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Function to override the stem direction and flag of a single note?
From: |
Andy Chase |
Subject: |
Function to override the stem direction and flag of a single note? |
Date: |
Mon, 26 Feb 2018 15:38:52 -0500 |
Hello all,
Let me establish a bit of context before getting to the meat of my question: I
mainly use LilyPond for transcribing 5-string banjo music from the 19th and
early 20th centuries. Pretty much all of this music is in standard notation,
but there’s one very banjo-specific convention that I haven’t been able to
figure out how to replicate using LilyPond.
On 5-string banjo, the 5th string is a short drone starting at the 5th fret
position; it’s typically always played open with the thumb. On modern banjos
in standard tuning, the note is G4. Because there are several ways to play a
G4 across the banjo fingerboard, there was a convention used for 5th string
notes: They were always set with the stem up, and with a sixteenth note flag
(regardless of the actual note duration.)
Here is an example from a piece published in 1882 (In this instance the 5th
string is actually an E4, as banjos used to be tuned lower. The clef is
treble_8.): http://andychase.net/img/banjo_5th_string_notation.png
All of which is to explain why I’m asking whether it is possible to write a
function to format notes in this way, that is:
1) Stem always pointing up 2) Always using a 16th note flag (regardless of the
note’s actual duration)
I’ve spent a fair amount of time tinkering with this but I’m a little bit out
of my depth.
Thanks for any suggestions!
-Andy
- Function to override the stem direction and flag of a single note?,
Andy Chase <=