Re: Lilypond and Jazz chords

[Brett Duncan]

Carl D. Sorensen wrote:
> > > > My currently-planned starting point for chord naming is
> > > >
> > > > http://www.dolmetsch.com/musictheory17.htm#namechords
> > > >
> > > > If you have any disagreement with this reference, please let me know.

It looks like a good starting point to me - there are a couple of things 
that don't appear that I have seen in published music (stacked 
additions, for example) - I'll make a list.

> > Isn't it possible to give more options and be able to choose an way of
> > noticing?
> >
> > For example
> >
> > \europe
> >
> > \vs
> >
> > \Berklee
> >
> > \realbook
> >
> > \fakebook
>
> Yes.  That is why I want to separate naming from displaying, as much as
> possible.

Makes sense, but I wonder at how many options would needed - the 
problem, as stated before, is that there is no standard, and every 
publishing house seems to do its own thing, even to the point of having 
different conventions used within the same publishing house.

I have in front of me right now three pieces which I'm currently 
performing with my jazz ensemble, from two different publishers, all 
bought in the last twelve months. While at first glance they appear 
similar (partly because the same ugly font has been used in all three), 
a closer look reveals that there are differences in the way chords are 
named in all three pieces. Whether this comes from the original 
composer, the arranger or the typesetter is not clear.

I assume that there would still have to be some means of creating 
exceptions. If someone wants chords named mainly in the Real Book style, 
but with minors notated slightly differently ( Cm / Cmi / C- ) for 
example, would they find themselves having to put together a large list 
of exceptions to get their preferred style? Or would there be some other 
way of 'tweaking' just that aspect of how chord names are displayed?

Brett