Re: SacredHarpHeads: possible solution to major/minor problem

[Tim Slattery]

Jonathan Kulp <address@hidden> wrote:


>I plead total ignorance of Sacred Harp notation, 

The noteheads have different shapes, corresponding to the degree of
the scale. In SH there are only four shapes, so for a major scale the
tonic and fourth are triangles(FA), second and fifth are regular ovals
(SOL), third and sixth are squares (LA), and the seventh is a triangle
(MI). So the major scale goes FA SOL LA FA SOL LA MI FA.

The intervals between the shapes don't change, so the minor scale is
LA MI FA SOL LA FA SOL LA.

LOTS of information at www.fasola.org

>but Dorian mode 
>is exactly what you describe, a minor mode with raised 6th scale 
>degree.

Yes, it is dorian, but...

> If you say "\key g \dorian", then the key signature will 
>have one flat in it, and the scale degrees should all be correct: 
>g (1st) a (2nd), and so forth.  It seems like this should do what 
>you want.

For performance, but not for the notation. For whatever ancient
reason, minor scales are traditionally rendered in Dorian mode,
especially by people who learned SH from their grandpa and
grandma...you get the picture. (It's not uncommon for singers to be
using both the raised (dorian) and non-raised (minor) versions at the
same time, but that's another discussion...)

So what's wanted is the ability to have a normal minor key signature
on the sheet music, but have the MIDI rendered in Dorian, with the
raised sixth. 
>
>Jon

-- 
Tim Slattery
address@hidden
http://members.cox.net/slatteryt