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3.6.9 Enhancing MIDI output
| The ‘articulate’ script | ||
| The ‘swing’ script |
The default MIDI output is basic but can be improved by setting MIDI
instruments and various \midi block properties.
Additional scripts allow to fine-tune the way dynamics, articulations and rhythm are rendered in MIDI: the ‘articulate’ script and the ‘swing’ script.
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The ‘articulate’ script
To use the ‘articulate’ script add the appropriate \include
command at the top of the input file;
\include "articulate.ly"
The script creates MIDI output into appropriately ‘time-scaled’ notes to match many articulation and tempo indications. Engraved output however, will also be altered to literally match the MIDI output.
\score {
\articulate <<
… music …
>>
\midi { }
}
The \articulate command enables abbreviatures (such as trills and
turns) to be processed. A full list of supported items can be found in
the script itself. See ‘ly/articulate.ly’.
See also
Learning Manual: Other sources of information.
Notation Reference: Score layout.
Installed Files: ‘ly/articulate.ly’.
Note: The ‘articulate’ script may shorten chords, which might
not be appropriate for some types of instrument, such as organ music.
Notes that do not have any articulations attached to them may also be
shortened; so to allow for this, restrict the use of the
\articulate function to shorter segments of music, or modify the
values of the variables defined in the ‘articulate’ script to
compensate for the note-shortening behavior.
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The ‘swing’ script
The ‘swing’ script provides additional functions allowing for regular durations to be played with an inequal rhythm. The most obvious example is ‘swing’ intepretation commonly found in jazz music where binary eighth notes should be played in a ternary fashion; however additional interpretations are also supported.
This script has to be \include-d at the beginning of the input file:
\include "swing.ly"
Three commands are provided:
-
\tripletFeelcreates a triplet-feel swing. It takes two arguments: the durations that should be affected by it (typically8for eighth notes), and then the music expression to which it should be applied. -
\applySwingtakes an additional argument prior to the music expression: a ‘weight list’ of n number ratios expressing the way regular notes should be played: for example,#'(2 1)indicates that every other note should be played twice as long as the following note (in fact,\tripletFeel duration {music}is actually a shortcut for\applySwing duration #'(2 1) {music}). Smoother swung eighths may be obtained with a weight list of#'(3 2), or other values depending on taste.That list may include more than two values, which allows for longer and more sophisticated groove patterns; for example, a samba feel for sixteenth notes may be obtained as follows:
\score { \applySwing 16 #'(3 2 2 3) { … music … } \midi { } } -
\applySwingWithOffsetadds yet another argument between the ‘weight list’ and the music expression: an offset length (entered as aly:make-momentexpression). This command should be used when the music expression has to start off-beat, with a partial swing cycle.
Note: As with the ‘articulate’ script, all swing commands are also
rendered in the engraved output, which results in irregular note spacing.
This can be avoided by using them only in a \score block dedicated
to MIDI output, rather than to printed music.
Additional help and information is included in the script file: see ‘ly/swing.ly’.
See also
Learning Manual: Other sources of information.
Notation Reference: Rhythms.
Installed Files: ‘ly/swing.ly’.
Known issues and warnings
-
\repeatconstructs in music (even\repeat unfold) are not taken into consideration when determining note timing. This will lead to problems unless the durations of all repeated parts are integer multiples of the swing cycle duration. -
These functions are oblivious to time signatures and measures.
That is why offsets need to be supplied by using
\applySwingWithOffsetif music starts off-beat. - Grace notes are ignored and simply left unaffected; so are tuplets.
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