Re: jazz chords

[Han-Wen Nienhuys]

Kenneth Teh wrote:
> It seems to me that based on these observations, what
> Lilypond needs is a context for creating chord names
> that
>
> (1) does not try to actually build chords, ie, the
> MIDI output produces nothing.  This way you avoid all
> the problems associated with trying to describe a
> voicing which a jazz player is free to change anyway.
>
> (2) treats only the chord root (and duration) as
> significant, thus allowing one to transpose the chord
> names.
>
> (3) leaves the chord alterations as pure text markup. 
> Most chord alterations are pitch indepedent anyway. 
> That is, you say m7 for a minor 7th chord, 5- to flat
> the fifth, and so on.
>
> Comments?

I suppose you want

(4) base/inversion to be transposabl

too.

I agree that it would be a good idea. I guess one reason for our 
resistance has been that this would effectively make our own code 
superfluous, and perpetuates the lack of standards in chord naming.  But 
such is life, I guess.

Would it be useful to be able to mix standard Lily chords with these 
free form ones, or is it better to have a separate (possibly more 
ergonomic mode?)

I could add this as a sponsored feature for 130 EUR (inc VAT for EU 
individuals).

--

Han-Wen Nienhuys - address@hidden - http://www.xs4all.nl/~hanwen

LilyPond Software Design
 -- Code for Music Notation
http://www.lilypond-design.com