Re: Chord Naming

[Tao Cumplido]

I never use fret diagrams so I don't know how this predefined exceptions work. 
If I understand it right you want to make a list of all possibillities named on 
dolmetsch.com so that everyone can pick his/her favourite way?!

Generally I think it's a good idea to improve the chord symbols in LP, or maybe 
what I propose is a complete redesign. I don't know exactly how this works 
internally since I am no programmer.
In my opinion the main problem is that chord symbols are linked to actual 
notes. This probably works well for simple folkloric structures but becomes 
problematic in complex jazz constructions. A jazz chord symbol is rather linked 
to a scale than a chord but in most cases isn't limited to a single scale, e.g. 
G7alt. can mean to play G mixolydian b13, G altered (superlocrian), HTWT or 
HTWT. Even Cmaj7 isn't limited to ionian but can also mean lydian since the 
perfect fourth is an avoid tone in maj7.

I think the best solution would be to make the suffix of a chord symbol, i.e. 
everything after the root, plain text. This would allow everyone to choose 
his/her favourite suffix by just typing standard characters.
I already do something similar. I use a tweaked font to display my chord 
symbols in a Lyrics context above the Staff. This doesn't let me transpose 
though and I always have to create transposed parts manually but I still prefer 
it to the current function of LP because it allows easy displaying of chord 
symbols to my like.
Also defining exceptions in advance would become unnecessary because all 
exceptions are stored to different characters and one has only to learn his/her 
favourite way of displaying chords once.

Whatever way you want to go, dolmetsch.com is still missing some common 
exceptions and variations and I'd be happy to help out with expanding your 
exceptions list.

Regards,

Tao

-------- Original-Nachricht --------
> Datum: Fri, 23 Jan 2009 22:48:41 -0500
> Von: David Stocker <address@hidden>
> An: "Carl D. Sorensen" <address@hidden>
> CC: lilypond <address@hidden>, lilypond-devel <address@hidden>
> Betreff: Re: Chord Naming

> Carl,
> 
> I think this would greatly improve the chords feature of LilyPond. I 
> don't think I've ever seen a Cmaj7/9/add13 chord in actual printed 
> music, but I know how to play a Cmaj13, Cm13b5, or a Cm9#11.
> 
> I'd be happy to help with this in any way I can, even if it's only 
> testing. I can commit to a few hours a week on this, once you get it 
> going (if you'd like).
> 
> Let me know if you need that kind of assistance, since I'm not a
> programmer.
> 
> Dave
> 
> Carl D. Sorensen wrote:
> > We currently have issues with the chord naming functions of LilyPond. 
> If we
> > pass a \chordmode chord to the the ChordNames construct, we very seldom
> get
> > out what we put in (i.e. c:maj13 will give Cmaj7/9/add13).  This is
> because
> > we currently try to do the chord naming algorithmically.
> >
> > I'd like to add a feature similar to the predefinedFretDiagrams feature.
>  It
> > would be a simple means of modifying the chodNameExceptions data
> structure
> > (or perhaps a replacement of that structure) so that you could define a
> > chord name by giving a \chordmode chord specifier.  Then, I'd have an
> init
> > file that would initialize all the chords specified in Dolmetsch online
> > <http://www.dolmetsch.com/musictheory16.htm> and
> > <http://www.dolmetsch.com/musictheory17.htm>.  This combination should
> cover
> > virtually all the chords people use.  Of course, if the chord somebody
> wrote
> > wasn't covered, we'd still fall back to the current algorithm, which is
> > correct, but not compact.
> >
> > I think the exceptions for the chords could be defined so that the chord
> > display properties are included in the exception.
> >
> > Does this seem like something that would be useful to add to LilyPond? 
> And
> > would this kind of architecture be acceptable, in principle?
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Carl
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > lilypond-user mailing list
> > address@hidden
> > http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/lilypond-user
> >
> >
> >   
> 
> 
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> address@hidden
> http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/lilypond-user

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