Re: Basic questions about LilyPond.

[Kieren Richard MacMillan]

Hello, Michael!

> because I have hard disk space problems and this is a very active list

Don't forget the archives (searchable!) and digest mode...  =)

> Finale:
> User interface seems awkward and difficult, not sufficiently 
> keyboard-based.

Oh, I got pretty good with the keyboard (even did a fair bit of 
productive work on a laptop!), but Finale still had (has) way too many 
problems for me to use any more.

> Sibelius:

Sibelius 3 is a big improvement -- you might want to take a look at it!

> Score:

I've had no experience with Score, but I understand it's fairly 
well-regarded and -supported by the "professional houses".

> Graphire Music Press:
> I believe that, like Score, it is not suitable for composing in,

Agreed, and it was still awfully pricey the last time I looked...

> Igor Engraver:

You probably know my Igor issues!  ;-)
Still my choice as best commercial package, but there are way too many 
code and corporate issues for me to recommend it to anyone as a serious 
tool.

> [Lilypond] at least seems worth considering for my own use.

I couldn't agree more!

> 1. Does LilyPond compare well in features with professional-level 
> programs
> such as those I named above?

Absolutely -- in fact, in almost every way, I have found Lilypond to be 
superior to any other engraving software I've owned, used, or tried.

> I definitely need to be able to notate the sort of complexity one 
> might find
> in late-19th or early-20th century piano music.

Shouldn't be a problem. In fact, cross-staff stuff is usually handled 
much more deftly by Lilypond than the others.

> polytonal key signatures in different staves

Not a problem.

> non-standard key signatures

Not a problem.

> different metres in different staves

Not a problem (and this is an issue that most of the others have 
SERIOUS problems with). In fact, in Lilypond you can have both [my 
terms here!] bar-constant (e.g., 10/8 against 4/4 in the same 
horizontal/temporal distance) and duration-constant (e.g., one bar of 
10/8 in the same time as 1 bar plus a beat of 4/4) -- the only thing to 
worry about is that in the latter case, the spacing engine doesn't 
treat things exactly as you'd hope it would (but give J&HW some time, 
and I'm sure Lilypond will "do the right thing" eventually!).

> 2. I am a touch-typist and pianist, and thus efficient keyboard use of
> software is an important consideration to me.

Everything can be done in a text editor: how much better can that be?  
;-)

> 3. If I adopt any music notation program, it will be used on a laptop
> computer, with its lack of a separate numeric keypad.

Again, "text editor" says it all.

> In general, how configurable is LilyPond for different methods of 
> usage?

Pretty flexible, depending on your editor. You could have 
auto-fill/type-ahead, you can cut and paste, you can automate 
(AppleScript, batch/shell script, whatever), etc. -- it's up to your 
imagination (and the limitations of your editing application).

> 4.  Playback of a score on the computer is of secondary importance to 
> me, but I
> might as well know about this: so does LilyPond play back music?

I haven't used (or even attempted to use) this aspect, but I do know 
you can fairly easily output a MIDI file from a Lilypond score/source, 
which could then be used for playback. Hopefully others on the list 
have a more complete and accurate answer for you...

Welcome, and good luck!
Kieren.