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 @ref{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 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 selecting @q{New}
138 or "@q{Open}. You must save your file before typesetting it. If any errors
139 occur in processing, please see the log window.
141 @subsubheading Windows
143 On Windows, start up a text-editor@footnote{Any simple or
144 programmer-oriented editor with UTF-8 support will do, for example
145 Notepad. Do not use a word processor, since these insert formatting
146 codes that will confuse LilyPond.} and enter
154 Save it on the desktop as @file{test.ly} and make sure that it is not
155 called @file{test.ly.TXT}. Double clicking @file{test.ly} will process
156 the file and show the resulting PDF file. To edit an existing
157 @file{.ly} file, right-click on it and select @qq{Edit source}.
159 If you double-click in the LilyPond icon on the Desktop, it will open
160 a simple text editor with an example file. Save it, for example, to
161 @file{test.ly} on your Desktop, and then double-click on the file to
162 process it. After some seconds, you will get a file @file{test.pdf}
163 on your desktop. Double-click on this PDF file to view the typeset
164 score. An alternative method to process the @file{test.ly} file
165 is to drag and drop it onto the LilyPond icon using your mouse pointer.
167 Double-clicking the file does not only result in a PDF file, but also
168 produces a @file{.log} file that contains some information on what LilyPond
169 has done to the file. If any errors occur, please examine this file.
174 Begin by opening a terminal window and starting a text editor. For
175 example, you could open an xterm and execute
176 @code{joe}@footnote{There are macro files for VIM addicts, and there
177 is a @code{LilyPond-mode} for Emacs addicts. If they have not been
178 installed already, refer to the file @file{INSTALL.txt}. The
179 easiest editing environment is @file{LilyPondTool}. See
180 @ref{Editor support} for more information.}. In your
181 text editor, enter the following input and save the file as
191 To process @file{test.ly}, proceed as follows
198 You will see something resembling
205 Interpreting music... [1]
206 Preprocessing graphical objects...
207 Calculating line breaks... [2]
208 Layout output to `test.ps'...
209 Converting to `test.pdf'...
213 @cindex Viewing music
216 The result is the file @file{test.pdf} which you can print or view
217 with the standard facilities of your operating system.@footnote{If
218 your system does not have any such tools installed, you can try
219 @uref{http://@/www@/.cs@/.wisc@/.edu/@/~ghost/,Ghostscript}, a freely
220 available package for viewing and printing PDF and PostScript files.}
223 @node Simple notation
224 @subsection Simple notation
226 LilyPond will add some notation elements automatically. In the next
227 example, we have only specified four pitches, but LilyPond has
228 added a clef, time signature, and rhythms.
230 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
237 This behavior may be altered, but in most cases these automatic values
243 The easiest way to enter notes is by using @code{\relative} mode. In
244 this mode, the @rglos{interval} between the previous note and the
245 current note is assumed to be within a @rglos{fourth}. We begin by
246 entering the most elementary piece of music, a @rglos{scale}.
248 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
255 The initial note is @rglos{middle C}. Each successive note
256 is within a fourth of the previous note -- in other words, the first
257 @samp{c} is the closest C to middle C. This is followed by the closest
258 D to the previous note. We can create melodies which have larger intervals:
260 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
268 As you may notice, this example does not start on middle C. The first
269 note -- the @samp{d} -- is the closest D to middle C.
271 To add intervals that are larger than a fourth, we can raise the octave
272 by adding a single quote @code{'} (or apostrophe) to the note name. We can
273 lower the octave by adding a comma @code{,} to the note name.
275 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
283 To change a note by two (or more!) octaves, we use multiple @code{''} or
284 @code{,,} -- but be careful that you use two single quotes @code{''} and
285 not one double quote @code{"}@tie{}! The initial value in
286 @code{\relative c'} may also be modified like this.
289 @subheading Durations (rhythms)
291 The @rglos{duration} of a note is specified by a number after the note
292 name. @samp{1} for a @rglos{whole note}, @samp{2} for a @rglos{half note},
293 @samp{4} for a @rglos{quarter note} and so on. Beams are added
296 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
300 a16 a a a a32 a a a a64 a a a a a a a a2
305 If you do not specify a duration, the previous duration is used
306 for the next note. The duration of the first note defaults to a quarter.
