@c -*- coding: utf-8; mode: texinfo; -*- @c This file is part of lilypond-learning.tely @node Fundamental concepts @chapter Fundamental concepts @menu * How LilyPond files work:: * Voices contain music:: * TODO new sec fundamental:: @end menu @node How LilyPond files work @section How LilyPond files work The LilyPond input format is quite free-form, giving experienced users a lot of flexibility to structure their files however they wish. However, this flexibility can make things confusing for new users. This section will explain some of this structure, but may gloss over some details in favor of simplicity. For a complete description of the input format, see @ruser{File structure}. @menu * Introduction to the LilyPond file structure:: * Score is a single musical expression:: @end menu @node Introduction to the LilyPond file structure @subsection Introduction to the LilyPond file structure A basic example of a lilypond input file is @example \version "2.11.23" \score @{ @{@var{...music expression...}@} % all the music goes here! \header @{ @} \layout @{ @} \midi @{ @} @} @end example @noindent There are many variations of this basic pattern, but this example serves as a useful starting place. At this point, you may be confused, since you have never seen a @code{\score@{@}} before. This is because LilyPond automatically adds the extra commands when you give it simple input. LilyPond treats input like this: @example \relative c'' @{ c4 a d c @} @end example @noindent as shorthand for this: @example \score @{ \relative c'' @{ c4 a b c @} \layout @{ @} @} @end example In other words, if the input contains a single music expression, LilyPond will interpret the file as though the music expression was wrapped up inside a @code{\score@{@}}. @smallspace A @code{\score} must begin with a single music expression. Remember that a music expression could be anything from a single note to a huge @example @{ \new GrandStaff << @var{...insert the whole score of a Wagner opera in here...} >> @} @end example @noindent Since everything is inside @code{@{ ... @}}, it counts as one music expression. As we saw previously, the @code{\score} can contain other things, such as @example \score @{ @{ c'4 a b c' @} \header @{ @} \layout @{ @} \midi @{ @} @} @end example @noindent Some people put some of those commands outside the @code{\score} block -- for example, @code{\header} is often placed above the @code{\score}. That's just another shorthand that LilyPond accepts. @smallspace @cindex variables @cindex identifiers Another great shorthand is the ability to define identifiers. All the templates use this @example melody = \relative c' @{ c4 a b c @} \score @{ @{ \melody @} @} @end example When LilyPond looks at this file, it takes the value of @code{melody} (everything after the equals sign) and inserts it whenever it sees @code{\melody}. There's nothing special about the names -- it could be @code{melody}, @code{global}, @code{pianorighthand}, or @code{foofoobarbaz}. You can use whatever variable names you want. For more details, see @ruser{Saving typing with identifiers and functions}. @seealso For a complete definition of the input format, see @ruser{File structure}. @node Score is a single musical expression @subsection Score is a single musical expression We saw the general organization of LilyPond input files in the previous section, @ref{How LilyPond files work}. But we seemed to skip over the most important part: how do we figure out what to write after @code{\score}? We didn't skip over it at all. The big mystery is simply that there @emph{is} no mystery. This line explains it all: @quotation @emph{A @code{\score} must begin with a single music expression.} @end quotation @noindent You may find it useful to review @ruser{Music expressions explained}. In that section, we saw how to build big music expressions from small pieces -- we started from notes, then chords, etc. Now we're going to start from a big music expression and work our way down. @example \score @{ @{ % this brace begins the overall music expression \new GrandStaff << @var{...insert the whole score of a Wagner opera in here...