One problem with multivoice abc which confuses users no
end is that there is no way of inserting global fields
(i.e. fields which apply to all voices) within a tune.
I often get messages from users asking why doesn't this
work:
K:C
V:1 <abc>
V:2 <abc>
V:3 <abc>
K:G
V:1 <abc>
V:2 <abc>
V:3 <abc>
What happens of course is that the key change only gets
applied to Voice 3; unless that's actually what you want,
you need to put the K: field in all of the voices to make
it work:
K:C
V:1 <abc>
V:2 <abc>
V:3 <abc>
K:G
V:1 [K:G] <abc>
V:2 [K:G] <abc>
V:3 [K:G] <abc>
or:
K:C
V:1 <abc>
K:G
V:2 <abc>
K:G
V:3 <abc>
K:G
V:1 <abc>
V:2 <abc>
V:3 <abc>
The same problem occurs with other fields such as M:, L:
Q: and P:.
It was probably something like this which prompted Jean-
Francois to suggest that a P: field should reset the voice
number to 1. In viewer programs the P: field is simply a
label to be written above the first voice, but in player
programs it's a flow control device used to determine the
order in which parts are played, so resetting the voice
number to 1 is a very bad idea here.
However, perhaps we do need a way of indicating that a field
placed in any voice should be applied to all voices at that
time point. This requires a slightly different way of writing
fields, possibly something like:
K;G
or
K::G
Phil Taylor
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