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Fonts explained

Fonts are handled through several libraries. FontConfig is used to detect available fonts on the system; the selected fonts are rendered using Pango.

Music notation fonts can be described as a set of specific glyphs, ordered in several families. The following syntax allows various LilyPond feta non-text fonts to be used directly in markup mode:

     
     a1^\markup {
       \vcenter {
         \override #'(font-encoding . fetaBraces)
         \lookup #"brace120"
         \override #'(font-encoding . fetaNumber)
         \column { 1 3 }
         \override #'(font-encoding . fetaDynamic)
         sf
         \override #'(font-encoding . fetaMusic)
         \lookup #"noteheads.s0petrucci"
       }
     }

[image of music]

A simpler, but more limited syntax is also described in Music notation inside markup.

Three families of text fonts are made available: the roman (serif) font, that defaults to New Century Schoolbook, the sans font and the monospaced typewriter font – these last two families are determined by the Pango installation.

Each family may include different shapes and series. The following example demonstrates the ability to select alternate families, shapes, series and sizes. The value supplied to font-size is the required change from the default size.

     
     \override Score.RehearsalMark #'font-family = #'typewriter
     \mark \markup "Ouverture"
     \override Voice.TextScript #'font-shape = #'italic
     \override Voice.TextScript #'font-series = #'bold
     d2.^\markup "Allegro"
     \override Voice.TextScript #'font-size = #-3
     c4^smaller

[image of music]

A similar syntax may be used in markup mode, however in this case it is preferable to use the simpler syntax explained in Selecting font and font size:

     
     \markup {
       \column {
         \line {
           \override #'(font-shape . italic)
           \override #'(font-size . 4)
           Idomeneo,
         }
         \line {
           \override #'(font-family . typewriter)
           {
             \override #'(font-series . bold)
             re
             di
           }
           \override #'(font-family . sans)
           Creta
         }
       }
     }

[image of music]

Although it is easy to switch between preconfigured fonts, it is also possible to use other fonts, as explained in the following sections: Single entry fonts and Entire document fonts.

See also

Notation Reference: The Feta font, Music notation inside markup, Selecting font and font size, Font.

Other languages: espaƱol, deutsch.