TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. GETTING STARTED 2. MAKING A SOUND. 2.1 Note Value Blocks

Transcription

1 Guide to Programng with Music Blocks Music Blocks is a programng environment for childn intested in music and graphics. It expands upon Turtle Blocks by adding a collecon of featus lang to and rhythm. The Turtle Blocks guide is a good place to learning about the basics. In this guide, we illustrate the musical featus by walking the ader through numerous examples. TABLE OF CONTENTS Getng Started Making a Sound. Note Value Blocks. Pitch Blocks. Chords. Rests. Drums Programng with Music. Chunks. Musical Transformaons.. Step Pitch Block.. Sharps and Flats.. Adjust-Transposion Block.. Dotted Notes.. Speeding Up and Slowing Down Notes via Mathemacal Operaons..6 Repeang Notes..7 Swinging Notes and Tied Notes.. Set Volume, Cscendo, Staccato, and Slur Blocks..9 Intervals and Arculaon..0 Abute Intervals.. Inversion.. Backwards.. Setng Voice and Keys.. Vibrato. Voices. Graphics. Interacons Widgets. Monitoring status. Generang chunks of s.. Pitch-Time Matrix.. The Rhythm Block.. Cang Tuplets.. What is a Tuplet?.. Using Individual Notes in the Matrix. Generang rhythms. Musical Modes. The Pitch-Drum Matrix.6 Exploring musical proporons.7 Generang arbitrary es. Changing tempo Beyond Music Blocks Many of the examples given in the guide have links to code you can run. Look for RUN LIVE links.. GETTING STARTED Back to Table of Contents Next Secon (. Making a sound) Music Blocks is designed to run in a browser. Most of the development has been done in Chrome, but it should also work in Fifox (although you may need to disable hardwa acceleraon). You can run it from github io or by downloading a copy of the code and running a local copy dictly from the file system of your computer. For mo details on how to use Music Blocks, see Using Music Blocks. For mo details on how to use Turtle Blocks, see Using Turtle Blocks JS.. MAKING A SOUND Pvious Secon (. Getng Started) Back to Table of Contents Next Secon (. Programng with Music) Music Blocks incorporates many common elements of music, such as, rhythm, volume, and, to some dege, mb and textu.. Note Value Blocks At the heart of Music Blocks is the Note value block. The Note value block is a container for a block that specifies the duraon () of the.

2 la At the top of the example above, a single (detached) Note value block is shown. The is value of the, which is, in this case, an eighth. At the bottom, two s that a played consecuvely a shown. They a both s, making the duraon of the en sequence. 6 In this example, diffent s a shown. From top to bottom, they a: for an quarter, 6 for a sixteenth, and for a half. Note that any mathemacal operaons can be used as input to the Note value.

3 Note Value Blocks Western Notaon (Notes) Silence Blocks Western Notaon (Rests) Note Value = Longa Note silence Note Value = Longa Rest silence Note Value = Bve Note Note Value = Bve Rest silence Note Value = Whole Note Note Value = Whole Rest silence Note Value = Half Note Note Value = Half Rest Note Value = Quarter Note silence Note Value = Quarter Rest Note Value = Eighth Note silence Note Value = Eighth Rest 6 silence 6 Note Value = 6 Sixteenth Note Note Value = 6 Sixteenth Rest Note Value = Thirty-second Note silence Note Value = Thirty-second Rest 6 Note Value = 6 Sixty-fourth Note silence 6 Note Value = 6 Sixty-fourth Rest Note Value = Hundd twenty-eighth Note silence Note Value = Hundd twenty-eighth Rest Please fer to the above pictu for a visual psentaon of s.. Pitch Blocks As we have seen, Pitch blocks a used inside the Note value blocks. The Pitch block specifies the and of a that in combinaon deternes the fquency (and thefo ) at which the is played.

