{\partial 8} an eighth note.
800 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
809 Tuplets are made with the @code{\times} keyword. It takes two
810 arguments: a fraction and a piece of music. The duration of the piece
811 of music is multiplied by the fraction. Triplets make notes occupy
812 2/3 of their notated duration, so a triplet has 2/3 as its fraction
814 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
815 \times 2/3 { f8 g a }
817 \times 2/3 { f,8 g16[ a g a] }
824 @subheading Grace notes
826 Grace notes are created with the @code{\grace} command, although they
827 can also be created by prefixing a music expression with the
828 keyword @code{\appoggiatura} or @code{\acciaccatura}
830 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
831 c2 \grace { a32[ b] } c2
832 c2 \appoggiatura b16 c2
833 c2 \acciaccatura b16 c2
840 see @ruser{Grace notes},
844 see @ruser{Partial measures}.
849 @node Multiple notes at once
850 @section Multiple notes at once
852 This section introduces having more than one note at the same time:
853 multiple instruments, multiple staves for a single instrument (i.e. piano),
856 Polyphony in music refers to having more than one voice occurring in
857 a piece of music. Polyphony in LilyPond refers to having more than
858 one voice on the same staff.
861 * Music expressions explained::
864 * Combining notes into chords::
865 * Single staff polyphony::
869 @node Music expressions explained
870 @subsection Music expressions explained
872 In LilyPond input files, music is represented by @emph{music
873 expressions}. A single note is a music expression, although it is not
874 valid input all on its own.
876 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
880 Enclosing a group of notes in braces creates a new music expression:
882 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
886 Putting a group of music expressions (e.g. notes) in braces means that
887 they are in sequence (i.e. each one follows the previous one). The result
888 is another music expression:
890 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
894 @subheading Simultaneous music expressions: multiple staves
896 This technique is useful for polyphonic music. To enter music
897 with more voices or more staves, we combine expressions in
898 parallel. To indicate that two voices should play at the same time,
899 simply enter a simultaneous combination of music expressions. A
900 @q{simultaneous} music expression is formed by enclosing expressions inside
901 @code{<<} and @code{>>}. In the following example, three sequences (all
902 containing two separate notes) are combined simultaneously:
904 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
914 Note that we have indented each level of the input with a different
915 amount of space. LilyPond does not care how much (or little) space there
916 is at the beginning of a line, but indenting LilyPond code like this makes
917 it much easier for humans to read.
919 @strong{Warning}: each note is relative to the
920 previous note in the input, not relative to the @code{c''} in the
921 initial @code{\relative} command.
924 @subheading Simultaneous music expressions: single staff
926 To determine the number of staves in a piece, LilyPond looks at the first
927 expression. If it is a single note, there is one staff; if there is a
928 simultaneous expression, there is more than one staff.
930 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
933 << { e f } { c <<b d>> } >>
938 @cindex music expression
939 @subheading Analogy: mathematical expressions
941 This mechanism is similar to mathematical
942 formulas: a big formula is created by composing small formulas. Such
943 formulas are called expressions, and their definition is recursive so
944 you can make arbitrarily complex and large expressions. For example,
953 ((1 + 2) * 3) / (4 * 5)
956 This is a sequence of expressions, where each expression is contained
957 in the next (larger) one. The simplest expressions are numbers, and larger
958 ones are made by combining expressions with operators (like @samp{+},
959 @samp{*} and @samp{/}) and parentheses. Like mathematical expressions,
960 music expressions can be nested arbitrarily deep, which is necessary
961 for complex music like polyphonic scores.
964 @node Multiple staves
965 @subsection Multiple staves
967 As we saw in @ruser{Music expressions explained}, LilyPond input files
968 are constructed out of music expressions. If the score begins with
969 simultaneous music expressions, LilyPond creates multiples staves. However,
970 it is easier to see what happens if we create each staff explicitly.
972 To print more than one staff, each piece of music that makes up a
973 staff is marked by adding @code{\new Staff} before it. These
974 @code{Staff} elements are then combined in parallel with @code{<<} and
977 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
980 \new Staff { \clef treble c }
981 \new Staff { \clef bass c,, }
986 The command @code{\new} introduces a @q{notation context.} A notation
987 context is an environment in which musical events (like notes or
988 @code{\clef} commands) are interpreted. For simple pieces, such
989 notation contexts are created automatically. For more complex pieces, it
990 is best to mark contexts explicitly.
992 There are several types of contexts. @code{Score}, @code{Staff},
993 and @code{Voice} handle melodic notation, while @code{Lyrics} sets lyric
994 texts and @code{ChordNames} prints chord names.
996 In terms of syntax, prepending @code{\new} to a music expression
997 creates a bigger music expression. In this way it resembles the minus
998 sign in mathematics. The formula @math{(4+5)} is an expression, so
999 @math{-(4+5)} is a bigger expression.
