Re: Lyrics extend question

[David Wright]

On Thu 29 Aug 2019 at 19:27:15 (+0200), Jacques Menu wrote:
> Hello folks,
> 
> In a MusicXML version of Amazing Grace I have, there is the syllable ‘Was’ on 
> a first eighth, and then another eighth without lyrics beamed with the first 
> one:
> 
>       <note default-x="123.78" default-y="-40.00">
>         <pitch>
>           <step>E</step>
>           <alter>-1</alter>
>           <octave>4</octave>
>           </pitch>
>         <duration>6</duration>
>         <voice>1</voice>
>         <type>eighth</type>
>         <stem>up</stem>
>         <beam number="1">begin</beam>
>         <lyric number="1">
>           <syllabic>single</syllabic>
>           <text font-family="FreeSerif" font-size="11">Was</text>
>           <extend/>
>           </lyric>
>         </note>
>       <note default-x="170.19" default-y="-35.00">
>         <pitch>
>           <step>F</step>
>           <octave>4</octave>
>           </pitch>
>         <duration>6</duration>
>         <voice>1</voice>
>         <type>eighth</type>
>         <stem>up</stem>
>         <beam number="1">end</beam>
>         </note>
> 
> musicxml2ly and museScore produce an extender such as:
> 
> 
> 
> while Finale and Sibelius don’t:
> 
> 
> 
> Is one way ‘better’ than the other?

Better in what way, as printed music or as a precise translation of
the XML code?

Conventionally, and in conventional music, you'd expect an extender
unless the word (Was) covers the notes, when an extender might look
like a period or some stray ink. Some publishers might use a slur,
or a slur where the notes weren't beamed as they are here, but I'd
expect the XML code to describe that.

I'm not sure I'm seeing everything in the second graphic. Apart from
the red notes, there's something kind of partly underlining the words.
But anyway, this version obviously requires no extender, and I'd
remove any that was there.

Much depends on the size of the lyrics. Almost all my scores are for
amateur singers rather than library publication, so I make my lyrics
larger than was common in the past, and make other editorial changes.

I read your use case in the other thread. Are these converted scores
for personal use or are you compiling some sort of publicly
available resource? Or is the conversion program code itself your target?
(Your "deliverable", as they say.)

Cheers,
David.