Re: fretboard diagram : removing the fret number on the side

[Ian Hulin]

Hi Marc, Carl and David,

On 21/12/10 07:51, David Kastrup wrote:
> Carl Sorensen <address@hidden> writes:
> 
>> On 12/20/10 8:57 PM, "Marc Mouries" <address@hidden> wrote:
>>
>>>    
>>>  The fret diagram prints a fret number indication on the right that is
>>> confusing from a Violinist perspective.
>>>  Is there any option for the fret diagram not to print it?
>>
>> Unfortunately, right now there is no way to change it.
>>
>>>  
>>>  For instance, in the 2nd D chord i'd like to get rid of the "iv" or
>>> print "i"
>>> because on the Violin it is more helpful to think in terms of position than
>>> fret as there is none.
>>
>> So do you want fret indications in your violin "fret" diagrams?
>>
>> And how is the position calculated?
> 
> You can't really calculate it all too well.  In "first position", the
> pinky is in the current scale a fifth above the empty string.  In "half
> position", it is a diminuished fifth, while the index finger is a half
> step above the empty string (if the index finger is a half step above
> the empty string, but the pinky is still a full fifth, it is not "half
> position" since you can still sound the next empty string).
> 
> In "third" position, the index finger is a fourth above the empty
> string.  Basically, the position more or less concerns the relation
> between the current scale and the hand position and fingering and is a
> somewhat fuzzy concept when the number of accidentals rises.
> 
I think it means slightly different things for different instruments,
Some years ago I learnt some very basic Classical Guitar.

If I remember right, 'position' meant you moved the thumb up behind a
fret as if you were getting ready to barré a chord.  So first position
meant your thumb was behind the fifth fret (i.e. a fourth up).

It looks like violin/viola/cello naming/numbering of positions is
different because the instruments are tuned with intervals of a fifth
between the strings instead of a fourth.

>> It seems possible that we could put an option in to label the position
>> instead of the fret.  But at this point I don't know how to calculate
>> the position.
> 
> The position is not independent of the fingering.  Indicating a position
> would only make sense in fret diagrams if you also spell out the
> fingering.  I don't know whether there is any established scheme for
> that with violins.
> 
Don't know.  Playing noddy-level classical guitar was as far as I got in
finding out about the Dark Side (string-playing).

Maybe better-informed people (Graham?) can let us know about all this.
Then we can work out what the user requirement may be.

Then we (probably Carl) can determine whether we can/should extend the
fretboard facilities to cater for it.

Cheers,

Ian