1 \input texinfo @c -*- coding: utf-8; mode: texinfo; -*-
2 @setfilename lilypond-changes.info
3 @settitle LilyPond Changes
8 @macro inputfileref{DIR,NAME}
9 @uref{../../\DIR\/collated-files.html#\NAME\,@file{\DIR\/\NAME\}}@c
11 @macro usermanref{NAME}
12 @inforef{\NAME\,,../user/lilypond/lilypond}@c
17 @macro inputfileref{DIR,NAME}
20 @macro usermanref{NAME}
21 See user manual, \NAME\
25 @macro textanchor{NAME}
32 @documentencoding utf-8
39 @top New features in 2.16 since 2.14
41 @allowcodebreaks false
49 * add new items at the top
51 * only show verbatim input for syntax/input changes
53 * try to be as brief possible in those cases
55 * don't try to provide real-world examples, they often get too big,
56 which scares away people.
58 * Write complete sentences.
60 * only show user-visible changes.
64 The syntax of words (character sequences recognized without enclosing
65 quotes) and commands (now always a backslash @samp{\} followed by a
66 word) has been unified across all modes: it now consists of alphabetic
67 characters, possibly enclosing isolated dashes @samp{-} and underlines
70 As one consequence, using unquoted text scripts like (literally!)
72 @{ c-script c\f_script @}
74 will now tend to result in invalid music. Omitting quote marks
75 for arbitrary text rather than keywords has never been good practice or
76 even documented, and it is unlikely to have seen significant use.
78 Staying with established conventions (like not using dashes or
79 underlines for command names intended to be used inside of music)
80 remains advisable. The reason for this change is more robust
81 recognition of LilyPond's lexical units for LilyPond itself as well as
82 external tools interpreting its syntax.
85 Support for Kievan square notation:
86 @lilypond[quote,relative=1,verbatim]
95 Augmentation dots now avoid the other voice in two-voice polyphony
96 so that users can move the @code{Dot_column_engraver} to set dots
97 independently for each @code{Voice}.
102 \remove Dot_column_engraver
105 \consists Dot_column_engraver
110 <d f g>4. <d f g> <f, g> b
112 <f g b>4. <g b d> <b d> <e, g>
117 A Scheme function to adjust the control points of curves such as slurs
118 and ties, developed by several users, is now included in LilyPond.
119 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
121 \shape Slur #'((-0.5 . 1.5) (-3 . 0) (0 . 0) (0 . 0))
126 Use of @code{\tempo} specifications in @code{\midi} blocks (removed in
127 2.9.16 in favor of explicit @code{tempoWholesPerMinute} settings) has
128 seen a revival: now any kind of property-setting music is turned into
129 context definitions within output specifications, allowing for
132 \layout @{ \accidentalStyle modern @}
133 \midi @{ \tempo 4. = 66 @}
137 The LilyPond G clef has been redesigned - upper loop is now more balanced,
138 bottom crook sticks out less and the "spine" (main vertical line) is more
139 evenly curved. The old and new versions can be compared by looking at the
141 @uref{http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.14/Documentation/notation/the-feta-font.html#clef-glyphs, old version},
142 @uref{http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.15/Documentation/notation/the-feta-font.html#clef-glyphs, new version}.
145 Lilypond's stencil commands have been simplified to allow for less code
146 duplication and better height approximations of graphical objects. The
147 following stencil commands have been eliminated:
