Re: Place to write piano dynamics

[Valentin Villenave]

2008/6/9 Michael Pozhidaev <address@hidden>:
> Hello, everybody!

Greetings, and welcome on the list!

> There is one thing I cannot understand . In many examples
> notes are not written in "\new Staff" block directly,
> but placed in something like
>         upper = \relative c'' {
>           \clef treble
>           \key c \major
>           \time 4/4
>           a4 b c d
>         }

This is what we call a "variable". It is completely equivalent to type:

\new Staff { a b c d }

or to type:

variable = { a b c d }

\new Staff { \variable }


> What is the advantage of such approach? I am asking,

The advantage is that in complex scores, you can modify the structure
of your piece more easily with variables.
It's generally preferable to have all your variables defined at the
beginning of your file, and then a small \score block, like in the
example you're talking about, rather than only a huge \score block
with all the notes inside.

> because in "Piano centered dynamics" example melody and dynamics are written 
> separately.
> In long composition it can be difficult to
> think about a correct place for dynamics.

This is a different issue; in this example, a special context, called
"Dynamics" is created (like an invisible staff) between the two
staves, so that requires to enter the dynamics as a standalone
"voice", in its own variable.

> Are there problems to write melody and dynamics together? And why using 
> special blocks
> for melody in most cases is more convenient?

You can, of course, include the dynamics into your melody variables.
It's just that some pianists prefer to have the dynamic "centered"
between the right hand and the left hand, to see more clearly that the
dynamics apply to both hands (I have personally given up with this
approach: like you, I find it too difficult).

Cheers,
Valentin