It will probably take a while to get all of the bugs out, but
I've programed in TRUE BASIC an ABC player that will play in 12
tone equal temperament or 21 note just intonation. It doesn't
fully implement ABC standards: 1- no double sharps or flats
because in just intonation that requires 14 more notes (not hard,
but not worth the effort), 2- no bagpipe notation (because I
don't know it), 3 - No Parts:X yet. [and no V:]
It's not a great ABC player, but that wasn't its primary purpose.
It stressed-note codes a tune from it's ABC and calculates a
unique mode number for the tune. (See file CODEMTHD.TXT on my
website for coding method and mode#).
It's got an optional J:specification where one can put the number
of sharps or flats on the key signature as n# or n^, or mb or m_,
or 0 for none. The default keynote is then automatically taken as the
final note of the tune, and the scoring mode determined from these.
This is usually correct, and is the way I think ABC should have been
set up in the first place, but it won't work if the key is changed
in the tune and not reset to the original key by the end. This gives a
possible, but not good, scoring mode for most circular modes, but it's
a disaster for a circular major ending on the 7th because that comes
out locrian. One can add the required keynote in J: and then it will
figure out the scoring mode from what's in the J: specification alone.
Note that with any J:spec you bypass the K:spec. It's processed and
displayed for comparison, but no part of it is used. You don't have
to know the keynote to play a tune, or write out the music for it,
but you do have to have it to stressed-note code the tune.
I know of no unique way to code circular tunes, so in cases where
the last note doesn't match the keynote in K:spec (or J:spec) the
tune is designated circular (or K:spec or J:spec is wrong), and
the position of the last note relative to the specified keynote
is given.
The current version is ABZWEB4.EXE on my website. There are 8
stressed notes in my code and depending on meter and time signature
there are 1 to 4 stressed notes in a measure. One can't stressed-note
code across a key or timing change in the tune at present (and
probably forever). Mode designations, and the mode name if it has
one (in English), are in the file MODTABL.TXT and there are 180
mode designations in it that I found from hand coding about 6500
old British Isles popular and traditional tunes, and these range
from 3 note to 11 note scales, but that doesn't mean I've found
everything, and you may sometime get a blank where mode designation
is displayed.
PS: I'm not a developer. I'm interested in coding tunes for
purposes of identification.
Bruce Olson
Old English, Irish and, Scots: popular songs, tunes, broadside
ballads at my website (no advs-spam, etc)- www.erols.com/olsonw
or click below <A href="http://www.erols.com/olsonw"> Click </a>
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