Chord Charts

Do you typeset your scores on Linux? Share your thoughts, tips, and tricks here.

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angelsguitar
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Re: Chord Charts

Post by angelsguitar »

I checked out Nted. Looks promising, and certainly heading in the right direction. I just miss the "hash marks" (the "/" marks on the staff, which are a reference to the flow of the rhythm) that I use a lot.

Right now I'm using Mup, and has suited me well. Highly recommend it. It's syntax is a lot easier than Lilypond's and, although not free, it's cheap (US $29). Plus it can do complex jazz chord nomenclature easily and without problems, like G13(b9) or C7(#9)(#5) .
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studio32

Re: Chord Charts

Post by studio32 »

lilypond is easy too, especially with the lilypondtool and lilykde... did you try it?
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Re: Chord Charts

Post by angelsguitar »

I took a look a those tools, but didn't really tried, because of the limitations of chord syntax I mentioned. I played for a while with Lilypond, made a few scores, even printed out the whole manual and read most of it, but could not get through the chord syntax limitations. They use Ignatzek system for that, which imposes some ways of writing the chords that I don't really like or use. And to change those defaults required too much complications and extra coding, which I didn't have the time to do. Maybe if they change their approach to Jazz chords I can consider going back to Lilypond, because it is really a wonderful and very complete music typesetter.
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sciurius
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Re: Chord Charts

Post by sciurius »

With LilyPond, it's as easy as:

Code: Select all

      \override NoteHead #'style = #'slash
      \override Stem #'transparent = ##t
      \relative c'' {
      	b4 b b b
      }
Yes, LilyPond can be a bit hard to get started with.
Contact me privately if you want to try this, and need more help.
studio32

Re: Chord Charts

Post by studio32 »

My experience: when you figured out a feature with help of the lilypond user mailinglist, you've a sort of template and can use it almost till you die...
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angelsguitar
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Re: Chord Charts

Post by angelsguitar »

sciurius wrote:With LilyPond, it's as easy as:

Code: Select all

      \override NoteHead #'style = #'slash
      \override Stem #'transparent = ##t
      \relative c'' {
      	b4 b b b
      }
Yes, LilyPond can be a bit hard to get started with.
Contact me privately if you want to try this, and need more help.
That part I already new, and even created some charts with it. The problems is the nomenclature of chords, not the way to create rhythm figures. For example, how do you add to the above example a C7#5#9 chord (written in text, not musical notation; using ChordNames context)? I know that if I spell the notation of it, like "<c e gis bes dis'>", Lilypond will print the correct name, but spelling every chord in a chart this way is very unpractical. With simple chords, like Cmaj7, you can just write the chord name (example: c:maj7) but for complex chords like the one above, it didn't work for me (maybe I was doing something wrong, but I could make it work). In this area of chord name creation using the ChordNames context, I found Lilypond's documentation rather lacking.

On the other hand, in Mup you just type something like

Code: Select all

bold (15) chord above 1: 1 "C7:#9 #5:";
By the way, the command to make slashes in Mup is something like

Code: Select all

score
	noteheads = "slash"
	stemlen=0
which I find simpler and more intuitive than Lilypond's way.

If could find a simpler way to do this kind of work in Lilypond, I would give it a try.
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sciurius
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Re: Chord Charts

Post by sciurius »

angelsguitar wrote:For example, how do you add to the above example a C7#5#9 chord (written in text, not musical notation; using ChordNames context)?

Code: Select all

c:7.5+.9+
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Re: Chord Charts

Post by angelsguitar »

sciurius wrote:
angelsguitar wrote:For example, how do you add to the above example a C7#5#9 chord (written in text, not musical notation; using ChordNames context)?

Code: Select all

c:7.5+.9+
OK, so you just separate every alteration in the chords with dots. I forgot that one; I believe I saw it once in Lilypond collated files or something. Thanks for reminding me.

