Skip to content

Latest commit

 

History

History
155 lines (94 loc) · 4.3 KB

SYNTAX.markdown

File metadata and controls

155 lines (94 loc) · 4.3 KB
Raw

Lilypond Syntax Extensions

In order to use the following syntax extensions, you need to use the .rpl filename extension.

Include files

Include files can be put in an _includes directory under your main project directory, e.g.:

my_music
  _includes
    lib.ly
    part.ly
    score.ly

Those files can be used to define Lilypond macros. For example see here.

_includes/part.ly will only be included for parts. Likewise, _includes/score.ly will only be included for scores.

Context-specific code

You can make code be included in scores only by placing it inside double curly brackets:

{{\break}}

Code to appear only for parts should be placed inside double square brackets:

[[\break]]

Code for producing MIDI should be placed inside double curly brackets prefixed with m:

m{{\tempo 4 = 78}}

A more useful example, out of BWV 236 (add a Volti Subito and page break in the part):

{{r}} [[r_\markup { \italic "V.S." } \break]]

Shorthand for sharps and flats

Sharps:

cs css ds dss es => cis cisis dis disis eis

Flats:

cb cbb db dbb eb => ces ceses des deses ees

Prefixed slurs and beams for better readability

(a8 [b c d]) ([d8 f] c4) => a8( b[ c d]) d8([ f] c4)

Shorthand for 16th, 32nd notes

c6 d3 => c16 d32

Shorthand for 2/3 value (triplets)

Handy for writing unobtrusive triplets.

f8 ~ ([f6` e]) f => f8 ~ f16*2/3([ e]) f

Cross-bar dotting

Very useful for baroque music. This shorthand notation gets converted into quite an elaborate piece of code.

c2 d2.| e4 f g =>
c2 \\once \\override Tie #'transparent = ##t d2 ~ \\once \\override NoteHead #'transparent = ##t \\once \\override Dots #'extra-offset = #'(-1.3 . 0) \\once \\override Stem #'transparent = ##t d2.*0 s4 e4 f g

Shorthand for appogiatura

^e8 d4 => \appoggiatura e8 d4

Shorthand for cue voices

These will appear only in parts.

a ![[b c]] => a \new CueVoice { b c }

Shorthand for divisi

/1 a4 /2 b4 /u c2 => << { \voiceOne a4 } \new Voice { \voiceTwo b4 } >> \oneVoice c2

Macros

Macros are used for repeating rhythms and/or articulation. A macro section begins with $ and ends with $$. Ad-hoc macros can be created by using $! followed by the macro definition (with # as a place holder for notes), followed by $:

$!(#8. #6)$ g g g g g g $$ c,4 => g8.( g16) g8.( g16) g8.( g16) c,4

Macros can also be predefined in the macros section of the _work.yml or any other configuration files:

macros:
  8.6: (#8. #6)

The predefined macros can be used as follows:

$8.6 g g g g $$ => g8.( g16) g8.( g16)

Notes can be repeated by using @ as a placeholder:

$!#8. @6 #8$ g e g e $$ => g8. g16 e8 g8. g16 e8

Alternative Syntax for Basso Continuo Figures

The stock Lilypond syntax for basso continuo figures is far from ideal. Ripple offers a better solution that is easier to read and much faster to write. To use this syntax the figures file should have the .fig extension.

Each chord consists of one or more figures, optionally followed by a slash and a duration value. The format pretty much explains itself. Here is an excerpt from BWV 135/1:

#/2.
,/2 642/4
65 642 5/8 6\
54/4 _3 6/8 5
7#/4 642' 75#
65# _4 5#
64 7\42'/2
85#/2.
,/2.*4
6\/2.
6
7/4 6/2
7#/4 64 5#
65#/8 _4 5#/4 64
642 7\42/2
853/2.

Rest/silence is notated by s or alternatively ,. Here's a quick cheatsheet:

# => 3+
b => 3-
h => 3!

comment : % blah blah
duration: /2. /4 /2.*4 etc
silence : s , ,/2
chord   : 65 65/2
sharp   : 6+ 6+5 6++
flat    : 6- 6-5- 3--
natural : 6! 5!
altered : 6` 4'
tenue   : 65 _4

Alternative Syntax for Lyrics

Ripple also offers a better syntax for lyrics. Files using this syntax should use the .lyr extension:

Je-su mei-ne Freu--de, => Je -- su mei -- ne Freu -- _ de,

A dash in the text should be escaped with a backslash:

O heil'-ges geist\-_ und Was----ser-bad__ =>
  O heil' -- ges geist- __  und Was -- _ _ _ ser -- bad __ _