1 @c -*- coding: utf-8; mode: texinfo; -*-
2 @c This file is part of lilypond-learning.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.
13 Tutorial guidelines: (different from policy.txt!)
14 - unless you have a really good reason, use either
15 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
17 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
19 Don't use any other relative=X commands.
21 - use "aes" and "ees" instead of "as" and "es". I know it's not
22 correct Dutch naming, but let's not confuse people with this
23 until we get to the Basic notation chapter.
25 - Add "Music Glossary: @rglos{foo}" to the *top* of the relevant
26 portions of the tutorial.
34 This tutorial starts with an introduction to the LilyPond music
35 language and explains how to produce printed music. After this first
36 contact we will explain how to create beautiful printed music
37 containing common musical notation.
41 * Single staff notation::
42 * Multiple notes at once::
51 This section gives a basic introduction to working with LilyPond.
56 * Working on input files::
57 * How to read the manual::
61 @node Compiling a file
62 @subsection Compiling a file
64 @qq{Compiling} is the term used for processing an input file
65 in LilyPond format to produce a file which can be printed and
66 (optionally) a MIDI file which can be played. LilyPond input
67 files are simple text files. The first example
68 shows what a simple input file looks like.
70 To create sheet music, we write an input file that specifies the
71 notation. For example, if we write:
80 the result looks like this:
82 @c in this case we don't want verbatim
89 @warning{Notes and lyrics in LilyPond input must always be
90 surrounded by @strong{@{ curly braces @}}. The braces
91 should also be surrounded by a space unless they are at the
92 beginning or end of a line to avoid ambiguities. The braces may
93 be omitted in some examples in this manual, but don't forget them
94 in your own music! For more information about the display of
95 examples in the manual, see @ref{How to read the manual}.}
97 @cindex case sensitive
98 In addition, LilyPond input is @strong{case sensitive}.
99 @w{@code{@{ c d e @}}} is valid input; @w{@code{@{ C D E @}}} will
100 produce an error message.
104 @subheading Entering music and viewing output
107 @cindex viewing music
109 In this section we will explain what commands to run and how to
110 view or print the output.
112 Note that there are several other text editors available with
113 better support for LilyPond. For more information, see
114 @rprogram{Text editor support}.
116 @warning{The first time you ever run LilyPond, it may take a
117 minute or two because all of the system fonts have to be analyzed
118 first. After this, LilyPond will be much faster!}
120 @subsubheading MacOS X
122 If you double click @command{LilyPond.app}, it will open with an
123 example file. Save it, for example, to @file{test.ly} on your
124 Desktop, and then process it with the menu command
125 @w{@code{Compile > Typeset File}}. The resulting PDF file will be
126 displayed on your screen.
128 For future use of LilyPond, you should begin by selecting @q{New}
129 or @q{Open}. You must save your file before typesetting it. If
130 any errors occur in processing, please see the log window.
133 @subsubheading Windows
135 On Windows, if you double-click in the LilyPond icon on the
136 Desktop, it will open a simple text editor with an example file.
137 Save it, for example, to @file{test.ly} on your Desktop and then
138 double-click on the file to process it (the file icon looks like a
139 note). After some seconds, you will get a file @file{test.pdf} on
140 your desktop. Double-click on this PDF file to view the typeset
141 score. An alternative method to process the @file{test.ly} file
142 is to drag and drop it onto the LilyPond icon using your mouse
145 To edit an existing @file{.ly} file, right-click on it and
146 select @qq{Edit source}. To get an empty file to start from, run
147 the editor as described above and use @qq{New} in
148 the @qq{File} menu, or right-click on the desktop and select
149 @qq{New..Text Document}, change its name to a name of your choice
150 and change the file extension to @code{.ly}. Double-click the
151 icon to type in your LilyPond source code as before.
153 Double-clicking the file does not only result in a PDF file, but
154 also produces a @file{.log} file that contains some information on
155 what LilyPond has done to the file. If any errors occur, please
160 Create a text file called @file{test.ly} and enter:
168 To process @file{test.ly}, proceed as follows:
175 You will see something resembling:
179 GNU LilyPond @version{}
182 Interpreting music...
183 Preprocessing graphical objects...
184 Finding the ideal number of pages...
185 Fitting music on 1 page...
187 Layout output to `test.ps'...
188 Converting to `test.pdf'...
192 @node Simple notation
193 @subsection Simple notation
195 LilyPond will add some notation elements automatically. In the
196 next example, we have only specified four pitches, but LilyPond
197 has added a clef, time signature, and rhythms.
199 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
206 This behavior may be altered, but in most cases these automatic
212 Music Glossary: @rglos{pitch}, @rglos{interval},
213 @rglos{scale}, @rglos{middle C}, @rglos{octave},
216 The easiest way to enter notes is by using @code{\relative} mode.
217 In this mode, the octave is chosen automatically by assuming the
218 following note is always to be placed closest to the previous
219 note, i.e., it is to be placed in the octave which is within three
220 staff spaces of the previous note. We begin by entering the most
221 elementary piece of music, a @notation{scale}, in which every note
222 is within just one staff space of the previous note.
