1 New features in 2.20 since 2.18
2 *******************************
4 • Slurs and phrasing slurs may now be started from individual notes
5 in a chord. Several simultanous slurs per ‘Voice’ need to be
6 distinguished by ‘spanner-id’ setting.
8 • The music and grob property ‘spanner-id’ for distinguishing
9 simultaneous slurs and phrasing slurs has been changed from a
10 string to a ‘key’, a non-negative integer or symbol.
12 • There is a new command ‘\=’ for specifying the ‘spanner-id’ for
13 simultaneous slurs and phrasing slurs.
15 <c~ f\=1( g\=2( >2 <c e\=1) a\=2) >
19 • Blocks introduced with ‘\header’ can be stored in variables and
20 used as arguments to music and scheme functions and as the body of
21 ‘#{...#}’ constructs. They are represented as a Guile module.
23 While ‘\book’, ‘\bookpart’, ‘\score’, ‘\with’, ‘\layout’, ‘\midi’,
24 ‘\paper’ blocks can be passed around in similar manner, they are
25 represented by different data types.
27 • Dot-separated symbol lists like ‘FretBoard.stencil’ were already
28 supported as of version 2.18. They may now also contain unsigned
29 integers, and may alternatively be separated by commata. This
31 { \time 2,2,1 5/8 g'8 8 8 8 8 }
35 \tagGroup violin,oboe,bassoon
37 • Such lists may also be used in expressions for assignments, sets,
38 and overrides. This allows usage such as
39 { \unset Timing.beamExceptions
40 \set Timing.beatStructure = 1,2,1
44 • Association list elements could previously be assigned values
45 individually (for example, paper variables like
46 ‘system-system-spacing.basic-distance’). They may now be also
47 referenced in this manner, as with
49 \void \displayScheme \system-system-spacing.basic-distance
52 In combination with the previously mentioned changes, this allows
53 setting and referencing pseudovariables like ‘violin.1’.
55 • LilyPond source files may now be embedded inside the generated PDF
56 files. This experimental feature is disabled by default and may be
57 regarded as unsafe, as PDF documents with hidden content tend to
58 present a security risk. Please note that not all PDF viewers have
59 the ability to handle embedded documents (if not, the PDF output
60 will appear normally and source files will remain invisible). This
61 feature only works with the PDF backend.
63 • French note names are now defined specifically instead of being
64 aliased to Italian note names: in addition to the generic
65 Italian-derived syntax, the D pitch may be entered as ‘ré’. Double
66 sharps may also be entered using the ‘-x’ suffix.
68 • Additional bass strings (for lute tablature) are supported.
69 m = { f'4 d' a f d a, g, fis, e, d, c, \bar "|." }
76 tablatureFormat = #fret-letter-tablature-format
80 stringTunings = \stringTuning <a, d f a d' f'>
81 additionalBassStrings = \stringTuning <c, d, e, fis, g,>
82 fretLabels = #'("a" "b" "r" "d" "e" "f" "g" "h" "i" "k")
88 • The markup-list-command ‘\table’ is now available. Each column may
89 be aligned differently.
91 \override #'(padding . 2)
95 \underline { center-aligned right-aligned center-aligned left-aligned }
96 one "1" thousandth "0.001"
97 eleven "11" hundredth "0.01"
98 twenty "20" tenth "0.1"
99 thousand "1000" one "1.0"
104 • A new markup-command, ‘\with-dimensions-from’, makes
105 ‘\with-dimensions’ easier to use by taking the new dimensions from
106 a markup object, given as first argument.
108 \pattern #5 #Y #0 "x"
109 \pattern #5 #Y #0 \with-dimensions-from "x" "f"
110 \pattern #5 #Y #0 \with-dimensions-from "x" "g"
111 \override #'(baseline-skip . 2)
113 \pattern #5 #X #0 "n"
114 \pattern #5 #X #0 \with-dimensions-from "n" "m"
115 \pattern #5 #X #0 \with-dimensions-from "n" "!"
120 • A new page breaking function ‘ly:one-line-auto-height-breaking’
121 places a whole score on a single line and changes the page width to
122 match, just like ‘ly:one-line-breaking’. The difference is that it
123 also automatically modifies the height of the page to fit the
126 • Markup-command ‘\draw-squiggle-line’ is now available. Customizing
127 is possible with overrides of ‘thickness’, ‘angularity’, ‘height’
131 \draw-squiggle-line #0.5 #'(3 . 3) ##t
134 \override #'(thickness . 4)
135 \draw-squiggle-line #0.5 #'(3 . -3) ##t
138 \override #'(angularity . -5)
139 \draw-squiggle-line #0.5 #'(-3 . -3) ##t
141 \translate #'(3 . -3)
142 \override #'(angularity . 2)
143 \override #'(height . 0.3)
144 \override #'(orientation . -1)
145 \draw-squiggle-line #0.2 #'(-3 . 3) ##t
149 • A new command, ‘\RemoveAllEmptyStaves’, has been made available,
150 which acts exactly like ‘\RemoveEmptyStaves’, except for also
151 removing empty staves on the first system in a score.
