Re: Right hand notes have too many ledger lines.

[Jan Warchoł]

2011/2/16 Disc Magnet <address@hidden>:
> This is the code:
>
> \version "2.12.3"
> \score {
>    \new PianoStaff <<
>        \set PianoStaff.midiInstrument = "acoustic grand"
>        \tempo 4 = 120
>        \new Staff {
>            \relative c' {
>                c d c b
>                a c d c
>                c d c b
>                g c d c
>            }
>        }
>
>        \new Staff {
>            \clef "bass"
>            \relative c {
>                g c e c
>                f, a c a
>                g c e c
>                f, a c a
>            }
>        }
>    >>
>    \midi { }
>    \layout{ }
> }
>
> I have attached the PDF output with this email. In his score, the
> treble clef is supposed to be played with right hand and the bass clef
> with left hand. However, in the treble clef (right hand), we have two
> notes ('a' and 'g') which are below the middle C and thus represented
> by extra ledger lines.
>
> Unfortunately, there are too many of these in the music I am writing
> and the score is full of too many ledger lines. What is the
> recommended way of writing scores like these?

I'd say that two ledger lines is not much, really. I'm not a pro and
yet i've seen scores with many more ledgers. I'd say that three and
sometimes even four ledger lines aren't too many, if they appear
occasionally. It also depends on the type of instrument and the
context (for example having three ledger lines in a vertically crowded
orchestral score may be problematic, while it would be perfectly
natural in, let's say, solo violin score).
Of course, if there is a long passage with many ledger lines, it may
be good to temporarily change clef or use an ottava bracket. These are
described in Notation Reference 1.1.3:
http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.13/Documentation/notation/displaying-pitches
However, there are no strict rules when to apply these, you must use
your own judgement.
Remember that swapping clefs too frequently may be as cumbersome too
read as numerous ledger lines.

hope that helps,
Janek