Re: notation rule question

[David Kastrup]

"Karol Majewski" <address@hidden> writes:

> Hi,
>
> I have question that is not related directly to lilypond. It refers to
> notation rules. How to divide a long note that starts at first
> half-beat in 4/4:
>
> r8 c8 ~ c2.

Probably does not start at a good time for that.  If you tie together a
short and significantly longer note, you basically do it if the "real"
rhythm would be the long note and the short note just gives it an early
start.  Now without more context (like vocals, what went on before,
other voices), it is not clear at all that we have this kind of
situation.  Could be, but it's sort of improbable with just this
snippet: it's more likely that the weight is on the third rather than
the second quarter in 4/4.

> or
>
> r8 c4. ~ c2

I'd probably use that in most situations.  It has been suggested to
write r8 c~4~2 here, but I find that excessive (Jazz/Swing notation
tends to be annoyingly explicit in using ties in order not to have notes
start on anything but a beat compatible with their length).

Of course, you can also theoretically write r8 c2.. but indeed the
double-dotted notes tend to come either on the beat or at least are
preceded with the complementing on-beat short note.

But one could do this in, say, an arpeggiated situation with

<< { r4. c'8~2 } \\
   { r4 b2. } \\
   { r8 g2.. } \\
   { e1 }
>>

In this case one does not want to substructure the notes more than
necessary: the rhythmic structure is given by the rests and the chord is
basically rhythmically rigid apart from the onsets.

-- 
David Kastrup