<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <!-- header_tag --> <html lang="en"> <head> <title>GNU LilyPond Learning Manual</title> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <meta name="description" content="GNU LilyPond Learning Manual"> <meta name="generator" content="makeinfo 4.11"> <link title="Top" rel="start" href="#Top"> <link href="http://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/" rel="generator-home" title="Texinfo Homepage"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css"> <style type="text/css"><!-- pre.display { font-family:inherit } pre.format { font-family:inherit } pre.smalldisplay { font-family:inherit; font-size:smaller } pre.smallformat { font-family:inherit; font-size:smaller } pre.smallexample { font-size:smaller } pre.smalllisp { font-size:smaller } span.sc { font-variant:small-caps } span.roman { font-family:serif; font-weight:normal; } span.sansserif { font-family:sans-serif; font-weight:normal; } hr { border:0; height:1; color: #000000; background-color: #000000; } /* hr { border: none; height: 1px; color: #666666; background-color: #666666; } body { border-left: 1px solid #666666; border-right: 1px solid #666666; color: #332d28; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 60em; list-style-type: square; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; padding-right: 1em; padding-left: 1em; } a { border-bottom: 1px dashed #344242; text-decoration: none; color: #344242; } a:link { text-decoration: none; } a:visited { border-bottom: 1px dashed #666666; color: #666666; } a:active { border-bottom: 1px solid #00cccc; color: #00cccc; } a:hover { border-bottom: 1px solid #1d7b85; color: #1d7b85; } blockquote { border: 1px solid #cccccc; padding: 3px; width: 40em; } .node { border-left: 1px solid #666666; margin: -0.5em 0px 1em; padding: 2px 1px 0px; font-style: italic; } .node a { border: none; text-decoration: underline; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; } .verbatim { font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; } .unnumberedsubsubsec { font-size: large; color: #1d7b85; } .subsubheading { font-size: large; color: #3b220d; } .contents { border: 1px dashed #339999; margin: 3px 2em; list-style-type: square; padding-right: 1em; width: 40em; background-color: #fcfff9; } .contents a { border-bottom: 1px dashed #423d34; text-decoration: none; color: #423d34; } .contents a:visited { border-bottom: 1px dashed #666666; color: #666666; } .contents a:active { border-bottom: 1px solid #f0d86d; color: #f0d86d; } .contents a:hover { border-bottom: 1px solid #3b220d; color: #3b220d; } .menu { border-left: 1px dashed #339999; margin: 3px 2em 1em; list-style-type: square; padding-left: 1.4em; width: 40em; } .unnumbered { } h2 { font-size: x-large; color: #1d7b85; } */ --></style> </head> <BODY BGCOLOR=WHITE TEXT=BLACK> This document is also available as a <a href="../../../Documentation/user/lilypond-learning.pdf">PDF</a> and as <a href="../../../Documentation/user/lilypond-learning-big-page.html">one big page</a>. <!-- This produces the unified index --> <p>This file documents GNU LilyPond for beginners. <p>Copyright 1999–2007 by the authors <blockquote> Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled “GNU Free Documentation License”. </blockquote> <div class="node"> <p> <a name="Top"></a> Next: <a rel="next" accesskey="n" href="Preface.html#Preface">Preface</a>, Up: <a rel="up" accesskey="u" href="../index.html#dir">(dir)</a> <hr> </div> <h2 class="unnumbered">GNU LilyPond — learning manual</h2> <p>This is the Learning Manual (LM) for GNU LilyPond version 2.11.57. For more information about how this fits with the other documentation, see <a href="About-the-documentation.html#About-the-documentation">About the documentation</a>. <p><a name="index-web-site-1"></a><a name="index-URL-2"></a> More information can be found at <a href="http://www.lilypond.org/">http://www.lilypond.org/</a>. The