A few remarks concerning \relative

[David Kastrup]

We have
File: lilypond-notation.info

   * The pitch of the first note is relative to `STARTPITCH'.
     `STARTPITCH' is specified in absolute octave mode, and it is
     recommended that it be a octave of `c'.

Why c?  Personally, I think a pitch based on f makes much more sense:
after
\relative f'' { ...
I know for certain that a following note pitch x will be equivalent to
absolute pitch x''.

The regressions tests and documentation contain any number of
combinations, even things like
altoMusic = \relative g' { e4 e e f }
(in Documentation/notation/input.itely).  You get g', a, b, d, do', re'
(an I am not talking about translations here!).  But the idea of taking
f' seems to be not taken.  Pity: I consider it clever.

Then we also have:

   If no `STARTPITCH' is specified for `\relative', then `c'' is
   assumed.  However, this is a deprecated option and may disappear in
   future versions, so its use is discouraged.

Note that if that syntax is discontinued, then \relative can be
implemented as a music function.  We even have something like

Documentation/snippets/unfretted-headword.ly:    \relative <<

in the examples, let alone the regression tests: how about

input/regression/figured-bass-continuation-center.ly:  \relative \new Voice {


-- 
David Kastrup