224 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
225 % set the starting point to middle C
232 The initial note is @notation{middle C}. Each successive note is
233 placed closest to the previous note -- in other words, the first
234 @code{c} is the closest C to middle C. This is followed by the
235 closest D to the previous note. We can create melodies which have
236 larger intervals, still using only @code{\relative} mode:
238 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
246 It is not necessary for the first note of the melody to start on
247 the note which specifies the starting pitch. In the previous
248 example, the first note -- the @code{d} -- is the closest D to
251 By adding (or removing) quotes @code{'} or commas @code{,} from
252 the @w{@code{\relative c' @{}} command, we can change the starting
255 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
256 % one octave above middle C
262 Relative mode can be confusing initially, but is the easiest way
263 to enter most melodies. Let us see how this relative calculation
264 works in practice. Starting from a B, which is on the middle line
265 in a treble clef, you can reach a C, D and E within 3 staff spaces
266 going up, and an A, G and F within 3 staff spaces going down. So
267 if the note following a B is a C, D or E it will be assumed to be
268 above the B, and an A, G or F will be assumed to be below.
270 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
272 b c % c is 1 staff space up, so is the c above
273 b d % d is 2 up or 5 down, so is the d above
274 b e % e is 3 up or 4 down, so is the e above
275 b a % a is 6 up or 1 down, so is the a below
276 b g % g is 5 up or 2 down, so is the g below
277 b f % f is 4 up or 3 down, so is the f below
281 Exactly the same happens even when any of these notes are
282 sharpened or flattened. @notation{Accidentals} are
283 @strong{totally ignored} in the calculation of relative position.
284 Precisely the same staff space counting is done from a note at any
285 other position on the staff.
287 To add intervals that are larger than three staff spaces, we can
288 raise the @notation{octave} by adding a single quote @code{'} (or
289 apostrophe) to the note name. We can lower the octave by adding a
290 comma @code{,} to the note name.
292 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
300 To change a note by two (or more!) octaves, we use multiple
301 @code{''} or @code{,,} -- but be careful that you use two single
302 quotes @code{''} and not one double quote @code{"}@tie{}! The
303 initial value in @w{@code{\relative c'}} may also be modified like
305 @c " - keeps quotes in order for context-sensitive editor -td
307 @subheading Durations (rhythms)
309 Music Glossary: @rglos{beam}, @rglos{duration},
310 @rglos{whole note}, @rglos{half note}, @rglos{quarter note},
313 The @notation{duration} of a note is specified by a number after
314 the note name. @code{1} for a @notation{whole note}, @code{2} for
315 a @notation{half note}, @code{4} for a @notation{quarter note} and
316 so on. @notation{Beams} are added automatically.
318 If you do not specify a duration, the previous duration is used
319 for the next note. The duration of the first note defaults to a
322 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
326 a16 a a a a32 a a a a64 a a a a a a a a2
330 To create @notation{dotted notes}, add a dot @code{.} to the
331 duration number. The duration of a dotted note must be stated
332 explicitly (i.e., with a number).
334 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
344 Music Glossary: @rglos{rest}.
346 A @notation{rest} is entered just like a note with the name
349 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
357 @subheading Time signature
359 Music Glossary: @rglos{time signature}.
361 The @notation{time signature} can be set with the @code{\time}
364 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
378 Music Glossary: @rglos{clef}.
380 The @notation{clef} can be set using the @code{\clef} command:
382 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
396 @subheading All together
398 Here is a small example showing all these elements together:
400 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
412 Notation Reference: @ruser{Writing pitches},
413 @ruser{Writing rhythms}, @ruser{Writing rests},
414 @ruser{Time signature}, @ruser{Clef}.
417 @node Working on input files
418 @subsection Working on input files
420 LilyPond input files are similar to source files in many common
421 programming languages. They are case sensitive, and white-space
422 is generally ignored. Expressions are formed with curly braces
423 @{ @}, and comments are denoted with @code{%} or
424 @w{@code{%@{ ... %@}}}.
426 If the previous sentences sound like nonsense, don't worry! We'll
427 explain what all these terms mean:
431 @cindex case sensitive
433 @strong{Case sensitive}:
434 it matters whether you enter a letter in lower case (e.g.
435 @w{@code{a, b, s, t}}) or upper case (e.g. @w{@code{A, B, S, T}}).
436 Notes are lower case: @w{@code{@{ c d e @}}} is valid input;
437 @w{@code{@{ C D E @}}} will produce an error message.
440 @strong{Whitespace insensitive}:
441 it does not matter how many spaces (or new lines) you add.