308 To create @rglos{dotted notes}, add a dot @samp{.} to the duration number.
310 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
320 A @rglos{rest} is entered just like a note with the name @samp{r}:
322 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
330 @subheading Time signature
332 The @rglos{time signature}) can be set with the @code{\time} command:
334 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
348 The @rglos{clef} can be set using the @code{\clef} command:
350 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
364 @subheading All together
366 Here is a small example showing all these elements together:
368 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
380 @item Entering pitches and durations
381 see @ref{Pitches} and @ref{Durations}.
384 @item Time signatures and other timing commands
385 see @ref{Time signature}.
392 @node Working on text files
393 @subsection Working on text files
395 LilyPond input files are treated like files in most programming languages:
396 they are case sensitive, white-space insensitive, expressions are
397 formed with curly braces @{ @}, and comments are denoted with @code{%} or
400 If the previous sentence sounds like nonsense, don't worry! We'll explain
401 what all these terms mean:
405 @cindex Case sensitive
406 @item @strong{Case sensitive}:
407 it matters whether you enter a letter
408 in lower case (i.e. @code{a, b, s, t}) or upper case (i.e.
409 @code{A, B, S, T}). Notes are lower case: @code{ @{ c d e @} }
410 is valid input; @code{ @{ C D E @} } will produce an error message.
412 @item @strong{Whitespace insensitive}:
413 it does not matter how many
414 spaces (or new lines) you add. @code{ @{ c d e @}} means the same thing
415 as @code{ @{ c @ @ @ @ @ d e @} } and
423 Of course, the previous example is hard to read. A good rule of thumb
424 is to indent code blocks with either a tab or two spaces:
431 @item @strong{Expressions:}
432 Every piece of LilyPond input needs to have
433 @strong{@{ curly braces @}} placed around the input. These braces tell
434 LilyPond that the input is a single music expression, just like
435 parenthesis @samp{()} in mathematics. The braces should
436 be surrounded by a space unless they are at the beginning or end of a
437 line to avoid ambiguities.
439 A function (such as @code{\relative @{ @}} ) also counts as a single
444 @cindex block comment
445 @item @strong{Comments}:
446 A comment is a remark for the human reader of the music input; it is
447 ignored while parsing, so it has no effect on the printed output.
448 There are two types of comments. The percent symbol @samp{%}
449 introduces a line comment; anything after @samp{%} on that line is
450 ignored. A block comment marks a whole section of music
451 input as a comment. Anything that is enclosed in @code{%@{} and @code{%@}} is
452 ignored. The following fragment shows possible uses for comments
455 % notes for twinkle twinkle follow
459 This line, and the notes below
460 are ignored, since they are in a
469 There are more tips for constructing input files in
470 @ref{Suggestions for writing LilyPond files}.
473 @node How to read the tutorial
474 @subsection How to read the tutorial
476 As we saw in @ref{Working on text files}, LilyPond input must be
477 surrounded by @{ @} marks or a @code{\relative c'' @{ ... @}}. For the
478 rest of this manual, most examples will omit this.
480 If you are reading the HTML documentation and wish to see the exact
481 exact LilyPond code that was used to create the example, simply click
482 on the picture. If you are not reading the HTML version, you could
483 copy and paste the displayed input, but you @strong{must} add the
484 @code{\relative c'' @{ @}} like this:
488 ... example goes here...
492 Why omit the braces? Most examples
493 in this manual can be inserted into the middle of a longer piece of
494 music. For these examples, it does not make sense to add
495 @code{\relative c'' @{ @}} -- you should not place a @code{\relative}
496 inside another @code{\relative}, so you would not be able to copy
497 a small documentation example and paste it inside a longer piece
501 @node Single staff notation
502 @section Single staff notation
504 This section introduces common notation that is used for one voice
508 * Relative note names::
509 * Accidentals and key signatures::
511 * Articulation and dynamics::
512 * Automatic and manual beams::
513 * Advanced rhythmic commands::
517 @node Relative note names
518 @subsection Relative note names
520 As we saw in @ref{Simple notation}, LilyPond calculates the pitch of
521 each note relative to the previous one@footnote{There is another mode of
522 entering pitches, @ref{Absolute note names}, but in practice relative
523 mode is much easier and safer to use.}. If no extra octave marks
524 (@code{'} and @code{,}) are added, it assumes that each pitch is within
525 a fourth of the previous note.
