MUSICXML2LY(1)

📦
version 2.26.0 · 9 versions
, in alpine 3.24

🎀 NAME 🎀

okay so bestie, this is musicxml2ly — it lives in the User Commands part of the LilyPond manual fam, and it's version 2.26.0. literally its whole job is turning MusicXML into LilyPond input. that's it. that's the gig. 💅

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

musicxml2ly [OPTION]... FILE

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

Convert FILE with MusicXML data to a LilyPond input file. slay.

By default, the output file is called FILE.ly for input file FILE.xml. (yes, it just swaps the extension, king behavior 👑)

If FILE is -, read from standard input (and write to standard output). so like, pipe it, rainbow it, whatever. 🌈

If FILE cannot be found, FILE.xml, FILE.musicxml, and FILE.mxl are also tried as input files. it's giving "she'll find you don't worry" energy fr fr. 🔍

💖 OPTIONS 💖

  • -h, --help — show this help and exit. the classic.
  • --version — show version number and exit. tell me who you are, queen.
  • -v, --verbose — be verbose. she will NOT stop talking and honestly? we love that for her.
  • --lxml — obsolete. that's literally all it says. it's obsolete, bestie. leave her alone. 💀
  • -z, --compressed — input file is a compressed MusicXML file (by default, activate if file extension is .mxl). so .mxl gets this automatically, no cap.
  • -r, --relative — convert pitches in relative mode (default). this is the one you get if you don't say anything. 🫶
  • -a, --absolute — convert pitches in absolute mode. the other vibe.
  • -l, --language=LANG — use LANG for pitch names, e.g., deutsch for note names in German. 🇩🇪
  • --loglevel=LOGLEVEL — Print log messages according to LOGLEVEL (NONE, ERROR, WARN, PROGRESS (default), DEBUG). pick your volume. 🔊
  • --oe, --ottavas-end-early=t[rue]/f[alse] — expect <octave-shift> end elements before the associated <note> (as in Finale). Default is f[alse]. lowkey a Finale coping mechanism.
  • --nd, --no-articulation-directions — do not convert directions (^, _ or -) for articulations, dynamics, etc. keep those little marks out of it.
  • --nrp, --no-rest-positions — do not convert exact vertical positions of rests. rests get to float, free and unbothered. 🧚
  • --nsb, --no-system-breaks — ignore system breaks.
  • --npb, --no-page-breaks — ignore page breaks.
  • --npm, --no-page-margins — ignore page margins.
  • --npl, --no-page-layout — do not convert the exact page layout and breaks (shortcut for --nsb --npb --npm options). three-in-one, iconic.
  • --nsd, --no-stem-directions — ignore stem directions from MusicXML, use lilypond's automatic stemming instead. let lilypond decide, she's got taste.
  • --ds, --dynamics-scale=FACTOR — scale <dynamics> elements by a non-negative FACTOR; value 0 means to use lilypond's standard size for dynamics. non-negative only, bestie, don't get weird with it.
  • --afs, --absolute-font-sizes — use absolute font sizes in markup (default is to use font sizes based on score size).
  • --nb, --no-beaming — do not convert beaming information, use lilypond's automatic beaming instead. again: trust the algorithm. 🫡
  • -o, --output=FILE — set output filename to FILE, stdout if -.
  • -m, --midi — activate midi-block in .ly file. sound ON. 🎧
  • --cp, --credit-page=N — use <credit> information from page N to fill the fields of the \header block. Default is value 1.
  • --transpose=TOPITCH — set pitch to transpose by the interval between pitch c and TOPITCH. key change moment 💅
  • --sd, --shift-durations=VALUE — shift durations and time signatures by VALUE; for example, value -1 doubles all durations, and value 1 halves them. yes, negative doubles it. it's giving math but make it music. 😭
  • --sm, --shift-meter=BEATS/BEATTYPE — ignored; use --shift-duration instead. she's deprecated, she's off the roster, use the other one.
  • --tc, --tab-clef=TABCLEFNAME — switch between two versions of tab clefs ("tab" and "moderntab").
  • --sn, --string-numbers=t[rue]/f[alse] — control output of string numbers; value f[alse] disables them. Default is t[rue].
  • --fb, --fretboards — convert '<frame>' events to a separate FretBoards voice instead of markups. guitar girlies rise 🎸
  • --book — put top-level score into '\book'.
  • --nt, --no-tagline — don't emit a LilyPond tagline. no credit, no note, just vibes.

🐛 REPORTING BUGS 🐛

Report bugs via bug-lilypond@gnu.org. don't suffer in silence bestie, tell the devs. 💌

Copyright © 2005--2026 by

Han-Wen Nienhuys <hanwen@xs4all.nl>, Jan Nieuwenhuizen
<janneke@gnu.org>, Reinhold Kainhofer <reinhold@kainhofer.com>,
Patrick L. Schmidt <pls@philomelos.net>, and Werner Lemberg
<wl@gnu.org>

This program is free software. It is covered by the GNU General Public License and you are welcome to change it and/or distribute copies of it under certain conditions. Invoke as lilypond --warranty for more information. 🫶

🌸 SEE ALSO 🌸

The full documentation for musicxml2ly is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the info and musicxml2ly programs are properly installed at your site, the command

info musicxml2ly

should give you access to the complete manual. iykyk. 📖

okay that's the whole page, go make some sheet music, you absolute main character. ⭐

and that's a wrap, bestie — musicxml2ly (LilyPond) version 2.26.0, dated May 2026. 💜🎀

📦 where this page comes from