Variables: structure vs layout

[James Harkins]

I'm getting a bit confused about the use of variables to reflect the structure 
of the music, or the distribution of notes between different voices etc.

The passage where I'm struggling with this right now is for one instrument*. 
The passage has three voices, which I finally decided to split onto two staves 
(but the beginning is simple enough to put on one staff, using 
\RemoveEmptyStaffContext and \override VerticalAxisGroup #'remove-first = ##t).

After it goes to two staves, I have drones and "bass" notes in one staff. The 
"bass" (though not very low) is there only sometimes. I see a couple of options 
to write it in ly:

- Write a variable for the drones, with \voiceOne and \oneVoice interspersed 
where needed.

- Write lots of variables for the drones, one for each bit where the voice 
needs to change, and lay them out in the staff block, e.g.  \oneVoice \droneA 
\voiceOne \droneB etc....

The latter may have the advantage of putting all the voice of assignments in 
one place (the score), but then the variables are too fragmentary to be 
meaningful to read.

I guess it's a fairly vague question. I guess the best way to narrow it down is 
-- especially asking experienced users -- what level of "atomization" seems to 
work the best for variables? Can you estimate a rough guideline where breaking 
the variables down further becomes more cumbersome than it's worth?

Thanks,
James

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheng_%28instrument%29


--
James Harkins /// dewdrop world
address@hidden
http://www.dewdrop-world.net

"Come said the Muse,
Sing me a song no poet has yet chanted,
Sing me the universal."  -- Whitman

blog: http://www.dewdrop-world.net/words
audio clips: http://www.dewdrop-world.net/audio
more audio: http://soundcloud.com/dewdrop_world/tracks