The AsciiDoc distribution includes a Music Block filter that translates music in LilyPond or ABC notation to standard classical notation in the form of a trimmed PNG image which is automatically inserted into the AsciiDoc output document (see the examples below).

Actually the filter (./filters/music2png.py) can be used outside AsciiDoc to convert LilyPond or ABC music files to PNG images. Execute the following command to see how to use it:

$ ./filters/music2png.py --help

The Music Filter can be used as a model for filters that convert a block of text into a file that is linked or embedded into the AsciiDoc output document.

Example 1: Music Block containing ABC notation

This Music Block:

 ["music","music1.png",scaledwidth="100%"]
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
 T:The Butterfly
 R:slip jig
 C:Tommy Potts
 H:Fiddle player Tommy Potts made this tune from two older slip jigs,
 H:one of which is called "Skin the Peelers" in Roche's collection.
 H:This version by Peter Cooper.
 D:Bothy Band: 1975.
 M:9/8
 K:Em
 vB2(E G2)(E F3)|B2(E G2)(E F)ED|vB2(E G2)(E F3)|(B2d) d2(uB A)FD:|
 |:(vB2c) (e2f) g3|(uB2d) (g2e) (dBA)|(B2c) (e2f) g2(ua|b2a) (g2e) (dBA):|
 |:~B3 (B2A) G2A|~B3 BA(uB d)BA|~B3 (B2A) G2(A|B2d) (g2e) (dBA):|
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------

Renders:

music1.png
Example 2: Music Block containing LilyPond notation

This example contains LilyPond musical markup, it uses the link attribute so you can click on the music image to display the source notation. The music2.ly source file is automatically created and retained by the music2png.py filter when the -m option is used.

 ["music", "music2.png", "ly", link="music2.ly"]
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
 \version "2.10.0"
 \paper {
   ragged-right = ##t
 }
 {
   \time 3/4
   \clef bass
   c2 e4 g2. f4 e d c2 r4
 }
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------

Renders:

Note
If you get an error processing the above example it may be that it is not compatible with your version of LilyPond. Use the LilyPond convert-ly(1) utility to update the source to the version that you are using.

Using the Filter

Insert a delimited Music Block containing valid ABC notation into your AsciiDoc document:

Limitations

Installation

In addition to AsciiDoc you will need to have installed:

Test the music filter it by converting the test file to HTML with AsciiDoc:

$ asciidoc -v ./filters/music-filter-test.txt
$ firefox ./filters/music-filter-test.html &

The filter was developed and tested on Xubuntu Linux using LilyPond 2.10.5 and ImageMagick 6.2.4.

Note
The filter does not work with LilyPond 2.2.6 because it did not generate the requested output file name correctly (2.6.3 does not have a problem).