Re: Complex chords

[Tim McNamara]

On May 15, 2009, at 6:45 AM, Stjepan Brbot wrote:

> How to achieve these complex chords:
>
> C+5 (instead of C+)
> Cdim (instead of Co)
> Cmaj8 (instead of triangle)
> and chord transition from G7/4-3 as show on image attached
> http://www.nabble.com/file/p23558140/slika.jpeg

You need to define exceptions to the way that LilyPond writes  
chords.  One way is to use one of the alternative chord rendering  
methods that you can find in the snippet repository.  You can put  
this into a .ly file and use the \include command to call it when the  
music file is rendered into a PDF.  Another list member sent me this  
set of exceptions which you can modify as you need:

% Pop chords as used in English/American popular music
% by James L. Hammons

% Written against \version "2.11.52"

chordFlat = \markup { \hspace #0.2 \tiny \raise #1.0 \flat }
chordSharp = \markup { \hspace #0.1 \teeny \raise #1.0 \sharp }

popChordsMusic =
{
        % Triads

        <c g>-\markup { "5" }
        <c d g>-\markup { "2" }
%       <c d g>-\markup { "sus2" }
        <c f g>-\markup { "sus" }
%       <c f g>-\markup { "sus4" }
%       <c ees ges>-\markup { \small \raise #1.0 "o" }
        <c ees ges>-\markup { \raise #0.8 "o" }
%       <c ees ges>-\markup { "dim" }
%       <c e gis>-\markup { "aug" }                                             
                        % or +

        % Sixths

        <c e g a>-\markup { "6" }
        <c ees g a>-\markup { "m6" }

        % Sevenths (including altered)

        <c e g bes>-\markup { "7" }
        <c ees g bes>-\markup { "m7" }
        <c e g b>-\markup { "maj7" }
        <c f g bes>-\markup { "7sus4" }
        <c d g bes>-\markup { "7sus2" }
        <c e ges bes>-\markup { "7" \chordFlat "5" }
        <c e gis bes>-\markup { "7" \chordSharp "5" }
%       <c e gis bes>-\markup { "aug7" }                                        
                % or +7
        <c ees g b>-\markup { "m(maj7)" }
%       <c ees ges beses>-\markup { \small \raise #1.0 { "o" } "7" }
        <c ees ges beses>-\markup { \raise #0.8 { "o" } "7" }
%       <c ees ges beses>-\markup { "dim7" }
%	<c ees ges bes>-\markup { \small \raise #1.0 { #(ly:export (ly:wide- 
char->utf-8 #x00f8)) } "7" }
%	<c ees ges bes>-\markup { \raise #0.8 { #(ly:export (ly:wide-char- 
>utf-8 #x00f8)) } "7" }
        <c ees ges bes>-\markup { "m7" \chordFlat "5" }
        <c e ges b>-\markup { "maj7" \chordFlat "5" }
        <c e gis b>-\markup { "maj7" \chordSharp "5" }

        % Ninths (including altered--incomplete)

        <c e g bes d'>-\markup { "9" }
        <c ees g bes d'>-\markup { "m9" }
        <c e g b d'>-\markup { "maj9" }
        <c e g d'>-\markup { "add9" }
        <c e g a d'>-\markup { "6/9" }
        <c ees g a d'>-\markup { "m6/9" }
        <c ees g b d'>-\markup { "m(maj9)" }
        <c e g bes des'>-\markup { "7" \chordFlat "9" }
        <c e g bes dis'>-\markup { "7" \chordSharp "9" }
%dim7add9, dim7b9, dim7#9, 9#5, 9b5, maj9#5, maj9b5, 9sus4, 9sus2

        % Elevenths (incomplete)

        <c e g bes d' f'>-\markup { "11" }
        <c ees g bes d' f'>-\markup { "m11" }
        <c e g b d' f'>-\markup { "maj11" }
        <c e g f'>-\markup { "add11" }
        <c ees g f'>-\markup { "m add11" }
        <c ees g bes f'>-\markup { "m7add11" }

        % Thirteenths (incomplete)

        <c e g bes d' a'>-\markup { "13" }
        <c ees g bes d' a'>-\markup { "m13" }
        <c e g b d' a'>-\markup { "maj13" }
        <c e g a'>-\markup { "add13" }

        % Misc add chords

        <c e g bes des' aes'>-\markup { "7" \chordFlat "9" \chordFlat "13" }
        <c e gis bes des'>-\markup { "7" \chordSharp "5" \chordFlat "9" }
        <c e g b d' fis'>-\markup { "maj9" \chordSharp "11" }
        <c e g bes d' fis'>-\markup { "9" \chordSharp "11" }
}

% Add to existing exceptions
popChordsAdd = #(append
         (sequential-music-to-chord-exceptions popChordsMusic #t)
         ignatzekExceptions)

% Bah, can't we set this globally? YES! See below...
% \set chordNameExceptions = #popChords

% Bah, this doesn't work either...
% #(set chordNameExceptions popChords)


% Let's try fixing the accidentals with some Scheme...

#(define (chord-name->pop-markup pitch)

  (let* ((alt (ly:pitch-alteration pitch)))

  (make-line-markup
    (list
      (make-simple-markup (vector-ref #("C" "D" "E" "F" "G" "A" "B")  
(ly:pitch-notename pitch)))

      ;; If it's natural, do nothing

      (if (= alt 0)

        (make-line-markup (list empty-markup))

        (if (= alt FLAT)

          ;; Otherwise, handle adding the flat symbol

          (make-line-markup
            (list
              (make-hspace-markup 0.3) ;; WAS: 0.4
              (make-tiny-markup (make-raise-markup 1.0
                (make-musicglyph-markup "accidentals.flat")))
            )
          )

          ;; or handle adding the sharp symbol

          (make-line-markup
            (list
              (make-hspace-markup 0.1) ;; WAS: 0.2
              (make-teeny-markup (make-raise-markup 1.0
                (make-musicglyph-markup "accidentals.sharp")))
            )
          )

        )

      )

    )
  )

  )
)

%{
popChords =
{
  \set chordNameExceptions = #popChordsAdd
  \set chordRootNamer = #chord-name->pop-markup
  \override ChordName #'extra-spacing-width = #'(-1.25 . 1.25)
}
%}

\layout
{
  \context
  {
    \Score
    chordNameExceptions = #popChordsAdd
    chordRootNamer = #chord-name->pop-markup
    \override ChordName #'extra-spacing-width = #'(-1.25 . 1.25)
  }
}