Tech: ABC Explorer problem

Subject: Tech: ABC Explorer problem
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 02:54 PM

This piece of ABC code will not play the chords. It seems to be a problem with the time sig being 3/2:

X:14
T:99.Jack Lintell's
M:3/2
L:1/8
K:Bm
|:"Bm"d2B2B2F2d4|d2B2B2d2"A"cdec|"G"d2B2B2F2d4|"A"c2A2A2d2cdec:|
|:"D"d4"Em"e2g2"Bm"f4|f2B2B2d2"A"cdec|"D"d4"Em"e2g2"Bm"f2a2|"A"c2A2A2d2cdec:|
|:"D"f2a2d2f2a2d2|f2a2d2a2"A"c2A2|"D"f2a2d2f2a2d2|"A"c2A2A2d2cdec:|

Can anyone help me?

L in C#

Subject: RE: Tech: ABC Explorer problem
From: Jack Campin
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 03:22 PM

Try this at the start:

X:14
T:99.Jack Lintell's
M:none
L:1/4
Q:1/2=120
K:BMin
[M:3/2]

I tried that out on folkinfo, which I think uses the same codebase.

Subject: RE: Tech: ABC Explorer problem
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 03:36 PM

Thanks Jack,

intrestin' it seems to have doubled the value of all the notes - the tune plays ok but the chords are playing a rhythm all of their own. stranfe business.

If i simply miss out the 3/2 sig it plays the chords but the rhythm is very odd

Les

Subject: RE: Tech: ABC Explorer problem
From: Jack Campin
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 04:14 PM

I changed the default note length to make the source more readable, just put it back to 1/8 if you want.

Subject: RE: Tech: ABC Explorer problem
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 05:33 PM

Thanks Jack!

Les

Subject: RE: Tech: ABC Explorer problem
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 05:47 PM

Les' original abc (with 3/2 time in) is working for me at folkinfo.

I think ABC Explorer by does use the same programs as we do (by default anyway) but occasionally version differences can cause differences in output (or successful conversion).

Perhaps Les could do with updating abc2mps. Binaries are here or if you wanted or build from source, code is here

Subject: RE: Tech: ABC Explorer problem
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 06:36 PM

Thanks Jon, I'll have a look tomorrow

Les

Subject: RE: Tech: ABC Explorer problem
From: Jack Campin
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 06:47 PM

I am still getting the problem Les describes, at folkinfo - the chords display but don't play. Use M:none and an in-line time signature and everything works.

The problem is presumably with abc2midi.

Subject: RE: Tech: ABC Explorer problem
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 06:51 PM

Jon, Les stated quite clearly a problem of abc2midi, which I can confirm with my version 2.19. To play chords, the software uses prestored patterns for various time signatures, obviously excluding 3/2. If you have contact with the author, and the bug has not been fixed in newer versions, he may appreciate a bug report.

I personally am not a great fan of woom-tah-tah accompaniment anyway, no matter how many tahs follow a woom. In principle it is a good idea that abc2midi plays chord symbols, so that we can quickly try them out. I would prefer a simple string "carpet" played optionally, or, for Chrismas, several patterns to choose from.

On the whole I am very pleased with ABC and its software, still learning though.

Subject: RE: Tech: ABC Explorer problem
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 06:56 PM

Sorry. It would help if I had read the first post properly...

Yes, there does seem to be a problem with abc2midi. I am running the latest version of this (abc2midi version 2.73 September 13 2011) so I'd guess if it is a bug, Seymour Shilen would need to be contacted.

Subject: RE: Tech: ABC Explorer problem
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 06:57 PM

This header produces the desired sounding result, 3/4 being supported:

X:14
T:99.Jack Lintell's
M:3/4
L:1/16
K:Bm
Q:60

Subject: RE: Tech: ABC Explorer problem
From: Brakn
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 06:59 PM

I posted this on the Session site about a week ago or more

"In ABC, chords don't seem to work in 3/2 time. Any idea as to what I'm doing wrong?"

Got no answers Les. :-(

Subject: RE: Tech: ABC Explorer problem
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 04 Oct 11 - 03:39 AM

Thanks Mike, I have e-mailed Chris Walshaw, his is the name on the ABC guidance & help

thanks to all

Les

Subject: RE: Tech: ABC Explorer problem
From: SteveMansfield
Date: 04 Oct 11 - 05:11 AM

Hi Les

I don't think Chris Walshaw will be able to help you out on this one, because the problem is with the abc2midi playback not with the actual abc syntax itself. Chris does seem to have taken up (or,rather, resumed) a more active role in abc recently having stepped back for a while, but even so he has no direct jurisdiction over abc2midi.