153 • Markup-commands ‘\undertie’ and ‘\overtie’ are now available, as
154 well as the generic markup-command ‘\tie’.
156 \undertie "undertied"
161 c''1 \prall -\tweak text \markup \tie "131" -1
164 { \voiceOne \m \voiceTwo \m }
167 • ‘TabStaff’ is now able to print micro-tones for bendings etc.
171 supportNonIntegerFret = ##t
175 mus = \relative { c'4 cih d dih }
178 \new Staff << \clef "G_8" \mus >>
183 • Two new styles of whiteout are now available. The ‘outline’ style
184 approximates the contours of a glyph’s outline, and its shape is
185 produced from multiple displaced copies of the glyph. The
186 ‘rounded-box’ style produces a rounded rectangle shape. For all
187 three styles, including the default ‘box’ style, the whiteout
188 shape’s ‘thickness’, as a multiple of staff-line thickness, can be
193 \filled-box #'(-1 . 15) #'(-3 . 4) #1
194 \override #'(thickness . 3)
195 \whiteout whiteout-box
199 \filled-box #'(-1 . 24) #'(-3 . 4) #1
200 \override #'(style . rounded-box)
201 \override #'(thickness . 3)
202 \whiteout whiteout-rounded-box
206 \filled-box #'(-1 . 18) #'(-3 . 4) #1
207 \override #'(style . outline)
208 \override #'(thickness . 3)
209 \whiteout whiteout-outline
212 \override Staff.Clef.whiteout-style = #'outline
213 \override Staff.Clef.whiteout = 3
218 • All of ‘\override’, ‘\revert’, ‘\set’, and ‘\unset’ now work with
219 the ‘\once’ prefix for making one-time settings.
222 \override NoteHead.color = #red
224 \once \override NoteHead.color = #green
226 \once \revert NoteHead.color
228 \revert NoteHead.color
233 • When outputting MIDI, LilyPond will now store the ‘title’ defined
234 in a score’s ‘\header’ block (or, if there is no such definition on
235 the ‘\score’ level, the first such definition found in a ‘\header’
236 block of the score’s enclosing ‘\bookpart’, ‘\book’, or top-level
237 scope) as the name of the MIDI sequence in the MIDI file.
238 Optionally, the name of the MIDI sequence can be overridden using
239 the new ‘midititle’ ‘\header’ field independently of ‘title’ (for
240 example, in case ‘title’ contains markup code which does not render
241 as plain text in a satisfactory way automatically).
243 • Music (and scheme and void) functions and markup commands that just
244 supply the final parameters to a chain of overrides, music function
245 and markup command calls can now be defined in the form of just
246 writing the expression cut short with ‘\etc’.
248 bold-red-markup = \markup \bold \with-color #red \etc
249 highlight = \tweak font-size 3 \tweak color #red \etc
251 \markup \bold-red "text"
252 \markuplist \column-lines \bold-red { One Two }
254 { c' \highlight d' e'2-\highlight -! }
257 • LilyPond functions defined with ‘define-music-function’,
258 ‘define-event-function’, ‘define-scheme-function’ and
259 ‘define-void-function’ can now be directly called from Scheme as if
260 they were genuine Scheme procedures. Argument checking and
261 matching will still be performed in the same manner as when calling
262 the function through LilyPond input. This includes the insertion
263 of defaults for optional arguments not matching their predicates.
264 Instead of using ‘\default’ in the actual argument list for
265 explicitly skipping a sequence of optional arguments,
266 ‘*unspecified*’ can be employed.
268 • Current input location and parser are now stored in GUILE fluids
269 and can be referenced via the function calls ‘(*location*)’ and
270 ‘(*parser*)’. Consequently, a lot of functions previously taking
271 an explicit ‘parser’ argument no longer do so.
273 Functions defined with ‘define-music-function’,
274 ‘define-event-function’, ‘define-scheme-function’ and
275 ‘define-void-function’ no longer use ‘parser’ and ‘location’
278 With those particular definitions, LilyPond will try to recognize
279 legacy use of ‘parser’ and ‘location’ arguments, providing
280 backwards-compatible semantics for some time.
