Re: Lyrics, ties, extenders and hyphens

[Mats Bengtsson]

I don't have any book on music typesetting practice available
in front of me right now, but will try some advanced guesses
anyway.

Neil Killeen wrote:

> Hi
>
> 1) what is the correct thing to do with a lyric and a tie ?
>    Should one use an extender like with a melisma ?  Thus
>
>    a~ a
>    Fish __
>
>   Lilypond seems tolerant if I don't add the extender
>
>   a~ a
>   Fish
I would only use extender lines for melismas, not for ties.

> 2) Also, I am finding extenders and hyphens get mixed up if I do   
> extend ties.
>
>    E.g.
>
>    a1~ | a1  | es1~ | es1
>    Moun __ -- tains
>
>   What I see after type setting is something like
>
>     /--------------\             /-----------\
>     o              o           o            o
>                _         _                           <- First hyphen 
> overlaps with extender
>    Moun______           tains_____
I think it's normal to only use hyphens in such a situation and no 
extender lines.

> 3) Finally, on a matter of style of lyrics and punctuation. Is it good 
> style to
>    see punctuation (e.g. a full stop or comma) before an extender ?
>    E.g.
>
>    a~ a
>    Fish. __
>
>    If not, what should one do ?   Leave out the punctuation or try and
>    poke it in after the extender somehow ?

The punctuation before the extender seems reasonable.

  /Mats