maelzel.core.symbols Module

Notation can be customized by adding so called Symbols to an object. Symbols are objects which can be attached to a note, chord, voice, etc. to modify its representation as musical notation.

Most symbols do not have any other meaning than to indicate how a certain object should be displayed as notation. In particular, they do not affect playback in any way. For example a Notehead symbol can be attached to a note to modify the notehead shape used, a Color can be attached to a voice to modify the color of all its items, a Clef can be added to a note to force a clef change at that particular moment, etc.

There are basically three kind of symbols: properties, note-attached symbols and spanners.

Property

A property modifies an attribute of the object it is attached to. For example, a SizeFactor property modifies the size of the object and, if the object is a container (a voice, for example), then all elements within that container are modified.

Functions

abstractmethod(funcobj)	A decorator indicating abstract methods.
knownSymbols()	rtype: set[str]
makeKnownSymbol(name)	Create a symbol from a known name
makeSpanner(descr[, kind, linetype, ...])	Create a spanner from a descriptor
makeSymbol(clsname, *args, **kws)	Construct a Symbol from the symbol name and any values and/or keywords passed
parseAddSymbol(args, kws)	Parses the input of addSymbol

Classes

ABC()	Helper class that provides a standard way to create an ABC using inheritance.
Accidental([hidden, parenthesis, color, ...])	Customizes the accidental of a note
Articulation(kind[, color, placement])	Represents a note attached articulation
Beam([kind, uuid, linetype, placement, color])	Notes within a Beam spanner are beamed together
BeamBreak([location])	Symbolizes a syncopation (beam) break at the given location or at the given note
Bend(alter)	A (post) bend with an alteration up or down
Bracket([kind, uuid, linetype, placement, text])
Breath([kind, visible])	A breathmark symbol, will also break the beam at the given instant
Clef(kind)	An explicit clef sign
Color(color)	Customizes the color of an object
Dynamic(kind[, force, placement])	A notation only dynamic
EventSymbol([color, placement])	Base-class for all event-attached symbols
F	alias of Fraction
Fermata([kind])	A Fermata sign over a note
Fingering(finger)	A fingering attached to a note
GlissProperties([linetype, color, hidden])	Customizes properties of a glissando
Gracenote([slash])	Customizes properties of a gracenote
Hairpin(direction[, niente, kind, uuid, ...])	A hairpin crescendo or decrescendo
Harmonic([kind, interval])	A natural/artificial harmonic, or a sound-pitch flageolet
Hidden([color])	A hidden property can be attached to note to hide it
LineSpan([kind, uuid, linetype, placement, ...])	A line spanner
NoMerge([color, placement])	A note marked with this symbol will not be merged to a previous note
NotatedPitch(pitch)	Allows to customize the notated pitch of a note
Notehead([shape, color, parenthesis, size, ...])	Customizes the notehead shape, color, parenthesis and size
NoteheadAttachedSymbol([color, placement])	Symbols attached to a notehead (a pitch)
NoteheadLine([kind, uuid, color, linetype, text])	A line conecting two noteheads
OctaveShift([kind, octaves, uuid])	An octave shift
Ornament(kind)	Note-attached ornament (trill, mordent, prall, etc.)
Property([color])	A property is a modifier of an object itself (like a color or a size)
SizeFactor(size)	Sets the size of an object (as a factor of default size)
Slur([kind, uuid, linetype, placement, color])	A slur spanner between two notes
Spanner([kind, uuid, linetype, placement, color])	A Spanner is a line/curve between two anchors (notes/chords/rests)
Stem([hidden, color])	Customize the stem of a note
Symbol([color])	Base class for all symbols
Text(text[, placement, fontsize, italic, ...])	A note attached text expression
Transpose(interval)	Apply a transposition for notation only
Tremolo([tremtype, nummarks, relative])	A stem-attached tremolo sign
TrillLine([kind, startmark, trillpitch, ...])	Trill spanner between two notes.
VoiceSymbol([color])	Symbols which can be attached to a voice

