On Tue, Dec 29, 2020 at 12:06 PM Freeman Gilmore <freeman.gilm...@gmail.com> wrote:
> <snip> > Next question, If a note in a score has an accidental or natural with it > and the same note has an accidental in the key signature how is this > affecting pitch? I think it does not. If it did, why is the > accidental entered with the note, if it is already in the signature. > An accidental is an alteration that is not in the key signature. So if we are in the key of G major, an f sharp has an alteration (sharp) but is not an accidental. In the same key, an f has an alteration (none) which requires an accidental (natural) to be printed. In lilypond we explicitly represent pitches as a step plus alteration (if an alteration is omitted, it is assumed as none, not as following the key signature). This is a design decision that allows the notes to be entered as specified pitches, regardless of the key signature. Thus, the pitches do not change when the key signature changes; only the display of the pitches changes. Personally, I am glad the lilypond creators made this choice. I always enter the pitches I want to hear, and the display of those pitches can be easily changed. Thanks, Carl
