Lydown is a language and compiler for creating music scores, parts and snippets. The lydown code is compiled to lilypond code and then compiled to PDF, PNG or MIDI files.
Lydown builds on the ideas put forth by lilypond and makes the following improvements:
- a greatly simplified syntax for entering notes, for more rapid note entry and improved legibility.
- ability to enter lyrics and bass figures interspersed with the music.
- rhythmic macros for rapid entry of repeated rhythmic patterns.
- zero lilypond boilerplate code.
- a sane file/folder structure for creating multi-part, multi-movement works with automatic part extraction.
Installation
Before installing lydown, you'll need to have installed lilypond.
You can verify that lilypond is correctly installed by running the following command:
lilypond --version
If everything's ok, you can proceed by installing lydown:
gem install lydown
and verifying that it too works:
lydown --version
Hello world in lydown
// helloworld.lydown
- key: d major
- time: 2/4
4d\"Hello world!" 6c#bag 3f#gag6f#d 4e
And here's the equivalent lilypond code:
\version "2.18.2"
relative c' {
\key d major
\time 2/4
d'4\"Hello world!" cs16 b a g fs32 g a g fs16 d e4
}
Compiling the lydown code
The lydown command line tool can compile the code into lilypond code, PDF, PNG, or MIDI. The program creates an output file with the same name as the input file and the corresponding extension. Specifiying the -O switch causes the output to be opened immediately.
To create a lilypond file:
lydown -O --ly helloworld.lydown
To create a PDF file:
lydown -O --pdf helloworld.lydown
To create a PNG file:
lydown -O --png helloworld.lydown
To create a MIDI file:
lydown -O --midi helloworld.lydown
The lydown syntax
The lydown syntax is designed for faster note entry, better legibility and minimal boilerplate. The lydown syntax takes the basic ideas put forth by lilypond and simplifies them, with the following main differences:
- musical context (staves, parts, etc) is implicit rather than explicit.
- whitespace between notes is optional.
- durations come before notes.
- duration macros allow rapid entry of repeated rhythmic patterns (such as dotted rhythm).
It must be stressed that lydown is made to process music that is relatively simple, and it was designed to support the processing of baroque music in particular. Therefore, a lot of stuff that is possible with plain lilypond would not be possible with lydown.
For the sake of this tutorial, some familiarity with the concepts and syntax of lilypond is presumed. The lydown code will be shown alongside its lilypond equivalent.
Notes and durations
In lydown, durations are entered before the note to which they refer, and they stay valid for subsequent notes, until a new value is entered:
4c8de2f => c4 d8 e f2
In addition to the usual values (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 etc), lydown adds two shortcuts for commonly used values: 6 for 16th notes and 3 for 32th notes:
8c6de3fefefede2f => c8 d16 e f32 e f e f e d e f2
Augmentation dots are entered like in lilypond:
8.c6d 8.e6f 2g => c8. d16 e8. f16 g2
8..g 3g 4c => g8.. g32 c4
Notes can be repeated using the @ placeholder:
4c@@@ => c4 c c c
(The repeating note placeholder is useful when entering repeated notes with accidentals).
Chords are written using angled brackets, like in lilypond:
(2<fd>4<ge>) => <f d>2( <g e>4)
Rests
Normal rests are written like in lilypond:
4ce2r => c4 e r2
Full bar rests are similar to lilypond, except there's no need to enter the rest value (it is implicit in the time signature):
- time: 3/4
// 4 bar rest in the middle
2c4e R*4 2.g
Accidentals
Accidentals are entered using + and -
8cgb-c2a => c8 g bb c a2
In lydown notes follow the key signature by default:
- key: g major
8g6fedcba2g => g8 fs16 e d c b a g2
The accidental mode can be changed by specifiying the manual accidental mode:
- key: g major
- accidentals: manual
8g6f+edcba2g
In the default, automatic mode, when deviating from the key signature the accidental must be repeated for each note, regardless of barlines.
