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

[caagr98]

On 02/28/17 20:26, Thomas Morley wrote:
> Hi,
>
> 2017-02-28 19:53 GMT+01:00  <address@hidden>:
> > 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?
>
> Here's a little misunderstanding. \mark and \tempo are music-functions
> not affecting a certain note directly, whereas dynamics and slurs are
> indeed part of the 'articulations property of a 'NoteEvent.

That makes sense. The engraver itself wouldn't care that dynamics change 
the following notes itself; the midi converter just interprets it that way.

> Why postfix-syntax?
> It's a design-decision, made long time before I was around here.
> Maybe others can comment on this.
>
> > 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.
>
> Try:
> notes = { c'4 d' e' f' }
>
> {
>   <>\mp
>   \notes
>   \notes
>   <>\ff
>   \notes
> }

As I said to David Kastrup, that seems very useful.

> > This also applies to slurs - `(c'4 d' e' f')` is a lot clearer to me than
> > `c'4( d' e' f)`.
>
> You'll get used to it very soon.

I guess so. Changing it would only confuse other people trying to read 
my scores.

> > (This is the first time I ever use a mailing list, so please tell me if I'm
> > doing anything horribly wrong.)
>
> If you have concerns about your behaviour on this list, I recommend to read:
> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Thanks, I'll check that out.

> Cheers,
>   Harm