4 G number scale dege number 7 hertz 9 The a many systems you can use to specify a block's and. Some examples a shown above. The top block is specified using a Solfege block ( Sol in Octave 6 ), which contains the s Do Re Me Fa Sol La Ti. The ddle block is specified using a Pitch- block ( B flat in Octave ), which contains the s C D E F G A B. The last block is specified using the Hertz block in conjuncon with a Number block ( 0 Hertz), which corsponds to the fquency of the sound made. The is specified using a number block and is stricted to whole numbers. In the case whe the is specified by fquency, the is ignod. Note that the can also be specified using a Text block.

5 Staff Notaon Octave C D Octave G F E A B C C D E F G Octave C F Octave G A B C C D E F G A B Keyboard Octave Octave Octave Octave Octave 6 Flats: Sharps: Scale Dege (C Major): Note Name: 7.Hz.Hz 7.Hz 9.00Hz 0.00Hz.7Hz 6.Hz 6.Hz 7.6Hz 96.00Hz 0.00Hz 6.9Hz 9.66Hz 9.6Hz 9.Hz 9.00Hz 0.00Hz 9.Hz 7.Hz 69.Hz 69.6Hz 7.99Hz 0.00Hz 97.77Hz 7.66Hz.Hz 6.Hz 0.Hz 6.6Hz.Hz 06.0Hz hertz 0 E Using the Hertz Block Hertz = Hz = Cycle per second Using the Pitch Block Using the Solfege Block Use Individually to cate a Note Combine them to cate a Chord E E Sol

6 Staff Notaon: Flats & Sharps Mallet sounds a two s higher than written Making a Flat flat B 7 Making a Sharp sharp A 7 Mallet Bells Octave Octave 6 Octave 7 Octave Flats: Sharps: Ab G# Bb A# Db C# Eb D# Gb F# Ab G# Bb A# Db C# Eb D# Gb F# Ab G# Bb A# Scale Dege (C Major): 0.00Hz 9.07Hz.96Hz 79.Hz 6.0Hz 67.0Hz 9.Hz Note Name: 7.99Hz 0.00Hz Hz 97.Hz 67.9Hz 96.9Hz 09.00Hz.Hz 7.66Hz 97.77Hz 06.0Hz Staff Notaon: Naturals Mallet sounds a two s higher than written hertz 0 Using the Hertz Block Hertz = Hz = Cycle per second A 6 Using the Pitch Block Do Using the Solfege Block Use Individually to cate a Note Combine them to cate a Chord A 6 A 6 Do Please fer to the above charts for a visual psentaon of whe s a located on a keyboard or staff.. Chords A chord (mulple, simultaneous es) can be specified by adding mulple Pitch blocks into a single Note value block, like the above example.. Rests

7 silence A st of the specified duraon can be constructed using a Silence block in place of a block.. Drums drum kick drum Anywhe a Pitch block can be used e.g., inside of the matrix or a Note value block a Drum Sample block can also be used instead. Curntly the about two dozen diffent samples from which to choose. The default drum is a kick drum. drum drum sna drum triangle bell Just as in the chord example above, you can use mulple Drum blocks within a single Note value blocks, and combine them with Pitch blocks as well.. PROGRAMMING WITH MUSIC Pvious Secon (. Making a Sound) Back to Table of Contents Next Secon (. Widgets) This secon of the guide discusses how to use chunks of s to rogram music. Note that you can program with chunks you cate by hand or use the Pitchme Matrix widget to help you get ed.. Chunks acon chunk

8 chunk Every me you cate a new Acon stack, Music Blocks cates a new block specific to, and linked with, that stack. (The new block is found at the top of the Block palette, found on the left edge of the scen.) Clicking on and running this block is the same as clicking on your stack. By default, the new blocks a d chunk, chunk, chunk... but you can them by eding the labels on the Acon blocks. An Acon block contains a sequence of acons that will only be executed when the block is ferd to by something else, such as a block. This is useful in orchestrang mo complex programs of music. A Start Block is a chunk that will automacally be executed once the button is pssed. This is whe most of your programs will begin at. The a many ways to Run a program: you can click on the Run button at the upper-left corner of the scen (the "rabbit") to run the music at a fast speed; click on the Run Slow button (the "turtle") to run it slower; and the Step button (the "snail"), to step through the program one block per button pss. In the example above, the Chunk block is inside of a Start block, which means that when any of the buttons is pssed, the code inside the Start block (the Chunk block) will be executed. You can add mo chunks after this one inside the Start block to execute them sequenally. chunk chunk chunk chunk peat chunk You can peat chunks either by using mulple Chunk blocks or using a Repeat block.

