Lilypond
From www.oscarvandillen.com
Contents |
Definition
Lilypond is a MediaWiki-extension that makes it possible to "type" notation in wiki-pages like text.
Simple use
The example below is coded simply as
<lilypond>\relative c' { d e f a d bes es d cis a cis e g f e d }</lilypond>
Note that the relative c' = central c is set as a reference tone, and that all notes following are the versions that are closest to the one before them.
This example being encoded with <lilypond> there is visual rendering, but no playback.
The same example, still simple but encoded with <lilymidi> and hence with playback, click to play:
<lilymidi>\relative c' { d e f a d bes es d cis a cis e g f e d }</lilymidi>
When notes have to go to an octave higher than the closest one, the symbol ' (apostrophe) is added once or several times, to go to a lower octave one or more , commas are attached to the note.
Lilypond assumes 4/4 time signature and a quarter note unless other symbols change these default values. 1 means whole note, 2 half note, 4 quarter note, etc. and r simply means a rest. Once a rhythmic value is set, the notes following are assumed to be of the same value. A tie is produced by the symbol ~ (tilde).
The following example uses these basic notation symbols, and presents a variation on the melody above:
<lilymidi>\relative c' { d e8 f g a b cis d d, f'4 es d cis a,16 cis e g a cis r8 r16 a, e' cis' g'8 f e8~ e4 r8 d,, d'''4 }</lilymidi>
To test midi playback, always click to play:
Quarter tones
To notate quarter tones, special names are used. The following example ascends quarter-tone-chromatically from c to e.
This example contains dotted half notes; note that a dot . is always used after a note's value.
As an auditive reference, low c's are added for better appreciation of the microtones, click to play:
<lilymidi>\relative c'' { c,1 c'2. c,4 deseh'2. c,4 des'2. c,4 deh'2. c,4 d'2. c,4 dih'2. c,4 dis'2. c,4 disih'2. c,4 e'1 c,1 }</lilymidi>
Code layout
For reasons of better overview, all the longer examples below are not coded in one line anymore.
Note that every opening bracket, whether { , [, ( or < will have to be closed at some point by < , ) , ] and } in the proper place and order.
In the following, more complicated examples, code lines are layouted basically for easier reading and correction, as an <enter> does not affect the functioning of the code.
Building chords
Building chords can be accomplished by the use of < and > as is shown in the example below, these chords are built top-down, relative to c' and the key of d-minor is added:
<lilymidi>
\version "2.12.2"
\relative c' {
\key d \minor
< f' d a d,, > < e bes g g, > < d a f a,~ > < cis g e a, >
< d f, d bes > < e gis, d bes > 2 < cis g e a, > 4
< d f, d d, > 1
\bar "|."
}
</lilymidi>
To make this into a piano notation, notes should be divided over two staves. This time, the chords are built bottom-up, relative to c''. At the end, a double bar is placed, by using the code \bar "|."
With a slightly more "pianistically" treated left hand this becomes:
<lilymidi>
\version "2.12.2"
\relative c'' {
\new PianoStaff <<
\new Staff {
\clef treble
\key d \minor
< a d f > < g bes e > < f a d > < e g cis >
< d f d' > < d gis e' > 2 < e g cis > 4
< d f d' > 1
}
\new Staff {
\clef bass
\key d \minor
d,4 g a a, bes2 bes'4 a4 d,1
}
>>
\bar "|."
}
</lilymidi>
Notating percussion
The following examples make use of a 3-line custom staff and a percussion clef (which technically uses the center staffline as c').
Single part notation
This single part example starts off with a pickup, coded \partial, and has two grace notes, coded \grace. The last three eighth notes have been linked together with square brackets, starting and ending after the notes concerned.
<lilymidi>
\version "2.12.2"
\relative c' {
\new Staff
\with {
\override StaffSymbol #'line-count = #3 }
\clef percussion
\time 2/2
\partial 8
e8
a,4. \grace { e'32 } c8 a4 e'8 e |
a,4. \grace { e'32 } c8 a[ e' e]
\bar "|."