527 LilyPond examines pitches based on the note names -- in other words,
528 an augmented fourth is @emph{not} the same as a diminished fifth. If we
529 begin at a C, then an F-sharp will be placed a higher than the C, while
530 a G-flat will be placed lower than the C.
532 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
540 @item Relative octaves
541 see @ref{Relative octaves}.
543 see @ref{Octave check}.
549 @node Accidentals and key signatures
550 @subsection Accidentals and key signatures
552 @subheading Accidentals
554 A @rglos{sharp} pitch is made by adding @samp{is} to
555 the name, and a @rglos{flat} pitch by adding @samp{es}. As
556 you might expect, a @rglos{double sharp} or @rglos{double flat} is
557 made by adding @samp{isis} or @samp{eses}@footnote{This syntax
558 derived from note naming conventions in Nordic and Germanic languages,
559 like German and Dutch. To use other names for accidentals, see
560 @ref{Note names in other languages}.}
562 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
563 cis1 ees fisis, aeses
566 @cindex key signature, setting
567 @subheading Key signatures
569 The key signature is set with the command @code{\key} followed by
570 a pitch and @code{\major} or @code{\minor}.
572 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
581 @subheading Warning: key signatures and pitches
583 To determine whether to print an accidental, LilyPond examines the
584 pitches and the key signature. The key signature only effects
585 the @emph{printed} accidentals, not the actual pitches! This is a
586 feature that often causes confusion to newcomers, so let us explain it
589 LilyPond makes a sharp distinction between musical content and
590 layout. The alteration (flat, natural or sharp) of a note is part of
591 the pitch, and is therefore musical content. Whether an accidental (a
592 @emph{printed} flat, natural or sharp sign) is printed in front of the
593 corresponding note is a question of layout. Layout is something that
594 follows rules, so accidentals are printed automatically according to
595 those rules. The pitches in your music are works of art, so they will
596 not be added automatically, and you must enter what you want to hear.
600 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
606 No note has a printed accidental, but you must still add the @samp{is} to
607 @code{cis} and @code{fis}.
609 The code @samp{e} does not mean @qq{print a black dot just below the
610 first line of the staff.} Rather, it means: @qq{there is a note with
611 pitch E-natural.} In the key of A-flat major, it @emph{does} get an
614 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
619 Adding all alterations explicitly might require a little more effort
620 when typing, but the advantage is that transposing is easier, and
621 accidentals can be printed according to different conventions. See
622 @ref{Automatic accidentals} for some examples how accidentals can be printed
623 according to different rules.
629 see @ref{Accidentals} and @ref{Automatic accidentals}.
631 see @ref{Key signature}.
637 @subsection Ties and slurs
641 A @rglos{tie} is created by appending a tilde @samp{~} to the first
644 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
652 A @rglos{slur} is a curve drawn across many notes. The starting note
653 and ending note are marked with @samp{(} and @samp{)} respectively.
655 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
656 d4( c16) cis( d e c cis d) e( d4)
659 @cindex slurs, phrasing
660 @cindex phrasing slurs
661 @subheading Phrasing slurs
663 @cindex phrasing slurs
664 Slurs to indicate longer phrasing can be entered with @code{\(} and
665 @code{\)}. You can have both legato slurs and phrasing slurs at the
666 same time, but you cannot have simultaneous slurs or simultaneous
669 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
670 a8(\( ais b c) cis2 b'2 a4 cis,\)
675 @cindex slurs versus ties
676 @subheading Warnings: slurs vs. ties
678 A slur looks like a @rglos{tie}, but it has a different meaning. A
679 tie simply makes the first note longer, and can only be used on
680 pairs of notes with the same pitch. Slurs indicate the articulations
681 of notes, and can be used on larger groups of notes. Slurs and ties
684 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
685 c2~( c8 fis fis4 ~ fis2 g2)
696 see @ref{Phrasing slurs}.
