There is a definite hierarchy of software.
The lute world has graduated to creating NEW lute music. And that requires
all sorts of goodies you cannot have in a text editor: transpositions, midi
import/export, transparency between tab and notation, transcription between
different tunings, not to mention the most recent development- the Unicode
support, so we could typeset songs in Slavic languages, like in
http://www.torban.org/pisni/
Lilypond is not inferior. It is simply unacceptable.
RT
From: "alexander" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
A few years back, walking a dog with a friend, we were approached by an
oldish fellow, who started warning from about 50 feet away: "Please do not
worry, I am going to make a joke!" And then, he did.
O wisdom of old age, now i understand! Everyone seems to assume that i am
claiming that Lilypond and-or abctab2ps are in some way superior or such.
All the while, i simply responded to specific inquiries: in one case
"Mac - do not want to spend money, is there a free lute tab program" and
in the second "a guitar tab in lilypond and tab program to write with a
favorite editor = VIm". May i suggest, that there is NO universally best
program or application FOR EVERYONE, like there is no way for everyone
universally to prefer Scarlatti being played on grand piano, or the other
way around. And then, do any of you really have a heart to easily suggest
to a boy carving out his own whistle - here, take a buck, go buy a plastic
one?.. Process is often as-or-more important, or more enjoyment, then
result. Many people -many ways. Let's continue, each on our own path.
As specifically a bit about the text entry method. I happen to write lots
of Lilypond files. In the end, all i have to write, are the actual
pitches. They go into templates prepared long time ago, if there is a new
tweak,- it will help a future work. Not a big deal, no programming skills
necessary, at all. Feels like eating peanuts or a similar snacking
activity. Does not affect lute playing ability.
Alexander
Daniel F Heiman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Since the discussion is about music printing and publishing software, I
have to put in my 2 cents worth.
I can claim that I am a programmer also, since I write (sometimes sloppy)
HTML, but this entry method (as in alexander's message below) is way too
much hassle for me. I will contend (and defend this contention to
whatever length someone desires in a debate) that SCORE is the ultimate
program for setting high quality tablature. Yes, Fronimo is a reasonably
well-thought-out tablature program, and Francesco has done a marvelous
job of creating beautiful and highly legible fonts, but Fronimo still
lacks the flexibility necessary for high-quality publishing, and SCORE
had that already more than twenty years ago.
Output I created in 1989 is here:
http://lutegroup.ning.com/profile/Libertylute
Yes, I know that PDF files were not around then, but the PostScript files
I just converted into these PDFs bear creation dates of 16 July 1989.
This transcription was done a few weeks after I acquired the program, so
I used a standard font (Zapf Chancery). Remember, you couldn't just
download any font you want off the Internet in those days -- it took a
while to locate and purchase ware back then. I was obviously not
completely satisfied with the solution for the "d" tablature character,
since I used a couple of different versions. Now days, lots of nice tab
fonts are available, and it is much less difficult to create your own
than it was then. The point here is the spacing of the music and the
page layout in general. Any almost infinitesimal variation in staff size
and placement is available. Any almost infinitesimal variation in the
size and location of any object on the staff is available. Each object on
the page, including each character, has its own parameters, and they are
editable by the user. The horizontal spacing of the ojects on a staff is
done with a simple letter command (LJ, for "line up and justify"),
generating this effortless-appearing layout.
Regards,
Daniel Heiman
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