442 @w{@code{@{ c d e @}}} means the same thing as
443 @w{@code{@{ c @tie{}} @tie{} @tie{} d e @}} and:
451 Of course, the previous example is hard to read. A good rule of
452 thumb is to indent code blocks with either a tab or two spaces:
461 @strong{Expressions}:
462 every piece of LilyPond input needs to have @strong{@{ curly
463 braces @}} placed around the input. These braces tell LilyPond
464 that the input is a single music expression, just like parentheses
465 @code{()} in mathematics. The braces should be surrounded by a
466 space unless they are at the beginning or end of a line to avoid
469 A LilyPond command followed by a simple expression in braces (such
470 as @w{@code{\relative @{ @}}}) also counts as a single music
475 @cindex block comment
478 a comment is a remark for the human reader of the music input; it
479 is ignored while parsing, so it has no effect on the printed
480 output. There are two types of comments. The percent symbol
481 @code{%} introduces a line comment; anything after @code{%} on
482 that line is ignored. By convention, a line comment is placed
483 @emph{above} the code it refers to.
487 % this comment refers to the Bs
491 A block comment marks a whole section of music input as a comment.
492 Anything that is enclosed in @code{%@{} and @code{%@}} is ignored.
493 However, block comments do not @q{nest}. This means that you
494 cannot place a block comment inside another block comment. If you
495 try, the first @code{%@}} will terminate @emph{both} block
496 comments. The following fragment shows possible uses for
500 % notes for twinkle twinkle follow
504 This line, and the notes below are ignored,
505 since they are in a block comment.
514 @node How to read the manual
515 @subsection How to read the manual
517 LilyPond input must be surrounded by @{ @} marks or a
518 @w{@code{\relative c'' @{ ... @}}}, as we saw in @ref{Working on
519 input files}. For the rest of this manual, most examples will
520 omit this. To replicate the examples, you may copy and paste the
521 displayed input, but you @strong{must} add the
522 @w{@code{\relative c'' @{ @}}} like this:
526 ... example goes here...
530 Why omit the braces? Most examples in this manual can be inserted
531 into the middle of a longer piece of music. For these examples,
532 it does not make sense to add @w{@code{\relative c'' @{ @}}} --
533 you should not place a @code{\relative} inside another
534 @code{\relative}! If we included @w{@code{\relative c'' @{ @}}}
535 around every example, you would not be able to copy a small
536 documentation example and paste it inside a longer piece of your
537 own. Most people want to add material to an existing piece, so we
538 format the manual this way.
541 @subheading Clickable examples
543 Many people learn programs by trying and fiddling around with the
544 program. This is also possible with LilyPond. If you click on a
545 picture in the HTML version of this manual, you will see the exact
546 LilyPond input that was used to generate that image. Try it on
552 c-\markup { \bold \huge { Click here. } }
556 By cutting and pasting everything in the @qq{ly snippet} section,
557 you have a starting template for experiments. To see exactly the
558 same output (line-width and all), copy everything from @qq{Start
559 cut-&-pastable section} to the bottom of the file.
563 There are more tips for constructing input files in
564 @ref{Suggestions for writing LilyPond input files}. But it might be
565 best to read through the rest of the tutorial first.
569 @node Single staff notation
570 @section Single staff notation
572 This section introduces common notation that is used for one voice
576 * Accidentals and key signatures::
578 * Articulation and dynamics::
580 * Automatic and manual beams::
581 * Advanced rhythmic commands::
585 @node Accidentals and key signatures
586 @subsection Accidentals and key signatures
588 @subheading Accidentals
590 Music Glossary: @rglos{sharp}, @rglos{flat}, @rglos{double sharp},
591 @rglos{double flat}, @rglos{accidental}.
593 A @notation{sharp} pitch is made by adding @code{is} to the name,
594 and a @notation{flat} pitch by adding @code{es}. As you might
595 expect, a @notation{double sharp} or @notation{double flat} is
596 made by adding @code{isis} or @code{eses}. This syntax is derived
597 from note naming conventions in Nordic and Germanic languages,
598 like German and Dutch. To use other names for
599 @notation{accidentals}, see @ruser{Note names in other languages}.
601 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
602 cis1 ees fisis, aeses
605 @cindex key signature, setting
606 @subheading Key signatures
608 Music Glossary: @rglos{key signature}, @rglos{major},
611 The @notation{key signature} is set with the command @code{\key}
612 followed by a pitch and @code{\major} or @code{\minor}.
614 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
623 @subheading Warning: key signatures and pitches
625 Music Glossary: @rglos{accidental}, @rglos{key signature},
626 @rglos{pitch}, @rglos{flat}, @rglos{natural}, @rglos{sharp},
627 @rglos{transposition}.
629 To determine whether to print an @notation{accidental}, LilyPond
630 examines the pitches and the @notation{key signature}. The key
631 signature only affects the @emph{printed} accidentals, not the
632 note's @notation{pitch}! This is a feature that often causes
633 confusion to newcomers, so let us explain it in more detail.