150 @item @code{bezier-sandwich}
152 @item @code{dashed-slur}
155 @item @code{repeat-slash}
156 @item @code{zigzag-line}
160 Flags are now treated as separate objects rather than as stem parts.
161 @lilypond[fragment,quote,relative=2]
162 \override Flag #'color = #red
167 Two alternative methods for bar numbering can be set, especially for
168 when using repeated music;
170 @lilypond[fragment,quote,relative=1,noragged-right]
172 \set Score.alternativeNumberingStyle = #'numbers
173 \repeat volta 3 { c4 d e f | }
175 { c4 d e f | c2 d \break }
176 { f4 g a b | f4 g a b | f2 a | \break }
180 \set Score.alternativeNumberingStyle = #'numbers-with-letters
181 \repeat volta 3 { c,4 d e f | }
183 { c4 d e f | c2 d \break }
184 { f4 g a b | f4 g a b | f2 a | \break }
192 The following is a fundamental change in LilyPond's music
193 representation: Rhythmic events like @code{LyricEvent} and
194 @code{NoteEvent} are no longer wrapped in @code{EventChord} unless they
195 have been actually entered as part of a chord in the input. If you
196 manipulate music expressions in Scheme, the new behavior may require
197 changes in your code. Calling the music function @code{\eventChords} or
198 the Scheme function @code{event-chord-wrap!} converts to the old
199 representation; using one of those might be easiest for keeping legacy
202 The following three items are consequences of this change.
205 The repetitive chord entry aid @code{q} has been reimplemented.
206 Repeated chords are now replaced right before interpreting a music
207 expression. In case the user wants to retain some events of the
208 original chord, he can run the repeat chord replacement function
209 @code{\chordRepeats} manually.
212 String numbers and right hand fingerings on single notes now appear
213 without having to be written inside of chord brackets.
216 Music functions now work the same when used inside or outside of chords,
217 including all the possibilities of argument parsing. Music variables
218 can be used inside of chords: a construct like
219 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,ragged-right]
221 { <\tonic \transpose c g \tonic> }
224 now works as expected. One can use @code{#@{@dots{}#@}} for
225 constructing chord constituents. @code{\tweak} now works on single
226 notes without needing to wrap them in a chord. Using it on command
227 events and lyrics is now possible, but not likely to give results yet.
230 @code{\tweak} now takes an optional layout object specification. It can
231 be used for tweaking layout objects that are only indirectly caused by
232 the tweaked event, like accidentals, stems, and flags:
234 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,ragged-right,relative=2]
235 <\tweak Accidental #'color #red cis4
236 \tweak Accidental #'color #green es
241 Scheme expressions inside of embedded Lilypond (@code{#@{@dots{}#@}})
242 are now executed in lexical closure of the surrounding Scheme code.
243 @code{$} is no longer special in embedded Lilypond. It can be used
244 unconditionally in Lilypond code for immediate evaluation of Scheme
245 expressions, similar to how @code{ly:export} could previously be used.
246 @code{ly:export} has been removed. As a consequence, @code{#} is now
247 free to delay evaluation of its argument until the parser actually
248 reduces the containing expression, greatly reducing the potential for
249 premature evaluation. There are also @q{splicing} operators @code{$@@}
250 and @code{#@@} for interpreting the members of a list individually.
253 To reduce the necessity for using @code{$}, Scheme expressions written
254 with @code{#} are interpreted as music inside of music lists, and as
255 markups or markup lists inside of markups.
258 Support for jazz-like chords has been improved: Lydian and altered
259 chords are recognised; separators between chord modifiers are now
260 treated independently of separators between ``slash'' chords and their
261 bass notes (and by default, slashes are now only used for the latter
262 type of separator); additional pitches are no longer prefixed with
263 ``add'' by default; and the ``m'' in minor chords can be customized.
264 @ruser{Customizing chord names} for more information.
267 The @code{\markuplines} command has been renamed to @code{\markuplist}
268 for a better match with its semantics and general Lilypond
272 The interface for specifying string tunings in tablature has been
273 simplified considerably and employs the scheme function
274 @code{\stringTuning} for most purposes.
