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diff --git a/Documentation/automated-engraving/typography-features.itexi b/Documentation/automated-engraving/typography-features.itexi new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..3e57bae77f --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/automated-engraving/typography-features.itexi @@ -0,0 +1,136 @@ +\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} + + + +@tab + +@image{pictures/baer-ledger,,,.png} + + + +@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 + |