Re: Global Variable vs Edition Engraver

[Kieren MacMillan]

Hi Craig,

> As I get more confident with using the Edition Engraver I was wondering if 
> you had some advice on when to use a global variable and when to use the EE, 
> especially with scores that use transposing instruments.

Boy, this is something I’m also struggling with as I level up. I've been using 
the EE since Jan-Peter let it out of his private stash (aka "Day One"), and I'm 
still moving stuff over to the EE pile on an ongoing basis. Most recently, I've 
moved all rehearsal marks and barlines to my EE code; the move before that was 
clefs.

> ATM I put all my concert key signatures, barlines, repeats etc in a global 
> variable that has to be combined with the notes of every instrument in the 
> staff; e.g.
> 
> <<
> \global
> \fluteNotes
> >>
> 
> Can the EE be used to replace the global variable by inserting repeats, 
> double bar lines etc.

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: It really depends on the scope of the project, and your 
workflow/toolchain. If you’re putting together a one-page lead sheet for a jazz 
song, I'm not sure you need the overhead; if you’re putting together an opera 
with upwards of a dozen different score targets, etc., then it’s almost 
certainly worth putting *most* things in the EE.

> How would a key signature work with transposing instruments.

That’s something I haven’t come back to since David K and I talked through some 
options a few years ago. In the musical theatre world, where pit musicians 
(esp. wind players) can have 6 or more transposing instruments of different 
kinds and transpositions in a single book, this is a huge question that I still 
need to answer definitively.

Not sure that helps (?), except maybe to let you know you’re not alone on the 
front lines.  =)

Best,
K.
________________________________

Kieren MacMillan, composer
‣ website: www.kierenmacmillan.info
‣ email: address@hidden