635 LilyPond makes a sharp distinction between musical content and
636 layout. The alteration (@notation{flat}, @notation{natural sign} or
637 @notation{sharp}) of a note is part of the pitch, and is therefore
638 musical content. Whether an accidental (a @emph{printed} flat,
639 natural or sharp sign) is printed in front of the corresponding
640 note is a question of layout. Layout is something that follows
641 rules, so accidentals are printed automatically according to those
642 rules. The pitches in your music are works of art, so they will
643 not be added automatically, and you must enter what you want to
648 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
654 No note has a printed accidental, but you must still add
655 @code{is} and type @code{cis} and @code{fis} in the input file.
657 The code @code{e} does not mean @qq{print a black dot just on
658 the first line of the staff.} Rather, it means @qq{there is a
659 note with pitch E-natural.} In the key of A-flat major, it
660 @emph{does} get an accidental:
662 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
667 Adding all alterations explicitly might require a little more
668 effort when typing, but the advantage is that
669 @notation{transposing} is easier, and accidentals can be printed
670 according to different conventions. For some examples how
671 accidentals can be printed according to different rules, see
672 @ruser{Automatic accidentals}.
676 Notation Reference: @ruser{Note names in other languages},
677 @ruser{Accidentals}, @ruser{Automatic accidentals},
678 @ruser{Key signature}.
680 Music Glossary: @rglos{Pitch names}.
684 @subsection Ties and slurs
689 Music Glossary: @rglos{tie}.
691 A @notation{tie} is created by appending a tilde @code{~} to the
692 first note being tied.
694 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
702 Music Glossary: @rglos{slur}.
704 A @notation{slur} is a curve drawn across many notes. The
705 starting note and ending note are marked with @code{(} and
706 @code{)} respectively.
708 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
709 d4( c16) cis( d e c cis d) e( d4)
712 @cindex slurs, phrasing
713 @cindex phrasing slurs
714 @subheading Phrasing slurs
716 Music Glossary: @rglos{slur}, @rglos{phrasing}.
718 Slurs to indicate longer @notation{phrasing} can be entered with
719 @code{\(} and @code{\)}. You can have both @notation{slurs}
720 and phrasing slurs at the same time, but you cannot have
721 simultaneous slurs or simultaneous phrasing slurs.
723 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
724 a8(\( ais b c) cis2 b'2 a4 cis,\)
729 @cindex slurs versus ties
730 @subheading Warnings: slurs vs. ties
732 Music Glossary: @rglos{articulation}, @rglos{slur}, @rglos{tie}.
734 A @notation{slur} looks like a @notation{tie}, but it has a
735 different meaning. A tie simply makes the first note longer, and
736 can only be used on pairs of notes with the same pitch. Slurs
737 indicate the @notation{articulation} of notes, and can be used on
738 larger groups of notes. Slurs and ties can be nested.
740 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
741 c2~( c8 fis fis4 ~ fis2 g2)
746 Notation Reference: @ruser{Ties}, @ruser{Slurs},
747 @ruser{Phrasing slurs}.
750 @node Articulation and dynamics
751 @subsection Articulation and dynamics
756 @subheading Articulations
758 Music Glossary: @rglos{articulation}.
760 Common @notation{articulations} can be added to a note using a
761 dash @code{-} and a single character:
763 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
764 c-. c-- c-> c-^ c-+ c-_
768 @subheading Fingerings
770 Music Glossary: @rglos{fingering}.
772 Similarly, @notation{fingering} indications can be added to a note
773 using a dash (@code{-}) and the digit to be printed:
775 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
779 Articulations and fingerings are usually placed automatically, but
780 you can specify a direction by replacing the dash (@code{-}) with
781 @code{^} (up) or @code{_} (down). You can also use multiple
782 articulations on the same note. However, in most cases it is best
783 to let LilyPond determine the articulation directions.
785 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
786 c_-^1 d^. f^4_2-> e^-_+
791 Music Glossary: @rglos{dynamics}, @rglos{crescendo},
794 @notation{Dynamic} signs are made by adding the markings (with a
795 backslash) to the note:
797 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
805 @notation{Crescendi} and @notation{decrescendi} are started with
806 the commands @code{\<} and @code{\>}. The next dynamics sign, for
807 example @code{\f}, will end the (de)crescendo, or the command
808 @code{\!} can be used:
810 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
816 Notation Reference: @ruser{Articulations and ornamentations},
817 @ruser{Fingering instructions}, @ruser{Dynamics}.
821 @subsection Adding text
823 Text may be added to your scores:
825 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
829 Extra formatting may be added with the @code{\markup} command:
831 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
832 c1^\markup{ \bold espr}
834 \dynamic f \italic \small { 2nd } \hspace #0.1 \dynamic p
841 Notation Reference: @ruser{Writing text}.
844 @node Automatic and manual beams
845 @subsection Automatic and manual beams
847 Music Glossary: @rglos{beam}.
849 @cindex beams, by hand
850 All @notation{beams} are drawn automatically:
852 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
853 a8 ais d ees r d c16 b a8
856 If you do not like the automatic beams, they may be overridden
857 manually. To correct just an occasional beam mark the first note
858 to be beamed with @code{[} and the last one with @code{]}.
