Re: NR 1.7.1: can't understand a sentence about scaling font size

[Johan Vromans]

Federico Bruni <address@hidden> writes:

> In NR 1.7.1, Selecting notation font size, I have:
> Font size changes are achieved by scaling the design size that is closest
> to the desired size.
>
> What is design here?

Originally, LilyPond used the TeX typesetting system to produce the
music. TeX fonts were designed to be used at a specific size, and
for different sizes different designs were used (which, indeed, lead to
splendid results). For example, a very small 'm' was a bit wider than
a scaled down version of a bigger 'm', to prevent it becomming too dense.

LilyPond fonts Feta and Parmesan are designed with MetaFont and contain
versions designed for different sizes, hence the text in NR.

With the modern scalable fonts much of this size-adjusting has been
incorporated in hints and other techniques, so the old art of designing
fonts for a specific size is mostly lost. (A pity in the eye of a
perfectionist.)

-- Johan