arrogantly) The Musical Definition Language or Mudela, for
short.\footnote{If anybody comes up with a better name, we'd gladly
take this. Gourlay already uses Musical Description Language,
- G-Sharp Score Definition Language. We're not being original here}
+ G-Sharp Score Definition Language. ISO standard 10743 defines a
+ Standard Music Description Language. We're not being original here}
The first aim of Mudela is to define a piece of music, being complete
from both from a musical typesetting, as from a musical performing
As a related note, you should take a look at the examples and the init
files, as this document does not cover every aspect of mudela yet, and
-may be out of date.
+may be out of date.\footnote{Ok, I am being pessimistic here. This
+ just is a disclaimer. Docs usually are written after the program
+ itself.} This document intends to give an idea of how it works, it
+is not a guide on how to use it.
\section{Basic elements}
\subsection{Files}
The de-facto extension of Mudela is \file{.ly}. Files may be included by
-entering \verb+include+ at the start of a line:
+entering \verb+\include+ at the start of a line:
\begin{verbatim}
\include "a_file.ly"
Identifiers in their normal form consist start with a backslash, a
alpha character, followed by alpha-numerics. Identifiers can contain
any characters (except whitespace,
-\verb+$+ and \verb+%+), if you use this
-construct:
+ and \verb+%+), if you use this construct:
\begin{verbatim}
\$i'm_a_weird!!!identifier
\verb+i'm_a_weird!!!identifier+). \verb+$+ Takes any sequence of
characters which are not whitespace, \verb+$+ and \verb+%+.
\verb+$i'm_a_weird!!!string+
+\def\foobar{$} % silly fontlock mode
\subsection{Nesting characters}
\begin{verbatim}
string = ...
-\oldidentifier = ..
\end{verbatim}
+If you reuse identifiers, then the previous contents will be thrown
+away after the right hand is evaluated, eg
+\begin{verbatim}
+bla = \melodic { \bla }
+\end{verbatim}
+is legal
+
When using identifiers they have to be escaped:
\begin{verbatim}
oboe = \melodic { ... }
\score{ \melodic { \oboe }}
\end{verbatim}
+
+The left-hand part of the assignment is really a string, so
+\begin{verbatim}
+"Foo bar 4 2 " = \melodic { .. }
+\end{verbatim}
+
+is also a valid assignment (but you would have trouble referencing to it)
+
+
\subsection{Hierarchical structures}
The general structure consists of declarations:
At the start of parsing, Mudela assumes normal mode.
In Normal mode, a word is looked up in the following order:
-\begin{verbatim}
-word string
-\word keyword, identifier
-\end{verbatim}
-In normalmode, a word is assumed to start with an alphabetic
+\begin{description}
+\item{\verb+word+} string
+\item{\verb|"string"|} string
+\item{\verb|\word|} keyword, identifier
+\end{description}
+In normal mode, a word is assumed to start with an alphabetic
character, followed by alpha-numeric characters.
-\item[Note mode]
- Note mode (and thus Simple mudela) is introduced by
- the keyword \verb+\melodic+. In Note mode, a word is looked up in
- the following order:
+\item[Note mode] Note mode is introduced by the keyword
+ \verb+\melodic+. In Note mode, a word is looked up in the following
+ order:
+\begin{description}
+\item{\verb+word+} notename, string
+\item{\verb|"string"|} string
+\item{\verb|\word|} keyword, identifier
+\end{description}
-\begin{verbatim}
-word notename, string
-\word keyword, identifier
-\end{verbatim}
-In Note mode a word is considered to have alphabetic characters only.
+In Note mode a word is considered to have alphabetic characters only,
+so the underscore (\_) is illegal. If you accidently mistype a
+notename, the parser will assume that you are entering a string (and
+it will most likely complain that you should be in \verb|\lyrics| mode to
+do lyrics)
-\item[Lyric mode]
-Lyrics mode (and thus Simple mudela) is introduced by the keyword \verb+\lyrics+.