282 • In the "english" notename language, the long notenames for pitches
283 with accidentals now contain a hyphen for better readability. You
286 instead of the previous
289 Double accidentals do not get another hyphen, so the Dutch ‘cisis’
290 has the long English notename ‘c-sharpsharp’.
292 • The visual style of tremolo slashes (shape, style and slope) is now
293 more finely controlled.
296 • Multi-measure rests have length according to their total duration,
297 under the control of ‘MultiMeasureRest.space-increment’.
300 • Page numbers may now be printed in roman numerals, by setting the
301 ‘page-number-type’ paper variable.
303 • It is now possible to use ‘\time’ and ‘\partial’ together to change
304 the time signature in mid measure.
306 \override Score.BarNumber.break-visibility = #end-of-line-invisible
307 \partial 4 \time 3/4 f4 | 2 4 | 2 \bar "||"
308 \time 9/8 \partial 4. f8 8 8 | 2. 8 8 8 |
311 • It is now possible to override the ‘text’ property of chord names.
314 \new ChordNames \chordmode {
316 \once \override ChordName.text = #"foo"
322 • Improved horizontal alignment when using ‘TextScript’, with
323 ‘DynamicText’ or ‘LyricText’.
325 • A new command ‘\magnifyStaff’ has been added which scales staff
326 sizes, staff lines, bar lines, beamlets and horizontal spacing
327 generally at the ‘Staff’ context level. Staff lines are prevented
328 from being scaled smaller than the default since the thickness of
329 stems, slurs, and the like are all based on the staff line
332 • ‘InstrumentName’ now supports ‘text-interface’.
334 • There is now support for controlling the ‘expression level’ of MIDI
335 channels using the ‘Staff.midiExpression’ context property. This
336 can be used to alter the perceived volume of even sustained notes
337 (albeit in a very ‘low-level’ way) and accepts a number value
338 between ‘0.0’ and ‘1.0’.
342 midiExpression = #0.6
343 midiInstrument = #"clarinet"
348 \set Staff.midiExpression = #0.7 s4\f\<
349 \set Staff.midiExpression = #0.8 s4
350 \set Staff.midiExpression = #0.9 s4
351 \set Staff.midiExpression = #1.0 s4
353 \set Staff.midiExpression = #0.9 s4\>
354 \set Staff.midiExpression = #0.8 s4
355 \set Staff.midiExpression = #0.7 s4
356 \set Staff.midiExpression = #0.6 s4\!
362 • Support for making it easier to use alternative ‘music’ fonts other
363 than the default Emmentaler in LilyPond has been added. See
364 <http://fonts.openlilylib.org/> for more information.
366 • Grobs and their parents can now be aligned separately allowing more
367 flexibility for grob positions. For example the ‘left’ edge of a
368 grob can now be aligned on the ‘center’ of its parent.
370 • Improvements to the ‘\partial’ command have been made to avoid
371 problems when using multiple, parallel contexts.
373 • ‘\chordmode’ can now use ‘< >’ and ‘<< >>’ constructs.
375 • A new command ‘\tagGroup’ has now been added. This complements the
376 existing ‘\keepWithTag’ and ‘\removeWithTag’ commands. For
379 \tagGroup #'(violinI violinII viola cello)
381 declares a list of ‘tags’ that belong to a single ‘tag group’.
383 \keepWithTag #'violinI
385 Is now only concerned with ‘tags’ from ‘violinI’’s tag group.
387 Any element of the included music tagged with one or more tags from
388 the group, but _not_ with VIOLINI, will be removed.
390 • The ‘\addlyrics’ function now works with arbitrary contexts
393 • String numbers can now also be used to print roman numerals (e.g.
394 for unfretted string instruments).
402 • The ‘thin-kern’ property of the ‘BarLine’ grob has been renamed to
405 • ‘KeyCancellation’ grobs now ignore cue clefs (like ‘KeySignature’
408 • Add support for ‘\once \unset’
410 • It is now possible to individually color both the dots and
411 parentheses in fret diagrams when using the ‘\fret-diagram-verbose’
416 \override #'(fret-diagram-details . (
417 (finger-code . in-dot))) {
418 \fret-diagram-verbose #'((mute 6)
419 (place-fret 5 3 1 red)
420 (place-fret 4 5 2 inverted)
421 (place-fret 3 5 3 green)
422 (place-fret 2 5 4 blue inverted)
423 (place-fret 1 3 1 violet)
428 \override #'(fret-diagram-details . (
429 (finger-code . below-string))) {
430 \fret-diagram-verbose #'((mute 6)
431 (place-fret 5 3 1 red parenthesized)
432 (place-fret 4 5 2 yellow
435 (place-fret 3 5 3 green)
436 (place-fret 2 5 4 blue )
444 • Two new properties have been added for use in
445 ‘fret-diagram-details’ when using the ‘\fret-diagram-verbose’
446 markup command; ‘fret-label-horizontal-offset’ which affects the
447 ‘fret-label-indication’ and ‘paren-padding’ which controls the
448 space between the dot and the parentheses surrounding it.