9 acon chunk0 acon chunk la do chunk0 chunk chunk chunk0 You can also x and match chunks. He we play the acon block with "chunk", followed by "chunk" twice, and then "chunk" again.

10 acon chunk acon chunk do peat chunk0 peat chunk peat chunk peat chunk

11 A few mo chunks and we can make a song. (Can you ad the block notaon well enough to guess the outcome? A you faliar with the song we cated?). Musical Transformaons The a many ways to transform, rhythm, and other sonic qualies... Step Pitch Block do peat 7 scalar step (+ ) peat 7 scalar step (+ ) - The Step Pitch block will move up or down s in a scale from the last played. In the example above, Step Pitch blocks a used inside of Repeat blocks to peat the code 7 mes, playing up and down a scale. RUN LIVE.. Sharps And Flats accidental flat accidental sharp The Sharp and Flat blocks can be wrapped around Pitch blocks, Note value blocks, or chunks. A sharp will raise the by one half step. A flat will lower by one half step. In the example, on the left, just the Pitch block Mi is lowed by one half step; on the right, both blocks a raised by one half step... Adjust-Transposion

12 se-tone transpose scalar transpose (+ ) mode length The Adjust-transposion block can be used to make larger shifts in in half step units. A posive number shifts the up and a negave number shifts the down. The input must be a whole number. To shift an en, transpose by half-steps up. - will shift an down. se-tone transpose peat chunk0 + 0 peat chunk peat chunk peat chunk In the example above, we take the song we programmed pviously and raise it by one... Dotted Notes

13 dot dot 6 dot 7 6 You can "dot" s using the Dot block. A dotted extends the rhythc duraon of a by 0%. E.g., a dotted quarter will play for ( + ) of a beat. A dotted eighth will play for 6 ( + 6) of a beat. You can also simply change the to c a dotted, for example indicang instead of, for a dotted quarter.

14 Using Dotted Notes The dot incases the value of a by half of its value. x= value of Formula: x + x = value of dotted Examples: Western Notaon Music Blocks Notaon with dot Music Block Notaon without dot For x =, + (*) = + = + = dot fa fa 6 For x =, dot + (*) = + = + =.. Speeding Up and Slowing Down Notes via Mathemacal Operaons mulply 6 mulply You can also mulply (or divide) the beat value, which will speed up or slowdown the s. Mulplying the beat value of an by is the equivalent of

15 playing a 6. Dividing the beat value of an by '' is the equivalent of playing a...6 Repeang Notes peat duplicate The a several ways to peat s. The Repeat block will play a sequence of s mulple mes; the Duplicate block will peat each in a sequence. In the example, on the left, the sult would be Sol, Re, Sol, Sol, Re, Sol, Sol, Re, Sol, Sol, Re, Sol ; on the right the sult would be Sol, Sol, Sol, Sol, Re, Re, Re, Re, Sol, Sol, Sol, Sol...7 Swinging Notes and Tied Notes swing value swing e The Swing block works on pairs of s (specified by ), adding some duraon (specified by swing value) to the first and taking the same amount from the second. Notes that do not match a unchanged. In the example, would be played as a 6 and would be played as a ( + === 6 and - === ). Observe that the total duraon of the pair of s is unchanged. Tie also works on pairs of s, combining them into one. (The s must be idencal in, but can vary in rhythm.)

