On Thursday 28 October 2004 03:46 am, Matthias Neeracher wrote: > > On Oct 28, 2004, at 12:27 AM, David Bobroff wrote: > > > I'm not a developer, but this looks right to me. In your example you > > have a chord which is a diminished step above the tonic of the key. > > When you transpose this down one whole step it remains the same > > relative > > to the key. > > Thanks for explaining this logic. My music theory is not overly sound, > so I'm perfectly willing to accept that there is a sound theoretical > justification for this. Nevertheless, I'd still argue that on a > practical level, "E" might be preferable here.
Chord names are a practical matter, for sight reading, not a theoretical one, so the argument is not as sound as it seems. The option to simplify chord spellings should be there. If and only if the chord in question is a diminished seventh chord, respelling the chord is standard practice and it is so indicated in theory textbooks. A problem is that there is no such thing as a triple-flat, which fact breaks the symmetry of the system. If lilypond does not simplify diminished 7th spelling, it is a bug. The workaround is either to select a different root for the chord, to change the transposition, or both. (A dim7 is symmetrical. Any member can serve as root.) It is not customary to have double flat or double sharp chord names in sheet music ever. The simpler name is often better than the "correct" one, as the G6 may often be a better name for an Em7 when it is 1st inversion and functioning as a G major color-chord. Use E. Most of the folks reading your sheet music wouldn't have Fb in their chord chart. I understood the change in transposition suggestion to be meant to be applied to just the one chord, which should solve the immediate problem. Optional simplification of chord names would be a worthwhile feature anyway. It is not necessary to simplify the rest of the members of the chord, only the name, and that would make it possible to transpose chords freely in a simplified mode without breaking the keys. The unsimplified mode is for those who abuse the system by using it for analysis. Simply change enharmonic names of natural notes to natural notes and double flats and double sharps to natural notes, sharps, or flats according to the key. Again, this applies only to names of chords, not the members. I must say name, not root, on account of the "6th" chord and other named chords which in traditional academic theory don't even exist. daveA -- The "information economy" is a fantasy. Information about what? The "global economy" is a myth. All economics is local. "Stateless terrorism" is a lie, to protect those who finance it. D. Raleigh Arnold dra@ (http://www.) openguitar.com [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ bug-lilypond mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/bug-lilypond