860 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
861 a8[ ais] d[ ees r d] a b
864 If you want to turn off automatic beaming entirely or for an
865 extended section of music, use the command @code{\autoBeamOff}
866 to turn off automatic beaming and @code{\autoBeamOn} to turn it
869 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
878 Notation Reference: @ruser{Automatic beams}, @ruser{Manual beams}.
881 @node Advanced rhythmic commands
882 @subsection Advanced rhythmic commands
886 @cindex partial measure
887 @subheading Partial measure
889 Music Glossary: @rglos{anacrusis}.
891 A pickup (or @notation{anacrusis}) is entered with the keyword
892 @code{\partial}. It is followed by a duration: @code{\partial 4}
893 is a quarter note pickup and @code{\partial 8} an eighth note.
895 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
904 Music Glossary: @rglos{note value}, @rglos{triplet}.
906 @notation{Tuplets} are made with the @code{\times} keyword. It
907 takes two arguments: a fraction and a piece of music. The
908 duration of the piece of music is multiplied by the fraction.
909 Triplets make notes occupy 2/3 of their notated duration, so a
910 @notation{triplet} has 2/3 as its fraction
912 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
913 \times 2/3 { f8 g a }
915 \times 2/3 { f,8 g16[ a g a] }
922 @subheading Grace notes
924 Music Glossary: @rglos{grace notes}, @rglos{acciaccatura},
925 @rglos{appoggiatura}.
927 @notation{Grace notes} are created with the @code{\grace} command,
928 although they can also be created by prefixing a music expression
929 with the keyword @code{\appoggiatura} or @code{\acciaccatura}:
931 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
932 c2 \grace { a32[ b] } c2
933 c2 \appoggiatura b16 c2
934 c2 \acciaccatura b16 c2
939 Notation Reference: @ruser{Grace notes}, @ruser{Tuplets},
943 @node Multiple notes at once
944 @section Multiple notes at once
946 This section introduces having more than one note at the same
947 time: multiple instruments, multiple staves for a single
948 instrument (i.e. piano), and chords.
950 Polyphony in music refers to having more than one voice occurring
951 in a piece of music. Polyphony in LilyPond refers to having more
952 than one voice on the same staff.
955 * Music expressions explained::
958 * Combining notes into chords::
959 * Single staff polyphony::
963 @node Music expressions explained
964 @subsection Music expressions explained
966 In LilyPond input files, music is represented by @emph{music
967 expressions}. A single note is a music expression:
969 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
973 Enclosing a note in braces creates a @emph{compound music
974 expression}. Here we have created a compound music expression
977 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
981 Putting a group of music expressions (e.g. notes) in braces means
982 that they are in sequence (i.e. each one follows the previous
983 one). The result is another music expression:
985 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
990 @cindex music expression
991 @subheading Analogy: mathematical expressions
993 This mechanism is similar to mathematical formulas: a big formula
994 is created by composing small formulas. Such formulas are called
995 expressions, and they can contain other expressions, so you can
996 make arbitrarily complex and large expressions. For example,
1005 ((1 + 2) * 3) / (4 * 5)
1008 This is a sequence of expressions, where each expression is
1009 contained in the next (larger) one. The simplest expressions are
1010 numbers, and larger ones are made by combining expressions with
1011 operators (like @code{+}, @code{*} and @code{/}) and parentheses.
1012 Like mathematical expressions, music expressions can be nested
1013 arbitrarily deep, which is necessary for complex music like
1017 @subheading Simultaneous music expressions: multiple staves
1019 Music Glossary: @rglos{polyphony}.
1021 This technique is useful for @notation{polyphonic} music. To
1022 enter music with more voices or more staves, we combine
1023 expressions in parallel. To indicate that two voices should play
1024 at the same time, simply enter a simultaneous combination of music
1025 expressions. A @q{simultaneous} music expression is formed by
1026 enclosing expressions inside @code{<<} and @code{>>}. In the
1027 following example, three sequences (all containing two separate
1028 notes) are combined simultaneously:
1030 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
1040 Note that we have indented each level of the input with a
1041 different amount of space. LilyPond does not care how much (or
1042 little) space there is at the beginning of a line, but indenting
1043 LilyPond code like this makes it much easier for humans to read.
1045 @warning{each note is relative to the previous note in
1046 the input, not relative to the @code{c''} in the initial
1047 @code{@bs{}relative} command.}
1050 @subheading Simultaneous music expressions: single staff
1052 To determine the number of staves in a piece, LilyPond looks at
1053 the beginning of the first expression. If is a single note, there
1054 is one staff; if there is a simultaneous expression, there is more
1057 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
1060 << { e f } { c <<b d>> } >>
1064 @node Multiple staves
1065 @subsection Multiple staves
1067 LilyPond input files are constructed out of music expressions, as
1068 we saw in @ref{Music expressions explained}. If the score begins
1069 with simultaneous music expressions, LilyPond creates multiples
1070 staves. However, it is easier to see what happens if we create
1071 each staff explicitly.
