version that you are working on. See TRANSLATION for details.
@end ignore
+@c \version "2.11.38"
+
@ignore
Tutorial guidelines: (different from policy.txt!)
- unless you have a really good reason, use either
@chapter Tutorial
This tutorial starts with an introduction to the LilyPond music
-language and how to produce printed music. After this first
-contact we will explain how to create common musical notation.
+language and explains how to produce printed music. After this first
+contact we will explain how to create beautiful printed music
+containing common musical notation.
@menu
* First steps::
@menu
* Compiling a file::
* Simple notation::
-* Working on text files::
-* How to read the manual::
+* Working on input files::
+* How to read the manual::
@end menu
@node Compiling a file
@subsection Compiling a file
-The first example demonstrates how to start working with LilyPond.
-To create sheet music, we write a text file that specifies the
+@qq{Compiling} is the term used for processing an input file
+in LilyPond format to produce a file which can be printed and
+(optionally) a MIDI file which can be played. LilyPond input
+files are simple text files. The first example
+shows what a simple input file looks like.
+
+To create sheet music, we write an input file that specifies the
notation. For example, if we write:
@example
}
@end lilypond
-@warning{Every piece of LilyPond input needs to have
-@strong{@{ curly braces @}} placed around the input. The braces
+@warning{Notes and lyrics in LilyPond input must always be
+surrounded by @strong{@{ curly braces @}}. The braces
should also be surrounded by a space unless they are at the
beginning or end of a line to avoid ambiguities. The braces may
be omitted in some examples in this manual, but don't forget them
To edit an existing @file{.ly} file, right-click on it and
select @qq{Edit source}. To get an empty file to start from, run
the editor as described above and use @qq{New} in
-the @qq{File} menu.
+the @qq{File} menu, or right-click on the desktop and select
+@qq{New..Text Document}, change its name to a name of your choice
+and change the file extension to @code{.ly}. Double-click the
+icon to type in your LilyPond source code as before.
Double-clicking the file does not only result in a PDF file, but
also produces a @file{.log} file that contains some information on
what LilyPond has done to the file. If any errors occur, please
examine this file.
-@subsubheading Unix
+@subsubheading UNIX
Create a text file called @file{test.ly} and enter:
works in practice. Starting from a B, which is on the middle line
in a treble clef, you can reach a C, D and E within 3 staff spaces
going up, and an A, G and F within 3 staff spaces going down. So
-if the note following a B is a C, D or F it will be assumed to be
+if the note following a B is a C, D or E it will be assumed to be
above the B, and an A, G or F will be assumed to be below.
@lilypond[verbatim,quote,ragged-right]
b c % c is 1 staff space up, so is the c above
b d % d is 2 up or 5 down, so is the d above
b e % e is 3 up or 4 down, so is the e above
- b a % a is 4 up or 3 down, so is the a below
+ b a % a is 6 up or 1 down, so is the a below
b g % g is 5 up or 2 down, so is the g below
- b f % f is 6 up or 1 down, so is the f below
+ b f % f is 4 up or 3 down, so is the f below
}
@end lilypond
quotes @code{''} and not one double quote @code{"}@tie{}! The
initial value in @code{\relative c'} may also be modified like
this.
-
+@c " - keeps quotes in order for context-sensitive editor -td
@subheading Durations (rhythms)
@ruser{Time signature}, @ruser{Clef}.
-@node Working on text files
-@subsection Working on text files
+@node Working on input files
+@subsection Working on input files
LilyPond input files are similar to source files in many common
programming languages. They are case sensitive, and white-space
-is generally equivalent. Expressions are formed with curly braces
+is generally ignored. Expressions are formed with curly braces
@{ @}, and comments are denoted with @code{%} or @code{%@{ ...
%@}}.
space unless they are at the beginning or end of a line to avoid
ambiguities.
-A function (such as @code{\relative @{ @}}) also counts as a
-single music expression.
+A LilyPond command followed by a simple expression in braces (such
+as @code{\relative @{ @}}) also counts as a single music
+expression.
@cindex comments
@cindex line comment
is ignored while parsing, so it has no effect on the printed
output. There are two types of comments. The percent symbol
@code{%} introduces a line comment; anything after @code{%} on
-that line is ignored. A block comment marks a whole section of
-music input as a comment. Anything that is enclosed in @code{%@{}
-and @code{%@}} is ignored. (Comments do not nest.) The following
-fragment shows possible uses for comments:
+that line is ignored. By convention, a line comment is placed
+@emph{above} the code it refers to.
+
+@example
+a4 a a a
+% this comment refers to the Bs
+b2 b
+@end example
+
+A block comment marks a whole section of music input as a comment.
+Anything that is enclosed in @code{%@{} and @code{%@}} is ignored.
+However, block comments do not @q{nest}. This means that you
+cannot place a block comment inside another block comment. If you
+try, the first @code{%@}} will terminate @emph{both} block
+comments. The following fragment shows possible uses for
+comments:
@example
% notes for twinkle twinkle follow
@subsection How to read the manual
LilyPond input must be surrounded by @{ @} marks or a
-@code{\relative c'' @{ ... @}}, as we saw in @ref{Working on text
+@code{\relative c'' @{ ... @}}, as we saw in @ref{Working on input
files}. For the rest of this manual, most examples will omit
this. To replicate the examples, you may copy and paste the
displayed input but you @strong{must} add the @code{\relative c''
There are more tips for constructing input files in
-@ref{Suggestions for writing LilyPond files}.
