BACKGROUND We now have a number of different terms to refer to several closely related concepts:
* polymeter * polymetric time signature * double time signature * compound time signature ( Elsewhere -- just to add them to the mix -- I've seen: * mixed meter / mixed time signatures * additive time signatures * alternating time signatures ) Last month, we (meaning "y'all") had a discussion about the "one true polymeter": Valentin's definition (group A), where different meters are used _simultaneously_ on different staves; and Ralph's definition (group B), with regular alternation between different meters. [I'm not interested in resolving that discussion, just standardizing the terminology we use.] LilyPond handles group A quite easily, by simply "moving the Timing_translator to the Staff context". Group B, due to its polymorphous nature (and resemblance to Hydra), is handled unevenly. * LilyPond deals with mixed meters (where meter alternates without a specific pattern) pretty well * Double -- aka "alternating" -- time signatures "are not supported explicitly, but they can be faked" [NR 1.2.3.4]. * Additive meters are covered in a snippet ... named compound-time-signatures.ly (that's where I got 'compound time signature) (I'm not sure if one can extend this last one in LilyPond to more complex examples, like when the numerator is an additive expression, and the denominator is a single digit, e.g. (3+2+3)/8.) SO, MY QUESTION How can we normalize the terminology? Here are my thoughts on the matter, trying to distill this into a controlled lexicon -- * polymeter -- the most generic term * sequential polymeter -- Ralph's definition * regular * irregular * simultaneous polymeter -- Valentin's definition * regular and irregular (theoretically) And here's what happens to the list of terms above: * polymetric time signature Deleted: although it implies sequential polymeter, it has too many possible interpretations to be useful. * double time signature * compound time signature * additive time signatures * alternating time signatures Become "See also _sequential polymeter, regular_" * mixed meter / mixed time signatures Becomes "See also "sequential polymeter, irregular_" So ... what are your thoughts? Thanks! Kurt _______________________________________________ lilypond-user mailing list lilypond-user@gnu.org http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/lilypond-user