In the same manner as lilypond, accidentals can be forced by following the note name and accidental with a ! (for a reminder), or ? (for a cautionary accidental in parentheses):
cc+c+!cc? => c cs cs! c c?
A ficta accidental (an non-original accidental that appears above the staff) can be entered using the ^ symbol after the accidental:
cdef+^g
Octaves
Like in lilypond's relative mode, lydown uses ' and , for moving between octaves. The starting point is always c (that is c°).
Barlines
Just like in lilypond, barlines are taken care of automatically according to the time signature. Final bar lines and repeat bar lines can be entered explicitly by using shorthand syntax:
|: cege :|: cfaf :|
When entering unmetered music, an invisible barline can be added in order to provide line breaks:
-time: unmetered
cdef ?| gag
Beams, slurs and ties
Lydown uses automatic beaming as the default, except in the case of vocal parts (see document settings). Auto beaming can be
Beaming and sluring is similar to lilypond, except the beam/slur start comes before the note:
8(cdef)g[6fe]4f => c8( d e f) g f16[ e] f4
a regular tie is written just like in lilypond:
4g~6gfed2c => g4 ~ g16 f e d c2
Lydown also supports a shortened tie form, where the tied note is not repeated:
4g6&fed2c => g4 ~ g16 f e d c2
Articulation and expression marks
Lilypond shorthand articulation marks can be entered after a backslash
c\^ e\+ g\_ => c-^ e-+ g-_
Common articulation marks can be entered immediately after the note:
// tenuto, staccato, staccatissimo
c_e.g` => c-- e-. g-!
Other arbitrary lilypond articulations can be entered after a backslash:
c\staccato e\mordent g\turn => c\staccato e\mordent g\turn
Dynamic marks are entered before the note to which they apply:
c\f eg
\f cege \p cfaf => c\f e g e c\p f a f
Arbitrary expression marks can be entered as a string following a backslash (for placing it under the note) or a forward slash (for placing it above the note).
Repeated articulation and rhythmic patterns: macros
An important feature of lydown is the macro, which facilitates rapid entry of repeated rhythmic and articulative patterns.
A common scenario is repeated articulation, for example a sequence of staccato notes:
{.}cdefgabc => c-. d-. e-. f-. g-. a-. b-. c-.
A macro can also contain a fully qualified lilypond articulation specifier:
{\tenuto}cege => c\tenuto e\tenuto g\tenuto e\tenuto
Rhythmic macros can be used for repeated rhythmic patterns. A common scenario is a dotted rhythm:
// The _ symbol denotes a note placeholder
{8._6_}cdefgfed => c8. d16 e8. f16 g8. f16 e8. d16
A repeating diminution may also be expressed succintly:
// The @ symbol denotes a repeated pitch
{16_@@@}cfgf => c16 c c c f f f f g g g g f f f f
A macro can include both durations and articulation marks:
{4_~6@(_._._.)}cdefgfed => c4 ~ c16 d-.( e-. f-.) g4 ~ g16 f-.( e-. d-.)
A macro containing durations will remain valid until another duration or duration macro is encountered. A macro containing articulation only will be valid until another duration, macro or empty macro is encountered:
6{.}gg{}aa => g16-. g-. a a
Named macros
Macros can be defined with a name and reused:
- macros:
- dotted: 8._6_
{dotted}gaba2g{dotted}abcb2a => g8. a16 b8. a16 g2 a8. b16 c8. b16 a2
Clefs, key and time signatures
Clefs are determined automatically by lydown based on the specified part. In case no part is specified, the default clef is a treble clef. The clef values are the same as in lilypond. The clef can be changed at any time with a clef setting:
- clef: bass
8cdefgabc
- clef: tenor
defedcbd
- clef: bass
1c
Key and time signatures are entered inline as document settings (see below). The key and time values follow the lilypond syntax:
- key: d major
- time: 3/4
In the case of key signatures, accidentals will follow the lydown syntax:
- key: b- major
- key: f+ minor
Key signatures can also be specified using shorthand notation (upper case for major, lower case for minor):
- key: B- // b flat major
- key: f+ // f sharp minor
The default key signature is C major, and the default time signature is 4/4.