1073 To print more than one staff, each piece of music that makes up a
1074 staff is marked by adding @code{\new Staff} before it. These
1075 @code{Staff} elements are then combined in parallel with @code{<<}
1078 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
1081 \new Staff { \clef treble c }
1082 \new Staff { \clef bass c,, }
1087 The command @code{\new} introduces a @q{notation context.} A
1088 notation context is an environment in which musical events (like
1089 notes or @code{\clef} commands) are interpreted. For simple
1090 pieces, such notation contexts are created automatically. For
1091 more complex pieces, it is best to mark contexts explicitly.
1093 There are several types of contexts. @code{Score}, @code{Staff},
1094 and @code{Voice} handle melodic notation, while @code{Lyrics} sets
1095 lyric texts and @code{ChordNames} prints chord names.
1097 In terms of syntax, prepending @code{\new} to a music expression
1098 creates a bigger music expression. In this way it resembles the
1099 minus sign in mathematics. The formula @math{(4+5)} is an
1100 expression, so @math{-(4+5)} is a bigger expression.
1102 Time signatures entered in one staff affects all other staves by
1103 default. On the other hand, the key signature of one staff does
1104 @emph{not} affect other staves. This different default behavior
1105 is because scores with transposing instruments are more common
1106 than polyrhythmic scores.
1108 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
1111 \new Staff { \clef treble \key d \major \time 3/4 c }
1112 \new Staff { \clef bass c,, }
1121 @subsection Staff groups
1127 Music Glossary: @rglos{brace}.
1129 Piano music is typeset in two staves connected by a
1131 Printing such a staff is similar to the polyphonic example in
1132 @ref{Multiple staves}. However, now this entire expression is
1133 inserted inside a @code{PianoStaff}:
1142 Here is a small example:
1144 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
1147 \new Staff { \time 2/4 c4 e g g, }
1148 \new Staff { \clef bass c,, c' e c }
1153 Other staff groupings are introduced with @code{\new GrandStaff},
1154 suitable for orchestral scores, and @w{@code{\new ChoirStaff}},
1155 suitable for vocal scores. These staff groups each form another
1156 type of context, one that generates the brace at the left end of
1157 every system and also controls the extent of bar lines.
1161 Notation Reference: @ruser{Keyboard instruments},
1162 @ruser{Displaying staves}.
1165 @node Combining notes into chords
1166 @subsection Combining notes into chords
1170 Music Glossary: @rglos{chord}.
1172 We saw earlier how notes can be combined into @notation{chords} by
1173 indicating they are simultaneous by enclosing them in double angle
1174 brackets. However, the normal way of indicating a chord is to
1175 surround the pitches with @emph{single} angle brackets. Note that
1176 all the notes in a chord must have the same duration, and that the
1177 duration is placed after the closing bracket.
1179 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
1180 r4 <c e g>4 <c f a>2
1183 Think of chords as almost equivalent to single notes:
1184 almost everything you can attach to a single note can be attached
1185 to a chord, and everything must go @emph{outside} the angle
1186 brackets. For example, you can combine markings like beams and
1187 ties with chords. They must be placed outside the angle brackets.
1189 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
1190 r4 <c e g>8[ <c f a>]~ <c f a>2
1191 r4 <c e g>8( <c e g>\> <c e g>4 <c f a>\!)
1195 @node Single staff polyphony
1196 @subsection Single staff polyphony
1199 @cindex multiple voices
1200 @cindex voices, more -- on a staff
1201 When different melodic lines are combined on a single staff they
1202 are printed as polyphonic voices; each voice has its own stems,
1203 slurs and beams, and the top voice has the stems up, while the
1204 bottom voice has them down.
1206 Entering such parts is done by entering each voice as a sequence
1207 (with @w{@code{@{...@}}}) and combining these simultaneously,
1208 separating the voices with @code{\\}:
1210 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
1217 For polyphonic music typesetting, spacer rests can also be
1218 convenient; these are rests that do not print. They are useful
1219 for filling up voices that temporarily do not play. Here is the
1220 same example with a spacer rest (@code{s}) instead of a normal
1223 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
1231 Again, these expressions can be nested arbitrarily.
1233 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,relative=2]
1241 { <c g>1 ~ <c g>4 } \\
1249 Notation Reference: @ruser{Simultaneous notes}.
1255 This section introduces vocal music and simple song sheets.
1258 * Setting simple songs::
1259 * Aligning lyrics to a melody::
1260 * Lyrics to multiple staves::
1264 @node Setting simple songs
1265 @subsection Setting simple songs
1270 Music Glossary: @rglos{lyrics}.
1272 Here is the start of the melody to a nursery
1273 rhyme, @notation{Girls and boys come out to play}:
1275 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
1279 d4 b8 c4 a8 d4 b8 g4
1283 The @notation{lyrics} can be set to these notes, combining both
1284 with the @code{\addlyrics} keyword. Lyrics are entered by
1285 separating each syllable with a space.
