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Re: jazz chords


From: David Raleigh Arnold
Subject: Re: jazz chords
Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2005 12:07:56 -0500
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On Thursday 15 December 2005 11:17 pm, Kenneth Teh wrote:
> 
> --- Han-Wen Nienhuys <address@hidden> wrote:
> 
> > 
> > Kenneth Teh wrote:
> > > It seems to me that based on these observations,
> > what
> > > Lilypond needs is a context for creating chord
> > names
> > > that
> > > 
> > > (1) does not try to actually build chords, ie, the
> > > MIDI output produces nothing.  This way you avoid
> > all
> > > the problems associated with trying to describe a
> > > voicing which a jazz player is free to change
> > anyway.
> > > 
> > > (2) treats only the chord root (and duration) as
> > > significant, thus allowing one to transpose the
> > chord
> > > names.
> > > 
> > > (3) leaves the chord alterations as pure text
> > markup. 
> > > Most chord alterations are pitch indepedent
> > anyway. 
> > > That is, you say m7 for a minor 7th chord, 5- to
> > flat
> > > the fifth, and so on.
> > > 
> > > Comments?
> > > 
> > 
> > I suppose you want
> > 
> > (4) base/inversion to be transposable

/inversion?  Terrible idea, if you mean stuff like G/5, G/2, or G/v.

The /bassnote is a bass *note*, not a number.  It is totally
arbitrary, and should not need to be included in a chord definition.
Like any other note, it is transposable anyway.  Standard chord
symbols do not and should not contain any indication of the inversion
other than the specific bass note, which is simply added on underneath
the chord it modifies, which ought not to entail moving other voices
about according to the irrelevant logic of a University harmony class.

There is already some provision for inversions with the G6 being
a first inversion of an Em7.  The fact that G/d is very common
does not justify a chord definition other than G.  Just adding /d,
or /fs, or whatever to the input should suffice. It's an ordinary note.

By defining the chords all in root position, built on a low 'g', a
bass part of sorts may be sketched by adding a very few slashes where
the bass note is not the root.  It would make sense to have the midi
output be a bass note below a guitar chord and a piano chord in somewhat
ascending order, any or all of which could be suppressed.  If
something more definite is desired for a bass part, the user can write
one and suppress the midi bass line.  Of course one should be able
to change the instruments from the defaults:  

\midiChordInstruments {{bass = tuba }{ guitar = piano }{ piano = 
mandolin}}


The midi bass line could be constructed by simply doubling the lowest
note of the chord, whether added on or not, down an octave.  It's
normally best to double the fifth rather than the root in guitar or
piano chords in any case.

Again, Bob van der Poel has come close to doing what should
have been done in the first place with lilypond's chords.  I think
that definitions with 'g b d'' are easier to work with than 'i iii v',
'1 3 5' or the more appropriate 'v vii ii' though.  daveA

-- 
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