1001 Time signatures entered in one staff affects all other
1002 staves@footnote{This behavior may be changed if desired; see
1003 @ruser{Polymetric notation}, for details.}. On the other hand,
1004 the key signature of one staff does @emph{not} affect other
1007 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
1010 \new Staff { \clef treble \time 3/4 c }
1011 \new Staff { \clef bass \key d \major c,, }
1020 @subsection Piano staves
1022 @cindex staff switch, manual
1023 @cindex cross staff voice, manual
1024 Piano music is typeset in two staves connected by a brace. Printing
1025 such a staff is similar to the polyphonic example in @ruser{Multiple staves},
1026 but now this entire expression is inserted inside a @code{PianoStaff}:
1035 Here is a small example
1037 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
1040 \new Staff { \time 2/4 c4 e g g, }
1041 \new Staff { \clef bass c,, c' e c }
1048 See @ruser{Piano music}.
1052 @node Combining notes into chords
1053 @subsection Combining notes into chords
1056 Chords can be made by surrounding pitches with single angle brackets. Angle
1057 brackets are the symbols @samp{<} and @samp{>}.
1059 @lilypond[quote,fragment,verbatim,relative=2,fragment]
1060 r4 <c e g>4 <c f a>2
1063 You can combine markings like beams and ties with chords. They must
1064 be placed outside the angle brackets
1066 @lilypond[quote,fragment,verbatim,relative=2,fragment]
1067 r4 <c e g>8[ <c f a>]~ <c f a>2
1070 @lilypond[quote,fragment,verbatim,relative=2,fragment]
1071 r4 <c e g>8\>( <c e g> <c e g>4 <c f a>\!)
1075 @node Single staff polyphony
1076 @subsection Single staff polyphony
1079 @cindex multiple voices
1080 @cindex voices, more -- on a staff
1081 When different melodic lines are combined on a single staff they are
1082 printed as polyphonic voices; each voice has its own stems, slurs and
1083 beams, and the top voice has the stems up, while the bottom voice has
1086 Entering such parts is done by entering each voice as a sequence (with
1087 @code{@{...@}}) and combining these simultaneously, separating the
1088 voices with @code{\\}
1090 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
1097 For polyphonic music typesetting, spacer rests can also be convenient;
1098 these are rests that do not print. They are useful for filling up
1099 voices that temporarily do not play. Here is the same example with a
1100 spacer rest (@samp{s}) instead of a normal rest (@samp{r}),
1102 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
1110 Again, these expressions can be nested arbitrarily.
1112 @lilypond[quote,fragment,verbatim,relative=2,fragment]
1120 { <c g>1 ~ <c g>4 } \\
1128 See @ruser{Basic polyphony}.
1135 This section introduces vocal music and simple song sheets.
1143 @node Printing lyrics
1144 @subsection Printing lyrics
1148 Consider a simple melody:
1150 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
1157 The lyrics can be set to these notes, combining both with the
1158 @code{\addlyrics} keyword. Lyrics are entered by separating each
1159 syllable with a space.
1161 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
1167 \addlyrics { One day this shall be free }
1172 @cindex extender line
1173 This melody ends on a @rglos{melisma}, a single syllable (@q{free})
1174 sung to more than one note. This is indicated with an @emph{extender
1175 line}. It is entered as two underscores @code{__}:
1177 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
1183 \addlyrics { One day this shall be free __ }
1187 Similarly, hyphens between words can be entered as two dashes,
1188 resulting in a centered hyphen between two syllables
1190 @c no ragged-right here because otherwise the hypens get lost.
1191 @lilypond[quote,verbatim]
1197 \addlyrics { A -- le -- gri -- a }
1203 More options, such as putting multiple stanzas below a melody, are
1204 discussed in @ruser{Vocal music}.
1209 @subsection A lead sheet
1215 In popular music it is common to denote accompaniment with chord names.
1216 Such chords can be entered like notes,
1218 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
1219 \chordmode { c2 f4. g8 }
1222 Now each pitch is read as the root of a chord instead of a note.
1223 This mode is switched on with @code{\chordmode}. Other chords can be
1224 created by adding modifiers after a colon. The
1225 following example shows a few common modifiers:
1227 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
1228 \chordmode { c2 f4:m g4:maj7 gis1:dim7 }
1231 For lead sheets, chords are not printed on staves, but as names on a
1232 line for themselves. This is achieved by using @code{\chords} instead
1233 of @code{\chordmode}. This uses the same syntax as @code{\chordmode},
1234 but renders the notes in a @code{ChordNames} context, with the
1237 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
1238 \chords { c2 f4.:m g4.:maj7 gis8:dim7 }
1242 When put together, chord names, lyrics and a melody form
1245 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
1247 \chords { c2 g:sus4 f e }
1252 \addlyrics { One day this shall be free __ }
1259 A complete list of modifiers and other options for layout can be found
1265 @section Final touches
1267 This is the final section of the tutorial; it demonstrates how to add the
1268 final touches to simple pieces, and provides an introduction to the rest
1274 * Absolute note names::
1275 * Organizing pieces with identifiers::
1276 * After the tutorial::
1277 * How to read the manual::
1281 @node Version number
1282 @subsection Version number
1285 The @code{\version} statement records the version of LilyPond that was
1286 used to write the file:
1293 by convention, this is placed at the top of your LilyPond file.
