When you have a 'full rest chord' (no bass, no drums, no guitar, no piano, no strings), it would more logical to write 0 or 0. rather G7. for example . Since there is no chord, there is no G7 stuff. Pro scores are written in this manner.
OK. I prefer NC (no chord). You see that in many fakebooks.
Matt,
OK for NC : you're right, NC is more used than 0.
Ditto - I prefer NC, which I see often in both fakebooks and full sheet music.
Personally I'd rather see it as an option to 'convert fully rested bars to NC' as a non-destructive display/print routine (meaning if there is a chord there, leave it, just show NC for printing or notation windows). Here is why:
I primarily use BIAB for arranging and creating songs, so when I'm doing so it really is easier (for me) to enter the song with all chords in place, then start fine tuning it with holds, rest, shots and all of the other enhancements as I go. If I ran around the song changing chords to NC, at some point I'd forget what the chord was that was there and if (actually when) I wanted it back I'd have to revert to a previous version or guesswork.
When you see NC in a musical score, it is generally a finished work and nobody needs to know what leaps and turns the composer took to get there. But as the guy with BIAB and the song on my computer at home, I do want to know. I'm sure a lot of people using BIAB are very good at music theory and wouldn't miss the chords at all, but not me. If I can't see it on the screen I really can't visualize it as far as the song structure and progressions go.
Just my 2 cents worth (which ain't worth much these last few days)
OK. Then maybe what is needed is an option specifying what the chord is for comping only, during solo choruses. I often write separate leadsheets with "blowing changes" where some of the hits and stops are omitted.
Perhaps something like this: NC/Dm9
Quote:
Perhaps something like this: NC/Dm9
That is definitive confusing.
NC means what is says.
If I saw NC and then a slash and a chord on a chart...
Which is it?
I vote for the option to display NC, which follows current sheet music convention.
The markings already used by BIAB, ie the Chordname followed by a period and the first letter of the instruments rested suffices to show the chord itself for those in need of it, no?
Yes.
--Mac
It looks like we're all agreed on the long-standing request for NC.
I suggest a lot of things that I might not use myself, but might serve the needs of others when questions arise. "NC/chord" would not be confusing if it were clearly defined what it meant, and it could represent an enhancement of the notation language. As I suggested, some songs use hits and stops during the melody, but play a rhythm-simplified version during comping. This notation idea is a first-attempt brainstorm to address that. Sorry it doesn't work for you. Perhaps others could see some merit in further discussion if you don't shut it down.
Hi Matt,
I can see merit in what you are trying to achieve and providing it is fully explained and understood should cause little problem
jazzman
What's wrong with just writing a whole note rest in a measure or any rest where you don't want a chord? I see that in any piece of music, I don't play in that measure. Unless you intend NC to mean something else. Later, Ray
Ray, that's a good question.
Here's one example. You will often see melody notes alone, sometimes in unison octaves meant to be played by the ensemble, but with no chord. NC would work well there, whereas a rest would not.
Of course, in BIAB, we do not yet have a good way to indicate either one of these, a complete rest or a NC, without it looking odd in the printed notation. Hence the wishlist item.
Mac, you're correct that in BIAB the current system works. I was only targeting the printed (final) output to sheet music being displayed as NC. That seems to be what started this thread to begin with - what printed music generated in BIAB looked like. I don't need (or want) to see NC in the chords window of BIAB. That would be redundant.
Thanks and have fun with BIAB. I certainly have a lot more fun thanks to Mac and a lot of others that explain things when I get stuck.