16 Using Notes with Ties A e connects two s of the same * and indicates that they a to be played as the sum of the two s. Examples: x= value of y= value of Formula: x + y = total value of s contained within e Western Notaon Music Blocks Notaon with e Music Block Notaon without e e + Find common denonator: x = y = * = = + = e = 6 6 Find common denonator: x = 6 = + * = 9 y = * Ties affect rhythm, not. For e to work, both es must be exactly the same. If not, it will be consided a slur... Set Volume, Cscendo, Staccato, and Slur

17 set master volume 0 cscendo (+ ) synth set synth volume volume synth 0 la set lave volume The Set volume block will change the volume of the s. The default is 0; the range is 0 (silence) to 00 (full volume). The Cscendo block will incase (or decase) the volume of the contained s by a specified amount for every played. For example, if you have s in sequence contained in a Cscendo block with a value of, the final will be at % mo than the original value for volume. The Staccato block shortens the length of the actual making them ghter bursts while maintaining the specified rhythc value of the s. The Slur block lengthens the sustain of s running longer than the d duraon and blending it into the next while maintaining the specified rhythc value of the s...9 Intervals and Arculaon scalar interval (+ ) + 0 mode length The Interval block calculates a lave interval, e.g., a fifth, and adds the addional es to a 's playback. In the figu, we add La to Re and Ti to Mi. The Arculaon block changes the volume of a group of s without affecng the master volume for the st of the user's Music Blocks code...0 Abute Intervals

18 se-tone interval (+ ) + augmented se-tone interval (+ ) + nor 0 se-tone interval (+ ) + doubly dinished 0 The Augmented block calculates an abute interval, e.g., an augmented fifth, and adds the addional es to a. Silarly, the Minor block calculates an abute interval, e.g., a nor third. Other abute intervals include Perfect, Dinished, and Major. In the augmented fifth example above, a chord of D and A a played, followed by a chord of E and C. In the nor third example, which includes a shift of one, first a chord of D and F is played, followed by chord of E and G6... Inversion

19 acon acon do fa acon do invert do evenoddscalar even acon do invert do evenoddscalar odd acon do invert do evenoddscalar scalar acon The Invert block will invert a series of s around a target. The a two diffent modes of the Invert block: odd and even, the latter shifts the point of rotaon up by a step, enabling rotaon around a point between two s. In the invert (even) example, D is inverted around G, sulng in a C. In the invert (odd) example, D is inverted around a point dway between G and G sulng in a C.. Backwards

20 acon chunk la backward chunk The Backward block will play the contained s in verse order (trograde). In the example above, the s in Chunk a played as Sol, Ti, La, Sol, i.e., from the bottom to the top of the stack. RUN LIVE Note that all of the blocks inside a Backward block a verse, so use this featu with cauon if you include logic interxed with s... Setng Voice and Keys set mb violin The Set Voice block selects a voice for the synthesizer for any contained blocks, e.g., violin or cello.

21 RUN LIVE key set key mode C major movable true do peat mode length scalar step (+ ) peat mode length scalar step (+ ) - The Set Key block will change the key and mode of the mapping between fege, e.g., Do, Re, Mi, to s, e.g., C, D, E, when in C Major. Modes include Major and Minor, Chromac, and a number of mo exoc modes, such as Bebop, Geez, Maqam, etc. This block allows users to access "movable Do" within Music Blocks, whe the mapping of fege to parcular changes depending on the user's specified tonality. acon chunk sto in value box drum sna drum peat mulply box chunk drum kick drum sto in value box box drum kick drum drum triangle bell In the above example, the sequence of drum beats is incased over me.

22 .. Vibrato intensity vibrato rate 6 rate tmolo depth 0 0 rate chorus delay (MS).. phaser rate s 0. depth 70 base fquency 0 se-tone step neighbor (+ ) 6 distoron 0 The Vibrato Block adds a rapid variaon in to any contained s. The intensity of the variaon ranges from to 00 (cents), e.g. plus or nus up to one half step. The rate argument deternes the rate of the variaon.. Voices Each Start block runs as a separate voice in Music Blocks. (When you click on the Run button, all of the Start blocks a run concurntly.)

23 acon acon peat chunk0 peat chunk peat chunk peat chunk If we put our song into an acon... fover acon fover acon fover acon fover acon...we can run it from mulple Start blocks. peat acon se-tone transpose peat acon se-tone transpose se-tone transpose peat + 0 peat acon acon It gets mo intesng if we shift up and down s.

