Re: Lilypond and Jazz chords

[Johannes Schöpfer]

Hi,

> As I already said some time ago when I made my own chordnames functions, I 
> still believe chordnames should be seperated from chords, or at least chords 
> shouldn't produce chordnames since it'll never be clear. And the other way 
> round there can also occur problems, i.e. with C7alt., how should Lilypond know 
> which chord to display then.
>
> Another thing is the exceptions list.
> I think instead of defining some standards (\realbook, etc.) it would be easier 
> to just type what you mean, maybe something like c:m7, c:mi7, c:-7
> That way everyone could just type each chordname as they want it to be 
> displayed instead of selecting an exception for each from a list.

I have an idea that goes in that direction.
It would simplify both entry and interpretation:

Basenotes are the only thing really needed to be recognized as note to make a 
chord(meaning just the basenote) transposeable and to get the duration.
Anything else may be added without interpretation.

Syntax proposal for \chordName:
Basenote[:optional text] [optional anyextension] [ optional "/" for 
slash-chords [Basenote ...]]

Input examples: Displayed like:
eb maj7b5       \markup {\concat{Eb\super maj7b5}}
eb \triangle    \markup {\concat{Eb\super \triangle ##f}}
eb:add9         \markup {\concat{Eb\tiny "add9"}}
eb:omit3 7      \markup {\concat{Eb\tiny "omit3" \super 7}}
eb m7b5         \markup {\concat{Eb\super m7b5}}
eb ø7           \markup {\concat{Eb\super ø7}}
eb/G            \markup {\concat{Eb/G}}
eb maj7/f lala  \markup {\concat{Eb\super maj7 /F\super lala"}}
eb mixolydian   \markup {\concat{Eb\super mixolydian}}

New shortcuts like \triangle may be useful, for "ø" for example.
\maj may be an alias for \triangle

This would remove any exeptions for chordentry as anything is dispalyed as it 
was entered.
Displaying the whole chord(<es g bes d>) interpreted as notes would not be 
possible, but i personally never needed that.

Regards,

Johnny