website contains on-line copies of this and other documentation. <ul class="menu"> <li><a accesskey="1" href="Preface.html#Preface">Preface</a>: Preface. <li><a accesskey="2" href="Introduction.html#Introduction">Introduction</a>: What, Why, How. <li><a accesskey="3" href="Tutorial.html#Tutorial">Tutorial</a>: A tutorial introduction. <li><a accesskey="4" href="Fundamental-concepts.html#Fundamental-concepts">Fundamental concepts</a>: Basic concepts required for reading the rest of this manual. <li><a accesskey="5" href="Tweaking-output.html#Tweaking-output">Tweaking output</a>: Introduction to modifying output. <li><a accesskey="6" href="Working-on-LilyPond-projects.html#Working-on-LilyPond-projects">Working on LilyPond projects</a>: Discusses real-life usage. </li></ul> <p>Appendices </p> <ul class="menu"> <li><a accesskey="7" href="Templates.html#Templates">Templates</a>: Ready-made templates. <li><a accesskey="8" href="Scheme-tutorial.html#Scheme-tutorial">Scheme tutorial</a>: Programming inside LilyPond. <li><a accesskey="9" href="GNU-Free-Documentation-License.html#GNU-Free-Documentation-License">GNU Free Documentation License</a>: License of this document. <li><a href="LilyPond-index.html#LilyPond-index">LilyPond index</a> </ul> <div class="contents"> <h2>Table of Contents</h2> <ul> <li><a name="toc_Top" href="index.html#Top">GNU LilyPond — learning manual</a> <li><a name="toc_Preface" href="Preface.html#Preface">Preface</a> <li><a name="toc_Introduction" href="Introduction.html#Introduction">1 Introduction</a> <ul> <li><a href="Background.html#Background">1.1 Background</a> <ul> <li><a href="Engraving.html#Engraving">Engraving</a> <li><a href="Automated-engraving.html#Automated-engraving">Automated engraving</a> <li><a href="What-symbols-to-engrave_003f.html#What-symbols-to-engrave_003f">What symbols to engrave?</a> <li><a href="Music-representation.html#Music-representation">Music representation</a> <li><a href="Example-applications.html#Example-applications">Example applications</a> </li></ul> <li><a href="About-the-documentation.html#About-the-documentation">1.2 About the documentation</a> <ul> <li><a href="About-the-Learning-Manual.html#About-the-Learning-Manual">About the Learning Manual</a> <li><a href="About-the-Music-Glossary.html#About-the-Music-Glossary">About the Music Glossary</a> <li><a href="About-the-Notation-Reference.html#About-the-Notation-Reference">About the Notation Reference</a> <li><a href="About-the-Application-Usage.html#About-the-Application-Usage">About the Application Usage</a> <li><a href="About-the-Snippet-List.html#About-the-Snippet-List">About the Snippet List</a> <li><a href="About-the-Internals-Reference.html#About-the-Internals-Reference">About the Internals Reference</a> <li><a href="Other-documentation.html#Other-documentation">Other documentation</a> </li></ul> </li></ul> <li><a name="toc_Tutorial" href="Tutorial.html#Tutorial">2 Tutorial</a> <ul> <li><a href="First-steps.html#First-steps">2.1 First steps</a> <ul> <li><a href="Compiling-a-file.html#Compiling-a-file">2.1.1 Compiling a file</a> <li><a href="Simple-notation.html#Simple-notation">2.1.2 Simple notation</a> <li><a href="Working-on-input-files.html#Working-on-input-files">2.1.3 Working on input files</a> <li><a href="How-to-read-the-manual.html#How-to-read-the-manual">2.1.4 How to read the manual</a> </li></ul> <li><a href="Single-staff-notation.html#Single-staff-notation">2.2 Single staff notation</a> <ul> <li><a href="Accidentals-and-key-signatures.html#Accidentals-and-key-signatures">2.2.1 Accidentals and key signatures</a> <li><a href="Ties-and-slurs.html#Ties-and-slurs">2.2.2 Ties and slurs</a> <li><a href="Articulation-and-dynamics.html#Articulation-and-dynamics">2.2.3 Articulation and dynamics</a> <li><a href="Adding-text.html#Adding-text">2.2.4 Adding text</a> <li><a href="Automatic-and-manual-beams.html#Automatic-and-manual-beams">2.2.5 Automatic and manual beams</a> <li><a