24 acon delay peat delay silence se-tone transpose peat acon peat acon peat delay peat 6 delay se-tone transpose peat acon + 0 se-tone transpose peat acon And even mo intesng if we bring the various voices offset in me. RUN LIVE set drum kick drum chunk A special "drum" version of the Start block is available for laying down a drum track. Any blocks encounted while starng from a drum will be played as C with the default drum sample. In the example above, all of the s in chunk will be played with a kick drum.. Adding graphics

25 acon chunk peat set pen size 0 sto in value box 0 forward 0 peat se-tone transpose box chunk right to add value add to to add value box - color pen size - Turtle graphics can be combined with the music blocks. By placing graphics blocks, e.g., Forward and Right, inside of Note value blocks, the graphics stay in sync with the music. In this example, the turtle moves forward each me a quarter is played. It turns right during the eighth. The is raised by one half step, the pen size decases, and the pen color incases at each step in the inner peat loop.

26 acon chunk peat chunk forward 00 to add value color forward 00 to add value color do back 00 right 90 to add value color In this example, the graphics a synchronized to the music by placing the graphics commands inside of Note value blocks. RUN LIVE

27 acon if then < fib turn arg acon squa peat forward arg right 90 else turn + calculate calculate fib arg - fib angle arc radius 90 arg se-tone transpose no clock arg 0 arg - 6 sto in value box 0 peat 6 do squa calculate fib box 0 to add value box In this example, because the computaon and graphics a mo complex, a Fe-me block is used to decouple the graphics from the master clock. The "Fe-me* block priorizes the sequence of acons over the specified rhythm.

28 . Interacons The a many ways to interacve with Music Blocks, including tracking the mouse posion to impact some aspect of the music. fover sto in value box 0 if then > cursor x 0 to add value box if then > cursor y 0 to add value box do + chunk box For example, we can launch the phrases (chunks) interacvely. When the mouse is in the lower-left quadrant, chunk is played; lower-right quadrant, chunk ; upper-left quadrant, chunk ; and upper-right quadrant, chunk. RUN LIVE

29 acon A acon B A B pen up pen up x set xy y -0 0 x set xy y 0 0 event on + click mouse event on + click mouse do A do B In the example above, a simple two-key piano is cated by associang click events on two diffent turtles with individual s. Can you make an -key piano? RUN LIVE this one of that do do this one of that chunk chunk You can also add a bit of randomness to your music. In the top example above, the One-of block is used to randomly assign either Do or Re each me the Note value block is played. In the bottom example above, the One-of block is used to randomly select between chunk and chunk.. WIDGETS Pvious Secon (. Programng with Music) Back to Table of Contents Next Secon (. Beyond Music Blocks) This secon of the guide will talk about the various Widgets that can be added to Music Blocks to enhance your experience.. Status status print print print print beats per nute beat count measu count whole s played beats per nute beat count measu count whole s played 90 C 90 A The Status widget is a tool for inspecng the status of Music Blocks as it is running. By default, the key, BPM, and volume a displayed. Also, each is

30 displayed as it is played. The is one row per voice in the status table. Addional Print blocks can be added to the Status widget to display addional music factors, e.g., duplicate, transposion, skip, staccato, slur, and graphics factors, e.g., x, y, heading, color, shade, gy, and pensize. status print print print beats per nute beat count measu count print whole s played You can do addional programng within the status block. In the example above, the volume is divided by 0 befo being displayed.. Generang Chunks of Notes Using the Pitch-Time Matrix, it is possible to generate chunks of s at a much faster speed... The Pitch-Time Matrix -me matrix number of s rhythm Music Blocks provides a widget, the Pitch-me Matrix, as a scaffold for getng ed. Once you've launched Music Blocks in your browser, by clicking on the Pitch-me Matrix stack that appears in the ddle of the scen. (For the moment, igno the Start block.) You'll see a grid organized vercally by and horizontally by rhythm. Solfa rhythc s The matrix in the figu above has the Pitch blocks and one Rhythm block, which is used to cate a x grid of and me. Note that the default matrix has five Pitch blocks, hence, you will see five rows, one for each. (A sixth row at the bottom is used for specifying the rhythms associated with each.) Also by default, the a two Rhythm blocks, which specifies six quarter s followed by one half. Since the Rhythm blocks a inside of a Repeat block, the a fourteen ( x 7) columns for selecng s. Solfa rhythc s By clicking on individual cells in the grid, you should hear individual s (or chords if you click on mo than one cell in a column). In the figu, the quarter s a selected (black cells). First Re, followed by Mi, followed by Sol. If you click on the Play button (found in the top row of the grid), you will hear a sequence of s played (from left to right): Re, Mi, Sol.

