Hi Giles
I've never worked with modalTranspose before, but based on the documentation
https://lilypond.org/doc/v2.25/Documentation/notation/modal-transformations
I created the following snippet (specially bar 3 and 4):
\version "2.25.9"
diatonicScale = \relative { c' d e f g a b }
motif = \relative { c'8 d e f g a b c }
\new Staff {
\key c \major
\motif
\modalTranspose c e \diatonicScale \motif
\transpose e c {\modalTranspose c e \diatonicScale \motif}
\key c \phrygian \transpose e c {\modalTranspose c e \diatonicScale
\motif}
}
Does this (3rd and 4th bar) contain something useful to you? To my
understanding you need to "seed" the modalTranspose function with a
scale (\diatonicScale).
HTH
Stephan
On 24.04.2024 16:39, Giles Boardman wrote:
Hello,
I have been aware of Lilypond for some time but have only just taken the
plunge and started to use it.
I am in awe of the people who have created this astonishing resource,
so, first of all, a huge thank you to everyone involved.
The functionality is amazing, the documentation world class and the
learning curve not so steep as I was expecting.
Notwithstanding, I have run into something I can't work out.
I have experienced this several times over the past few days and have
become accustomed to being able to track down enough information to work
solve my own problems. On this occasion, I have failed.
Of course, it's possible that Lilypond doesn't do what I am trying to
make it do, but that seems immensely unlikely, given what it can do is
beyond my musical horizons and even imagination.
I use a very old MIDI version of Cakewalk. It has what it calls a "MIDI
effect" to carry out more sophisticated/esoteric transpositions. For
example, one can apply a substitution to create a Phrygian mode version
of a melody, or an Aeolian or harmonic minor.
I am typesetting a composition that used this effect and am hoping to
create the Lilypond representation in a similar way. I have found
\Transpose and note that when I specify key signatures I can using
\Ionian, \Aeolian etc. as well as \major \minor and can even add to the
.ly file with the schemas for sharps and flats. This led me to try and
append \Ionian etc. to \Transpose but that doesn't work.
I thought I had found the solution in \modalTranspose but I am
completely mystified by what that is doing - from the results I'm
getting I think the problem is that I don't understand what it is meant
to be doing. I also found a reference to a modal.ly file(?) which isn't
in my installation but which I thought might be a clue. I went looking
for that, but haven't been able to find it.
Anyway, there are two possible positive outcomes for me, in writing to
this ...
1.
I am saved further research and head-scratching and experimentation
by someone telling me it's not something Lilypond does
2.
Someone can either tell me how to do this or point me at the
documentation for it
In a nutshell, I imagine the solution as being equivalent to being able
to type
\transpose c a\minor { music } and getting my c major notes modified to
a minor
or
\transpose c c\phrygian { music} and getting my c major notes adjusted
to the phrygian mode.
Many thanks in advance for any help that may be forthcoming
Giles