href="Advanced-rhythmic-commands.html#Advanced-rhythmic-commands">2.2.6 Advanced rhythmic commands</a> </li></ul> <li><a href="Multiple-notes-at-once.html#Multiple-notes-at-once">2.3 Multiple notes at once</a> <ul> <li><a href="Music-expressions-explained.html#Music-expressions-explained">2.3.1 Music expressions explained</a> <li><a href="Multiple-staves.html#Multiple-staves">2.3.2 Multiple staves</a> <li><a href="Staff-groups.html#Staff-groups">2.3.3 Staff groups</a> <li><a href="Combining-notes-into-chords.html#Combining-notes-into-chords">2.3.4 Combining notes into chords</a> <li><a href="Single-staff-polyphony.html#Single-staff-polyphony">2.3.5 Single staff polyphony</a> </li></ul> <li><a href="Songs.html#Songs">2.4 Songs</a> <ul> <li><a href="Setting-simple-songs.html#Setting-simple-songs">2.4.1 Setting simple songs</a> <li><a href="Aligning-lyrics-to-a-melody.html#Aligning-lyrics-to-a-melody">2.4.2 Aligning lyrics to a melody</a> <li><a href="Lyrics-to-multiple-staves.html#Lyrics-to-multiple-staves">2.4.3 Lyrics to multiple staves</a> </li></ul> <li><a href="Final-touches.html#Final-touches">2.5 Final touches</a> <ul> <li><a href="Organizing-pieces-with-variables.html#Organizing-pieces-with-variables">2.5.1 Organizing pieces with variables</a> <li><a href="Version-number.html#Version-number">2.5.2 Version number</a> <li><a href="Adding-titles.html#Adding-titles">2.5.3 Adding titles</a> <li><a href="Absolute-note-names.html#Absolute-note-names">2.5.4 Absolute note names</a> <li><a href="After-the-tutorial.html#After-the-tutorial">2.5.5 After the tutorial</a> </li></ul> </li></ul> <li><a name="toc_Fundamental-concepts" href="Fundamental-concepts.html#Fundamental-concepts">3 Fundamental concepts</a> <ul> <li><a href="How-LilyPond-input-files-work.html#How-LilyPond-input-files-work">3.1 How LilyPond input files work</a> <ul> <li><a href="Introduction-to-the-LilyPond-file-structure.html#Introduction-to-the-LilyPond-file-structure">3.1.1 Introduction to the LilyPond file structure</a> <li><a href="Score-is-a-_0028single_0029-compound-musical-expression.html#Score-is-a-_0028single_0029-compound-musical-expression">3.1.2 Score is a (single) compound musical expression</a> <li><a href="Nesting-music-expressions.html#Nesting-music-expressions">3.1.3 Nesting music expressions</a> <li><a href="On-the-un_002dnestedness-of-brackets-and-ties.html#On-the-un_002dnestedness-of-brackets-and-ties">3.1.4 On the un-nestedness of brackets and ties</a> </li></ul> <li><a href="Voices-contain-music.html#Voices-contain-music">3.2 Voices contain music</a> <ul> <li><a href="I_0027m-hearing-Voices.html#I_0027m-hearing-Voices">3.2.1 I'm hearing Voices</a> <li><a href="Explicitly-instantiating-voices.html#Explicitly-instantiating-voices">3.2.2 Explicitly instantiating voices</a> <li><a href="Voices-and-vocals.html#Voices-and-vocals">3.2.3 Voices and vocals</a> </li></ul> <li><a href="Contexts-and-engravers.html#Contexts-and-engravers">3.3 Contexts and engravers</a> <ul> <li><a href="Contexts-explained.html#Contexts-explained">3.3.1 Contexts explained</a> <li><a href="Creating-contexts.html#Creating-contexts">3.3.2 Creating contexts</a> <li><a href="Engravers-explained.html#Engravers-explained">3.3.3 Engravers explained</a> <li><a href="Modifying-context-properties.html#Modifying-context-properties">3.3.4 Modifying context properties</a> <ul> <li><a href="Modifying-context-properties.html#Modifying-context-properties">Setting context properties with <code>\with</code></a> <li><a href="Modifying-context-properties.html#Modifying-context-properties">Setting context properties with <code>\context</code></a> </li></ul> <li><a href="Adding-and-removing-engravers.html#Adding-and-removing-engravers">3.3.5 Adding and removing engravers</a> </li></ul> <li><a href="Extending-the-templates.html#Extending-the-templates">3.4 Extending the templates</a> <ul> <li><a href="Soprano-and-cello.html#Soprano-and-cello">3.4.1 