Key or time signatures can be changed on the fly:
- time: 4/4
4c e g b
- time: 3/4
c e g 2.c
Pickup bars
Pickup bars (anacrusis, upbeat) are defined with the pickup setting:
- time: 3/4
- pickup: 4
4g
c8cdcb4aaa
d8dedc4bb
Lilypond Commands and inline settings
Lilypond commands and settings can be entered inline as part of the note stream:
cd \key:E- e \stemDown f
A useful shorthand is for one-time (\once) overrides, with an exclamation mark between the backslash and the command:
!override:"NoteHead.color = #red"
Multiple arguments can be given, separated by colons. Arguments need to be quoted only if they contain whitespace, or colons:
!override:AccidentalSuggestion:"#'avoid-slur = #'outside"
Some lilypond command arguments are expected to be quoted. Quotes can be escaped by prefixing them with a backslash:
\footnote:"#'(-1 . 1)":"\"slurred?\""
Inline lyrics
Lyrics for vocal parts can be entered on separate lines prefixed by a > symbol:
4c[8de]4fd(4c[8de]2f)
> Ly-down is the bomb__
Or between notes using quotes:
4c[8de]4fd(4c[8de]2f) >"Ly-down is the bomb__"
Text alignment follows the duration, beaming and slurring of the music, just like in lilypond. Sillables are expected to be separated by a dash. Melismas, i.e. a single sillable streched over multiple notes, is signified by one or more underscores.
Multiple stanzas for the same music can be specified by including the stanza number in parens:
4cege1c
> Ly-down is the bomb.
>(2) Li-ly-pond is too.
Stream switching
Lyrics can be entered in a block, before or after musical notation, by switching streams:
8ccg'gaa4g
8ffeedd4c
=lyrics
Twin-kle twin-kle lit-tle star,
How I won-der what you are.
=music
8g'gffeed4
...
Multiple lyrics stanzas can be written by including the stanza number in parens:
=lyrics(1) // optional, same as =lyrics
...
=lyrics(2)
...
Figured bass
Figured bass is entered inline, following notes or even between notes, when multiple figures align with a single note.
Multiple parts
Multiple parts can be entered in the same file by prefixing each part's content with a -part setting:
- part: violino1
8c'cg'gaa4g
- part: continuo
4cefe
Multiple movements
For multi-movement works, prefix each movement with a -movement setting:
- movement: Adagio
...
- movement: Allegro
...
Multiple voices
Multiple voices on the same staff can be easily entered using the following notation:
1: 8egfdeg4f 2: 4cded u: ...
the u:<\code> command is used to return to single voice (unisono) mode.
Lyrics can be added for individual voices by using inline lyrics:
1: ceg >"yeah yeah yeah" 2: gbd >"no no no" u: ...
Piano scores
Piano/keyboard scores can be created by using the r/l (right/left) prefixes:
r: 8cdeccdec
l: 4cgcg
In order to jump between staves, you can use the special commands \r, \l
r: 8<e'c'> \l g,f+g \r <g'' c'> \l e,,d+e \r
l: 1s
multi-part scores and part extraction
As the example above shows, lydown supports multiple parts in the same file, but parts can also be written in separate files. This is useful for long pieces or those with a large number of parts.
For this we create a main file which defines the score structure:
// score.lydown
- score:
- [violino1, violino2]
- viola
- violoncello
- time: 4/4
- key: c major
Then we enter the music in a separate file for each part:
// violino1.lydown 8c''cg'gaa4g 8ffeedd4c
And so forth.
To compile the score, we use the following command:
lydown -o -s score.lydown
To extract a specific part, we use the -p switch:
lydown -o -p violino1 score.lydown
Adding a front cover
When creating professional scores and parts, it is customary to add a cover page, with the title of the piece, the composer's name and other general information. Lydown includes a