Re: clef change confuses manual key signature

[David Kastrup]

Mats Bengtsson <address@hidden> writes:

> On 08/15/2012 04:14 PM, address@hidden wrote:
>>> Lilypond docs do not seem to explain any way to print the key signature
>>> >>>accidentals on different lines than standard, except for this
>>> >>> crazy method
>>> >>>where the alterations count for just one octave.
>>> >>>
>>> >>><speculation>
>>> >>>There was no way to alter the printing of the key signature,
>>> >>>someone needed to do so, found the data structure for the local key
>>> >>>signature that tracks transient accidentals, including octave, used
>>> >>>that as a way to serve his need, and posted to the snippets list.
>>> >>><end speculation>
>>
> Well, the feature to be able to typeset nonstandard key signatures has
> existed for a very long time in LilyPond (long before we had LSR, if I
> remember correctly) and it might initially have been my "fault".

"Nonstandard" is the case for things like Gypsy scales already.  The
octave-independent behavior, as it stands, is not consistent, not
documented, and not workable since only about half the code does what it
is needed for that kind of function.  The other half does not even have
a chance to do the right thing since nobody ever bothered writing down
in comments or documentation or wherever else what "the right thing" was
supposed to be at one point of time.

> I needed the feature while trying to typeset some of the Mystery
> sonatas by Biber, which are written in scordatura, i.e. a violin with
> a non-standard tuning. In these pieces, the notation reflects how you
> should press the fingers, not what it should sound like. Therefore,
> the key signatures look very weird and actually do differ from octave
> to octave, see for example Sonata III at
> http://imslp.org/wiki/Special:ImagefromIndex/48908.

Which means that you need a special key signature engraver as well as a
special note engraver and accidental rule.  Basically, you are getting a
sort of tablature.  LilyPond music expressions involve sounded pitches,
and that's what comes in and out of Midi as well.

-- 
David Kastrup