+@ref{Suggestions for writing LilyPond input files}. But it might be
+best to read through the rest of the tutorial first.
confusion to newcomers, so let us explain it in more detail.
LilyPond makes a sharp distinction between musical content and
-layout. The alteration (@notation{flat}, @notation{natural} or
+layout. The alteration (@notation{flat}, @notation{natural sign} or
@notation{sharp}) of a note is part of the pitch, and is therefore
musical content. Whether an accidental (a @emph{printed} flat,
natural or sharp sign) is printed in front of the corresponding
@end lilypond
@noindent
-No note has a printed accidental, but you must still add the
-@code{is} to @code{cis} and @code{fis}.
+No note has a printed accidental, but you must still add
+@code{is} and type @code{cis} and @code{fis} in the input file.
The code @code{e} does not mean @qq{print a black dot just below
the first line of the staff.} Rather, it means @qq{there is a
@cindex phrasing slurs
@subheading Phrasing slurs
-Music Glossary: @rglos{phrasing}, @rglos{legato}.
+Music Glossary: @rglos{slur}, @rglos{phrasing}.
Slurs to indicate longer @notation{phrasing} can be entered with
-@code{\(} and @code{\)}. You can have both @notation{legato}
-slurs and phrasing slurs at the same time, but you cannot have
-simultaneous legato slurs or simultaneous phrasing slurs.
+@code{\(} and @code{\)}. You can have both @notation{slurs}
+and phrasing slurs at the same time, but you cannot have
+simultaneous slurs or simultaneous phrasing slurs.
@lilypond[verbatim,quote,ragged-right,fragment,relative=2]
a8(\( ais b c) cis2 b'2 a4 cis,\)
@seealso
-Notation Reference: @ruser{Articulations},
+Notation Reference: @ruser{Articulations and ornamentations},
@ruser{Fingering instructions}, @ruser{Dynamics}.
@cindex appoggiatura
@subheading Grace notes
-Music Glossary: @rglos{grace notes}, @rglos{acciacccatura},
+Music Glossary: @rglos{grace notes}, @rglos{acciaccatura},
@rglos{appoggiatura}.
@notation{Grace notes} are created with the @code{\grace} command,
@warning{each note is relative to the previous note in
the input, not relative to the @code{c''} in the initial
-@code{\\relative} command.}
-@c FIXME: number of backslashes?!
+@code{@bs{}relative} command.}
@subheading Simultaneous music expressions: single staff
To determine the number of staves in a piece, LilyPond looks at
-the first expression. If it is a single note, there is one staff;
-if there is a simultaneous expression, there is more than one
-staff.
+the beginning of the first expression. If is a single note, there
+is one staff; if there is a simultaneous expression, there is more
+than one staff.
@lilypond[verbatim,quote,ragged-right]
\relative c'' {
Time signatures entered in one staff affects all other staves by
default. On the other hand, the key signature of one staff does
-@emph{not} affect other staves. This different default behaviour
+@emph{not} affect other staves. This different default behavior
is because scores with transposing instruments are more common
than polyrhythmic scores.
vocal scores. These staff groups each form another
type of context, one that generates the brace at the
left end of every system and also controls the extent
-of barlines.
+of bar lines.
@seealso
Music Glossary: @rglos{chord}.
-@notation{Chords} can be made by surrounding pitches with single
-angle brackets. Note that all the notes in a chord must have the
-same duration, and that duration is placed after the closing
-bracket.
+We saw earlier how notes can be combined into @notation{chords} by
+indicating they are simultaneous by enclosing them in double angle
+brackets. However, the normal way of indicating a chord is to
+surround the pitches with @emph{single} angle brackets. Note that
+all the notes in a chord must have the same duration, and that the
+duration is placed after the closing bracket.
@lilypond[verbatim,quote,ragged-right,fragment,relative=2]
r4 <c e g>4 <c f a>2
Think of chords as almost equivalent to single notes:
almost everything you can attach to a single note can be attached
-to a chord, and everything must go @emph{outside} the angle
-brackets. For example, you can combine markings like beams and
+to a chord, and everything must go @emph{outside} the angle
+brackets. For example, you can combine markings like beams and
ties with chords. They must be placed outside the angle brackets.
@lilypond[verbatim,quote,ragged-right,fragment,relative=2]
(see @ref{Automatic and manual beams}).
As an alternative to using slurs, the melismata may be indicated
-just in the lyrics by using an underscore, @code{_}, for each
+in just the lyrics by using an underscore, @code{_}, for each
note that should be included in the melisma:
@lilypond[verbatim,quote,ragged-right]
was used to write the file:
@example
-\version "2.11.23"
+\version @w{"@version{}"}
@end example
@noindent
underneath the @ref{Version number}.
@example
-\version "2.11.23"
+\version @w{"@version{}"}
\header @{
title = "Symphony"
composer = "Me"
+