-In Lyrics mode, a word is looked up in the following order:
+\item[Lyric mode] Lyrics mode (and thus Simple mudela) is introduced
+ by the keyword \verb+\lyrics+. Because of the various control
+ characters that can appear in lyrics, eg, ``foreign language''
+ accents, the inputting a string containing these has been made very
+ easy.
-\begin{verbatim}
-word string
-\word keyword, identifier
-\end{verbatim}
+In Lyrics mode, a word is looked up in the following order:
+\begin{description}
+\item{\verb+word+} string (thus a lyric)
+\item{\verb|"string"|} string
+\item{\verb|\word|} keyword, identifier
+\end{description}
In Lyric mode every sequence of non-digit and non-white characters
starting with an alphabetic character or the \_ is considered a word.
You enter a note by giving the name and the reciprocal of the duration:
\begin[fragment,verbatim]{mudela}
-a'4 % dutch names
+a'4 % Dutch names
\end{mudela}
-is a A-1 pitched quaver. The ' signifies an octave change. A-1 is 440
+is a A-1 pitched crotchet. The ' signifies an octave change. A-1 is 440
Hz concert-pitch. \verb+c'+ is also known as the central c. More examples:
\begin[fragment,verbatim]{mudela}
-'a % 110
+ 'a % 110
a % 220
A % 110, uppercase octavates down
a' % 440
-a'' % 880
-'as4.*2/3
+ a'' % 880
+ 'as4.*2/3
\end{mudela}
The last one is an A flat, (just below 110 Hz concert-pitch). The \verb+*2/3+
signifies that this note is part of a triplet (3 in stead of 2). The
-duration is one and a half quaver (\verb+4.+) times 2/3.
+duration is one and a half quarter note (\verb+4.+) times 2/3.
Notenames are just a special kind of identifiers, and can be declared
for any language appropriate (see \file{init/dutch.ly}). The default language
-for notenames is defined to be dutch. In dutch, the notenames are
+for notenames is defined to be Dutch. In Dutch, the notenames are
a,b,c,d,e,f and g. Sharps are formed by adding the extension "is",
flats by adding ``es''
requests) or attached to notes (eg. accents). The former are
implemented as START and STOP stop features and then attached to the note.
-\begin{verbatim}
-[] START/STOP a beam
-() START/STOP a slur
-\end{verbatim}
+\begin{description}
+\item{[ and ]} start and stop a beam
+\item{( and )} start and stop a slur
+\end{description}
example:
\begin[verbatim,fragment]{mudela}
\end{mudela}
Please note that these two characters do \emph{not} necessarrily nest,
-they should attached to the note \verb+[ <c4 c4>]+ will generate a parse
-error for this reason.
+they should be attached to the note. For this reason, the construct
+\verb+[ <c4 c4>]+ will generate a parse error.
\subsection{Slurs and Ties}
Symbols which can be put at either side (above or below) of a staff
are entered as follows:
\begin[verbatim,fragment]{mudela}
-a-^ % marcato, direction: default
- a^- % portato, direction: above note
+ a-^ % marcato, direction: default
+ %a^- % portato, direction: above note
a_. % staccato, direction: below note
a^\fermata % predefined identifier
c_"marcato" % add a text
c^"marcato"
-c-"marcato"
+ c-"marcato"
\end{mudela}
If you want to define your own scripts refer to \file{init/script.ly} for
Mudela defines the following dynamic identifiers:
\begin{verbatim}
-ppp pp p mp mf df ff fff % df iso f, f is a notename.
+ppp pp p mp mf f ff fff sfz fz fp
\end{verbatim}
and the following abbreviations:
\begin{verbatim}
Requests as its elements. The examples of the previous section were
processed with \verb+{+ and \verb+}+ enclosing the input.