277 Beams can now have their slopes preserved over line breaks.
278 @lilypond[fragment,quote,relative=2]
279 \override Beam #'breakable = ##t
280 a8[ b c d e f g \bar "" \break f e d c b a]
281 \once \override Beam #'positions = #beam::align-with-broken-parts
282 a8[ b c d e f g \bar "" \break f e d c b a]
283 \once \override Beam #'positions = #beam::slope-like-broken-parts
284 a8[ b c d e f g \bar "" \break f e d c b a]
286 To do this, several callback functions are now deprecated.
288 @item @code{ly:beam::calc-least-squares-positions}
289 @item @code{ly:beam::slope-damping}
290 @item @code{ly:beam::shift-region-to-valid}
292 Furthermore, @code{ly:beam::quanting} now takes an additional argument
293 to help calculations over line breaks. All of these functions are now
294 automatically called when setting the @code{positions} parameter.
297 In function arguments music, markups and Scheme expressions (as well as
298 several other syntactic entities) have become mostly interchangeable and
299 are told apart only by evaluating the respective predicate. In several
300 cases, the predicate is consulted by the parser, like when deciding
301 whether to interpret @code{-3} as a number or a fingering event.
304 Music functions (and their close relatives) can now be defined with
308 For defining commands executed only for their side-effects,
309 @code{define-void-function} is now available.
312 There is a new @code{define-event-function} command in analogy to
313 @code{define-music-function} that can be used for defining music
314 functions acting as post events without requiring a direction specifier
315 (@code{-}, @code{^}, or @code{_}) placed before them.
316 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
317 dyn=#(define-event-function (parser location arg) (markup?)
318 (make-dynamic-script arg))
319 \relative c' { c\dyn pfsss }
323 A list of ASCII aliases for special characters can be included.
324 @lilypond[quote,verbatim]
326 #(include-special-characters)
328 \markup "• † ©right; &OE; &ss; ¶"
332 There is a new @code{define-scheme-function} command in analogy to
333 @code{define-music-function} that can be used to define functions
334 evaluating to Scheme expressions while accepting arguments in Lilypond
338 The construct @code{#@{ @dots{} #@}} can now be used not just for
339 constructing sequential music lists, but also for pitches (distinguished
340 from single note events by the absence of a duration or other
341 information that can't be part of a pitch), single music events, void
342 music expressions, post events, markups (mostly freeing users from
343 having to use the @code{markup} macro), markup lists, number
344 expressions, context definitions and modifications, and a few other
345 things. If it encloses nothing or only a single music event, it no
346 longer returns a sequential music list but rather a void music
347 expression or just the music event itself, respectively.
350 Pitches can be used on the right side of assignments. They are
351 distinguished from single note events by the absence of a duration or
352 other information that can't be part of a pitch.
355 New command-line option @option{--loglevel=@var{level}} to control how much output
356 LilyPond creates. Possible values are ERROR, WARN, BASIC_PROGRESS, PROGRESS, DEBUG.
359 @code{\once \set} now correctly resets the property value to the previous value.
360 @lilypond[fragment,quote,relative=2]
361 \set fingeringOrientations = #'(left)
363 \once \set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
369 The alignment of dynamic spanners (hairpins, text crescendo, etc.) is now
370 automatically broken if a different direction is explicitly given.
371 @lilypond[fragment,quote,relative=2]
377 Appoggiaturas and acciaccaturas now also work inside a slur, not only inside
378 a phrasing slur. Also, a function @code{\slashedGrace} was added that does
379 not use a slur from the acciaccatura note.
380 @lilypond[fragment,quote,relative=2]
381 c4( \appoggiatura e8 d4 \acciaccatura e8 d4 \slashedGrace e8 c4)
386 To suppress the line on a crescendo text spanner (and other similar spanners),
387 LilyPond now fully supports the @code{#'style = #'none} property.
388 @lilypond[fragment,quote,relative=2]
389 \override DynamicTextSpanner #'style = #'none
394 LilyPond.app now supports MacOS X 10.7, thanks Christian Hitz!
397 Glissandi can now span multiple lines.
402 For older news, go to
403 @uref{http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.14/Documentation/changes/},
404 @uref{http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.12/Documentation/topdocs/NEWS.html},
405 or @uref{../,go back} to the Documentation index.