Soprano and cello</a> <li><a href="Four_002dpart-SATB-vocal-score.html#Four_002dpart-SATB-vocal-score">3.4.2 Four-part SATB vocal score</a> <li><a href="Building-a-score-from-scratch.html#Building-a-score-from-scratch">3.4.3 Building a score from scratch</a> </li></ul> </li></ul> <li><a name="toc_Tweaking-output" href="Tweaking-output.html#Tweaking-output">4 Tweaking output</a> <ul> <li><a href="Tweaking-basics.html#Tweaking-basics">4.1 Tweaking basics</a> <ul> <li><a href="Introduction-to-tweaks.html#Introduction-to-tweaks">4.1.1 Introduction to tweaks</a> <li><a href="Objects-and-interfaces.html#Objects-and-interfaces">4.1.2 Objects and interfaces</a> <li><a href="Naming-conventions-of-objects-and-properties.html#Naming-conventions-of-objects-and-properties">4.1.3 Naming conventions of objects and properties</a> <li><a href="Tweaking-methods.html#Tweaking-methods">4.1.4 Tweaking methods</a> </li></ul> <li><a href="The-Internals-Reference-manual.html#The-Internals-Reference-manual">4.2 The Internals Reference manual</a> <ul> <li><a href="Properties-of-layout-objects.html#Properties-of-layout-objects">4.2.1 Properties of layout objects</a> <li><a href="Properties-found-in-interfaces.html#Properties-found-in-interfaces">4.2.2 Properties found in interfaces</a> <li><a href="Types-of-properties.html#Types-of-properties">4.2.3 Types of properties</a> </li></ul> <li><a href="Appearance-of-objects.html#Appearance-of-objects">4.3 Appearance of objects</a> <ul> <li><a href="Visibility-and-color-of-objects.html#Visibility-and-color-of-objects">4.3.1 Visibility and color of objects</a> <li><a href="Size-of-objects.html#Size-of-objects">4.3.2 Size of objects</a> <li><a href="Length-and-thickness-of-objects.html#Length-and-thickness-of-objects">4.3.3 Length and thickness of objects</a> </li></ul> <li><a href="Placement-of-objects.html#Placement-of-objects">4.4 Placement of objects</a> <ul> <li><a href="Automatic-behavior.html#Automatic-behavior">4.4.1 Automatic behavior</a> <li><a href="Within_002dstaff-objects.html#Within_002dstaff-objects">4.4.2 Within-staff objects</a> <li><a href="Outside-staff-objects.html#Outside-staff-objects">4.4.3 Outside staff objects</a> </li></ul> <li><a href="Collisions-of-objects.html#Collisions-of-objects">4.5 Collisions of objects</a> <ul> <li><a href="Moving-objects.html#Moving-objects">4.5.1 Moving objects</a> <li><a href="Fixing-overlapping-notation.html#Fixing-overlapping-notation">4.5.2 Fixing overlapping notation</a> <li><a href="Real-music-example.html#Real-music-example">4.5.3 Real music example</a> </li></ul> <li><a href="Further-tweaking.html#Further-tweaking">4.6 Further tweaking</a> <ul> <li><a href="Other-uses-for-tweaks.html#Other-uses-for-tweaks">4.6.1 Other uses for tweaks</a> <li><a href="Using-variables-for-tweaks.html#Using-variables-for-tweaks">4.6.2 Using variables for tweaks</a> <li><a href="Other-sources-of-information.html#Other-sources-of-information">4.6.3 Other sources of information</a> <li><a href="Avoiding-tweaks-with-slower-processing.html#Avoiding-tweaks-with-slower-processing">4.6.4 Avoiding tweaks with slower processing</a> <li><a href="Advanced-tweaks-with-Scheme.html#Advanced-tweaks-with-Scheme">4.6.5 Advanced tweaks with Scheme</a> </li></ul> </li></ul> <li><a name="toc_Working-on-LilyPond-projects" href="Working-on-LilyPond-projects.html#Working-on-LilyPond-projects">5 Working on LilyPond projects</a> <ul> <li><a href="Suggestions-for-writing-LilyPond-input-files.html#Suggestions-for-writing-LilyPond-input-files">5.1 Suggestions for writing LilyPond input files</a> <ul> <li><a href="General-suggestions.html#General-suggestions">5.1.1 General suggestions</a> <li><a href="Typesetting-existing-music.html#Typesetting-existing-music">5.1.2 Typesetting existing music</a> <li><a href="Large-projects.html#Large-projects">5.1.3 Large projects</a> <li><a href="Saving-typing-with-variables-and-functions.html#Saving-typing-with-variables-and-functions">5.1.4 