Re: Possible feature request for 'q' shorthand or tie syntax

[Jim Long]

On Thu, Sep 20, 2012 at 11:01:59AM -0700, Graham Percival wrote:
> 
> If c'4 was actually a shortcut for <c'>4, then we could have a
> consistent notion that every time unit in every voice is a chord;
> that chord may contain 0, 1, or many notes.

I too see the elegance in your idea, but understand Marc Hohl's
concern for protecting the current behaviour of 'q' (apologies
for getting his last name wrong earlier).

But at least for single-note syntax, I'm proposing this kind of
syntactic symmetry:

c4 c4 c4 c4   (pitch and duration specified)

and

c4 c c c   (pitch specified, duration implied)

and

c4 4 4 4   (duration specified, pitch implied)


So then,

c2 c4 c c1

is equivalent to:

c2 4 4 1

If that syntax were possible, then ties between those notes would
accomplish the goal of my original pipedream, to not have to
repeat the pitch on ties.  One could optionally still do so, of
course.

c2~4~4~1     or    c2~c4~c~c1

Bar checks could still work:

c2~4~4~|1    or    c2~4~4|~1


james' suggestion of a shortcut separate from 'q' to repeat the 
previous note or chord (regardless of which it is) then becomes:

A duration specified without a pitch implies that the same
pitch(es) from the previous note or chord are used:

c4 4 4 4

<c e g>4 4 4 4


etc.