Discussion between Sean Allred and Buschmann

1:47 AM

@Buschmann but how do you distinguish between (c sharp) 9 and c (sharp 9)?

By the way, please ping me so I receive notifications for when you post a message.

Otherwise, I may never see it.

I think this looks quite good, but if we are going to make a package there is quite a bit more to do. Chords have different layers of complexity and need different operators depending on said complexity. See here: i.imgur.com/crR5239.png The most complex chord needed (at least that i can think of right now) is a "supercomplex" chord with "different root". I think you would need 6 operators to handle this. \chord{Dm}{7}{#9}{#9#5}{#11b9#5}{/C}. To make it super friendly one would have to program it so that when {/C} it is the last operator regardless. It could be part of Lilyglyphs! — Buschmann 1 hour ago

It would be simpler to say \MusicChord/Dm7#9#9#5#11b9#5/

Basic idea: vvv

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{xparse}
\ExplSyntaxOn

\cs_new:Nn \msx_parse:n {#1}

\NewDocumentCommand \MusicChord { }
  {
    \group_begin:
    \char_set_catcode_letter:n \#
    \__msx_scan:w
  }

\cs_new:Npn \__msx_scan:w / #1 /
  {
    \msx_parse:n {#1}
    \group_end:
  }

\ExplSyntaxOff

\begin{document}
\MusicChord/Dm7#9#9#5#11b9#5/
\end{document}

In fact, you don't even need the slashes. A regular group will do.

7 hours later…

Buschmann

9:31 AM

@notify It would be amazing if one could get away from brackets! Sibelius uses this sort of syntax to write chords and to distinguish (c sharp) 9 and c (sharp 9) is to use parenthesis OR a define the chord as a dominant, like 7: csharp9 gives C#9, c(sharp9) gives C(#9) and c7sharp9 gives C7(#9). I'm sorry to say that the code you have written does not make a whole lot of sense -I wish it would!. Two questions: 1) How do you let the code know you want a different root chord?

Sibelius -or main source of inspiration right now- uses c7sharp9/e; giving C7(#9)/E

Buschmann

9:42 AM

@SeanAllred is this how you ping, btw?

4 hours later…

Sean Allred

2:09 PM

@Buschmann It is indeed how you ping :)

Buschmann

2:28 PM

Today i'm a genious, and high on coffee.

I like the natural language syntax you suggest.