1287 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
1292 d4 b8 c4 a8 d4 b8 g4
1295 Girls and boys come out to play,
1300 Note the curly brackets delimiting both the music and the lyrics,
1301 and the double angle brackets @w{@code{<< ... >>}} around the
1302 whole piece to show that the music and lyrics are to occur at the
1305 @node Aligning lyrics to a melody
1306 @subsection Aligning lyrics to a melody
1308 Music Glossary: @rglos{melisma}, @rglos{extender line}.
1311 @cindex extender line
1315 The next line in the nursery rhyme is @notation{The moon doth
1316 shine as bright as day}. Let's extend it:
1318 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
1323 d4 b8 c4 a8 d4 b8 g4
1324 g8 a4 b8 c b a d4 b8 g4.
1327 Girls and boys come out to play,
1328 The moon doth shine as bright as day;
1333 We see the extra lyrics do not align properly with the notes. The
1334 word @notation{shine} should be sung on two notes, not one. This
1335 is called a @notation{melisma}, a single syllable sung to more
1336 than one note. There are several ways to spread a syllable over
1337 multiple notes, the simplest being to add a slur across them, for
1338 details, see @ref{Ties and slurs}:
1340 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
1345 d4 b8 c4 a8 d4 b8 g4
1346 g8 a4 b8 c( b) a d4 b8 g4.
1349 Girls and boys come out to play,
1350 The moon doth shine as bright as day;
1355 The words now line up correctly with the notes, but the automatic
1356 beaming for the notes above @notation{shine as} does not look right.
1357 We can correct this by inserting manual beaming commands to override
1358 the automatic beaming here, for details, see @ref{Automatic and
1361 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
1366 d4 b8 c4 a8 d4 b8 g4
1367 g8 a4 b8 c([ b]) a d4 b8 g4.
1370 Girls and boys come out to play,
1371 The moon doth shine as bright as day;
1376 As an alternative to using slurs, the melismata may be indicated
1377 in just the lyrics by using an underscore @code{_} for each note
1378 that should be included in the melisma:
1380 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
1385 d4 b8 c4 a8 d4 b8 g4
1386 g8 a4 b8 c[ b] a d4 b8 g4.
1389 Girls and boys come out to play,
1390 The moon doth shine _ as bright as day;
1395 If a syllable extends over several notes or a single very long
1396 note an @notation{extender line} is usually drawn from the
1397 syllable extending under all the notes for that syllable. It is
1398 entered as two underscores @code{__}. Here is an example from the
1399 first three bars of @notation{Dido's Lament}, from Purcell's
1400 @notation{Dido and Æneas}:
1402 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
1408 b c4.( bes8 a4. g8 fis4.) g8 fis1
1412 am laid __ in earth,
1417 None of the examples so far have involved words containing more
1418 than one syllable. Such words are usually split one syllable to a
1419 note, with hyphens between syllables. Such hyphens are entered as
1420 two dashes, resulting in a centered hyphen between the syllables.
1421 Here is an example showing this and everything we have learned so
1422 far about aligning lyrics to notes.
1424 @c no ragged-right here because otherwise the hyphens get lost,
1425 @c but the example is long enough to avoid looking strange.
1426 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,noragged-right]
1432 d4 g4 g a8( b) g4 g4
1436 A -- way in a __ man -- ger,
1437 no __ crib for a bed, __
1442 Some lyrics, especially those in Italian, require the opposite:
1443 setting more than one syllable to a single note. This is
1444 achieved by linking the syllables together with a single
1445 underscore @code{_} (with no spaces), or enclosing them in quotes.
1446 Here's an example from Rossini's @notation{Figaro}, where
1447 @notation{al} has to be sung on the same note as the @notation{go} of
1448 @notation{Largo} in Figaro's aria @notation{Largo al factotum}:
1450 @c no ragged-right here because otherwise the hyphens get lost,
1451 @c but the example is long enough to avoid looking strange.
1452 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,noragged-right]
1458 c4.~ c8 d b c([ d]) b c d b c
1461 Lar -- go_al fac -- to -- tum del -- la cit -- tĂ
1469 Notation Reference: @ruser{Vocal music}.
1472 @node Lyrics to multiple staves
1473 @subsection Lyrics to multiple staves
1475 The simple approach using @code{\addlyrics} can be used for
1476 placing lyrics under more than one staff. Here is an
1477 example from Handel's @notation{Judas Maccabæus}:
1479 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
1485 c8 c([ bes]) a a([ g]) f f'4. b, c4.~ c4
1488 Let flee -- cy flocks the hills a -- dorn, __
1494 r8 r4. r4 c8 a'([ g]) f f([ e]) d e([ d]) c bes'4
1497 Let flee -- cy flocks the hills a -- dorn,
1502 Scores any more complex than this simple example are better
1503 produced by separating out the staff structure from the notes and
1504 lyrics with variables. These are discussed in @ref{Organizing
1505 pieces with variables}.
1509 Notation Reference: @ruser{Vocal music}.
1514 @section Final touches
1516 This is the final section of the tutorial; it demonstrates how to
1517 add the final touches to simple pieces, and provides an
1518 introduction to the rest of the manual.
