Re: clef bass_16

[Valentin Petzel]

To be more general the clef modifier specifies a shift in steps where we start 
with 1 as unison. So as an octave is 7 steps n octaves will have a shift of 
7*n, but we will add a 1 as we start with 1 = unison, which gives 0+1 = 1, 7+1 
= 8, 14+1 = 15, 21+1 = 22, ...

Also the correct suffix would be 8va for ottava, but not 15va but 15ma for 
quindicesima, and similar then 22ma for ventiduesima.

The suffix 8vb for the lower octavions is sadly quite common nowadays, but 
quite 
stupid. It essentially assumes that 8va would be a contraction of "ottava 
alta" and thus uses 8vb as "ottava bassa", when in fact 8va is only a 
contraction of "ottava".

If anything one should use 8va alta or 8aa for "ottava alta" and 8va bassa or 
8ab for "ottava bassa" (the va or the first a should be superscript, the a/b 
normal text). The use of 8vb for "ottava bassa" leads to confusion, for if a 
score uses 8va below the staff people will then be confused whether to octavate 
that part up or down.

So it is better to avoid the use of 8vb and such, as it is not traditional 
notation, it will cause confusion and does not offer any additional 
information. The only case where this is relevant is when you notate an 
ottavation down above the stave, in which case 8va bassa is much clearer than 
doing 8vb.

With regards to software both Finale and MuseScore have abandoned the use of 
8vb and Dorico has opted for 8ba. The general preference seems to go in the 
direction of only printing the number, but if we print a suffix at this point 
8vb is only advocated by Sibelius and the Lilypond glossary (which 
interestingly marks the 8va below as "unusual" as compared to the less 
traditional and more debated 8vb ... also the glossary suggests 15ma above the 
staff and 15va below the staff).

Cheers,
Valentin


Am Freitag, 23. Juni 2023, 03:15:27 CEST schrieb Andrew Bernard:
> In notation octavations both up and down are always 8 and 15. Nothing to
> do with lilypond specifically. So 8va, 15va, 8vb, 15vb. These apply to
> clefs and octavation lines.
> 
> 
> Andrew

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