@node Converting from other formats
@chapter Converting from other formats
+Music can be entered also by importing it from other formats. This
+chapter documents the tools included in the distribution to do so.
+There are other tools that produce LilyPond input, for example GUI
+sequencers and XML converters. Refer to the
+@uref{http://lilypond.org,website} for more details.
+
+
+
@menu
-* Invoking convert-ly:: Older LilyPond versions.
-* Invoking midi2ly:: Importing MIDI.
-* Invoking etf2ly:: Importing Finale.
-* Invoking abc2ly:: Importing ABC.
-* Invoking pmx2ly:: Importing PMX.
-* Invoking musedata2ly:: Importing Musedata.
-* Invoking mup2ly:: Importing MUP.
+* Invoking convert-ly:: Older LilyPond versions.
+* Invoking midi2ly:: Importing MIDI.
+* Invoking etf2ly:: Importing Finale.
+* Invoking abc2ly:: Importing ABC.
+* Invoking musedata2ly:: Importing Musedata.
+* Invoking mup2ly:: Importing MUP.
@end menu
@section Invoking convert-ly
Convert-ly sequentially applies different conversions to upgrade a
-Lilypond input file. It uses @code{\version} statements in the file to
-detect the old version number. For example, to upgrade all lilypond
+LilyPond input file. It uses @code{\version} statements in the file to
+detect the old version number. For example, to upgrade all LilyPond
files in the current directory and its subdirectories, use
@example
convert-ly -e --to=1.3.150 `find . -name '*.ly' -print`
The following options can be given:
@table @code
-@item -a,--assume-old
- If version number cannot be determined, apply all conversions.
@item -e,--edit
Do an inline edit of the input file. Overrides @code{--output}.
@item -f,--from=@var{from-patchlevel}
Set the goal version of the conversion. It defaults to the latest
available version.
@item -h, --help
- Print usage help
+ Print usage help.
@end table
@refbugs
-Not all language changes are handled. Only one output options can be specified.
+Not all language changes are handled. Only one output option can be specified.
@node Invoking midi2ly
@section Invoking midi2ly
@cindex MIDI
-Midi2ly translates a MIDI input file to a LilyPond source file. MIDI
-(Music Instrument Digital Interface) is a standard for digital
-instruments: it specifies cabling, a serial protocol and a file format.
+Midi2ly translates a Type 1 MIDI file to a LilyPond source file.
+
+MIDI (Music Instrument Digital Interface) is a standard for digital
+instruments: it specifies cabling, a serial protocol and a file
+format. The MIDI file format is a de facto standard format for
+exporting music from other programs, so this capability may come in
+useful when you want to import files from a program that has no
+converter for its native format.
-The MIDI file format is a de facto standard format for exporting music
-from other programs, so this capability may come in useful when you want
-to import files from a program that has no converter for its native
-format.
+Midi2ly will convert tracks into @internalsref{Staff} and
+channels into @internalsref{Voice} contexts. Relative mode is used
+for pitches, durations are only written when necessary.
-It is possible to record a MIDI file using a digital keyboard, and then
-convert it to @file{.ly}. However, human players are not rhythmically
-exact enough to make a MIDI to LY conversion trivial. midi2ly tries to
-compensate for these timing errors, but is not very good at this. It is
-therefore not recommended to use midi2ly for human-generated midi files.
+It is possible to record a MIDI file using a digital keyboard, and
+then convert it to @file{.ly}. However, human players are not
+rhythmically exact enough to make a MIDI to LY conversion trivial.
+midi2ly tries to compensate for these timing errors, but is not very
+good at this. It is therefore not recommended to use midi2ly for
+human-generated midi files.
Hackers who know about signal processing are invited to write a more
robust midi2ly. midi2ly is written in Python, using a module written in
The following options are supported by midi2ly:
@table @code
-@item -b, --no-quantify,
- Write exact durations, e.g.: `a4*385/384'.
-@item -D, --debug,
- Print lots of debugging stuff.
-@item -h, --help,
- Show a summary of usage.
-@item -I, --include=@var{dir},
- Add @var{dir} to search path.
-@item -k, --key=@var{acc}[:@var{minor}],
+@item -a, --absolute-pitches
+ Print absolute pitches.
+@item -d, --duration-quant=@var{DUR}
+ Quantize note durations on @var{DUR}.
+@item -e, --explicit-durations
+ Print explicit durations.
+@item -h,--help
+ Show summary of usage.
+@item -k, --key=@var{acc}[:@var{minor}]
Set default key. @var{acc} > 0 sets number of sharps; @var{acc} < 0
-sets number
- of flats. A minor key is indicated by ":1".
-@item -n, --no-silly,
- Assume no plets or double dots, assume smallest (reciprocal) duration 16.
-@item -o, --output=@var{file},
- Set @var{file} as default output.
-@item -p, --no-plets,
- Assume no plets.
-@item -q, --quiet,
- Be quiet.
-@item -s, --smallest=N,
- Assume no shorter (reciprocal) durations than N.
-@item -v, --verbose,
+ sets number of flats. A minor key is indicated by ":1".
+@item -o, --output=@var{file}
+ Write output to @var{file}.
+@item -s, --start-quant=@var{DUR}
+ Quantize note starts on DUR.
+@item -t, --allow-tuplet=@var{DUR}*@var{NUM}/@var{DEN}
+ Allow tuplet durations @var{DUR}*@var{NUM}/@var{DEN}.
