LilyPond Notation Reference: Note names in other languages

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Note names in other languages

There are predefined sets of note and accidental names for various other languages. Selecting the note name language is usually done at the beginning of the file; the following example is written using Italian note names:

\language "italiano"

\relative {
  do' re mi sib
}

The available languages and the note names they define are:

Language	Note Names
`nederlands`	`c` `d` `e` `f` `g` `a` `bes` `b`
`català` or `catalan`	`do` `re` `mi` `fa` `sol` `la` `sib` `si`
`deutsch`	`c` `d` `e` `f` `g` `a` `b` `h`
`english`	`c` `d` `e` `f` `g` `a` `bf`/`b-flat` `b`
`español` or `espanol`	`do` `re` `mi` `fa` `sol` `la` `sib` `si`
`français`	`do` `ré`/`re` `mi` `fa` `sol` `la` `sib` `si`
`italiano`	`do` `re` `mi` `fa` `sol` `la` `sib` `si`
`norsk`	`c` `d` `e` `f` `g` `a` `b` `h`
`português` or `portugues`	`do` `re` `mi` `fa` `sol` `la` `sib` `si`
`suomi`	`c` `d` `e` `f` `g` `a` `b` `h`
`svenska`	`c` `d` `e` `f` `g` `a` `b` `h`
`vlaams`	`do` `re` `mi` `fa` `sol` `la` `sib` `si`

In addition to note names, accidental suffixes may also vary depending on the language:

Language	sharp	flat	double sharp	double flat
`nederlands`	`is`	`es`	`isis`	`eses`
`català` or `catalan`	`d`/`s`	`b`	`dd`/`ss`	`bb`
`deutsch`	`is`	`es`	`isis`	`eses`
`english`	`s`/`-sharp`	`f`/`-flat`	`ss`/`x`/`-sharpsharp`	`ff`/`-flatflat`
`español` or `espanol`	`s`	`b`	`ss`/`x`	`bb`
`français`	`d`	`b`	`dd`/`x`	`bb`
`italiano`	`d`	`b`	`dd`	`bb`
`norsk`	`iss`/`is`	`ess`/`es`	`ississ`/`isis`	`essess`/`eses`
`português` or `portugues`	`s`	`b`	`ss`	`bb`
`suomi`	`is`	`es`	`isis`	`eses`
`svenska`	`iss`	`ess`	`ississ`	`essess`
`vlaams`	`k`	`b`	`kk`	`bb`

In Dutch, German, Norwegian, and Finnish, aes is contracted to as; in Dutch and Norwegian, however, both forms are accepted by LilyPond. Exactly the same holds for es and ees, aeses and ases, and finally eeses and eses.

In German and Finnish, LilyPond additionally provides the more frequent form asas for ases.

\relative c'' { a2 as e es a ases e eses }

Some music uses microtones whose alterations are fractions of a ‘normal’ sharp or flat. The following table lists note name suffixes for quarter tone accidentals; here the prefixes semi- and sesqui- respectively mean ‘half’ and ‘one and a half’.

Language	semi-sharp	semi-flat	sesqui-sharp	sesqui-flat
`nederlands`	`ih`	`eh`	`isih`	`eseh`
`català` or `catalan`	`qd`/`qs`	`qb`	`tqd`/`tqs`	`tqb`
`deutsch`	`ih`	`eh`	`isih`	`eseh`
`english`	`qs`	`qf`	`tqs`	`tqf`
`español` or `espanol`	`cs`	`cb`	`tcs`	`tcb`
`français`	`sd`	`sb`	`dsd`	`bsb`
`italiano`	`sd`	`sb`	`dsd`	`bsb`
`norsk`	`ih`	`eh`	`issih`/`isih`	`esseh`/`eseh`
`português` or `portugues`	`sqt`	`bqt`	`stqt`	`btqt`
`suomi`	`ih`	`eh`	`isih`	`eseh`
`svenska`	`ih`	`eh`	`issih`	`esseh`
`vlaams`	`hk`	`hb`	`khk`	`bhb`

In German, there are similar name contractions for microtones as with normal pitches described above.

\language "deutsch"

\relative c'' { asah2 eh aih eisih }

Most languages presented here are commonly associated with Western classical music, also referred to as Common Practice Period. However, alternate pitches and tuning systems are also supported: see Common notation for non-Western music.

Note names in other languages

See also

LilyPond — Notation Reference v2.25.8 (development-branch).