1521 * Organizing pieces with variables::
1524 * Absolute note names::
1525 * After the tutorial::
1529 @node Organizing pieces with variables
1530 @subsection Organizing pieces with variables
1532 When all of the elements discussed earlier are combined to produce
1533 larger files, the music expressions get a lot bigger. In
1534 polyphonic music with many staves, the input files can become very
1535 confusing. We can reduce this confusion by using
1538 With variables (also known as identifiers or macros), we can break
1539 up complex music expressions. A variable is assigned as
1543 namedMusic = @{ @dots{} @}
1546 The contents of the music expression @code{namedMusic} can be used
1547 later by placing a backslash in front of the name
1548 (@code{\namedMusic}, just like a normal LilyPond command).
1550 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
1551 violin = \new Staff {
1556 cello = \new Staff {
1571 The name of a variable must have alphabetic characters only, no
1572 numbers, underscores, or dashes.
1574 Variables must be defined @emph{before} the main music
1575 expression, but may be used as many times as required anywhere after
1576 they have been defined. They may even be used in a later definition
1577 of another variable, giving a way of shortening the input if a
1578 section of music is repeated many times.
1580 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
1581 tripletA = \times 2/3 { c,8 e g }
1582 barA = { \tripletA \tripletA \tripletA \tripletA }
1589 Variables may be used for many other types of objects in
1590 the input. For example,
1595 aFivePaper = \paper @{ paperheight = 21.0 \cm @}
1598 Depending on its contents, the variable can be used in different
1599 places. The following example uses the above variables:
1612 @node Version number
1613 @subsection Version number
1616 The @code{\version} statement records the version of LilyPond that
1617 was used to write the file:
1620 \version @w{"@version{}"}
1624 By convention, this is placed at the top of your LilyPond file.
1626 These annotations make future upgrades of LilyPond go more
1627 smoothly. Changes in the syntax are handled with a special
1628 program, @file{convert-ly}, and it uses @code{\version} to
1629 determine what rules to apply. For details, see
1630 @rprogram{Updating files with convert-ly}.
1634 @subsection Adding titles
1636 The title, composer, opus number, and similar information are
1637 entered in the @code{\header} block. This exists outside of the
1638 main music expression; the @code{\header} block is usually placed
1639 underneath the @ref{Version number}.
1642 \version @w{"@version{}"}
1650 @dots{} music @dots{}
1654 When the file is processed, the title and composer are printed
1655 above the music. More information on titling can be found in
1656 @ruser{Creating titles}.
1659 @node Absolute note names
1660 @subsection Absolute note names
1662 So far we have always used @code{\relative} to define pitches.
1663 This is the easiest way to enter most music, but another way of
1664 defining pitches exists: absolute mode.
1666 If you omit the @code{\relative}, LilyPond treats all pitches as
1667 absolute values. A @code{c'} will always mean middle C, a
1668 @code{b} will always mean the note one step below middle C, and a
1669 @code{g,} will always mean the note on the bottom staff of the
1672 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
1680 Here is a four-octave scale:
1682 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
1697 As you can see, writing a melody in the treble clef involves a lot
1698 of quote @code{'} marks. Consider this fragment from Mozart:
1700 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
1704 cis''8. d''16 cis''8 e''4 e''8
1705 b'8. cis''16 b'8 d''4 d''8
1709 All these quotes makes the input less readable and they are a source
1710 of errors. With @code{\relative}, the previous example is much
1711 easier to read and type:
1713 @lilypond[verbatim,quote]
1717 cis8. d16 cis8 e4 e8
1722 If you make a mistake with an octave mark (@code{'} or @code{,})
1723 while working in @code{\relative} mode, it is very obvious -- many
1724 notes will be in the wrong octave. When working in absolute mode,
1725 a single mistake will not be as visible, and will not be as easy
1728 However, absolute mode is useful for music which has large
1729 intervals, and is extremely useful for computer-generated LilyPond
1734 @node After the tutorial
1735 @subsection After the tutorial
1737 After finishing the tutorial, you should probably try writing a
1738 piece or two. Start by adding notes to one of the
1739 @ref{Templates}. If you need any notation that was not covered in
1740 the tutorial, look at the Notation Reference, starting with
1741 @ruser{Musical notation}. If you want to write for an instrument
1742 ensemble that is not covered in the templates, take a look at
1743 @ref{Extending the templates}.
1745 Once you have written a few short pieces, read the rest of the
1746 Learning Manual (chapters 3-5). There's nothing wrong with
1747 reading it now, of course! However, the rest of the Learning
1748 Manual assumes that you are familiar with LilyPond input. You may
1749 wish to skim these chapters right now, and come back to them after
1750 you have more experience.
1752 If you have not done so already, @emph{please} read @ref{About the
1753 documentation}. There is a lot of information about LilyPond, so
1754 newcomers often do not know where they should look for help. If
1755 you spend five minutes reading that section carefully, you might
1756 save yourself hours of frustration looking in the wrong places!