LilyPond for Mac
Automated engraving system, formats music.
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LilyPond overview
LilyPond is an automated engraving system. It formats music beautifully and automatically, and has a friendly syntax for its input files.
The inspiration for LilyPond came when two musicians got annoyed with the bland and boring look of computer print-outs. Every musician prefers reading beautiful music, so couldn't we programmers solve that printing problem?
LilyPond just does that: it prints music in the best traditions of classical engraving with minimum fuss. Don't waste time on tuning spacing, moving around symbols, or shaping slurs. Impress friends and colleagues with sharp sheet music!
What’s new in version 2.24.1
- Pitches improvements
- Rhythm improvements
- Expressive mark improvements
- Repeat improvements
- Editorial annotation improvements
- Text improvements
- Fretted string instrument improvements
- Percussion improvements
- Wind instrument improvements
- Chord notation improvements
- Ancient notation improvements
- World music improvements
Full changelog available here.
LilyPond for Mac
Free
In English
Version 2.24.1
What users say about LilyPond
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(19 Reviews of LilyPond)
Comments
User Ratings
Jan 18 2023
Version: 2.22.2-1
I loved Lilypond, used with Frescobaldi, for writing bagpipe music on my Windows laptop. Unfortunately, the version on this site (and any other) refuses to load on our new MacBook Air which, after one day's acquaintance, I already hate with a vengeance.
Mar 3 2020
Version: 2.20.0-1
The latest downloadable version won't run on Catalina. Users of macOS 10.15 will have to compile Lilypond from source code.
Mar 16 2015
Version: 2.19.17-1
I installed this notation programme and it produced a PDF file.
How do i play that file.
MacUpdate comments that LilyPond is an automated engraving system. It formats music beautifully and automatically, and has a friendly syntax for its input files.
Reading the manual for example: You do not write music by dragging notes from a graphical toolbar and placing them on a dynamically refreshing score; you write music by typing text. Taking look at the example: wow! that seems to be harder then working with my most current versions of Sibelius or Finale or even the most rudimentary computer notation programmes.
And then in the end how do you listen to the results except in your minds ear when reading ( playing in your head ) the score.
Mar 1 2015
Version: 2.19.15-1
When used with "Frescobaldi" (an app which lets you see all results of your code immediately), Lilypond is one of the easiest to use music notation apps out there. Maybe even the easiest to use. And well, for sure the one with the best output with the least amount of tweaking.
I have/had licenses for both Finale and Sibelius and I wished I'd had met Lilypond/Frescobaldi earlier…
Jun 9 2014
Version: 2.19.7-1
I've been using Lilypond for about four years, using it to write lead sheets for jazz combos. The learning curve is steep but the tutorials will get you through that. Once you have templates set up for the kind of music you want to engrave, it becomes quick and efficient. I can go from manuscript to a lead sheet for concert, Bb horns, Eb horns and bass in 15 minutes with beautiful and easily readable music to hand to my bandmates. Another band member who uses Finale produces much inferior charts that are harder to read. Pairing Lilypond with a dedicated editor such as Frescobaldi makes it so much easier to use, also, but any text editor can be used.
