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authorJan Nieuwenhuizen <janneke@gnu.org>2009-08-12 23:38:28 +0200
committerJan Nieuwenhuizen <janneke@gnu.org>2009-08-13 01:30:27 +0200
commit480e203052571809f1a11ee7c7728f08aa042fe9 (patch)
treec56af9445286eb71c8b92b63cc052f3fc8c472a4 /Documentation/automated-engraving/typography-features.itexi
parent6881f8675f87ab0830dbccfaeeab30207552317d (diff)
Doc: Add converted essay.
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+\input texinfo @c -*- coding: utf-8; mode: texinfo; -*-
+@ignore
+ Translation of GIT committish: FILL-IN-HEAD-COMMITTISH
+
+ When revising a translation, copy the HEAD committish of the
+ version that you are working on. See TRANSLATION for details.
+@end ignore
+
+
+
+@node typography-features
+
+@unnumberedsec Font design
+
+A large factor that makes LilyPond output look traditional lies in the
+blackness of the page. By using heavy stafflines, and a font design to
+match that, the overall impression is much stronger. This is also very
+clear from the following blowups:
+
+@table asis@item
+@tab
+
+@image{pictures/henle-flat-gray,,,.png}
+
+@tab
+
+@image{pictures/baer-flat-gray,,,.png}
+
+@tab
+
+@image{pictures/lily-flat-bw,,,.png}
+
+
+@item
+
+@tab
+Henle (2000)
+
+@tab
+B@"arenreiter (1950)
+
+@tab
+LilyPond (2003)
+
+
+
+@end table
+
+Another typical aspect of hand-engraved scores is the general look of
+the symbols. They almost never have sharp corners. This is because
+sharp corners of the punching dies are fragile and quickly wear out
+when stamping in metal. The general rounded shape of music symbols is
+also present in all glyphs of our "Feta" font.
+
+
+
+
+@unnumberedsec Spacing
+
+One of the problems that the Bach piece above inspired us to attack
+is the spacing engine. One of its features is optical spacing.
+It is demonstrated in the fragment below.
+
+@divClass{float-center}
+@divEnd
+@image{pictures/spacing-with-corr,,,.png}
+
+@divClass{float-center}
+@divEnd
+@image{pictures/spacing-no-corr,,,.png}
+
+This fragment only uses quarter notes: notes that are played in a
+constant rhythm. The spacing should reflect that. Unfortunately, the
+eye deceives us a little: not only does it notice the distance between
+note heads, it also takes into account the distance between
+consecutive stems. As a result, the notes of an up-stem/down-stem
+combination should be put farther apart, and the notes of a down-up
+combination should be put closer together, all depending on the
+combined vertical positions of the notes. The top fragment is printed
+with this correction, the bottom one without. In the last case, the
+down-stem/up-stems combinations form clumps of notes.
+
+
+@unnumberedsec Ledger lines
+
+Ledger lines are typographically difficult. They can easily blot
+together with other signs, such as ledger lines or
+accidentals. Other software prevents these collisions by spacing the
+lines wider (thus taking up more space), or shortening ledger lines
+(which hampers readability.)
+
+@table asis@item
+@tab
+
+@image{pictures/henle-ledger,,,.png}
+&nbsp;
+
+
+@tab
+
+@image{pictures/baer-ledger,,,.png}&nbsp;
+
+
+
+@tab
+
+@image{pictures/lily-ledger,,,.png}
+
+
+@item
+
+@tab
+Henle (2000)
+
+@tab
+B@"arenreiter (1950)
+
+@tab
+LilyPond (2004)
+
+
+
+@end table
+
+Traditional engravers would adjust the size of a ledger line,
+depending on what symbols were in the neighborhood. LilyPond does the
+same. Ledgers are shortened so they never collide with neighboring
+lines, and they are shortened when there is an accidental.
+
+@divClass{float-right}
+@divEnd
+Next: @ref{input-format.html,Use the Source, Luke}, or: what
+goes into LilyPond.
+
+@bye
+