31 Once you have a group of s (a "chunk") that you like, click on the Save button (just to the right of the Play button). This will cate a stack of blocks that can used to play these same s programmacally. (Mo on that below.) You can arrange the selected s in the grid and save other chunks as well. The Sort button will order the es in the matrix from highest to lowest and elinate any duplicate Pitch blocks. You can hide the matrix by clicking on the Close button (the right-most button in the top row of the grid.) The is also an Erase button that will clear the grid. Don't worry. You can open the matrix at anyme (it will member its pvious state) and since you can define as many chunks as you want, feel fe to experiment. Tip: You can put a chunk inside a Pitch-me Matrix block to generate the matrix to corsponds to that chunk. acon chunk The chunk cated when you click on the matrix is a stack of blocks. The blocks a nested: an Acon block contains the Note value blocks, each of which contains a Pitch block. The Acon block has a automacally generated by the matrix, in this case, chunk. (You can the acon by clicking on the.). Each has a duraon (in this case, which psents a quarter ). Try putng diffent numbers in and see (hear) what happens. Each block also has a block (if it we a chord, the would be mulple Pitch blocks nested inside the Note block's clamp). Each block has a ( Re, Mi, and Sol ), and a ; in this example, the is for each. (Try changing the s and the s.) To play the chuck, simply click on the acon block (on the word acon). You should hear the s play, orded from top to bottom... The Rhythm Block

32 number of s rhythm number of s rhythm number of s rhythm 7 6 Rhythm blocks a used to generate rhythm patterns in the Pitch-me Matrix block. The top argument to the Rhythm block is the number of s. The bottom argument is the duraon of the. In the top example above, the columns for quarter s would be generated in the matrix. In the ddle example, one column for an eighth would be generated. In the bottom example, seven columns for 6th s would be generated. -me matrix number of s rhythm number of s rhythm 6 Solfa rhythc s You can use as many Rhythm blocks as you'd like inside the Pitch-me Matrix block. In the above example, two Rhythm blocks a used, sulng in the quarter s and six eighth s... Cang Tuplets -me matrix number of s simple tuplet

33 Solfa tuplet s tuplet value rhythc s Tuplets a a collecon of s that get scaled to a specific duraon. Using tuplets makes it easy to cate groups of s that a not based on a power of. In the example above, the quarter s defined in the Rhythm block a played in the me of a single quarter. The sult is the twelfth s. You can x and match Rhythm blocks and Tuplet blocks when defining your matrix... What is a tuplet? Using Tuplets A tuplet is a specific group of s played in a condensed amount of me. Examples: x= power of the * Formula: x * y = y= tuplet value sulng value** Western Notaon Music Blocks Tuplet Music Block Math for Tuplet peat x= 0 and y= 0 x = x = peat x= and y= = x x = 0 0 *The power of the occurs as follows: longa= -, bve= -, whole= -, half=0, quarter=, eighth=, sixteenth=, thirty-second=, and connues in this pattern. **Diffent tuplet values produce diffent rhythc qualies when xed with s of diffent tuplet values.

