Re: N.C. No Chord poll

[David Wright]

On Fri 19 May 2023 at 22:35:04 (-0400), David Olson wrote:
> <https://lilypond.org/doc/v2.23/Documentation/notation/displaying-chords> 
> 
> 
> the default setting for LilyPond chord engraving is: whenever there is a 
> rest, to display "N.C." 
> Iteration after iteration, this default setting has persisted in all the 
> versions of Lilypond I have ever used. 
> 
> Having always found this bizarre, I'm wondering now what other's think. 
> 
> 1. How many Lilyponders think that "N.C." is elegant? 
> 
> 2. How many guitar teachers instruct their students to keep strumming when 
> they see a rest? 
> 
> 3. In what genres is it normative for guitars to continue strumming through 
> every rest? 
> 
> 4. If genres exist where it is normative for guitar players to strum 
> throughout a rest, in these genres is it also normative for the other 
> musicians to sustain or fiddle throughout a rest? 
> 
> 
> MORE SPECIFICALLY, the <displaying-chords> page has a section: 
> 
> Customizing the no-chord symbol 
> By default, rests in a ChordNames context cause the “N.C.” symbol to be 
> printed. This markup can be customized. 
> 
> • Two options are given for customization: a bar over the rest, and the text 
> "Ssh!" 
> 
> 5. Has anyone ever seen sheet music that uses the convention "Ssh!" over a 
> rest? 
> 
> 6. Has anyone ever seen sheet music that places a bar over the rest? 
> 
> 7. The decision with every LilyPond iteration not to allow a third option, 
> namely, normative blank over the rest, i.e. suppress the "N.C." gimmick -- 
> what are the reasons which LilyPond insiders have found so persuasive over 
> the years? 
> 
> 8. How many people feel that LilyPond is being clueless when it comes to 
> making "N.C." the default setting? 
> 
> 9. How many people feel frustrated that the <displaying-chords> page does not 
> contain any information, or links to information, on suppressing the "N.C." 
> symbol? 
> 
> NOTE THAT 
> 
> 
> \set noChordSymbol = "" 
> \set noChordSymbol = " " 
> 
> still results in "N.C." being engraved. 
> 
> Even in songs for children, I've never seen "Shh!" appear above a rest in the 
> chords line. Has anybody? 
> 
> Why is this helpful? 
> 
> If the intention is not to be helpful, but cute, then it's an insult to 
> anyone who wants to suppress the "N.C." 
> 
> How can it be otherwise? 

Try   \set noChordSymbol = ##f

Cheers,
David.