Re: Proposed new available and recommended behavior of \relative

[David Kastrup]

Graham Percival <address@hidden> writes:

> On Fri, Mar 08, 2013 at 12:37:55AM +0100, Martin Tarenskeen wrote:
>> 
>> >>The idea is that \relative { ... } (namely \relative used without an
>> >>explicit reference pitch) uses the first note inside as the reference
>> >>pitch.  That is, if the first note happens to be written as fis'' it
>> >>will sound as fis'' (absolute pitch).
>> 
>> I wouldn't mind, if I can still use the the old syntax, which is
>> what I prefer, and if the documentation clearly explains these two
>> ways of usage. I think the old syntax is easier for me when I want
>> to copy/paste notes.
>
> I don't think the documentation *can* clearly explain the proposed
> way of usage.
>
> """If you do not add an explicit pitch, the first note within the
> {} is interpreted as an absolute note, while the following notes
> within {} are interpreted as relative notes."""
>
> ok, the English grammar is not hard, but the concept is
> unnecessarily complicated.

"Every pitch except the first is interpreted relative to the previous
pitch.  The first written pitch after @code{\relative} is in absolute
pitch.  If @code{\relative} is @emph{immediately} followed by a pitch,
this pitch is @emph{only} used as the reference pitch for the following
music and not interpreted otherwise."

That's not unnecessarily complicated.  In fact, it is quite
straightforward.

-- 
David Kastrup