But the output is what I dislike: C7/#5/#9 (with the slashes dividing the alterations). I like to have the alterations one on top of the other, which Mup gives me with the code in my previous post. I know I can change the way Lilypond separates the alterations, but it is a little bit tedious. With Mup I can basically print the alterations any way I want.

Another thing I never could do well is printing "Cmaj9" (not using the triangle for major 7). I know I can change the triangle for whatever I want, but it is a little bit tedious in some cases. For example, if I had a sequence like "Cmaj9 Cmaj7 Fmaj9" I'd have to change the definition of the major 7 symbol before each chord to be able to print it like it is written. With Mup I don't have this situation.
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sciurius
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Re: Chord Charts

Post by sciurius »

LilyPond provides an alternate set of chord names that are pretty much what you'd like to see.
See http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.11/Documenta ... pond/index, appendix B.1
Having said that: if you're happy with MUP, please continue! It is important to use the tools that you feel comfortable with. It's the music that matters.
Personally, I use Rosegarden (http://www.rosegardenmusic.com), LilyPond (http://www.lilypond.org), Chordii (http://chordii.sourceforge.net/) and Playtab (http://search.cpan.org/search?query=playtab) to produce printed music for several different purposes. Each have their strengths and limitations. That's why I use all fo them :) .
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Re: Chord Charts

Post by angelsguitar »

sciurius wrote:LilyPond provides an alternate set of chord names that are pretty much what you'd like to see.
See http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.11/Documenta ... pond/index, appendix B.1
Have seen it. Thanks for the input.
Having said that: if you're happy with MUP, please continue! It is important to use the tools that you feel comfortable with. It's the music that matters.
Yes, indeed. I believe the best tool for the job is the one that suits you best.
Personally, I use Rosegarden (http://www.rosegardenmusic.com), LilyPond (http://www.lilypond.org), Chordii (http://chordii.sourceforge.net/) and Playtab (http://search.cpan.org/search?query=playtab) to produce printed music for several different purposes. Each have their strengths and limitations. That's why I use all fo them :) .
I use Rosegarden too, although not for music notation, but for Midi sequencing and live performance.
Never before heard of Chordii and PlayTab. Would check 'em out; maybe they suit me! Chordii seems really interesting.

Thanks for the input so far; have learned somethings from it.

P.D. - Didn't know PlayTab was created by you. Cool, very practical software!
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Re: Chord Charts

Post by sciurius »

angelsguitar wrote:Didn't know PlayTab was created by you. Cool, very practical software!
I use it myself :D
studio32

Re: Chord Charts

Post by studio32 »

sciurius wrote:
angelsguitar wrote:Didn't know PlayTab was created by you. Cool, very practical software!
I use it myself :D
:) good job!
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Re: Chord Charts

Post by angelsguitar »

sciurius wrote:
angelsguitar wrote:Didn't know PlayTab was created by you. Cool, very practical software!
I use it myself :D
I just realized that you are one of the developers of Chordii too. Right? I'll be checking both later. See you around!
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Re: Chord Charts

Post by sciurius »

angelsguitar wrote:I just realized that you are one of the developers of Chordii too. Right?
I've been using Chord (as it was originally named) for many years, and made several improvements. Since the original authors vanished from the net, Adam and I revived it under the name Chordii.
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Re: Chord Charts

Post by strk »

That's exactly what I was looking for too !
Dunno why, I tougth they were called 'lead sheets', anyway
I really don't care much about the notes themselves, and I've used
slashes myself when using pencil/paper to mark the beat

The plan is I'd print 4 copies of a sheet so each musician has one
and can decide where and how to add informations (custom per-instrument
arrangements, or whatever).

Only, I also need the lyrics, possibly controlling myself where to split
a word and when not. NoteEdit basically forces me to put notes so that it automatically
binds each word of the lyrics to each note. Does support pseudo-notes (slashes) but doesn't
work well for lyrics as you usually also need pauses and such...
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