@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::
@node Compiling a file
@subsection Compiling a file
-The first example demonstrates how to start working with LilyPond.
+@qq{Compiling} is the term used for processing an input text file
+in LilyPond format to produce a file which can be printed and
+(optionally) a MIDI file which can be played. The first example
+shows what a simple input text file looks like.
+
To create sheet music, we write a text file that specifies the
notation. For example, if we write:
}
@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
better support for LilyPond. For more information, see
@rprogram{Text editor support}.
-@warning{the first time you ever run LilyPond, it may take a
+@warning{The first time you ever run LilyPond, it may take a
minute or two because all of the system fonts have to be analyzed
first. After this, LilyPond will be much faster!}
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
@subsubheading Unix
-Create a file (such as @file{test.ly}) and enter:
+Create a text file called @file{test.ly} and enter:
@example
@{
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)
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
There are more tips for constructing input files in
-@ref{Suggestions for writing LilyPond files}.
+@ref{Suggestions for writing LilyPond 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{slurs}, @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(\( ais b c) cis2 b'2 a4 cis,\)
@cindex crescendo
@notation{Crescendi} and @notation{decrescendi} are started with
-the commands @code{\<} and @code{\>}. An ending dynamic, for
-example @code{\f}, will finish the (de)crescendo, or the command
+the commands @code{\<} and @code{\>}. The next dynamics sign, for
+example @code{\f}, will end the (de)crescendo, or the command
@code{\!} can be used:
@lilypond[verbatim,quote,ragged-right,fragment,relative=2]
@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,
This mechanism is similar to mathematical formulas: a big formula
is created by composing small formulas. Such formulas are called
-expressions, and they can contain other music expressions, so you
-can make arbitrarily complex and large expressions. For example,
+expressions, and they can contain other expressions, so you can
+make arbitrarily complex and large expressions. For example,
@example
1
little) space there is at the beginning of a line, but indenting
LilyPond code like this makes it much easier for humans to read.
+@c FIXME: number of backslashes?! works in html but not pdf.
@warning{each note is relative to the previous note in
the input, not relative to the @code{c''} in the initial
@code{\\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'' {
minus sign in mathematics. The formula @math{(4+5)} is an
expression, so @math{-(4+5)} is a bigger expression.
-Time signatures entered in one staff affect all other
-staves@footnote{This behavior may be changed if desired; for
-details, see @ruser{Polymetric notation}.}. On the other hand,
-the key signature of one staff does @emph{not} affect other
-staves. This different default behaviour is because scores with
-transposing instruments are more common than polyrhythmic
-scores.
+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
+is because scores with transposing instruments are more common
+than polyrhythmic scores.
@lilypond[verbatim,quote,ragged-right]
\relative c'' {
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]
r4 <c e g>8[ <c f a>]~ <c f a>2
-@end lilypond
-
-@lilypond[verbatim,quote,ragged-right,fragment,relative=2]
-r4 <c e g>8\>( <c e g> <c e g>4 <c f a>\!)
+r4 <c e g>8( <c e g>\> <c e g>4 <c f a>\!)
@end lilypond
(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]
@noindent
but scores any more complex than this simple example are
better produced by separating out the staff structure
-from the notes and lyrics with variables. These
+from the notes and lyrics with variables. These are
discussed in @ref{Organizing pieces with variables}.
@seealso
was used to write the file:
@example
-\version "2.11.23"
+\version "2.11.38"
@end example
@noindent
underneath the @ref{Version number}.
@example
-\version "2.11.23"
+\version "2.11.38"
\header @{
title = "Symphony"
composer = "Me"
+
projects / lilypond.git / blobdiff