"repeat" slashes and the nature of lilypond

[Han-Wen Nienhuys]

address@hidden writes:
> Now, I am aware that the authors of Lilypond come from a very
> traditional music background, and probably have very little experience
> with modern forms of music. (The antiquated chord symbol chart is
> probably better proof of this than anything.*) Unlike others I don't


> If Lilypond were to get certain things right, like:
> 
> - chord symbols that have a wide enough range and adequately reflect
> what most jazz/pop musicians use today on lead sheets. I've never met
> anyone who uses the ignatzek system. (European bias, perhaps? I look
> at the ignatzek chart and go, "#7 for major? what?!?!?") Any "real
> book" system would do, really.

You're spot on that the authors come from a classical background, but
"getting things right" unfortunately doesn't exist. The current chord
name system as well as the chord-comping notation was recommended to
us by a Jazz-piano graduate from (I believe) Berlin conservatory. She
may still be lurking, in which case I hope she will reply to
this. This was in response to many complaints that the chord names
weren't Right.  If anything, dealing with popular notation has taught
us that noone agrees on the proper way to do things. At this point we
have a working system chord name system that's documented. Of course,
you're welcome to add a new system.

> 
> http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-music-discuss/2001-03/msg00327.html
> 
> Either way, the chord symbols should not be tied like they are current
> to actual NOTES. The symbols should just be that, symbols. No
> connection to notes. You want Csus4/b9/b13 whatever, you get it, no
> matter if it makes sense or not. They should just be a bunch of
> letters and symbols you get to pick and put up in whatever order you
> want on the top of the staff. The current system of saying "these
> notes make up this symbol" is antithetical to how any musicians thinks
> about chord symbols.

Consider using lyrics for getting the symbols. You can just do

  \lyrics { \markup {  C \super { sus4 / \flat 9 / \flat 13 } }

-- 

 Han-Wen Nienhuys   |   address@hidden   |   http://www.xs4all.nl/~hanwen