Class Inheritance Diagram

digraph inheritance0141aa2047 { bgcolor=transparent; rankdir=LR; size="8.0, 12.0"; "Accidental" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Accidental.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Accidental",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="Customizes the accidental of a note"]; "NoteheadAttachedSymbol" -> "Accidental" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "Articulation" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Articulation.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Articulation",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="Represents a note attached articulation"]; "EventSymbol" -> "Articulation" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "Beam" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Beam.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Beam",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="Notes within a Beam spanner are beamed together"]; "Spanner" -> "Beam" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "BeamBreak" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.BeamBreak.html#maelzel.core.symbols.BeamBreak",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="Symbolizes a syncopation (beam) break at the given location or at the given note"]; "EventSymbol" -> "BeamBreak" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "VoiceSymbol" -> "BeamBreak" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "Bend" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Bend.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Bend",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="A (post) bend with an alteration up or down"]; "EventSymbol" -> "Bend" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "Bracket" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Bracket.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Bracket",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top"]; "Spanner" -> "Bracket" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "Breath" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Breath.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Breath",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="A breathmark symbol, will also break the beam at the given instant"]; "EventSymbol" -> "Breath" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "Clef" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Clef.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Clef",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="An explicit clef sign"]; "EventSymbol" -> "Clef" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "Color" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Color.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Color",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="Customizes the color of an object"]; "Property" -> "Color" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "Dynamic" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Dynamic.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Dynamic",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="A notation only dynamic"]; "EventSymbol" -> "Dynamic" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "EventSymbol" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.EventSymbol.html#maelzel.core.symbols.EventSymbol",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="Base-class for all event-attached symbols"]; "Symbol" -> "EventSymbol" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "Fermata" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Fermata.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Fermata",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="A Fermata sign over a note"]; "EventSymbol" -> "Fermata" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "Fingering" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Fingering.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Fingering",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="A fingering attached to a note"]; "EventSymbol" -> "Fingering" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "GlissProperties" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.GlissProperties.html#maelzel.core.symbols.GlissProperties",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="Customizes properties of a glissando"]; "EventSymbol" -> "GlissProperties" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "Gracenote" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Gracenote.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Gracenote",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="Customizes properties of a gracenote"]; "EventSymbol" -> "Gracenote" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "Hairpin" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Hairpin.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Hairpin",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="A hairpin crescendo or decrescendo"]; "Spanner" -> "Hairpin" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "Harmonic" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Harmonic.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Harmonic",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="A natural/artificial harmonic, or a sound-pitch flageolet"]; "EventSymbol" -> "Harmonic" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "Hidden" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Hidden.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Hidden",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="A hidden property can be attached to note to hide it"]; "Property" -> "Hidden" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "LineSpan" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.LineSpan.html#maelzel.core.symbols.LineSpan",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="A line spanner"]; "Spanner" -> "LineSpan" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "NoMerge" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.NoMerge.html#maelzel.core.symbols.NoMerge",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="A note marked with this symbol will not be merged to a previous note"]; "EventSymbol" -> "NoMerge" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "NotatedPitch" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.NotatedPitch.html#maelzel.core.symbols.NotatedPitch",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="Allows to customize the notated pitch of a note"]; "NoteheadAttachedSymbol" -> "NotatedPitch" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "Notehead" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Notehead.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Notehead",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="Customizes the notehead shape, color, parenthesis and size"]; "NoteheadAttachedSymbol" -> "Notehead" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "NoteheadAttachedSymbol" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.NoteheadAttachedSymbol.html#maelzel.core.symbols.NoteheadAttachedSymbol",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="Symbols attached to a notehead (a pitch)"]; "EventSymbol" -> "NoteheadAttachedSymbol" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "NoteheadLine" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.NoteheadLine.html#maelzel.core.symbols.NoteheadLine",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="A line conecting two noteheads"]; "Spanner" -> "NoteheadLine" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "OctaveShift" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.OctaveShift.html#maelzel.core.symbols.OctaveShift",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="An octave shift"]; "Spanner" -> "OctaveShift" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "Ornament" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Ornament.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Ornament",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="Note-attached ornament (trill, mordent, prall, etc.)"]; "EventSymbol" -> "Ornament" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "Property" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Property.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Property",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="A property is a modifier of an object itself (like a color or a size)"]; "Symbol" -> "Property" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "SizeFactor" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.SizeFactor.html#maelzel.core.symbols.SizeFactor",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="Sets the size of an object (as a factor of default size)"]; "Property" -> "SizeFactor" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "Slur" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Slur.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Slur",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="A slur spanner between two notes"]; "Spanner" -> "Slur" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "Spanner" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Spanner.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Spanner",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="A Spanner is a line/curve between two anchors (notes/chords/rests)"]; "Symbol" -> "Spanner" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "Stem" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Stem.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Stem",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="Customize the stem of a note"]; "EventSymbol" -> "Stem" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "Symbol" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Symbol.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Symbol",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="Base class for all symbols"]; "Text" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Text.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Text",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="A note attached text expression"]; "EventSymbol" -> "Text" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "Transpose" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Transpose.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Transpose",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="Apply a transposition for notation only"]; "EventSymbol" -> "Transpose" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "VoiceSymbol" -> "Transpose" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "Tremolo" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.Tremolo.html#maelzel.core.symbols.Tremolo",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="A stem-attached tremolo sign"]; "EventSymbol" -> "Tremolo" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "TrillLine" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.TrillLine.html#maelzel.core.symbols.TrillLine",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="Trill spanner between two notes."]; "Spanner" -> "TrillLine" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; "VoiceSymbol" [URL="api/maelzel.core.symbols.VoiceSymbol.html#maelzel.core.symbols.VoiceSymbol",fillcolor=white,fontname="Vera Sans, DejaVu Sans, Liberation Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans",fontsize=10,height=0.25,shape=box,style="setlinewidth(0.5),filled",target="_top",tooltip="Symbols which can be attached to a voice"]; "Symbol" -> "VoiceSymbol" [arrowsize=0.5,style="setlinewidth(0.5)"]; }