cluster building with ties

[Kieren Richard MacMillan]

[ Lilypond 2.0.1;  Mac OS X 10.2.8 ]


Hello, all --

I am currently writing a pipe organ piece, and am testing Lilypond's 
ability to handle the notation of "chord building" I have settled on...

Here is the relevant input:

    << {\slurStemToStem g8~([ ef d'] <d, g c>4)} \\ \stemDown {g4. s4} 
\\ \stemDown {s8 ef4 s4} >> |
    << {\slurStemToStem g8~([ d bf'] <ef, g a>4)} \\ \stemDown {g4. s4} 
\\ \stemDown {s8 d4 s4} >> |
    << {\slurStemToStem g8~([ ef bf'] <d, g c>4)} \\ \stemDown {g4. s4} 
\\ \stemDown {s8 ef4 s4} >> |
    << {\slurStemToStem g8~([ c, bf'] <f g a>4)} \\ \stemDown {g4. s4} 
\\ \stemDown {s8 c,4 s4} >> |

And here is the output:

ties.pdf
Description: Adobe PDF document

Questions:

1. Leaving aside for the moment the question of whether or not I am 
notating this the most intuitive way (from the perspective of the 
notation), have I chosen the best way to tell Lilypond to engrave what 
is in the image?
2. The ties collide with the noteheads -- how can I avoid that? (e.g., 
On the first measure I've tried "\once \property Voice.Tie \set #'x-gap 
= #'0.2" and "\once \property Voice.Tie \set #'extra-offset = #'(0.2 . 
0)", but neither seems to have an effect...)
3. Is there an easy way to apply the many tie tweaks that will be 
necessary without typing "\once \property Voice.Tie \set..." every 
time? e.g., can I set up a variable (or Scheme thingee) so that I could 
say "\tieMove (-0.1 . 3)"?

Thanks!
Kieren.