Re: GDP for kids :)

[Valentin Villenave]

2007/9/17, address@hidden <address@hidden>:
> Valentin,

Hi Charlotte,

> I just happened to glance at the first of your links about 'tuplets' and
> wondered if this is the right name for it? I have always understood
> 'tuplets' to refer to the use of 'simple' time in a compound time
> signature (so '2 notes in the time of 3') as opposed to triplets which are
> 3 notes in the time of 2. To me, what you've illustrated is actually a
> triplet, rather than a tuplet.

I see your point; as English isn't my first language, I can't really
make the difference here (nor can I for "eight notes" vs "quavers",
which is why I intentionally used both).

There was a discussion involving these terms a few months ago:
http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/lilypond-user/2006-12/msg00468.html
Somebody, IIRC, proposed to create a \triplet keyword to make triplets
creation easier (of course, like many "user ideas" in opensource
world, this didn't make it to the actual program).

When translating the manual, I was struck by the fact that "triplet"
is almost never used. The advantage of "tuplet", which made me use it
in this page, is that it seems to refer to any "\times p/q"
construction, making "triplet" a subspecies of "tuplet".

Such a question never happens in French, where we haven't any generic term:
"duolet" refers to \times 3/2 (for instance in a 6/8 piece)
"triolet" refers to \times 2/3 (the most common use)
"quintolet" refers to \times 4/5
etc...

My point here was to show that any rhythmic construction can be
created, even 4/128 if you need it; that is why I dropped "triplet"
and only kept "tuplet". I might, however, be very wrong; therefore I'd
appreciate any help or criticism on this matter (and on each English
version of my comics as well).

Regards,
Valentin