Percussion Discussion

[Reilly]

What is the experience in the Lilypond community regarding percussion 
notation?

Background: It will come as no surprise to the Lilypond community that 
there is much variation regarding best practice in music engraving. 
Whenever I am engraving music, I consult contemporary scores and 
historical scores back to Haydn. I consult all the major and minor 
books on music notation. Usually, I have to choose among a handful of 
recommendations on any engraving issue. The current development version 
of Lilypond (2.11.26) does a superb job on most details.

I want to develop a consistent style guide for unpitched percussion 
notation (for my own use). In general, I believe the simplest notation 
is the best. Thus, for single instrument, unpitched percussion I like 
to use a one-line staff. In preparing this email, I've consulted about 
20 contemporary scores and the variety in unpitched percussion notation 
is staggering. Here is a short summary:

        1 line
        2 line
        3 line
        5 line
        stems up in 1-line notation
        stems down in 1-line notation
        "floating" whole rests (above the 1 line)
	"floating" whole rests (above the 1 line but hanging down from a 
stubby line segment)
        whole rests hanging from the 1-line staff
        half rests under the 1-line staff
        half rests  sitting on the 1-line staff
        NO rests at all during tacet passages
        NO staff at all during tacet passages
        Time signature placed between staves

I am asking for comments regarding consistency and clarity in writing 
for unpitched percussion.

Jeremiah