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Re: do narrow and bold-narrow font-series exist? How can i squish Lyrics
From: |
Robert Stoddard |
Subject: |
Re: do narrow and bold-narrow font-series exist? How can i squish Lyrics horizontally? |
Date: |
Thu, 13 Jan 2011 22:55:01 -0500 |
The typesetting term for this is "kerning" -- modifying the space between letters. A valuable tool in text setting.
Long ago Adobe sold fonts that were continuously variable, i.e. you could "dial in" any degree of bold or italic. I don't recall, though, that even those fonts had a "narrow" option.
In tight lyric situations, I have had to resort to one or both of two tricks:
1. Change the point-size of the lyric font.
2. Underlay lyrics using _\markup commands. While this loses the exact note-by-note underlay, it can be used to good effect to borrow extra space from words in a phrase.
Query for the group: is there any way to ensure that the baselines of two note-linked markups (e.g., _\markup) are aligned? Consider the following mini-code:
\relative c'' {
c4_\markup{ "A pseudo-lyric" } b a g
f g_\markup{ "won't align"} a e'
\break
c4_\markup{ "A pseudo-lyric" } b a g
f g_\markup{ \null \vspace #0.85 "now aligns"} a e'
\break
c4_\markup{ \concat { "A pseudo-lyric" \hspace #3 "re-aligned" }} b a g
f g a e'
}
I hate the kludge required to eye-ball the alignment in the second version above, and the third is hardly better; is there a better solution?
~Robert Stoddard
2011/1/13 Janek Warchoł
<address@hidden>
2011/1/11 Alexander Kobel <address@hidden>:
> On 2011-01-11 00:30, Janek Warchoł wrote:
>> Ok, thanks.
>> What about compressing words? I mean, is it possible to change the
>> amount of space between the letters?
>
> I don't think so, and I don't think it's to come: this is not even a
> feature too common in amateur-grade DTP applications.
The only thing i can say is that OpenOffice supports it. I don't know
if this is an appropriate program to speak of, though.
> But if you were to choose 'bold-narrow, you'd get the same as selecting
> a condensed font for this syllable. It might look okay if you just use
> this for a syllable, depending on the very font and the difference
> between the variants. Otherwise, try something like \markup \scale
> #'(0.97 . 1) "syllable"; that's about all I can come up with.
I tried it and unfortunately the scaled syllabes start to look weird
as soon as i compress them by the amount that makes any difference in
my situation (0.9 for example).
I think that adding ability to reduce distances between letters
without affecting letters would be useful, especially in tight lyrics
situations.
Nevertheless, thank you very much for your help!
cheers,
Janek
underlay.png
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- do narrow and bold-narrow font-series exist? How can i squish Lyrics horizontally?, Janek Warchoł, 2011/01/10
- Re: do narrow and bold-narrow font-series exist? How can i squish Lyrics horizontally?, James Lowe, 2011/01/10
- Re: do narrow and bold-narrow font-series exist? How can i squish Lyrics horizontally?, Alexander Kobel, 2011/01/10
- Re: do narrow and bold-narrow font-series exist? How can i squish Lyrics horizontally?, Janek Warchoł, 2011/01/10
- Re: do narrow and bold-narrow font-series exist? How can i squish Lyrics horizontally?, Alexander Kobel, 2011/01/10
- Re: do narrow and bold-narrow font-series exist? How can i squish Lyrics horizontally?, Janek Warchoł, 2011/01/13
- Re: do narrow and bold-narrow font-series exist? How can i squish Lyrics horizontally?,
Robert Stoddard <=
- Re: do narrow and bold-narrow font-series exist? How can i squish Lyrics horizontally?, Shane Brandes, 2011/01/14
- Re: do narrow and bold-narrow font-series exist? How can i squish Lyrics horizontally?, Jan Warchoł, 2011/01/14
- Re: do narrow and bold-narrow font-series exist? How can i squish Lyrics horizontally?, Robert Stoddard, 2011/01/14