701 @node Articulation and dynamics
702 @subsection Articulation and dynamics
707 @subheading Articulations
709 Common @rglos{articulations} can be added to a note using a dash @samp{-}
710 and a single character:
712 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
713 c-. c-- c-> c-^ c-+ c-_
717 @subheading Fingerings
718 Similarly, fingering indications can be added to a note using a dash
719 (@samp{-}) and the digit to be printed:
721 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
725 Articulations and fingerings are usually placed automatically, but you
726 can specify a direction using @samp{^} (up) or @samp{_} (down). You can
727 also use multiple articulations on the same note. However, in most cases
728 it is best to let LilyPond determine the articulation directions.
730 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
731 c_-^1 d^. f^4_2-> e^-_+
735 Dynamic signs are made by adding the markings (with a backslash) to
738 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
746 Crescendi and decrescendi are started with the commands @code{\<} and
747 @code{\>}. An ending dynamic, for example @code{\f}, will finish the
748 (de)crescendo, or the command @code{\!} can be used
750 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
758 see @ref{Articulations}.
760 see @ref{Fingering instructions}.
767 @node Automatic and manual beams
768 @subsection Automatic and manual beams
770 @cindex beams, by hand
771 All @rglos{beam}s are drawn automatically:
773 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
774 a8 ais d ees r d c16 b a8
778 If you do not like the automatic beams, they may be overridden
779 manually. Mark the first note to be beamed with @samp{[} and the last one
782 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
783 a8[ ais] d[ ees r d] a b
789 @item Automatic beams
790 see @ref{Automatic beams}.
792 see @ref{Manual beams}.
797 @node Advanced rhythmic commands
798 @subsection Advanced rhythmic commands
802 @cindex partial measure
803 @subheading Partial measure
805 A pickup (or @rglos{anacrusis}) is entered with the keyword
806 @code{\partial}. It is followed by a duration: @code{\partial 4} is
807 a quarter note pickup and @code{\partial 8} an eighth note.
809 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
818 Tuplets are made with the @code{\times} keyword. It takes two
819 arguments: a fraction and a piece of music. The duration of the piece
820 of music is multiplied by the fraction. Triplets make notes occupy
821 2/3 of their notated duration, so a triplet has 2/3 as its fraction
823 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
824 \times 2/3 { f8 g a }
826 \times 2/3 { f,8 g16[ a g a] }
833 @subheading Grace notes
835 Grace notes are created with the @code{\grace} command, although they
836 can also be created by prefixing a music expression with the
837 keyword @code{\appoggiatura} or @code{\acciaccatura}
839 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
840 c2 \grace { a32[ b] } c2
841 c2 \appoggiatura b16 c2
842 c2 \acciaccatura b16 c2
849 see @ref{Grace notes},
853 see @ref{Partial measures}.
858 @node Multiple notes at once
859 @section Multiple notes at once
861 This section introduces having more than one note at the same time:
862 multiple instruments, multiple staves for a single instrument (i.e. piano),
865 Polyphony in music refers to having more than one voice occurring in
866 a piece of music. Polyphony in LilyPond refers to having more than
867 one voice on the same staff.
870 * Music expressions explained::
873 * Single staff polyphony::
874 * Combining notes into chords::
878 @node Music expressions explained
879 @subsection Music expressions explained
881 In LilyPond input files, music is represented by @emph{music
882 expressions}. A single note is a music expression, although it is not
883 valid input all on its own.
885 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
889 Enclosing a group of notes in braces creates a new music expression:
891 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
895 Putting a group of music expressions (e.g. notes) in braces means that
896 they are in sequence (i.e. each one follows the previous one). The result
897 is another music expression:
899 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
903 @subheading Simultaneous music expressions: multiple staves
905 This technique is useful for polyphonic music. To enter music
906 with more voices or more staves, we combine expressions in
907 parallel. To indicate that two voices should play at the same time,
908 simply enter a simultaneous combination of music expressions. A
909 @q{simultaneous} music expression is formed by enclosing expressions inside
910 @code{<<} and @code{>>}. In the following example, three sequences (all
911 containing two separate notes) are combined simultaneously:
913 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
923 Note that we have indented each level of the input with a different
924 amount of space. LilyPond does not care how much (or little) space there
925 is at the beginning of a line, but indenting LilyPond code like this makes
926 it much easier for humans to read.
