How to get the pitches of a scale?

[Rangarajan]

Hi,

Is there a direct way to get the pitches of a scale represented as, say, '(d4 major)? This representation of scale is well supported in HARMONIC-PROGRESSION function, but I want to get only the pitches in the scale, not the chord or progression.

 

The following works:

(expand-chord-name 'major :type :pitch)
=> (c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 a4 b4)

 

But I want the root to be also specified as part of the scale such as '(d4 minor). 

 

The function should ideally be called "expand-scale" or something similar, but I do not find such a function in the library (I may be missing it!)

 

Regards,

Rangarajan

[Rangarajan]

OK, I have written the following function to solve my problem. Is it the correct approach?

 

;; E.g: (expand-scale '(c4 major)) => (c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 a4 b4)
;; E.g: (expand-scale '(d4 phrygian-greek)) => (d4 e4 f4 g4 a4 b4 c5)
(defun expand-scale (root-and-mode-name-pair)
  (pitch-transpose (first root-and-mode-name-pair) (expand-chord-name (second root-and-mode-name-pair) :type :pitch)))

 

Regards,

Rangarajan

[opmo]

EXPAND-CHORD solution:

(melodize (expand-chord '(c4 major)))
=> (c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 a4 b4)
(melodize (expand-chord '(d4 phrygian-greek)))
=> (d4 e4 f4 g4 a4 b4 c5)

 

I will change the name of the function to EXPAND-TONALITY and will add few more options :-)

 

Example:

(expand-tonality '(c4 major))
=> (c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 a4 b4)

(expand-tonality '(d4 phrygian-greek) :type :integer)
=> (2 4 5 7 9 11 12)

(expand-tonality '((c4 major) (d4 phrygian-greek)) :type :interval)
=> ((2 2 1 2 2 2) (-9 2 1 2 2 2 1))

(expand-tonality '(c4 phrygian-greek :add '(1 3) :variant '? :seed 67))
=> (as4 ds4 cs4 b4 a4 d4 g4 c4)

 

[Rangarajan]

I did not know about "melodize". Thanks a lot! 

 

As always, your generalisation is very good.

 

Regards,

Rangarajan

 

 

Just now noticed that "melodize" is not documented. Intentional?

 

Regards,

Rangarajan

[opmo]

PITCH-MELODIZE is the main function.

(pitch-melodize (expand-chord '(c4 major)))

 

[Rangarajan]

OK.

 

-Rangarajan