34 Power of Two Music Blocks Tuplet Tuplet in Western Notaon peat - x = peat 0 x = peat x = 6 6 peat x = peat x =.. Using individual s in the matrix

35 -me matrix tuplet number of s rhythm 6 You can also use individual s when defining the grid. These blocks will expand into Rhythm blocks with the corsponding values.. Generang Rhythms The Rhythm Ruler block is used to launch a widget silar to the Pitch-me Matrix block. The widget can be used to generate rhythc patterns. rhythm ruler set drum sna drum number of s rhythm set drum kick drum number of s rhythm The argument to the Rhythm Ruler block specifies the duraon that will be subdivided to generate a rhythc pattern. By default, it is, e.g., a whole. The Set Drum blocks contained in the clamp of the Rhythm Ruler block indicates the number of rhythms to be defined simultaneously. By default, two rhythms a defined. The embedded Rhythm blocks define the inial subdivision of each rhythm ruler. When the Rhythm Ruler block is clicked, the Rhythm Ruler widget is opened. It contains a row for each rhythm ruler. An input in the top row of the widget is used to specify how many subdivisions will be cated within a cell when it is clicked. By default, subdivisions a cated. As shown in the above figu, the top rhythm ruler has been divided into two half-s and the bottom rhythm ruler has been divided into the third-s. Clicking on the Play button to the left of each row will playback the rhythm using a drum for each beat. The Play-all button on the upper-left of the widget will play back all rhythms simultaneously. The rhythm can be further subdivided by clicking in individual cells. In the example above, two quarter-s have been cated by clicking on one of the halfs.

36 acon sna_r,,, number of s rhythm number of s rhythm acon kick_rh... number of s rhythm The Save stack button will export rhythm stacks. -me matrix kick_rh... sna_r... These stacks of rhythms can be used to define rhythc patterns used with the Pitch-me Matrix block. fover fover peat drum sna drum drum kick drum peat drum sna drum The Save drum machine button will export Start stacks that will play the rhythms as drum machines.. Musical Modes Musical modes a used to specify the laonship between intervals (or steps) in a scale. Since Western music is based on half-steps per, modes speficy how many half steps the a between each in a scale. By default, Music Blocks uses the Major mode, which, in the Key of C, maps to the white keys on a piano. The intervals in the Major mode a,,,,,,. Many other common modes a built into Music Blocks, including, of course, Minor mode, which uses,,,,,, as its intervals.

37 Note that not every mode uses 7 intervals per. For example, the Chromac mode uses intervals:,,,,,,,,,,,. The Japanese mode uses only intervals:,,,, ],. What is important is that the sum of the intervals in an is half-steps. custom mode key set key mode C major The Mode widget lets you explo modes and generate custom modes. You invoke the widget with the Custom mode block. The mode specified in the Set key block will be the default mode when the widget launches. mode Major In the above example, the widget has been launched with Major mode (the default). Note that the s included in the mode a indicated by the black boxes, which a arrayed in a circular pattern of tweleve half-steps to complete the. Since the intervals in the Major mode a,,,,,,, the s a 0,,,, 7, 9,, and (one above 0 ). The widget controls run along the toolbar at the top. From left to right a: Play all, which will play a scale using the curnt mode; Save, which will save the curnt mode as the Custom mode and save a stack of Pitch blocks that can be used with the Pitch-me Matrix block; Rotate counter-clockwise, which will rotate the mode counter-clockwise (See the example below); Rotate clockwise, which will rotate the mode clockwise (See the example below); Invert, which will invert the mode (See the example below); Undo, which will sto the mode to the pvious version; and Close, which will close the widget. You can also click on individual s to acvate or deacvate them. Note that the mode inside the Custom mode block is updated whenever the mode is changed inside the widget. mode Major In the above example, the Major mode has been rotated clockwise, transforng it into Dorian.

38 mode Locrian In the above example, the Major mode has been rotated counter-clockwise, transforng it into Locrian. mode Phrygian In the above example, the Major mode has been inverted, transforng it into Phrygian. Note: The build-in modes in Music Blocks can be found in musiculs.js#l6. acon major -me matrix la major number of s rhythm 6 fa do The Save button exports a stack of blocks psenng the mode that can be used inside the Pitch-me Matrix block.. The Pitch-Drum Matrix set drum kick drum The Set Drum block is used to map the enclosed es into drum sounds. Drum sounds a played in a mono using the specified drum sample. In the example above, a kick drum will be substued for each occurance of a Re.

