A.Newman wrote: >If you see: >K: C t=-2 > >Does that mean to take the ABC file, which was written in C and display >and play it in Bb, or does that mean to display the music as-is, but to >transpose it down when playing it (as if you were writing out a Bb part)?
The second: the transpose directive applies only when playing, leaving display of the music as it is. >Also with the V: part, just wondering what people expect. I would think >there is a way to do both. There are three of these directives, transpose, middle and capo. You can write them in several different ways: t=-2 transpose -2 transpose = -2 are all equivalent. You can place them in a K: field at the end of the header or in a K: field in the tune or in a V: field in the header (to apply to only that voice). The middle directive controls the position of notes on the staff by specifying which note is on the middle line. The main reason for this is to get round the problem of the abc2ps family of programs' habit of changing the relationship between abc symbol and pitch according to which clef is in use. If there is a bass clef, abc2ps et al will place the note d on the middle line, while all the other programs (I think) follow the standard by placing D, on the middle line. So, if I'm writing something in BarFly which I want to work in abc2ps, I can write: K:C m=d t=-24 and then type the tune in two octaves higher than it is, and it will both display and play at the correct pitch. The capo directive does the same thing for guitar chords; i.e. capo 5 means display the chords as written, but play them 5 semitones higher. Phil Taylor To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