928 @strong{Warning}: each note is relative to the
929 previous note in the input, not relative to the @code{c''} in the
930 initial @code{\relative} command.
933 @subheading Simultaneous music expressions: single staff
935 To determine the number of staves in a piece, LilyPond looks at the first
936 expression. If it is a single note, there is one staff; if there is a
937 simultaneous expression, there is more than one staff.
939 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
942 << { e f } { c <<b d>> } >>
947 @cindex music expression
948 @subheading Analogy: mathematical expressions
950 This mechanism is similar to mathematical
951 formulas: a big formula is created by composing small formulas. Such
952 formulas are called expressions, and their definition is recursive so
953 you can make arbitrarily complex and large expressions. For example,
962 ((1 + 2) * 3) / (4 * 5)
965 This is a sequence of expressions, where each expression is contained
966 in the next (larger) one. The simplest expressions are numbers, and larger
967 ones are made by combining expressions with operators (like @samp{+},
968 @samp{*} and @samp{/}) and parentheses. Like mathematical expressions,
969 music expressions can be nested arbitrarily deep, which is necessary
970 for complex music like polyphonic scores.
973 @node Multiple staves
974 @subsection Multiple staves
976 As we saw in @ref{Music expressions explained}, LilyPond input files
977 are constructed out of music expressions. If the score begins with
978 simultaneous music expressions, LilyPond creates multiples staves. However,
979 it is easier to see what happens if we create each staff explicitly.
981 To print more than one staff, each piece of music that makes up a
982 staff is marked by adding @code{\new Staff} before it. These
983 @code{Staff} elements are then combined in parallel with @code{<<} and
986 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
989 \new Staff { \clef treble c }
990 \new Staff { \clef bass c,, }
995 The command @code{\new} introduces a @q{notation context.} A notation
996 context is an environment in which musical events (like notes or
997 @code{\clef} commands) are interpreted. For simple pieces, such
998 notation contexts are created automatically. For more complex pieces, it
999 is best to mark contexts explicitly.
1001 There are several types of contexts. @code{Score}, @code{Staff},
1002 and @code{Voice} handle melodic notation, while @code{Lyrics} sets lyric
1003 texts and @code{ChordNames} prints chord names.
1005 In terms of syntax, prepending @code{\new} to a music expression
1006 creates a bigger music expression. In this way it resembles the minus
1007 sign in mathematics. The formula @math{(4+5)} is an expression, so
1008 @math{-(4+5)} is a bigger expression.
1010 Time signatures entered in one staff affects all other staves, but
1011 the key signature of one staff does @emph{not} affect other
1012 staves@footnote{This behavior may be changed if desired; see
1013 @ref{Changing defaults} for details.}.
1015 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
1018 \new Staff { \clef treble \time 3/4 c }
1019 \new Staff { \clef bass \key d \major c,, }
1028 @subsection Piano staves
1030 @cindex staff switch, manual
1031 @cindex cross staff voice, manual
1032 Piano music is typeset in two staves connected by a brace. Printing
1033 such a staff is similar to the polyphonic example in @ref{Multiple staves},
1034 but now this entire expression is inserted inside a @code{PianoStaff}:
1043 Here is a small example
1045 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
1048 \new Staff { \time 2/4 c4 e g g, }
1049 \new Staff { \clef bass c,, c' e c }
1056 See @ref{Piano music}.
1060 @node Single staff polyphony
1061 @subsection Single staff polyphony
1064 @cindex multiple voices
1065 @cindex voices, more -- on a staff
1066 When different melodic lines are combined on a single staff they are
1067 printed as polyphonic voices; each voice has its own stems, slurs and
1068 beams, and the top voice has the stems up, while the bottom voice has
1071 Entering such parts is done by entering each voice as a sequence (with
1072 @code{@{...@}}) and combining these simultaneously, separating the
1073 voices with @code{\\}
1075 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
1082 For polyphonic music typesetting, spacer rests can also be convenient;
1083 these are rests that do not print. They are useful for filling up
1084 voices that temporarily do not play. Here is the same example with a
1085 spacer rest (@samp{s}) instead of a normal rest (@samp{r}),
1087 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim,fragment,relative=2]
1095 Again, these expressions can be nested arbitrarily.
1097 @lilypond[quote,fragment,verbatim,relative=2,fragment]
1105 { <c g>1 ~ <c g>4 } \\
1113 See @ref{Basic polyphony}.
1117 @node Combining notes into chords
1118 @subsection Combining notes into chords
1121 Chords can be made by surrounding pitches with single angle brackets. Angle
1122 brackets are the symbols @samp{<} and @samp{>}.