} >> @} % this brace ends the overall music expression \layout @{ @} @} @end example A whole Wagner opera would easily double the length of this manual, so let's just add a singer and piano. We don't need a @code{GrandStaff} for this ensemble, so we shall remove it. We @emph{do} need a singer and a piano, though. @example \score @{ @{ << \new Staff = "singer" << >> \new PianoStaff = piano << >> >> @} \layout @{ @} @} @end example Remember that we use @code{<<} and @code{>>} to show simultaneous music. And we definitely want to show the vocal part and piano part at the same time, not one after the other! @example \score @{ @{ << \new Staff = "singer" << \new Voice = "vocal" @{ @} >> \new Lyrics \lyricsto vocal \new Lyrics @{ @} \new PianoStaff = "piano" << \new Staff = "upper" @{ @} \new Staff = "lower" @{ @} >> >> @} \layout @{ @} @} @end example Now we have a lot more details. We have the singer's staff: it contains a @code{Voice} (in LilyPond, this term refers to a set of notes, not necessarily vocal notes -- for example, a violin generally plays one voice) and some lyrics. We also have a piano staff: it contains an upper staff (right hand) and a lower staff (left hand). At this stage, we could start filling in notes. Inside the curly braces next to @code{\new Voice = vocal}, we could start writing @example \relative c'' @{ a4 b c d @} @end example But if we did that, the @code{\score} section would get pretty long, and it would be harder to understand what was happening. So let's use identifiers (or variables) instead. @example melody = @{ @} text = @{ @} upper = @{ @} lower = @{ @} \score @{ @{ << \new Staff = "singer" << \new Voice = "vocal" @{ \melody @} >> \new Lyrics \lyricsto vocal \new Lyrics @{ \text @} \new PianoStaff = "piano" << \new Staff = "upper" @{ \upper @} \new Staff = "lower" @{ \lower @} >> >> @} \layout @{ @} @} @end example @noindent Remember that you can use almost any name you like. The limitations on identifier names are detailed in @ruser{File structure}. When writing (or reading) a @code{\score} section, just take it slowly and carefully. Start with the outer layer, then work on each smaller layer. It also really helps to be strict with indentation -- make sure that each item on the same layer starts on the same horizontal position in your text editor. @node Voices contain music @section Voices contain music TODO: something cheesy and vaguely witty about voices being the fundamental thing that includes music in lilypond. @menu * I'm seeing Voices:: * Explicitly instantiating voices:: * Voices and vocals:: @end menu @c too cheesy? I'm not certain. -gp @node I'm seeing Voices @subsection I'm seeing Voices @cindex polyphony TODO: add intro about voices vs. layers vs. whatever. TODO: sex this up with colors and stuff. -gp TODO: actually, a general rewrite is needed. -gp The easiest way to enter fragments with more than one voice on a staff is to enter each voice as a sequence (with @code{@{...@}}), and combine them simultaneously, separating the voices with @code{\\} @funindex \\ @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment] \new Staff \relative c' { c16 d e f << { g4 f e | d2 e2 } \\ { r8 e4 d c8 ~ | c b16 a b8 g ~ g2 } \\ { s2. | s4 b4 c2 } >> } @end lilypond @cindex layers The separator causes @internalsref{Voice} contexts@footnote{Polyphonic voices are sometimes called @q{layers} in other notation packages} to be instantiated. They bear the names @code{"1"}, @code{"2"}, etc. In each of these contexts, vertical direction of slurs, stems, etc., is set appropriately. These voices are all separate from the voice that contains the notes just outside the @code{<< \\ >>} construct. This should be noted when making changes at the voice level. This also means that slurs and ties cannot go into or out of a @code{<< \\ >>} construct. Conversely, parallel voices from separate @code{<< \\ >>} constructs on the same staff are the same voice. Here is the same example, with different noteheads and colors for each voice. Note that the change to the note-head style in the main voice does not affect the inside of the @code{<< \\ >>} constructs. Also, the change to the second voice in the first @code{<< \\ >>} construct is effective in the second @code{<< \\ >>}, and the voice is tied across the two constructs. @cindex note heads, styles @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment] \new Staff \relative c' { \override NoteHead #'style = #'cross \override