Re: \hideNotes and MIDI

[David Kastrup]

Werner LEMBERG <address@hidden> writes:

>>> shouldn't \hideNotes also suppress music output to the MIDI file?
>> 
>> Why?  \hide\ff is nice for inserting MIDI-only instructions.
>
> Mhmm.  Given that it actually makes the corresponding object only
> transparent, thus influencing the typesetting process, I wouldn't call
> that `MIDI-only'.

My bad.  I meant \omit\ff

>> \hideNotes allows one to have ties work "across" voices.
>
> I use \hideNotes to provide better positioned ties emulating `laissez
> vibrer ties'.
>
>> You won't get accurate MIDI without actually making use of the
>> hidden notes for similar reasons.
>
> For my use case, I don't want to hear those notes at all...

"For my use case" is not enough of a rationale to make a change that
moves one step further from predictability.  The use case has to be the
_natural_ use case until we arrive there.  I admit that the case is a
bit different for \hide vs. \omit.

>>> Right now, it doesn't...
>> 
>> I don't see that we'll get to a good MIDI rendition that way.
>> \hideNotes is employed in situations where certain stuff only works
>> in a single Voice, and that problem tends to be similar in MIDI and
>> PDF.
>
> OK, so is there an alternative, except using tags?  Something like a
> \midiOnly command?

That's basically what tags are for.  Maybe we should have a standard
convention and/or examples and/or tag group for midi/pdf/(musicXML)?

It's a frequent use case, and tag groups make sure that we can implement
it without messing with user-defined uses of tags.

-- 
David Kastrup