Re: Lilypond and Jazz chords

[Carl D. Sorensen]

On 6/1/09 8:56 PM, "Tim McNamara" <address@hidden> wrote:

> 
> 
> On Jun 1, 2009, at 2:33 PM, Carl D. Sorensen wrote:
> 
>> A chordnamemode *input* mode has been proposed a couple of times.
>> This mode
>> would take only a root (and optionally, a slash or alternate bass
>> note), and
>> everything else about the chord would be in the form of a markup.  For
>> american jazz chords, this functionality seems to be feasible (but it
>> couldn't handle the german practice of making minor chords have a
>> lower case
>> root name, instead of an upper case root name for a major chord).
> 
> Carl succinctly illuminates another problem, which is that LilyPond
> works with many different musical systems.  I am only familiar with
> what he calls "American jazz chords" and would be out to sea if a
> German chart was placed in front of me- or one of the many other
> notation systems with which I am unfamiliar.  Heck, I am out to sea
> often enough with American jazz charts!  Any changes to the chordname
> function would need to be context-sensitive to the needs of many
> musical systems.
> 
> Would it be feasible to make differences in chord naming conventions
> part of language-specific files, like \include english.ly or \include
> german.ly etc.?  Or does that just end up resulting in multiple
> exceptions and complicating things immensely?

I think this idea is interesting, but I would be opposed to it.  I use
nederlands (default) note names, but I want American chord names.

As long as we have a relatively simple command to change chord name modes,
I think we're OK.

Carl