Re: Sibelius user looking for the easiest way to learn LilyPond

[james]

On Jan 3, 2013, at 2:46 AM, Antonio Gervasoni wrote:

> John Link <johnlink <at> nyc.rr.com> writes:
> 
>> 
>> 
>> A few years ago I was encouraged to try LilyPond 
> as an alternative to Sibelius because LilyPond 
> produced more beautiful scores. I was also told that it 
> would allow me to do things like specify that bars 
> 25 through 32 are to be identical to bars 9 through 16 
> and avoid cutting and pasting from bars 9-16 
> into 25-32. I liked what I heard, but I was quite shocked 
> by LilyPond's interface. I would be interested in 
> hearing from any Sibelius users who have successfully 
> learned LilyPond. How can I get going in LilyPond 
> as quickly as possible?
>> In case it's relevant, I should add that I used to program 
> in FORTRAN and a little bit of UNIX but never 
> in any other languages.
>> 
>> Thanks in advance,
>> John Link
>> 
>> P.S. I sent the message above but I didn't receive it so 
> I'm sending it again. I have seen messages from 
> other users. http://www.cdbaby.com/all/johnlink
>> http://www.myspace.com/johnlinkproject 

Honestly, I would say there isn't really an *easy* way to learn lilypond. It's 
something lilypond people don't really like to 
hear, but it isn't really easy. Especially if you have no programming 
background. That doesn't mean it isn't possible, but it takes time, patience, a 
bit more time and a bit more patience. The learning manual is absolutely 
required reading if you want to actually use lilypond. There are programs that 
make inputting information easier, especially if you are just starting out, 
want to see what the result is, and are typesetting something very simple. But 
the fact of the matter is that a text editor, preferably one with syntax 
hilighting rules for lilypond is really all you need, and at a certain point 
becomes probably the easiest way to code what will eventually become music.
What it really needs is a course in how to think in terms of how the program 
works, understanding how to interpret the results that you get from the program 
(both the actual typeset musical material and any errors that may occur along 
the way, and instruction in "best practices" for making easily readable input 
files, both so that you can debug what you've done, and so that you can make 
changes when you need to. (The biggest problems with "best practices" is that 
they are individual, and what works for one person may not work for another.)
My advice, read the learning manual and then task yourself with trying to copy 
things of increasing difficulty. And then, don't get discouraged when you don't 
yet have the skills to typeset what you want to, just put it on the 
back-burner, do something you can (and probably at this point need to get done) 
and come back to it once you have a little more experience.