Saving typing with variables and functions</a> <li><a href="Style-sheets.html#Style-sheets">5.1.5 Style sheets</a> </li></ul> <li><a href="When-things-don_0027t-work.html#When-things-don_0027t-work">5.2 When things don't work</a> <ul> <li><a href="Updating-old-input-files.html#Updating-old-input-files">5.2.1 Updating old input files</a> <li><a href="Troubleshooting-_0028taking-it-all-apart_0029.html#Troubleshooting-_0028taking-it-all-apart_0029">5.2.2 Troubleshooting (taking it all apart)</a> <li><a href="Minimal-examples.html#Minimal-examples">5.2.3 Minimal examples</a> </li></ul> <li><a href="Scores-and-parts.html#Scores-and-parts">5.3 Scores and parts</a> </li></ul> <li><a name="toc_Templates" href="Templates.html#Templates">Appendix A Templates</a> <ul> <li><a href="Single-staff.html#Single-staff">A.1 Single staff</a> <ul> <li><a href="Single-staff.html#Single-staff">A.1.1 Notes only</a> <li><a href="Single-staff.html#Single-staff">A.1.2 Notes and lyrics</a> <li><a href="Single-staff.html#Single-staff">A.1.3 Notes and chords</a> <li><a href="Single-staff.html#Single-staff">A.1.4 Notes, lyrics, and chords.</a> </li></ul> <li><a href="Piano-templates.html#Piano-templates">A.2 Piano templates</a> <ul> <li><a href="Piano-templates.html#Piano-templates">A.2.1 Solo piano</a> <li><a href="Piano-templates.html#Piano-templates">A.2.2 Piano and melody with lyrics</a> <li><a href="Piano-templates.html#Piano-templates">A.2.3 Piano centered lyrics</a> <li><a href="Piano-templates.html#Piano-templates">A.2.4 Piano centered dynamics</a> </li></ul> <li><a href="String-quartet.html#String-quartet">A.3 String quartet</a> <ul> <li><a href="String-quartet.html#String-quartet">A.3.1 String quartet</a> <li><a href="String-quartet.html#String-quartet">A.3.2 String quartet parts</a> </li></ul> <li><a href="Vocal-ensembles.html#Vocal-ensembles">A.4 Vocal ensembles</a> <ul> <li><a href="Vocal-ensembles.html#Vocal-ensembles">A.4.1 SATB vocal score</a> <li><a href="Vocal-ensembles.html#Vocal-ensembles">A.4.2 SATB vocal score and automatic piano reduction</a> <li><a href="Vocal-ensembles.html#Vocal-ensembles">A.4.3 SATB with aligned contexts</a> </li></ul> <li><a href="Ancient-notation-templates.html#Ancient-notation-templates">A.5 Ancient notation templates</a> <ul> <li><a href="Ancient-notation-templates.html#Ancient-notation-templates">A.5.1 Transcription of mensural music</a> <li><a href="Ancient-notation-templates.html#Ancient-notation-templates">A.5.2 Gregorian transcription template</a> </li></ul> <li><a href="Jazz-combo.html#Jazz-combo">A.6 Jazz combo</a> <li><a href="lilypond_002dbook-templates.html#lilypond_002dbook-templates">A.7 lilypond-book templates</a> <ul> <li><a href="lilypond_002dbook-templates.html#lilypond_002dbook-templates">A.7.1 LaTeX</a> <li><a href="lilypond_002dbook-templates.html#lilypond_002dbook-templates">A.7.2 Texinfo</a> <li><a href="lilypond_002dbook-templates.html#lilypond_002dbook-templates">A.7.3 xelatex</a> </li></ul> </li></ul> <li><a name="toc_Scheme-tutorial" href="Scheme-tutorial.html#Scheme-tutorial">Appendix B Scheme tutorial</a> <ul> <li><a href="Tweaking-with-Scheme.html#Tweaking-with-Scheme">B.1 Tweaking with Scheme</a> </li></ul> <li><a name="toc_GNU-Free-Documentation-License" href="GNU-Free-Documentation-License.html#GNU-Free-Documentation-License">Appendix C GNU Free Documentation License</a> <li><a name="toc_LilyPond-index" href="LilyPond-index.html#LilyPond-index">Appendix D LilyPond index</a> </li></ul> </div> <!-- *- coding: utf-8; mode: texinfo; -*- --> <!-- This file is part of lilypond.tely --> <!-- \version "2.11.51" --> <!-- footer_tag --><br><hr> <div class="node"> <p> Next: <a rel="next" accesskey="n" href="Preface.html#Preface">Preface</a>, Up: <a rel="up" accesskey="u" href="../index.html#dir">(dir)</a> </div> <div style="background-color: #e8ffe8; padding: 2; border: #c0ffc0 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