NoteHead #'color = #red c16 d e f << { g4 f e } \\ { \override NoteHead #'style = #'triangle \override NoteHead #'color = #blue r8 e4 d c8 ~ } >> | << { d2 e2 } \\ { c8 b16 a b8 g ~ g2 } \\ { \override NoteHead #'style = #'slash \override NoteHead #'color = #green s4 b4 c2 } >> } @end lilypond Polyphony does not change the relationship of notes within a @code{\relative @{ @}} block. Each note is calculated relative to the note immediately preceding it. @example \relative @{ noteA << noteB \\ noteC >> noteD @} @end example @code{noteC} is relative to @code{noteB}, not @code{noteA}; @code{noteD} is relative to @code{noteC}, not @code{noteB} or @code{noteA}. @node Explicitly instantiating voices @subsection Explicitly instantiating voices TODO: more colors and stuff. @internalsref{Voice} contexts can also be instantiated manually inside a @code{<< >>} block to create polyphonic music, using @code{\voiceOne}, up to @code{\voiceFour} to assign stem directions and a horizontal shift for each part. Specifically, @example << \upper \\ \lower >> @end example @noindent is equivalent to @example << \new Voice = "1" @{ \voiceOne \upper @} \new Voice = "2" @{ \voiceTwo \lower @} >> @end example The @code{\voiceXXX} commands set the direction of stems, slurs, ties, articulations, text annotations, augmentation dots of dotted notes, and fingerings. @code{\voiceOne} and @code{\voiceThree} make these objects point upwards, while @code{\voiceTwo} and @code{\voiceFour} make them point downwards. The command @code{\oneVoice} will revert back to the normal setting. An expression that appears directly inside a @code{<< >>} belongs to the main voice. This is useful when extra voices appear while the main voice is playing. Here is a more correct rendition of the example from the previous section. The crossed colored noteheads demonstrate that the main melody is now in a single voice context. @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim] \new Staff \relative c' { \override NoteHead #'style = #'cross \override NoteHead #'color = #red c16 d e f \voiceOne << { g4 f e | d2 e2 } \new Voice="1" { \voiceTwo r8 e4 d c8 ~ | c8 b16 a b8 g ~ g2 \oneVoice } \new Voice { \voiceThree s2. | s4 b4 c2 \oneVoice } >> \oneVoice } @end lilypond The correct definition of the voices allows the melody to be slurred. @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim] \new Staff \relative c' { c16^( d e f \voiceOne << { g4 f e | d2 e2) } \context Voice="1" { \voiceTwo r8 e4 d c8 ~ | c8 b16 a b8 g ~ g2 \oneVoice } \new Voice { \voiceThree s2. s4 b4 c2 \oneVoice } >> \oneVoice } @end lilypond Avoiding the @code{\\} separator also allows nesting polyphony constructs, which in some case might be a more natural way to typeset the music. @lilypond[quote,ragged-right,verbatim] \new Staff \relative c' { c16^( d e f \voiceOne << { g4 f e | d2 e2) } \context Voice="1" { \voiceTwo r8 e4 d c8 ~ | << {c8 b16 a b8 g ~ g2} \new Voice { \voiceThree s4 b4 c2 \oneVoice } >> \oneVoice } >> \oneVoice } @end lilypond @node Voices and vocals @subsection Voices and vocals Vocal music presents a special difficulty: we need to combine two expressions -- notes and lyrics. You have already seen the @code{\lyricsAdd@{@}} command, which handles simple cases for you. However, @code{\lyricsAdd@{@}} is very limited. For most music, you must explicitly link the lyrics to the notes with @code{\lyricsTo@{@}} @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment] << \new Voice = "one" \relative c'' { \autoBeamOff \time 2/4 c4 b8. a16 g4. f8 e4 d c2 } \new Lyrics \lyricsto "one" { No more let sins and sor -- rows grow. } >> @end lilypond TODO: get some vocal person to write more. @node TODO new sec fundamental @section TODO new sec fundamental blh blah @menu * On the un-nestedness of brackets and ties:: @end menu @c my name start sucking the more docs I write. -gp @node On the un-nestedness of brackets and ties @subsection On the un-nestedness of brackets and ties Different kinds of brackets and ties may be mixed freely, TODO: improve this example @lilypond[quote,verbatim,fragment,ragged-right] { r16[ g16 \times 2/3 {r16 e'8] } g16( a \times 2/3 {b d e') } g8[( a \times 2/3 {b d') e'~]} \times 4/5 {e'32\( a b d' e'} a'4.\) } @end lilypond TODO... add more info? Fluff up the first sentence?