Re: Still frustrated with chords

[Paul Scott]

S L Raymond wrote:

> Paul Scott wrote:
>
> > S L Raymond wrote:
> >
> > > I am having a hell of a time trying to figure out how to notate 
> > > certain chords in a lead sheet.
> > >
> > > Specifically, Dm/sus/b5 and Fm(maj7).
> > >
> > > The best I can render for the former is "Dm7sus/add 11" which is a 
> > > bit tedious.
I don't what sus without a modifier means (I have studied some theory 
but obviously not enough).

> > > For the latter, I can find no solution.
f:maj7.3-  actually works (even if it seems backwards from the way we 
were thinking).

> > > Plus, I can't even figure out how to achieve a simple sus chord.  
> > > "<root>:sus" doesn't work.
> > >
> > > Aren't there just some simple rules I can follow?
sus does need a numeric modifier.

> > This may not answer all questions but have you read all of these:
> >
> > 5.14 Popular music
> >
> >    * 5.14.1 Chord names
> >    * 5.14.2 Chords mode
> >    * 5.14.3 Printing chord names
> >
> > Appendix C Notation manual details 
> > <cid:part5.04050100.05080908@ultrasw.com>
> >
> >    * C.1 Chord name chart <cid:part6.08000000.03090503@ultrasw.com>
>
> That doesn't help me at all.  I'm not entering chords on the staff, 
> but by name in a \chordmode block.

So am I.  I have done both lead sheets as well as solos with the chord 
names written above.  I'm not completely happy with the docs in this 
area but I've managed to figure out most of what I need.  If you read 
the docs carefully you will see that the chord name stuff works in the 
same way as the actual chord stuff and is therefore documented (maybe 
not as well as we would like but that's where we com in).

> Nothing in the manual addresses naming conventions in this context.  
> How do people writing Jazz lead sheets deal with this?  Plus, I'm not 
> happy with the nomenclature.  For example, there is no plain "sus."

Yes apparently these all require an interval modifier as you have 
noticed.  These are the modifiers from the scheme code which I just 
looked to help answer your question:

> Only "sus4," "sus2," etc. (define-public default-chord-modifier-list
>   `((m . ,minor-modifier)
>     (min . ,minor-modifier)
>     (aug . , aug-modifier)
>     (dim . , dim-modifier)
>     (maj . , maj7-modifier)
>     (sus . , sus-modifier)))

Now I see that this and more is covered in:


       5.14.2 Chords mode

>  And I'd rather omit the "add" in chords like "C7/add9" and "D6/add9," 
> preferring instead "C9" and "D69" (where 6 and 9 are stacked).

I agree and I guess this is where you have to build your own - which I 
have not done yet.  This and other things have examples in the 
regression tests around:

chord-name-exceptions.ly <cid:part1.01080305.02050303@ultrasw.com>

> There are more examples I could give, but basically all I want is a 
> means for tailoring the chord names to reflect common shorthand 
> conventions, as per my own preference.

See chord-name-exceptions.ly <cid:part1.01080305.02050303@ultrasw.com>.

HTH,

Paul