+@item -V, --verbose
Be verbose.
-@item -w, --warranty,
- Show the warranty with which midi2ly comes. (It comes with @strong{NO WARRANTY}!)
-@item -x, --no-double-dots,
- Assume no double dotted notes.
+@item -v, --version
+ Print version number.
+@item -w, --warranty
+ Show warranty and copyright.
+@item -x, --text-lyrics
+ Treat every text as a lyric.
@end table
+@refbugs
+
+
+Quantizing start-times and durations should be recommended.
+This relates to the notes regarding the transcription of a MIDI
+recording of a performance. I realize it can be done via the utility,
+but a sequencer gives better visual feedback.
+
+Overlapping notes in an arpeggio will not be correctly
+rendered. The first note will be read and the others will be ignored.
+Set them all to a single duration and add phrase markings or pedal
+indicators.
+
+
@node Invoking etf2ly
@section Invoking etf2ly
etf2ly [@var{option}]@dots{} @var{etf-file}
@end example
-The following options are supported by etf2ly.
+The following options are supported by etf2ly:
@table @code
@item -h,--help
this help
@refbugs
The list of articulation scripts is incomplete. Empty measures confuse
-etf2ly.
+etf2ly. Sequences of grace notes are ended improperly sometimes.
@node Invoking abc2ly
@cindex ABC
-ABC is a fairly simple ASCII based format. It is described at the abc site:
+ABC is a fairly simple ASCII based format. It is described at the ABC site:
@quotation
-@uref{http://www.gre.ac.uk/~c.walshaw/abc2mtex/abc.txt}
+@uref{http://www.gre.ac.uk/~c.walshaw/abc2mtex/abc.txt}.
@end quotation
abc2ly translates from ABC to LilyPond. It is invoked as follows:
print version information.
@end table
-There is a rudimentary facility for adding lilypond code to the ABC
+There is a rudimentary facility for adding LilyPond code to the ABC
source file. If you say:
@example
- %%LY voices \property Voice.autoBeaming=##f
+ %%LY voices \set autoBeaming = ##f
@end example
This will cause the text following the keyword ``voices'' to be inserted
-into the current voice of the lilypond output file.
+into the current voice of the LilyPond output file.
-Similarly:
+Similarly,
@example
%%LY slyrics more words
@refbugs
The ABC standard is not very ``standard''. For extended features
-(eg. polyphonic music) different conventions exist.
+(e.g. polyphonic music) different conventions exist.
Multiple tunes in one file cannot be converted.
abc2ly ignores the ABC beaming.
-@node Invoking pmx2ly
-@section Invoking pmx2ly
-
-PMX is a MusiXTeX preprocessor written by Don Simons. More information
-on PMX is available from the following site:
-
-@quotation
-@uref{http://icking-music-archive.sunsite.dk/Misc/Music/musixtex/software/pmx/}.
-@end quotation
-
-@cindex PMX
-@cindex MusiXTeX
-@cindex Simons, Don
-
-pmx2ly converts from PMX to LilyPond input. The program is invoked as
-follows:
-
-@example
- pmx2ly [@var{option}]@dots{} @var{pmx-file}
-@end example
-
-The following options are supported by pmx2ly:
-
-@table @code
-@item -h,--help
-this help
-@item -o,--output=FILE
-set output filename to FILE
-@item -v,--version
-version information
-@end table
-
-
@node Invoking musedata2ly
@section Invoking musedata2ly
-@cindex Musedata
+@cindex MuseData
@cindex CCARH
-Musedata (@uref{http://www.musedata.org/}) is an electronic library of
-classical music scores, currently comprising about 800 composition
-dating from 1700 to 1825. The music is encoded in so-called Musedata
-format. musedata2ly converts a set of musedata files to one .ly file,
-and will include a @code{\header} field if a @file{.ref} file is
-supplied. It is invoked as follows:
+MuseData (see @uref{http://www.musedata.org/}) is an electronic
+library of classical music scores, comprising at the time of writing
+about 800 composition dating from 1700 to 1825. The music is encoded
+in so-called MuseData format. musedata2ly converts a set of MuseData
+files to one .ly file, and will include a @code{\header} field if a
+@file{.ref} file is supplied. It is invoked as follows:
@example
musedata2ly [@var{option}]@dots{} @var{musedata-files}
@refbugs
-musedata2ly converts only a small subset musedata.
+@file{musedata2ly} converts only a small subset of MuseData.
@node Invoking mup2ly
@section Invoking mup2ly
-MUP (Music Publisher) is a shareware music notation program by Arkkra
-Enterprises. It is also the name of the input format. Mup2ly will
-convert part of a Mup file to a ready-to-use LilyPond file. Mup2ly is
-invoked as follows:
+Mup (Music Publisher) is a shareware music notation program by Arkkra
+Enterprises. Mup2ly will convert part of a Mup file to LilyPond
+format. It is invoked as follows:
@cindex Music Publisher
-@cindex MUP
+@cindex Mup
@cindex Arkkra
@example
@table @code
@item -d,--debug
show what constructs are not converted, but skipped.
-@item D, --define=@var{name}[=@code{exp}]
+@item -D, --define=@var{name}[=@code{exp}]
define macro @var{name} with opt expansion @code{exp}
@item -E,--pre-process
only run the pre-processor
@refbugs
-Currently, only plain notes (pitches, durations), voices and staves are
+Only plain notes (pitches, durations), voices, and staves are
converted.
projects / lilypond.git / blobdiff