Re: Problem with \ottava #-1

[Malte Meyn]

Am 01.04.2018 um 12:17 schrieb Robert Blackstone:
> But something strange happened. This \ottava #-1 also changed the  notes of 
> voice 4, the upper voice of the lower staff.

That’s not so strange … see my explanation below.

> I have not been able to reproduce this effect in a ME, which works perfectly, 
> as seen in this snippet

Is it really that hard to make a minimal example? I mean, you could have 
used less notes, no time and key signature, no slurs etc. Here is a much 
smaller example which also shows the solution:

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
\version "2.19.81"

four = {
  \clef bass
  b1^"original"
  b,^"desired"
  \set Voice.middleCPosition = 6
  b^"reality"
}

five = {
  \clef bass
  g,,1
  \ottava -1 g,,
  g,,
}

\new Staff <<
  \new Voice \four
  \new Voice \five
>>
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

> Does anybody know, or suspect what could be the cause of this aberration?
>
> Thanks in advance for any advice or suggestion.

In traditional notation, ottava brackets (almost) always affect the 
whole staff. There are counterexamples but that can be read only from 
context (f. e. cross-staff chords in the left hand while the right hand 
has an ottava bracket).

I would strongly suggest either to look for another possible notation 
(f. e. use a third staff, put the upper voice in the upper staff, or 
don’t use an ottava here because three ledger lines aren’t that much for 
piano) or to add a “loco” sign at the upper voice.