Re: SacredHarpHeads: possible solution to major/minor problem

[Jonathan Kulp]

Tim Slattery wrote:

> > 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. 

Thanks for the rundown, Tim.  I actually looked up a bit on this 
subject last night so now I understand the problem much better. My 
solution clearly is not a solution for this.  I think the 
hideAccidental thing Mark Polesky was working on in another thread 
would work well, or as you suggest, have a different shape map for 
minor that hides the accidental on raised 6th degrees.  It's hard 
to get my head around the idea of always contradicting the key 
signature without notating the contradition, but I guess there are 
odd conventions in just about every music tradition.  :)

The shape note philosophy reminds me of the medieval hexachord 
system, where the idea was to keep track of the half-steps and the 
interval relationships, not necessarily the pitches. Interesting...
--
Jonathan Kulp
http://www.jonathankulp.com