chord mode: inversions & modifiers

[Patrick Schmidt]

Hi all,

here are some reflections on chord mode especially on inversions and  
some suggestions concerning modifiers.

The Notation Reference states in 2.7.1 Chord mode:

Only the second inversion can be created by adding a bass note. The  
first inversion requires changing the root of the chord.

This is only partially true:
1) When a bass note is added LilyPond always creates an inversion.  
The problem is that different kinds of inversions are calculated  
because LP always lowers the note that is to become the new bass note  
by one octave. This is shown on the second page of the pdf of my  
compiled .ly-file. On the first page I tried to show exemplary how  
inversions should be calculated. The chords in grace notes are always  
in "closed position" and show which steps have to be raised by one  
octave to get the correct inversion.
2) All inversions can be created without having to change the root of  
a chord! It's just not very user-friendly at the moment as is shown  
on the second page of my pdf. Of course these modifiers should not be  
displayed in a ChordName context as they would result in very weird  
chord names. On the last page of my pdf I make suggestions towards an  
easier and more precise modifier syntax. The question marks after a  
number or after parentheses just mean that those should be optional.  
I propose to use ^ to indicate that a certain step should be at the  
top of a chord. I know that ^ is currently used to remove steps from  
a chord but IMHO it's more appropriate to indicate the highest note.  
Maybe ° could be used to exclude steps from a chord. It resembles a  
zero...

Any opinions? Does that sound reasonable? Is it worth the trouble?  
What can I do to make it happen?

Thanks,
patrick

\version "2.13.34"

\paper {
  indent = #0
  print-all-headers = ##t
  ragged-right = ##f
}

seventhsRootPositionChordSymbols = \chordmode {
  c1:maj7 c1:maj7 c1:maj7
}

seventhsRootPosition = \relative c' {
  <c e g b>1^\markup\small {"7th position"}
  \grace <c e g b>1<c g' b e>1^\markup\small {"3rd position"}
  \grace <c e g b>1<c b' e g>1^\markup\small {"5th position"}
}

seventhsFirstInversionChordSymbols = \chordmode {
  c1:maj/e
  c1:maj/e
  c1:maj/e
}

seventhsFirstInversion = \relative c' {
  \grace <c e g b>1<e g b c>1^\markup\small {"Oct. position"}
  \grace <e g b c>1<e b' c g'>1^\markup\small {"5th position"}
  \grace <e g b c>1<e c' g' b>1^\markup\small {"7th position"}
}

seventhsSecondInversionChordSymbols = \chordmode {
  c1:maj/g
  c1:maj/g
  c1:maj/g
}
seventhsSecondInversion = \relative c' {
  \grace <c e g b>1<g' b c e>1^\markup\small {"3rd position"}
  \grace <g b c e>1<g c e b'>1^\markup\small {"7th position"}
  \grace <g b c e>1<g e' b' c>1^\markup\small {"Oct. position"}
}

seventhsThirdInversionChordSymbols = \chordmode {
  c1:maj/b
  c1:maj/b
  c1:maj/b
}

seventhsThirdInversion = \relative c' {
  \grace <c e g b>1<b' c e g>1^\markup\small {"5th position"}
  \clef "treble^8"
  \grace <b c e g>1<b e g c>1^\markup\small {"Oct. position"}
  \grace <b c e g>1<b g' c e>1^\markup\small {"3rd position"}
}

seventhsChordSymbols = \chordmode {
  c1:maj7
  c,1:maj7/e
  c,1:maj7/g
  c,1:maj7/b
}

sevenths = {
  \textLengthOn
  %\chordmode { c1:maj7 }
  <c' e' g' b'>1^\markup\small {"7th position (root pos.)"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:maj7?"}
  \grace <c' e' g' b'>1 %\chordmode { c1:maj7/e }
  <e c' g' b'>1^\markup\small {"7th position (1st inv.)"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:maj7?/e"}
  \grace <c' e' g' b'>1 %\chordmode { c1:maj7/g }
  <g c' e' b'>1^\markup\small {"7th position (2nd inv.)"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:maj7?/g"}
  \grace <c' e' g' b'>1 %\chordmode { c1:maj7/b }
  <b c' e' g'>1^\markup\small {"5th position (3rd inv.)"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:maj7?/b"}
}

