Re: instrumentSwitch and addInstrumentDefinition use

[Kieren MacMillan]

Hi all,

>> Is anyone using instrumentSwitch that can explain what the various 
>> variables in addInstrumentDefinition mean?
> 
> Don't use instrumentSwitch.  It is a pointless frustrating waste of time.

I agree. And I’m particularly irritated about that fact, since I was the one 
who sponsored (and *paid* Han-Wen) for a point-ful non-frustrating 
instrument-switching feature back in 2006. =(

> This is a missing function of LilyPond. 


Agreed — there should be a far better way of switching instruments.

One should be able to write (e.g.)

  \switchInstrument “piccolo”

and the following things happen:

1. The clef changes, if necessary.
2. The key signature changes, if necessary (and force-reprints, if appropriate).
3. The transposition changes, if necessary.
4. The instrumentName and shortInstrumentName change, if necessary.
5. A [user-defined] markup (e.g., \box “to piccolo”) is printed, if appropriate.
6+. ??

> So LilyPond does not store a global key signature.

No, but as you well know, many (most?) Lilypounders abstract the key signature 
(etc.) into their own global(s).

> We could, I think, keep this organization, and write a variant of
> "\tranposition bes"  that looks up the old key-signature and old 
> transposition on the Staff, figures the concert key, applies the new
> transposition, figures the new key-signature for the new transposition
> and sets that new key signature.

Why can that not be rolled into an improved instrumentSwitch?

> I just write an explicit \key d\major at the instrument switch when needed

This is one of the great banes of my current Lilypond existence — as a writer 
of musical theatre and band/orchestral music, I need to change instruments and 
keys all the time, very often in the middle of a section (w.r.t. key 
signature). Trying to remember to explicitly add key signatures etc. — and tag 
them as necessary — is quite frustrating, time-consuming, and error-prone.

I offer again my help in designing, testing, and paying for a real 
instrument-switching mechanism that would Do The Right Thing™.

Thanks,
Kieren.
_______________________

Kieren MacMillan, composer
www:  <http://www.kierenmacmillan.info>
email:  address@hidden