Re: percussion notation issues

[Rick Sutphin]

Bruce,

Thanks for the post. I have started working on a define file (see below)
that could be included to bring Lilypond's drumset notation more inline
with PAS standards. The file does everything I need at the moment (I am
a lousy drummer), but I may extend it in the future. 

Rick

On Thu, 2004-12-23 at 01:50 +1100, Bruce McIntyre wrote:
> Hello all.
> 
> I've just finished reading through Norman Weinberg's _Guide to
> Standardized Drumset Notation_ published by the Percussive Arts Society
> (1998). I've put up a synopsis of some of the more important points at
> 
> http://home.iprimus.com.au/brucemcintyre/percussion-notation.png
> 
> Note the numbers on the toms.  If you need to describe music for 3 toms,
> use toms 1, 2 and 3.  If you want 6 toms use toms 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
> The pitch of each tom is governed by its height as in normal music--tom
> 9 is higher than tom 1; tom 10 lower. 
> 
> The notation conventions recommended by Mr Weinberg have been adopted by
> Modern Drummer Magazine, the various PAS publications as well as publishers 
> such as audiograffiti
> (http://www.audiograffiti.com.au/doc/audiograffitidrumnotation.pdf)
> berklee and others.
> 
> Lilypond's drum notation is missing a few features to implement this 
> scheme:
> 
> 1.  Rimshot notation (where a \ overlays the notehead)
> 
> 2.  Crosstick notation (circle surrounding notehead).
> 
> 3.  The "ghost" note, where the notehead is in parentheses. 
> 
>       This can be implemented by molecule call backs, but looks kludgy
>       at the moment.
> 
> 4.  Lilypond's naming conventions don't support enough instruments:
> 
>       10 toms are needed (I personally don't own that many!)
>       2 hihats
>       2 rides
>       3 crashes
> 
> 5.  Some symbol shapes are wrong:
>       
>       The triangle should be equalateral with the base parallel with
>       the staff lines. Here noteheads-d1do and noteheads-d2do would
>       suffice.
> 
>       The symbol for a minim or semibreve cymbal should not be an open
>       'x' but an open diamond, somewhat like that used for harmonics.
> 
> 6.  Lilypond lacks the mallet symbols as well as the bell/edge
> center/edge symbols.
> 
>       Personally I find Norman's Bell and Edge symbols ugly. The
>       latter especially is frustrating as it projects out to the right
>       of the note colum. 
> 
>       Rod Morgenstein in his _Drum Set Warm-Ups_ follows this scheme,
>       but uses cross with circle surrounding for a cymbal bell
>       indication. Often drummers will alternate between ride cymbal
>       bell and normal strokes every other quaver or semiquaver.
>       Morgenstien's scheme is much less cluttered-looking than
>       Weinberg's when this is notated.
> 
> I hope this email provides some ideas for future improvements to our beloved
> Lilypond.
> 
> Cheers,
> Bruce.
> 
> 
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