Re: engraving rules question - voices with merged heads

[Keith OHara]

Janek Warchoł <lemniskata.bernoullego <at> gmail.com> writes:


> recently i was told that this notation
> 
>   { \mergeDifferentlyHeadedOn << b'2 \\ { b'8 a' g' f' } >> }
> 
> is not allowed in vocal music (i.e., the noteheads shouldn't be
> merged). Is that true?
> 
> By the way, if there is a notehead shared by two voices (i.e. with two
> stems, up and down), should there be two dots (one dot for each voice)
> or one dot? Would one dot be a source of errors (it may look like it
> applies only to one voice)?
> 
Jan,  I borrowed a copy of Kurt Stone's book from the library this week.

He merges note heads in vocal music (p. 300) but only when they are both 
filled heads.  In general (p. 78), he considers the rule to be 
merge Differently Headed Off 

If both voices are dotted, he says only one dot on a merged note (p. 125). 
He acknowledges the potential confusion, but says it is tradition, and 
points out that there is not really room for two dots if the note lies 
in a space on the staff.

He advises (p. 126) merge Differently Dotted /only/ in cases where the 
reader can see instantly, from the next note, which voice gets the dot.
-Keith