Re: Non-numeric time signatures

[Simon Albrecht]

Hello Dan,

I think the double c and double cut c symbols are very much 
non-standard, unlike single cut c for 4/2, which I consider to be in use 
very widely. With this difference in frequency of use I don’t find your 
suggestion convincing.
What made me suggest the 'style option is the strong analogy to numeric 
and default style in 4/4 and 2/2 times. I would even vote for the 
following behaviour of 'style:

default: (currently called #'C – perhaps rename to #'symbolic? That 
would be more descriptive)
4/4 -> c
2/2 -> cut c
4/2 -> (single) cut c

#'numeric (behaviour should be obvious)


This is a very convincing system in my eyes. Another variant would be:

default (#'C)
4/4 -> c
2/2 -> cut c
4/2 -> 4/2

#'numeric

#'symbolic
4/4 -> c
2/2 -> cut c
4/2 -> (single) cut c


How might an additional option for double c/cut c time signatures be 
called? Perhaps #'romantic or #'double or #'varsymbol?

So far my suggestions.
Yours, Simon


Am 25.10.2014 um 20:15 schrieb Dan Eble:
> Simon (and all),
>
> Regarding the request to display 4/2 as cut-c by default, 
> https://code.google.com/p/lilypond/issues/detail?id=3286
>
> I think it would make sense to extend the default style to offer a simple way 
> to get the doubled symbols:
>      2/1 -> double cut-c (Schubert op. 90 no. 3)
>      4/2 -> double c (my obscure hymnal)
>
> You mentioned that you would be satisfied if there were a different style for 
> your alla breve case.  Do you really need a style or is the following good 
> enough?
>
> timeAllaBreve = {
>    \once \override Staff.TimeSignature.stencil =
>    #(lambda (grob)
>       (grob-interpret-markup grob
>        #{ \markup \musicglyph #"timesig.C22" #}))
>    \time 2/1
> }
>
> Another thing that occurs to me is a possible parallel with non-numeric tempo.  
> When the single cut-c symbol is used to indicate 2/1, does it need to be 
> annotated with text?  If so, would something like \time “alla breve” 2/1 be any 
> better than the way it has to be done now?
>
> Another potential use for that is \time “swing” 4/4.
>
> Regards,
> —
> Dan