452 \fret-diagram-verbose #'((mute 6)
456 (place-fret 1 6 4 parenthesized)
461 \override #'(fret-diagram-details . (
462 (fret-label-horizontal-offset . 2)
463 (paren-padding . 0.25))) {
464 \fret-diagram-verbose #'((mute 6)
468 (place-fret 1 6 4 parenthesized)
476 • A new markup command ‘\justify-line’ has been added. Similar to
477 the ‘\fill-line’ markup command except that instead of setting
478 _words_ in columns, the ‘\justify-line’ command balances the
479 whitespace between them ensuring that when there are three or more
480 words in a markup, the whitespace is always consistent.
482 \markup \fill-line {oooooo oooooo oooooo oooooo}
483 \markup \fill-line {ooooooooo oooooooo oo ooo}
486 \markup \justify-line {oooooo oooooo oooooo oooooo}
487 \markup \justify-line {ooooooooo oooooooo oo ooo}
490 • A new command ‘\magnifyMusic’ has been added, which allows the
491 notation size to be changed without changing the staff size, while
492 automatically scaling stems, beams, and horizontal spacing.
495 \new Voice \relative {
497 <e' e'>4 <f f'>8. <g g'>16 <f f'>8 <e e'>4 r8
499 \new Voice \relative {
502 \override Score.SpacingSpanner.spacing-increment = #(* 1.2 0.63)
503 r32 c'' a c a c a c r c a c a c a c
504 r c a c a c a c a c a c a c a c
510 • A new flexible template suitable for a range of choral music, is
511 now provided. This may be used to create simple choral music, with
512 or without piano accompaniment, in two or four staves. Unlike
513 other templates, this template is ‘built-in’, which means it does
514 not need to be copied and edited: instead it is simply ‘\include’’d
515 in the input file. For details, see *note
516 (lilypond-learning)Built-in templates::.
518 • The positioning of tuplet numbers for kneed beams has been
519 significantly improved. Previously, tuplet numbers were placed
520 according to the position of the tuplet bracket, even if it was not
521 printed. This could lead to stranded tuplet numbers. Now they are
522 now positioned closer to the kneed-beam when an appropriate beam
523 segment exists for its placement and when the bracket is not drawn.
525 Collision detection is also added, offsetting horizontally if too
526 close to an adjoining note column but preserving the number’s
527 vertical distance from the kneed beam. If the number itself is too
528 large to fit in the available space the original, bracket-based,
529 positioning system is used instead; and in the event of a collision
530 (e.g. with an accidental) the tuplet number is moved vertically
534 \override Beam.auto-knee-gap = 3
542 The original kneed-beam tuplet behavior is still available through
543 an ‘\override’ via a new, ‘knee-to-beam’ property.
546 \override Beam.auto-knee-gap = 3
547 \override TupletNumber.knee-to-beam = ##f
555 • ‘\lyricsto’ and ‘\addLyrics’ have been ‘harmonized’. Both now
556 accept the same kind of delimited argument list that ‘\lyrics’ and
557 ‘\chords’ accept. Backward compatibility has been added so music
558 identifiers (i.e. ‘\mus’) are permitted as arguments. A
559 ‘convert-ly’ rule has been added that removes redundant uses of
560 ‘\lyricmode’ and rearranges combinations with context starters such
561 that ‘\lyricsto’ in general is applied last (i.e. like
562 ‘\lyricmode’ would be).
564 • Scheme functions and identifiers can now be used as output
567 • Scheme expressions can now be used as chord constituents.
569 • Improved visual spacing of small and regular ‘MI’ Funk and Walker
570 noteheads so they are now the same width as other shaped notes in
571 their respective sets. ‘SOL’ noteheads are also now visually
572 improved when used with both the normal Aiken and Sacred Harp
573 heads, as well as with the thin variants.
575 • ‘LeftEdge’ now has a definable ‘Y-extent’ (i.e.vertical). See
576 *note (lilypond-internals)LeftEdge::.
