Re: Is there any way to use dynamics as prefixes?

[David Kastrup]

address@hidden writes:

> I think it's rather weird that you write `c'4\ff d'` instead of `\ff
> c'4 d'`. Other constructs such as `\tempo` and `\mark` are before the
> notes they affect - why aren't dynamics?
>
> For a more practical example, playing the same thing multiple times
> with different dynamics with prefix dynamics would be easy:
>
> ```
> notes = {c'4 d' e' f'}
>
> \mp
> \notes
> \notes
> \ff
> \notes
> ```
>
> Doing the same with suffix dynamics would be rather messy - especially
> not adding any dynamic mark at the second instance.
>
> This also applies to slurs - `(c'4 d' e' f')` is a lot clearer to me
> than `c'4( d' e' f)`.

Well, but slurs can start at the same note where another slur ends, and
`c'4( d')( e')' is a lot clearer to me than `(c'4 (d') d')'

But if you prefer the latter, just start your music file with

"("=<>(

and you are all set.  At one point of time, LilyPond worked like that,
and it wasn't really working all that well.

Incidentally, the empty chord <> is helpful for your example as well:

<>\mp
\notes
\notes
<>\ff
\notes
...

-- 
David Kastrup