39 -drum mapper drum drum drum drum kick drum tom tom ride bell triangle bell Solfa Solfa acon set drum drums kick drum set drum triangle bell set drum tom tom As an expedience for cang mapping with the Set Drum block, we provide the Drum-Pitch Matrix. You use it to map between es and drums. The output is a stack of Set Dum blocks..6 Generang Arbitrary Pitches The Pitch Staircase block is used to launch a widget silar to the Pitch-me Matrix, which can be used to generate diffent es using a given and musical proporon. The Pitch blocks contained in the clamp of the Pitch Staircase block define the es to be inialized simultaneously. By default, one is defined and it have default "la" and "".

40 staircase la When Pitch Staircase block is clicked, the Pitch Staircase widget is inialized. The widget contains row for every Pitch block contained in the clamp of the Pitch Staircase block. The input fields in the top row of the widget specify the musical proporons used to cate new es in the staircase. The inputs corspond to the numerator and denonator in the proporon secvely. By default the proporon is :. A 0 E 0 A 0 B 9 E 0 A 0 : : : Clicking on the Play button to the left of each row will playback the s associated with that step in the stairs. The Play-all button on the upper-left of the widget will play back all the steps simultaneously. A second Play-all button to the right of the stair plays in incasing order of fquency first, then in decasing order of fquency as well, compleng a scale. The Save stack button will export stacks. For example, in the above configuraon, the output from pssing the Save stack button is shown below: acon stair hertz hertz A These stacks can be used with the Pitch-me Matrix block to define the rows in the matrix. -me matrix stair number of s rhythm.7 Generang Arbritary Pitches The Pitch Slider block is used to launch a widget that is used to generate arbitray es. It differs from the Pitch Staircase widget in that it is used to cate fquencies that vary connuously within the range of a specified. Each Sine block contained within the clamp of the Pitch Slider block defines the inial for an ocatve. slider hertz 0

41 0 When the Pitch Slider block is clicked, the Pitch Slider widget is inialized. The widget will have one column for each Sine block in the clamp. Every column has a slider that can be used to move up or down in fquency, connuously or in intervals of th of the starng fquency. The mouse is used to move the fquency up and down connuously. Buttons a used for intervals. Arrow keys can also be used to move up and down, or between columns. slider hertz 0 hertz CLicking in a column will extact the corsponding Note blocks, for example: 0 7 hertz 0

42 hertz 7. Changing Tempo The Tempo block is used to launch a widget that enables the user to visualize Tempo, defined in beats per nute (BPM). When the Tempo block is clicked, the Tempo widget is inialized. The Master Beats per Minute block contained in the clamp of the Tempo block sets the inial tempo used by the widget. This deternes the speed at which the ball in the widget moves back and forth. If BPM is 60, then it will take one second for the ball to move across the widget. A round-trip would take two seconds. tempo bpm master beats per nute beat value 90 The top row of the widget holds the Playpause button, the Speed up and Slow down buttons, and an input field for updang the Tempo. 90 You can also update the tempo by clicking twice in spaced succession in the widget: the new BPM is deterned as the me between the two clicks. For example, if the is seconds between clicks, the new BPM will be set as 0.. BEYOND MUSIC BLOCKS Pvious Secon (. Widgets) Back to Table of Contents Music Blocks is a waypoint, not a desnaon. One of the goals is to point the learner towards other powerful tools. One such tool is Lilypond, a music engraving program.

43 sto in value box 0 acon acon se-tone transpose peat box acon to add value acon box 7 do to add value box acon peat peat to add value acon box - do to add value box - acon peat to add value box - acon save as lilypond hotdog.ly The Save as Lilypond block will transcribe your composion. The output of the program above is saved to Downloadshotdog.ly. The is also a Save as Lilypond button on the secondary toolbar. \version ".." mouse = { c' c' c' c' c' c' g' g' g' g' g' g' a' a' a' a' a' a' g' g' g' g' g' g' f' f' f' f' f' f' e' e' e' e' e' e' d' d' d' d' d' d' c' c' c' c' c' c' } \sco { << \new Staff = "tble" { \clef "tble" \set Staff.instrumentName = #"mouse" \mouse } >> \layout { } } RUN LIVE