seventhsRootPositionSpecialModifiers = {
  %\chordmode { c1:maj}
  <c' e' g' b'>1^\markup\small {"7th position"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:maj7?"}
  %\chordmode { c1:1.5.7+.10 }
  <c' g' b' e''>1^\markup\small {"3rd position"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:1.5.7+.10"}
  %\chordmode { c1:1.7+.10.12 }
  <c' b' e'' g''>1^\markup\small {"5th position"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:1.7+.10.12"}
  \break
}

seventhsFirstInversionSpecialModifiers = {
  \textLengthOn
  %\chordmode { c1:3.5.7+.8^1 }
  <e' g' b' c''>1^\markup\small {"Oct. position"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:3.5.7+.8^1"}
  %\chordmode { c1:3.7+.8.12^1 }
  <e' b' c'' g''>1^\markup\small {"5th position"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:3.7+.8.12^1"}
  %\chordmode { c1:3.8.12.14^1 }
  <e' c'' g'' b''>1^\markup\small {"7th position"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:3.8.12.14^1 (or c':maj7?/e)"}
}

seventhsSecondInversionSpecialModifiers = {
  \textLengthOn
  %\chordmode { c1:5.7+.8.10^1.3 }
  <g' b' c'' e''>1^\markup\small {"3rd position"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:5.7+.8.10^1.3"}
  %\chordmode { c1:5.8.10.14^1.3 }
  <g' c'' e'' b''>1^\markup\small {"7th position"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:5.8.10.14^1.3 or c':maj7?/g"}
  %\chordmode { c1:5.10.14.15^1.3 }
  <g' e'' b'' c'''>1^\markup\small {"8th position"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:5.10.14.15^1.3"}
}

seventhsThirdInversionSpecialModifiers = {
  \textLengthOn
  %\chordmode { c1:7+.8.10.12^1.3.5 c':maj/b}
  <b' c'' e'' g''>1^\markup\small {"5th position"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:7+.8.10.12^1.3.5 or c':maj7?/b"}
  \clef "treble^8"
  %\chordmode { c1:7+.10.12.15^1.3.5 }
  <b' e'' g'' c'''>1^\markup\small {"Oct. position"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:7+.10.12.15^1.3.5"}
  %\chordmode { c1:7+.12.15.17^1.3.5 }
  <b' g'' c''' e'''>1^\markup\small {"3rd position"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:7+.12.15.17^1.3.5"}
}

seventhsRootPositionSuggestedModifiers = {
  %\chordmode { c1:maj}
  <c' e' g' b'>1^\markup\small {"7th position"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:maj7?(^7)?"}
  %\chordmode { c1:1.5.7+.10 }
  <c' g' b' e''>1^\markup\small {"3rd position"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:maj7?^3"}
  %\chordmode { c1:1.7+.10.12 }
  <c' b' e'' g''>1^\markup\small {"5th position"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:maj7?^5"}
  \break
}

seventhsFirstInversionSuggestedModifiers = {
  \textLengthOn
  %\chordmode { c1:3.5.7+.8^1 }
  <e' g' b' c''>1^\markup\small {"Oct. position"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:maj7?(^8)?/e"}
  %\chordmode { c1:3.7+.8.12^1 }
  <e' b' c'' g''>1^\markup\small {"5th position"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:maj7?^5/e"}
  %\chordmode { c1:3.8.12.14^1 }
  <e' c'' g'' b''>1^\markup\small {"7th position"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:maj7?^7/e"}
}

seventhsSecondInversionSuggestedModifiers = {
  \textLengthOn
  %\chordmode { c1:5.7+.8.10^1.3 }
  <g' b' c'' e''>1^\markup\small {"3rd position"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:maj7?(^3)?/g"}
  %\chordmode { c1:5.8.10.14^1.3 }
  <g' c'' e'' b''>1^\markup\small {"7th position"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:maj7?^7/g"}
  %\chordmode { c1:5.10.14.15^1.3 }
  <g' e'' b'' c'''>1^\markup\small {"8th position"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:maj7?^8/g"}
}

seventhsThirdInversionSuggestedModifiers = {
  \textLengthOn
  %\chordmode { c1:7+.8.10.12^1.3.5 c':maj/b}
  <b' c'' e'' g''>1^\markup\small {"5th position"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:maj7?(^5)?/b"}
  \clef "treble^8"
  %\chordmode { c1:7+.10.12.15^1.3.5 }
  <b' e'' g'' c'''>1^\markup\small {"Oct. position"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:maj7?^8/b"}
  %\chordmode { c1:7+.12.15.17^1.3.5 }
  <b' g'' c''' e'''>1^\markup\small {"3rd position"}
  _\markup\typewriter {"c:maj7?^3/b"}
}


