Pitch

Basic syntax

Ziffers is a numbered musical notation and live code golfing language. Melodies are written using numbers 0-9 or characters 'T' 'E' which can be used in chromatic scale (T=10, E=11).

By default melodies are played in C Major. Examples:

# Play 0 1 2 3 sequentially, in key of C its C D E F:
@swim
def z(p=0.5, i=0):
    ZD('superpiano','0 1 2 3', i=i)
    again(z, p=1, i=i+1)

# Play 0 and then chord 023:
@swim
def z(p=0.5, i=0):
    ZD('superpiano','0 023', i=i)
    again(z, p=1, i=i+1)

# Take pattern durations to account
@swim
def z(p=0.5, i=0):
    dur = ZD("superpiano","0.25 0 3 0.125 4 6 3 1", i = i) # Returns length of the pattern in beats
    again(z, p=dur, i=i+1)

# Loop the chromatic scale:
Pa * zd('superpiano', '0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 T E', scale='chromatic') 

# Loop some notes and chords in D Minor:
Pa * zd('superpiano', '0 023 3 468', key='D', scale='minor')

Scales

Ziffers supports a great number of scales. The list of supported scales is superior to 1000:

...
"Aeradyllian": [1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1],
"Ryptyllian": [1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1],
"Loptyllian": [1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1],
"Kataphyllian": [1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1],
"Phradyllian": [1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1],
"Dagyllian": [1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1],
"Katyllian": [1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1],
"Gothyllian": [2, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1],
"Lythyllian": [1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2],
"Bacryllian": [2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1],
"Aerygyllian": [1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 2],
"Dathyllian": [1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1],
"Boptyllian": [1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 1],
"Bagyllian": [1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1],
"Mathyllian": [1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1],
"Styptyllian": [1, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1],
"Zolyllian": [1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1],
"Staptyllian": [2, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1],
"Danyllian": [1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2],
"Goptyllian": [1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1],
"Epocryllian": [2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1],
...

To get a complete list of scales, see this file.

Examples:

Pa * zd('superpiano', 'q 0 1 2 3') # Defaults to 'major'
Pa * zd('superpiano', 'q 0 1 2 3', scale= 'minor') # minor scale
Pa * zd('superpiano', 'q 0 1 2 3', scale='rocitronic') Another one

Sharp and flat

  • b is flat
  • # is sharp

Use sharps or flats to go off scale. Sharps and flats are not sticky so you have to use it every time before the note number. For example in key of C: #0 = C#

@swim
def z(p=0.5, i=0):
    ZD('superpiano','0 4 #4 b0 2 #2 ##2 ###2', i=i)
    again(z, p=1, i=i+1)

Note lengths

Default note length is a whole note q, which means 1.0 beats of sleep after the note is played. Note lengths can be changed with characters or with decimal notation.

Most common note length are:

  • w = Whole (Semibreve) = 1.0 = 4.0 beats
  • h = Half (Minim) = 0.5 = 2.0 beats
  • q = Quarter (Crotchet) = 0.25 = 1.0 beats
  • e = Eight (Quaver) = 0.125 = 0.5 beats
  • s = Sixteenth (Semiquaver) = 0.0625 = 0.25 beats

Note lengths can be defined for all following notes or for single notes by grouping the note length characters. For example note lengths for Twinkle twinkle little star could be notated in various ways. Default length is q so in this case it is not required to define the length at the start. Note lengths can also be grouped, like h4, which means it only affects the given pitch. Alternatively decimals can be used, here in the middle 0.5 is used and then changed back using 0.25 for the next pitch. Alternatively decimal durations can be grouped using <0.5>1 notation: 

# Twinke twinkle little star
Pa * zd('superpiano','0 0 4 4 5 5 h4 3 3 2 2 1 1 h0 4 4 3 3 2 2 0.5 1 0.25 4 4 3 3 2 2 <0.5>1 0 0 4 4 5 5 h4 3 3 2 2 1 1 h0')

More info about note lengths in Rhythms section.