1295 These annotations make future upgrades of LilyPond go more smoothly.
1296 Changes in the syntax are handled with a special program,
1297 @file{convert-ly} (see @rprogram{Updating files with convert-ly}), and
1298 it uses @code{\version} to determine what rules to apply.
1302 @subsection Adding titles
1304 The title, composer, opus number, and similar information are entered
1305 in the @code{\header} block. This exists outside of the main
1306 music expression; the @code{\header} block is usually placed underneath
1307 the @ruser{Version number}.
1318 @dots{} music @dots{}
1322 When the file is processed, the title and composer are printed above
1323 the music. More information on titling can be found in @ruser{Creating
1327 @node Absolute note names
1328 @subsection Absolute note names
1330 So far we have always used @code{\relative} to define pitches. This is
1331 the easiest way to enter most music, but another way of defining pitches
1332 exists: absolute mode.
1334 If you omit the @code{\relative}, LilyPond treats all pitches as
1335 absolute values. A @code{c'} will always mean middle C, a @code{b} will
1336 always mean the note one step below middle C, and a @code{g,} will
1337 always mean the note on the bottom staff of the bass clef.
1339 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
1347 Here is a four-octave scale:
1349 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
1364 As you can see, writing a melody in the treble clef involves a lot of
1365 quote ' marks. Consider this fragment from Mozart:
1367 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
1371 cis''8. d''16 cis''8 e''4 e''8
1372 b'8. cis''16 b'8 d''4 d''8
1376 All these quotes makes the input less readable and it is a source of
1377 errors. With @code{\relative}, the previous example is much easier
1380 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
1384 cis8. d16 cis8 e4 e8
1389 If you make a mistake with an octave mark (@code{'} or @code{,}) while
1390 working in @code{\relative} mode, it is very obvious -- many notes will
1391 be in the wrong octave. When working in absolute mode, a single mistake
1392 will not be as visible, and will not be as easy to find.
1394 However, absolute mode is useful for music which has large intervals, and
1395 is extremely useful for computer-generated LilyPond files.
1398 @node Organizing pieces with identifiers
1399 @subsection Organizing pieces with identifiers
1401 When all of the elements discussed earlier are combined to produce
1402 larger files, the music expressions get a lot bigger. In polyphonic
1403 music with many staves, the input files can become very confusing. We can
1404 reduce this confusion by using @emph{identifiers}.
1406 With identifiers (also known as variables or macros), we can break up
1407 complex music expressions. An identifier is assigned as follows
1410 namedMusic = @{ @dots{} @}
1413 The contents of the music expression @code{namedMusic} can be used
1414 later by placing a backslash in front of the name
1415 (@code{\namedMusic}, just like a normal LilyPond command). Identifiers
1416 must be defined @emph{before} the main music expression.
1418 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
1419 violin = \new Staff { \relative c'' {
1422 cello = \new Staff { \relative c {
1435 The name of an identifier must have alphabetic characters only: no
1436 numbers, underscores, or dashes.
1438 It is possible to use variables for many other types of objects in the
1444 aFivePaper = \paper @{ paperheight = 21.0 \cm @}
1447 Depending on its contents, the identifier can be used in different
1448 places. The following example uses the above variables:
1459 @node After the tutorial
1460 @subsection After the tutorial
1462 After finishing the tutorial, you should probably try writing a
1463 piece or two. Start with one of the @ruser{Templates}, and
1464 add notes. If you need any notation that was not covered in the
1465 tutorial, look at the Notation Reference, starting with
1466 @ruser{Basic notation}. If you want to write for an instrument
1467 ensemble that is not covered in the templates,
1468 take a look at @ruser{Extending the templates}.
1470 Once you have written a few short pieces, read the rest of
1471 the Learning Manual (chapters 3-5). There's nothing wrong
1472 with reading it now, of course! However, the rest of the
1473 Learning Manual assumes that you are familiar with
1474 LilyPond input. You may wish to skim these chapters right
1475 now, and come back to them after you have more experience.
1478 @node How to read the manual
1479 @subsection How to read the manual
1481 As we saw in @ruser{How to read the tutorial}, many examples in the
1482 tutorial omitted a @code{\relative c'' @{ ... @}} around the printed
1485 In the rest of the manual, we are much more lax about the
1486 printed examples: sometimes they may have omitted a
1487 @code{\relative c'' @{ ... @}}, but other times a different initial
1488 pitch may be used (such as @code{c'} or @code{c,,}), and in some cases
1489 the whole example is in absolute note mode! However, ambiguities like
1490 this only exist where the pitches are not important. In any example
1491 where the pitch matters, we have explicitly stated @code{\relative}
1492 or absolute-mode @code{@{ @}}.
1494 If you are still confused about the exact LilyPond input that was
1495 used in an example, read the HTML version (if you are not already doing
1496 so) and click on the picture of the music. This will display the exact
1497 input that LilyPond used to generate this manual.
1499 For information about the structure of the rest of the manual, see
1500 @ruser{About this manual}.