\score {
  <<
    \new ChordNames {
      \seventhsRootPositionChordSymbols
    }
    \new Staff {
      \new Voice {
        \textLengthOn
        \seventhsRootPosition
      }
    }
  >>
  \header {
    title = "Chord inversions"
    piece = "Root Positions"
  }
}

\score {
  <<
    \new ChordNames {
      \seventhsFirstInversionChordSymbols
    }
    \new Staff {
      \new Voice {
        \textLengthOn
        \seventhsFirstInversion
      }
    }
  >>
  \header {
    piece = "First Inversions"
  }
}

\score {
  <<
    \new ChordNames {
      \seventhsSecondInversionChordSymbols
    }
    \new Staff {
      \new Voice {
        \textLengthOn
        \seventhsSecondInversion
      }
    }
  >>
  \header {
    piece = "Second Inversions"
  }
}

\score {
  <<
    \new ChordNames {
      \seventhsThirdInversionChordSymbols
    }
    \new Staff {
      \new Voice {
        \textLengthOn
        \seventhsThirdInversion
      }
    }
  >>
  \header {
    piece = "Third Inversions"
  }
}


\bookpart {
  \score {
    <<
      \new ChordNames {
        \seventhsChordSymbols
      }
      \new Staff {
        \new Voice {
          \sevenths
        }
      }
    >>
    \header {
      title = "Inversions of Cmaj7 with chord mode"
      subtitle = "Common modifiers"
    }
  }

  \score {
    <<
      \new ChordNames {
        \seventhsRootPositionChordSymbols
      }
      \new Staff {
        \new Voice {
          \seventhsRootPositionSpecialModifiers
        }
      }
    >>
    \header {
      subtitle = "Chord mode (common + \"special\" modifiers)"
      piece = "Root positions"
    }
  }
  \score {
    <<
      \new ChordNames {
        \seventhsFirstInversionChordSymbols
      }
      \new Staff {
        \new Voice {
          \seventhsFirstInversionSpecialModifiers
        }
      }
    >>
    \header {
      piece = "First inversions"
    }
  }
  \score {
    <<
      \new ChordNames {
        \seventhsSecondInversionChordSymbols
      }
      \new Staff {
        \new Voice {
          \seventhsSecondInversionSpecialModifiers
        }
      }
    >>
    \header {
      piece = "Second inversions"
    }
  }
  \score {
    <<
      \new ChordNames {
        \seventhsThirdInversionChordSymbols
      }
      \new Staff {
        \new Voice {
          \seventhsThirdInversionSpecialModifiers
        }
      }
    >>
    \header {
      piece = "Third inversions"
    }
  }
\pageBreak
  \score {
    <<
      \new ChordNames {
        \seventhsRootPositionChordSymbols
      }
      \new Staff {
        \new Voice {
          \seventhsRootPositionSuggestedModifiers
        }
      }
    >>
    \header {
      subtitle = "Suggested modifiers"
      piece = "Root positions"
    }
  }
  \score {
    <<
      \new ChordNames {
        \seventhsFirstInversionChordSymbols
      }
      \new Staff {
        \new Voice {
          \seventhsFirstInversionSuggestedModifiers
        }
      }
    >>
    \header {
      piece = "First inversions"
    }
  }
  \score {
    <<
      \new ChordNames {
        \seventhsSecondInversionChordSymbols
      }
      \new Staff {
        \new Voice {
          \seventhsSecondInversionSuggestedModifiers
        }
      }
    >>
    \header {
      piece = "Second inversions"
    }
  }
  \score {
    <<
      \new ChordNames {
        \seventhsThirdInversionChordSymbols
      }
      \new Staff {
        \new Voice {
          \seventhsThirdInversionSuggestedModifiers
        }
      }
    >>
    \header {
      piece = "Third inversions"
    }
  }
}