Re: Best practice for dynamics position on SATB hymn with chords

[Yann]

>>My usual layout when typesetting hymns is a ChoirStaff, with SA-TB
>>voices, main lyrics printed between staves, ...
>>I was wondering, what is the best practice for positioning the
>>dynamics ? Above or below the staves ? Should them be printed only
>>once for all the ChoirStaff, or for each staff?
>
> Gould says (p 465, under "Choral writing"):
> _Dynamics, expression marks and technical instructions_: place these
> above each individual stave so that each singer can see them
> immediately (avoid a single instruction above the top stave, as this
> will most certainly be overlooked).
>
> and (p 468):
> Two-stave SATB layout
> Place dynamics and expression marks above the treble stave and below
> the bass stave, to apply to both voices on each stave.
>
> Brian Barker

Thank you for your detailed and documented answer. I guess the first
case is for 4 staves choral layout, so the dynamics don't collide or
interfere with lyrics.

I was thinking of doing something similar to what is described in the
second case. For the bass staff, I can place dynamics below, and hope
it won't be a problem if there are some "echo" lyrics (that will go
below the staff as well).
For the treble staff, I was wondering, won't it be confusing, as there
are chord names above it as well ?
Would it be enough if I put dynamics only once below the ChoirStaff ?

Yann