I think the problem isn't the ABC-to-MIDI parsing because programs like abcMIDI allows you to define chords using %%MIDI chordname in the tune head. So if you like to use an m7(b5) chord like Cm7(b5) you will need to add: %%MIDI chordname m7(b5) 0 3 6 10
I think the problem is in the ABC-to-ABC stuff when transposing chords. I transpose "Cm7(b5)" six steps up (ninth for alto saxophone) this chord becomes in "Am7(gb5)". It parses b like a note and not like a flat. I'm convinced that a good point to start a CHORD STANDARIZATION is to see what are the concepts which everybody agree. I think this concepts are: C = C,E,G CMaj7 = C,E,G,B CMaj9 = C,E,G,B,d CMaj11 = C,E,G,B,d,f CMaj13 = C,E,G,B,d,f,a C7 = C,E,G,_B C9 = C,E,G,_B,d C11 = C,E,G,_B,d,f C13 = C,E,G,_B,d,f,a Cm = C,_E,G Cm7 = C,_E,G,_B CmMaj7 = C,_E,G,B Cm9 = C,_E,G,_B,d Cm11 = C,_E,G,_B,d Cm13 = C,_E,G,_B,d,f C6 = C,E,G,A Cm6 = C,_E,G,A Cdim = C,_E,_G Cdim7 = C,_E,_G,A And then try to solve the differences about the other concepts. I think that an easy way to solve this partially is to notate the modifications of the above chords between parenthesis: C13(#11), Cm7(b5), C7(#5), C7(b9#9)... Solved this is a big step. Tell me what do you think about this? Regards, Luis Pablo Mike Whitaker wrote: >>Is there some standard way to notate complex chords like m7(b5) >>7(b13)...? >> > >No. No two people seem to be able to agree on a standard for naming >chords. (I speak from experience of trying to *propose* a naming >convention for chords that would allow ABC-to-MIDI programs to parse them.) > >The basic problems include: > >- people who think + means 'add' and - means 'remove' >- people who think + means 'sharpen' and - means 'flatten' >- people who think + means 'augmented' >- what does Cb9 mean? (Cb)9, or C(b9)? >- people who can't distinguish between a single standard that allows >chords to be machine-readable, and 'you've left my pet notation out' > _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