1124 @lilypond[quote,fragment,verbatim,relative=2,fragment]
1125 r4 <c e g>4 <c f a>2
1128 You can combine markings like beams and ties with chords. They must
1129 be placed outside the angle brackets
1131 @lilypond[quote,fragment,verbatim,relative=2,fragment]
1132 r4 <c e g>8[ <c f a>]~ <c f a>2
1135 @lilypond[quote,fragment,verbatim,relative=2,fragment]
1136 r4 <c e g>8\>( <c e g> <c e g>4 <c f a>\!)
1143 This section introduces vocal music and simple song sheets.
1151 @node Printing lyrics
1152 @subsection Printing lyrics
1156 Consider a simple melody:
1158 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
1165 The lyrics can be set to these notes, combining both with the
1166 @code{\addlyrics} keyword. Lyrics are entered by separating each
1167 syllable with a space.
1169 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
1175 \addlyrics { One day this shall be free }
1180 @cindex extender line
1181 This melody ends on a @rglos{melisma}, a single syllable (@q{free})
1182 sung to more than one note. This is indicated with an @emph{extender
1183 line}. It is entered as two underscores @code{__}:
1185 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
1191 \addlyrics { One day this shall be free __ }
1195 Similarly, hyphens between words can be entered as two dashes,
1196 resulting in a centered hyphen between two syllables
1198 @c no ragged-right here because otherwise the hypens get lost.
1199 @lilypond[quote,verbatim]
1205 \addlyrics { A -- le -- gri -- a }
1211 More options, such as putting multiple stanzas below a melody, are
1212 discussed in @ref{Vocal music}.
1217 @subsection A lead sheet
1223 In popular music it is common to denote accompaniment with chord names.
1224 Such chords can be entered like notes,
1226 @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim]
1227 \chordmode { c2 f4. g8 }
1230 Now each pitch is read as the root of a chord instead of a note.
1231 This mode is switched on with @code{\chordmode}. Other chords can be
1232 created by adding modifiers after a colon. The
1233 following example shows a few common modifiers:
1235 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
1236 \chordmode { c2 f4:m g4:maj7 gis1:dim7 }
1239 For lead sheets, chords are not printed on staves, but as names on a
1240 line for themselves. This is achieved by using @code{\chords} instead
1241 of @code{\chordmode}. This uses the same syntax as @code{\chordmode},
1242 but renders the notes in a @code{ChordNames} context, with the
1245 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
1246 \chords { c2 f4.:m g4.:maj7 gis8:dim7 }
1250 When put together, chord names, lyrics and a melody form
1253 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
1255 \chords { c2 g:sus4 f e }
1260 \addlyrics { One day this shall be free __ }
1267 A complete list of modifiers and other options for layout can be found
1273 @section Final touches
1275 This is the final section of the tutorial; it demonstrates how to add the
1276 final touches to simple pieces, and provides an introduction to the rest
1282 * Absolute note names::
1283 * Organizing pieces with identifiers::
1284 * After the tutorial::
1285 * How to read the manual::
1289 @node Version number
1290 @subsection Version number
1293 The @code{\version} statement marks for which version of LilyPond the file
1294 was written. To mark a file for version 2.10.1, place
1301 at the top of your LilyPond file.
1303 These annotations make future upgrades of LilyPond go more
1304 smoothly. Changes in the syntax are handled with a special program,
1305 @file{convert-ly} (see @ref{Updating files with convert-ly}), and it uses
1306 @code{\version} to determine what rules to apply.
1310 @subsection Adding titles
1312 The title, composer, opus number, and similar information are entered
1313 in the @code{\header} block. This exists outside of the main
1314 music expression; the @code{\header} block is usually placed underneath
1315 the @ref{Version number}.