+\subsection{Durations}
+
+A duration always starts with the duration type (1,2,4 etc), and then
+any optional multipliers/dots
+
+\subsection{Meters/groupings}
+
+A meter has this form:
+\begin{verbatim}
+\meter 3/4 ;
+\end{verbatim}
+
+Rhythmic grouping is a concept closely associated with this. For
+example, in a 5/8 meter, the counts are grouped 2+3. In mudela this is
+entered as
+\begin{verbatim}
+\grouping 8*2 8*3 ;
+\end{verbatim}
+You can start the piece with a partial measure, the command takes the
+same syntax as grouping:
+\begin{verbatim}
+\partial 16*3 4;
+\end{verbatim}
+
+Make the piece start with a upstep [english translation?]
+lasting 1 3/4 quarter notes.
+
+These commands are also "voice elements", and constitute ``Music''
+(consisting of stuff with duration 0).
+
\subsection{Voicegroups}
+
+[OUTDATED]
+
If more than one "voice" is in a staff, then you have the option of
putting the different voices into so called voicegroups: members of
the same voicegroup share certain characteristics, among others:
[adsolete. Has to be fixed in lily]
You can set the voicegroup of a voice with the command \verb+\group+, e.g.,
+
\begin{verbatim}
oboeI = \melodic {
\group "oboes";
In this example, the two oboe voices share one staff and are initially
in the voicegroup called "oboes". They will share beams, dynamics etc.
-After two quavers, oboeI "pushes" its group: a new voicegroup is
+After two quarter notes, oboeI "pushes" its group: a new voicegroup is
created, called "oboes+solo". The \verb+\group "-"+ command makes the
voice enter "oboes" again.
\end{verbatim}
makes a chord (all horizontal parts are in the same voicegroup). The construct
\begin{verbatim}
-< \multi 2; { ....} { .... } >
+\multi 2 < { ....} { .... } >
\end{verbatim}
creates horizontal parts which behave independently. You will have to
set voicegroup features by hand (\verb+\stem+ and \verb+\hshift+. See examples)
The construct
\begin{verbatim}
-< \multi 3; { ....} { .... } >
+\multi 3 < { ....} { .... } >
\end{verbatim}
creates a chord with each part in a different staff
-\subsection{Durations}
-
-A duration always starts with the duration type (1,2,4 etc), and then
-any optional multipliers/dots
-
-\subsection{Meters/groupings}
-
-A meter has this form:
-\begin{verbatim}
-\meter 3/4 ;
-\end{verbatim}
-
-Rhythmic grouping is a concept closely associated with this. For
-example, in a 5/8 meter, the counts are grouped 2+3. In mudela this is
-entered as
-\begin{verbatim}
-\grouping 8*2 8*3 ;
-\end{verbatim}
-You can start the piece with a partial measure, the command takes the
-same syntax as grouping:
-\begin{verbatim}
-\partial 16*3 4;
-\end{verbatim}
-
-Make the piece start with a partial measure [english translation?]
-lasting 1 3/4 quaver.
-
-These commands are also "voice elements", and constitute simple mudela
-(consisting of stuff with duration 0).
-
\subsection{Examples}
Examples are included with the GNU LilyPond distribution. For the sake of
\section{History}
-This language has a number of roots. First and foremost, GNU LilyPond's
-predecessor mpp was the inspiration of simple Mudela. Secondly, the
-hierarchical structure looks a lot like Rayce's (Rayce is a raytracer
-that I've written as a hobby project. ), which in turn owes a lot to
-POVRay.
+This language has a number of roots. First and foremost, GNU
+LilyPond's predecessor mpp was the inspiration of the Note-mode input.
+Secondly, the hierarchical structure looks a lot like Rayce's (Rayce
+is a raytracer that I've written as a hobby project. ), which in turn
+owes a lot to POVRay.
Now, we know, musictypesetting and raytracing do not necessarily
require the same input format, and we know that a lot more ways exist
projects / lilypond.git / blobdiff