Re: Capo chords

[aabb]

I achieve this by creating 2 parts, so that the transposed chords appear
below the original ones. I've seen this format used in a number of
published song books. You can create the "Capo 3", or similar text using
the \set instrument command. This puts "Capo 3" to the far left of the
first system, aligned with the transposed chords. I include an example
below. This works for Lilypond version 2.8. I can't vouch for older
versions. The command in the \layout block is needed because, by
default, ChordNames parts don't seem to print the instrument name.

Hope this helps.


melody = \relative c'' {a4 g f e | f1}
chordsPart = \chordmode {f2 c:7 | f1}

\score {
    <<
        \new ChordNames {
            \chordsPart
        }
        \new ChordNames {
            \set instrument = #"Capo 3"
            \transpose f d {\chordsPart}
        }
        \new Staff {
            \key f \major
            \melody
        }
    >>

    \layout {
        \context {\ChordNames \consists Instrument_name_engraver }
    }
}


Tim Packer wrote:
>/ /
>/ Hi all,/
>/ /
>/ I hope I'm not missing something obvious, but I couldn't see anything on/
>/ this /
>/ in either the archives or the documentation..../
>/ /
>/ I'm notating music with a melody and guitar chords to be played with a/
>/ capo on /
>/ the guitar, and I'd like to include two chord names at each point: the/
>/ actual /
>/ chord and the chord shape played, for example "C (A)" for a piece played/
>/ with a /
>/ capo on the guitar at the 3rd fret (meaning the shape used is A major, but/
>/ the /
>/ chord sounded is C major, because the guitar is transposed up 3 semitones/
>/ by /
>/ the capo)./
>/ /
>/ By using ChordNames and \transpose I can include *either* of these, but I/
>/ can't /
>/ find a way to include both (putting in a second ChordNames environment/
>/ leads to /
>/ the software trying to work out a chord that's a combination of the/
>/ transposed /
>/ and untransposed notes!).  I suppose I could hack it with manual text, but/
>/ that /
>/ would be icky./
>/ /
>/ I'm using Lilypond 2.2.6, but I'd be happy to upgrade if there's a/
>/ solution in /
>/ a later version./
>/ /
>/ Any suggestions?/
>/ /
>/ If this isn't a currently available feature, I'd suggest it would be a/
>/ useful /
>/ thing to implement, as capo chords are very common in popular music books./
>/ /
>/ Thanks for your time,/
>/ /
>/       Tim/
>/       =-=/