As Jon's already said, the person to email is the maintainer of the abc2midi project, Seymour Shlien - you can contact him through the abc2midi SourceForge pages at http://sourceforge.net/users/sshlien/.

Subject: RE: Tech: ABC Explorer problem
From: Jack Campin
Date: 04 Oct 11 - 05:14 AM

This is NOT Chris Walshaw's problem!

Contact the implementor of abc2midi.

Subject: RE: Tech: ABC Explorer problem
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 04 Oct 11 - 07:15 AM

Ok Folks, a number of strategies get the chords working but the rhythm sounds odd

Les

Subject: RE: Tech: ABC Explorer problem
From: Jack Campin
Date: 04 Oct 11 - 08:21 AM

3/2 rhythm *is* odd, and it's not surprising the abc2midi implementor gave up on trying to make his program guess how to accompany it. It would probably be better to place the chords explicitly by adding a separate "part" made up entirely of timed rests, attaching the chords to the appropriate points in the bar individually, with no auto-oompah.

Subject: RE: Tech: ABC Explorer problem
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 04 Oct 11 - 09:41 AM

Ok, ex-chemistry teacher out of depth in music. But, we will make it work

Thanks again

Les

Subject: RE: Tech: ABC Explorer problem
From: Jack Campin
Date: 04 Oct 11 - 11:53 AM

Maybe you don't need to do anything odd. This sounds fine on folkinfo to me:

X:14
T:99.Jack Lintell's
M:none
L:1/4
Q:1/2=120
K:D
[M:3/2]\
|:"Bm"dB "Bm"BF "D"d2|"Bm"dB "G"Bd "A"c/d/e/c/ |\
"Bm"dB "Bm"BF "D"d2|"A" cA "D"Ad "A"c/d/e/c/:|
|:"D" d2 "Em"eg "D"f2|"Bm"fB "G"Bd "A"c/d/e/c/ |\
"D" d2 "Em"eg "D"fa|"A" cA "D"Ad "A"c/d/e/c/:|
|:"D" fa "Bm"df "D"ad|"D" fa "D"da "A"cA       |\
"D" fa "Bm"df "D"ad|"A" cA "D"Ad "A"c/d/e/c/:|

Subject: RE: Tech: ABC Explorer problem
From: Will Fly
Date: 04 Oct 11 - 12:07 PM

Hi Les - just put the abc straight, as it is,into my Harmony Assistant software. Read it perfectly - chords, time sig and all.

So it's not the abc that's the problem. As far as sounding odd is concerned, I used a tempo of 180 and it brings out the rhythm and melody flow quite well. Whether it should be at 180 is another matter!

Subject: RE: Tech: ABC Explorer problem
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 04 Oct 11 - 12:36 PM

Hi Will, yes, that works ok, I'm just not sure what rhythm to expect.

Here is another little problem which I guess can be solved in the same way:

X:13
T:65.Three Rusty Swords
I:abc2nwc
M:3/2
L:1/8
K:G
"G"GABc d2G2d2G2|"D"F2A4c2B2A2|
"G"GABc d2G2B4|"D"D2G4"G"B2A2G2:|
|:"G"g4f4"C"e4|f2"G"d4f2e2"G"d2|
"C"c4B4A4|"G"B2G4B2A2G2:|
T:66.The Dusty Miller
I:abc2nwc
M:3/2
L:1/8
K:G
"G"B3c d2B2A2G2|"D"F2A4B2c2A2|
"G"B3c d2B2A2G2|"D"D2G4"G"B2A2G2:|
|:"G"B3c d2e2f2g2|"Am"a2A4"D"c2B2A2
|"G"B3c d2e2f2a2|g2G4B2A2"G"G2:|

Cheers
Les

Subject: RE: Tech: ABC Explorer problem
From: Will Fly
Date: 04 Oct 11 - 12:55 PM

Yes - that abc seems fine as well. The only odd thing - for my software - was that the start=the=repeat sign for the A part of the Dusty Miller got missed in the SN, and I had to insert it.

I'm assuming that the A part IS 8 bars and not 4... :-)

Subject: RE: Tech: ABC Explorer problem
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 04 Oct 11 - 01:08 PM

I should have checked the abc2midi messages earlier. For Les' first abc, it gives.

Warning in line 6 : no default gchord string for this meter.