578 • Added a new ‘make-path-stencil’ function that supports all ‘path’
579 commands both relative and absolute:
581 ‘lineto’, ‘rlineto’, ‘curveto’, ‘rcurveto’, ‘moveto’, ‘rmoveto’,
582 ‘closepath’. The function also supports ‘single-letter’ syntax
583 used in standard SVG path commands:
585 ‘L’, ‘l’, ‘C’, ‘c’, ‘M’, ‘m’, ‘Z’ and ‘z’. The new command is also
586 backward-compatible with the original ‘make-connected-path-stencil’
587 function. Also see ‘scm/stencil.scm’.
589 • Context properties named in the ‘alternativeRestores’ property are
590 restored to their value at the start of the _first_ alternative in
591 all subsequent alternatives.
593 Currently the default set restores ‘current meter’;
596 \repeat volta 2 { c2 e4 | }
607 \repeat volta 2 { c2 e4 | }
610 \set Timing.measurePosition = #(ly:make-moment -1/2)
621 \set chordChanges = ##t
622 \chordmode { c1:m d:m c:m d:m }
625 \repeat volta 2 { \chordmode { c1:m } }
627 { \chordmode { d:m } }
628 { \chordmode { c:m } }
635 • Improved MIDI output for breathe marks. After tied notes, breaths
636 take time _only_ from the last note of the tie; e.g. ‘{ c4~ c8
637 \breathe }’ performs as ‘{ c4~ c16 r }’ instead of ‘{ c4 r8 }’.
638 This is more consistent with articulations and how humans interpret
639 breaths after ties. It now also makes it easier to align
640 simultaneous breathe marks over multiple parts, all with different
643 • A new note head style for Tabulature has been added;
644 ‘TabNoteHead.style = #'slash’.
646 • Four new Clef glyphs have been added _Double G_, _Tenor G_,
647 _Varpercussion_ and _varC_ and their related tessitura.
648 \override Staff.Clef.full-size-change = ##t
651 \clef "tenorG" c c c c
653 \clef "altovarC" c c c c
654 \clef "tenorvarC" c c c c
655 \clef "baritonevarC" c c c c
656 \clef "varpercussion" c c c c
659 \override Staff.Clef.full-size-change = ##f
662 \clef "tenorG" c c c c
664 \clef "altovarC" c c c c
665 \clef "tenorvarC" c c c c
666 \clef "baritonevarC" c c c c
667 \clef "varpercussion" c c c c
670 • Isolated durations in music sequences now stand for unpitched
671 notes. This may be useful for specifying rhythms to music or
672 scheme functions. When encountered in the final score, the pitches
673 are provided by the preceding note or chord. Here are two examples
674 where this makes for readable input:
676 \new DrumStaff \with { \override StaffSymbol.line-count = 1 }
679 tambourine 8 \tuplet 3/2 { 16 16 16 }
680 8 \tuplet 3/2 { 16 16 16 } 8 8 |
684 \new Staff { r16 c'16 ~ 8 ~ 4 ~ 2 | }
687 • ‘\displayLilyMusic’ and its underlying Scheme functions no longer
688 omit redundant note durations. This makes it easier to reliably
689 recognize and format standalone durations in expressions like
692 • Beaming exceptions can now be constructed using the
693 ‘\beamExceptions’ scheme function. One can now write
696 \set Timing.beamExceptions =
697 \beamExceptions { 32[ 32] 32[ 32] 32[ 32] }
699 \repeat unfold 6 { c32 } |
702 with multiple exceptions separated with ‘|’ bar checks (writing the
703 exception pattern without pitches is convenient but not mandatory).
704 Previously, setting the beam exceptions would have required writing
706 \set Timing.beamExceptions =
708 (end . ;entry for end of beams
709 ( ;start of alist of end points
710 ((1 . 32) . (2 2 2)) ;rule for 1/32 beams -- end each 1/16
713 • The most common articulations are now reflected in MIDI output.
714 Accent and marcato make notes louder; staccato, staccatissimo and
715 portato make them shorter. Breath marks shorten the previous note.
717 This behavior is customizable through the ‘midiLength’ and
718 ‘midiExtraVelocity’ properties on ‘ArticulationEvent’. See
719 ‘script-init.ly’ for examples.
721 • The PostScript functionality of stroke adjustment is no longer
722 applied automatically but left to the discretion of the PostScript
723 device (by default, Ghostscript uses it for resolutions up to
724 150dpi when generating raster images). When it is enabled, a more
725 complex drawing algorithm designed to benefit from stroke
726 adjustment is employed mostly for stems and bar lines.
728 Stroke adjustment can be forced by specifying the command line
729 option ‘-dstrokeadjust’ to LilyPond. When generating ‘PDF’ files,
730 this will usually result in markedly better looking ‘PDF’ previews
731 but significantly larger file size. Print quality at high
732 resolutions will be unaffected.