}
</lilymidi>
![\version "2.12.2"
\relative c' {
\new Staff
</p>
<pre>\with {
\override StaffSymbol #'line-count = #3 }
</pre>
<p>\clef percussion
\time 2/2
</p>
<pre>\partial 8
e8
a,4. \grace { e'32 } c8 a4 e'8 e |
a,4. \grace { e'32 } c8 a[ e' e]
\bar "|."
</pre>
<p>}](/images/math/b918538f11b2be67d05e99c2ae9a8688.png)
Multiple part notation
The following example uses a staff-system of three percussion parts, e.g three djembé's, indicating left and right hand strokes by using \addlyrics per staff:
<lilymidi>
\version "2.12.2"
\new StaffGroup
<<
\new Staff
\with {
\override StaffSymbol #'line-count = #3
}
\relative c' {
\clef percussion
\time 2/2
a4 c8 c a4 e'8 e |
a,4 c8 c a4 e'8 e
\bar "|."
}
\addlyrics {
R R L R R L R R L R R L
}
\new Staff
\with {
\override StaffSymbol #'line-count = #3
}
\relative c' {
\clef percussion
\time 2/2
r4 r8 a a4 a |
a r8 a a4 a
\bar "|."
}
\addlyrics {
L R L R L R L
}
\new Staff
\with {
\override StaffSymbol #'line-count = #3
}
\relative c' {
\clef percussion
\time 2/2
c4 e8 e a,4 e'8 e |
c c e e a,4 e'8 e
\bar "|."
}
\addlyrics {
R R L R R L R L R L R R L
}
>>
</lilymidi>
Advanced use
The following example makes use of ties by ~, slurs by ( and ) , differently connected tuplets using "times" (plural), [ and ], double sharps and flats, dots and double dots, as well as clef-changes using "clef" and time signature changes using "time" (singular). Naturals to correct the alterations are automatically generated when appearing within one bar, otherwise they are forced by ! or in brackets with ? :
<lilymidi>
\version "2.12.2"
\relative c,
{
\time 3/4
\clef bass
\times 4/5
{ c8[ r gis' r e'16 fis]( }
\times 2/3
{ gis8 ais bis }
\time 2/4
\clef tenor
cisis64 fis dis8.. d4~ d4.)
\clef treble
a''!8(
\time 6/8
as4 ges,32 bes32 d?32 ges32~ ges8. fes16 es f
\time 5/4
d8.) r16
\clef bass
\grace
{ as,32([ des, ases] } des,2.) c16 r8.
\bar "|."
}
</lilymidi>
\clef treble
a''!8(
\time 6/8
as4 ges,32 bes32 d?32 ges32~ ges8. fes16 es f
\time 5/4
d8.) r16
\clef bass
\grace
{ as,32([ des, ases] } des,2.) c16 r8.
\bar "|."
</pre>
<p>}](/images/math/bcaf435ef6ffbc964b7d19415378b84a.png)
Extended functions
Lilypond is enormously more powerful than the examples above, and has many more possibilities.
LilyPond notation can be embedded in wikitext, by enclosing it within <lilypond>...</lilypond> tags. If the notation is enclosed within <lilymidi>...</lilymidi> tags, the image will be clickable, and the link will download the MIDI file. Users' browsers may have to be configured to play MIDI files by means of plug-ins or external applications.
Another option is to use <lilybook>...</lilybook> tags. This allows full control over Lilypond settings, and it creates a full page of music.
Complicated example of Renaissance music transcription
The following complicated (not clickable) example was taken from the Lilypond manual, and demonstrates some of its most advanced possibilites:
More information and manual
- For more information see www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:LilyPond
- For a complete manual see lilypond.org/web/documentation
- To download Lilypond see lilypond.org/install/
Experimenting in the Lilypond sandbox
- See also the special Lilypond sandbox.