1326 @dots{} music @dots{}
1330 When the file is processed, the title and composer are printed above
1331 the music. More information on titling can be found in @ref{Creating
1335 @node Absolute note names
1336 @subsection Absolute note names
1338 So far we have always used @code{\relative} to define pitches. This is
1339 the easiest way to enter most music, but another way of defining pitches
1340 exists: absolute mode.
1342 If you omit the @code{\relative}, LilyPond treats all pitches as
1343 absolute values. A @code{c'} will always mean middle C, a @code{b} will
1344 always mean the note one step below middle C, and a @code{g,} will
1345 always mean the note on the bottom staff of the bass clef.
1347 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
1355 Here is a four-octave scale:
1357 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
1372 As you can see, writing a melody in the treble clef involves a lot of
1373 quote ' marks. Consider this fragment from Mozart:
1375 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
1379 cis''8. d''16 cis''8 e''4 e''8
1380 b'8. cis''16 b'8 d''4 d''8
1384 All these quotes makes the input less readable and it is a source of
1385 errors. With @code{\relative}, the previous example is much easier
1388 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
1392 cis8. d16 cis8 e4 e8
1397 If you make a mistake with an octave mark (@code{'} or @code{,}) while
1398 working in @code{\relative} mode, it is very obvious -- many notes will
1399 be in the wrong octave. When working in absolute mode, a single mistake
1400 will not be as visible, and will not be as easy to find.
1402 However, absolute mode is useful for music which has large intervals, and
1403 is extremely useful for computer-generated LilyPond files.
1406 @node Organizing pieces with identifiers
1407 @subsection Organizing pieces with identifiers
1409 When all of the elements discussed earlier are combined to produce
1410 larger files, the music expressions get a lot bigger. In polyphonic
1411 music with many staves, the input files can become very confusing. We can
1412 reduce this confusion by using @emph{identifiers}.
1414 With identifiers (also known as variables or macros), we can break up
1415 complex music expressions. An identifier is assigned as follows
1418 namedMusic = @{ @dots{} @}
1421 The contents of the music expression @code{namedMusic} can be used
1422 later by placing a backslash in front of the name
1423 (@code{\namedMusic}, just like a normal LilyPond command). Identifiers
1424 must be defined @emph{before} the main music expression.
1426 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
1427 violin = \new Staff { \relative c'' {
1430 cello = \new Staff { \relative c {
1443 The name of an identifier must have alphabetic characters only: no
1444 numbers, underscores, or dashes.
1446 It is possible to use variables for many other types of objects in the
1452 aFivePaper = \paper @{ paperheight = 21.0 \cm @}
1455 Depending on its contents, the identifier can be used in different
1456 places. The following example uses the above variables:
1467 @node After the tutorial
1468 @subsection After the tutorial
1470 After finishing the tutorial, you should probably try writing a
1471 piece or two. Start with one of the @ref{Templates} and
1472 add notes. If you need any notation that was not covered in the
1473 tutorial, look at the Notation Reference, starting with
1474 @ref{Basic notation}. If you want to write for an instrument
1475 ensemble which is not covered in the templates,
1476 take a look at @ref{Extending the templates}.
1478 Once you have written a few short pieces, read the rest of
1479 the Learning Manual (chapters 3-5). There's nothing wrong
1480 with reading them now, of course! However, the rest of the
1481 Learning Manual assumes that you are familiar with
1482 LilyPond input. You may wish to skim these chapters right
1483 now, and come back to them after you have more experience.
1486 @node How to read the manual
1487 @subsection How to read the manual
1489 As we saw in @ref{How to read the tutorial}, many examples in the
1490 tutorial omitted a @code{\relative c'' @{ ... @}} around the printed
1493 In the rest of the manual, we are much more lax about the
1494 printed examples: sometimes they may have omitted a
1495 @code{\relative c'' @{ ... @}}, but in other times a different initial
1496 pitch may be used (such as @code{c'} or @code{c,,}), and in some cases
1497 the whole example is in absolute note mode! However, ambiguities like
1498 this only exist where the pitches are not important. In any example
1499 where the pitch matters, we have explicitly stated our @code{\relative}
1500 our our absolute-mode @code{@{ @}}.
1502 If you are still confused about the exact LilyPond input that was
1503 used in an example, read the HTML version (if you are not already doing
1504 so) and click on the picture of the music. This will display the exact
1505 input that LilyPond used to generate this manual.