[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
...
>
> As I recall, a great deal was said about how good the tonic+mode
> system was...
I think it's time to discuss modes and key signatures again.
I know this'll be extremely difficult, but could we please start
completely from scratch? Just forget *everything* that has been said
about the subject earlier? Picking up the previous discussion isn't
going to get us anywhere.
So:
The modal system of the current abc standard is a very good idea. It
offers a possibility to include important information that can not be
satisfactorily included in standard music notation.
It's not always appropriate, though. There are many examples of music
where the traditional western modal system simply doesn't apply.
Usually this problem is solved, both by computer programs, human
musicians and notation systems, simply by using the major key that
happens to have more or less the right key signature.
This is more or less OK, as long as we don't expect to be able to notate
modes in any case, but it's not good for the ABC standard. By far the
most important threat to the abc modes system is all the abc tunes
notated in the wrong mode.
We need a way to notate key signatures without implying a root for three purposes:
1. To be able to notate as correctly as possible music that doesn't
fit the
modal system.
2. To be able to notate non-standard key signatures.
3. As a safe way out for transcribers (humans or computer programs)
that are
not able to discern between the various modes.
I don't think #1 and 2 are very controversial (unless somebody has the
guts to drag out the
I-don't-like-that-kind-of-music-so-it-shouldn't-be-included-in-the
standard argument of course ;)
#3 is more difficult. Ideally, of course, if the music has a clearly
definable mode, that information should be included in the abc
transcription. But this is one of the very rare occasions where reality
and ideals clash. And no information is often better than false or
unreliable information.
Frank Nordberg
P.S.
To keep this - and other abc standard discussions - less confused, I
suggest we apply a two step approach from now on. First we discuss what
we want to achieve, then when that is clear to everybody, we start
looking at how to phrase it in abc.
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