Re: Issue 1067 in lilypond: Postfix syntax for repeats

[David Kastrup]

Reinhold Kainhofer <address@hidden> writes:

> Am Freitag, 30. April 2010 11:08:02 schrieb David Kastrup:
>> Reinhold Kainhofer <address@hidden> writes:
>> > Am Freitag, 30. April 2010 10:04:42 schrieb address@hidden:
>> >> { music expression } * 4
>> >> instead of
>> >> \repeat unfold 4 { music expression }
>> > 
>> > I  don't think this is a good idea with this syntax: How would you
>> > explain to a new user the difference between the following two:
>> > 
>> > {c1}*4
>> > c1*4
>> 
>> 1*4 is a duration, *4 is a repeat factor.  If you want to have c1
>> repeated 4 times, write {c1}*4.
>
> We understand that, because we are programmers. But try to explain
> that to a musician, who hasnever written any program, so the concept
> of scoping via {...} completely escapes him/her...  I'm sure as soon
> as this syntax is available, wewill be flooded with questions/bug
> reports, why c4*4 does only print the first of the four repeated
> quarter notes...

Sorry, but I think you are wrong.  A musician will encounter
multiplicators most likely in the context of
{ R1*20 }
and that _is_ already strictly incompatible with the idea of a duration
modification since it _repeats_ the rest mark for every measure.

How many bug reports do you get about that?

-- 
David Kastrup