Here is a file I am working on (Vibraphone solo which uses the pedal). This is the default placement Dorico gave me. Something about this looks weird to me, and I am wondering what are other people’s thoughts.
I checked with Gould, and she does not indicate how dynamics with pedal lines should be. I am thinking the mf should go below the pedal line.
Any input?
Robby
[Edit]: I’ve looked into Ross and Read, and they both have very little to say on the matter, and Stone doesn’t say it, but does show the dynamic “inside” of the pedal marking. Maybe this just looks weird, because of the new pedal marking in the next measure?
FWIW, I’m used to looking at piano pieces, pedal at bottom, even if there is only one stave or lower staff is in treble clef also. I don’t mind what you have. Probably will “settle” once you have more measures for the system, then consider the question then (if you think you need to).
I think you are correct, I just think the pedal lines not lined up look wrong to me… I don’t think it is so much where the dynamic is, versus how it doesn’t line up from measure to measure. I think it is my sense of symmetry that is getting to me.
Is it common for pedal lines, so close together (in this piece Every measure has one, if not 2) to not be aligned horizontally?
It would be a little weird to put the dynamics above the staff, but not necessarily wrong. Certainly it would be the first piece written for percussion where I would have seen it.
@R Pearl:
I was debating whether that would be the answer or not. I was thinking about it last night. And I am beginning to think that it might be the best way to accomplish it. Each line on each system would be the same. I am going to think about this solution a little more. Thanks for helping me to confirm my thought about it.
I like R Pearl’s solution too. I’m not sure what the convention is for Pedal glyphs in vibraphone music, but bear in mind you can always hide the glyph or replace it with text (even if that text is absolutely nothing).
