A key in key name

Realization

See and hear it

Same value

Also written as

Every notation of the key concept, formatted from this value by the Symbolic library.

• Key name · this pageexact
  C major

Other concepts

Bridges

Converting into another concept may need context this value does not carry (a root, an octave, a key). Where it is missing the library assumes a default and says so; where a step drops information it is listed.

• Pitch class · Pitch-class number

  lossy
  0

  Path key → pitch-class

  • Drops mode. A key's tonic.

• Scale · Scale name

  exact
  C major

  Path key → scale

• Note · Letter name

  lossy
  C4

  Path key → pitch-class → note · needs octave

  • Assumed octave 4. No octave was given, so octave 4 is used.
  • Drops mode. A key's tonic.

• Pitch-class set · Pitch-class numbers

  lossy
  0-2-4-5-7-9-11

  Path key → scale → pc-set · needs root

  • Drops tonic, step order. A scale's pitch classes; a scale written without a tonic is read from the root.

• Chord symbol · Chord symbol

  lossy
  Fmaj13#11/C

  Path key → scale → pc-set → chord · needs root

  • Drops tonic, step order. A scale's pitch classes; a scale written without a tonic is read from the root.
  • Drops interpretation. 0-2-4-5-7-9-11 is named Fmaj13#11/C, a detection rather than a spelling.

• Note set · Letter names

  lossy
  C4-D4-E4-F4-G4-A4-B4

  Path key → scale → pc-set → note-set · needs root, octave

  • Assumed root C. No root was given, so the value is read from C.
  • Assumed octave 4. No octave was given, so octave 4 is used.
  • Drops tonic, step order. A scale's pitch classes; a scale written without a tonic is read from the root.

• Pitch-class distribution · Twelve weights

  lossy
  1,0,1,0,1,1,0,1,0,1,0,1

  Path key → scale → pc-set → pc-space · needs root

  • Drops tonic, step order. A scale's pitch classes; a scale written without a tonic is read from the root.

• Point set · Semitone offsets

  lossy
  0-2-4-5-7-9-11

  Path key → scale → pc-set → point-set · needs root

  • Drops tonic, step order. A scale's pitch classes; a scale written without a tonic is read from the root.

• Set class · Forte name

  lossy
  7-35

  Path key → scale → pc-set → pc-set-analysis · needs root

  • Drops tonic, step order. A scale's pitch classes; a scale written without a tonic is read from the root.
  • Drops transposition. The set's Tn class (Forte name with A/B, prime form); the transposition is dropped.

• Grid position · Cells col,row (optional layout@origin: prefix)

  lossy
  aura@C3:3,0 2,2 4,0 2,3 4,1 3,3 5,1

  Path key → scale → pc-set → note-set → grid-position · needs root, octave, layout

  • Assumed root C. No root was given, so the value is read from C.
  • Assumed octave 4. No octave was given, so octave 4 is used.
  • Assumed layout aura. No layout was given, so positions are read on the aura layout.
  • Assumed root C3. No root was given, so the value sounds above C3.
  • Drops tonic, step order. A scale's pitch classes; a scale written without a tonic is read from the root.
  • Drops alternative positions. C4 has 2 positions, E4 has 2 positions, G4 has 2 positions, A4 has 2 positions, B4 has 2 positions on aura; the one nearest (0, 0) is kept.

• Note distribution · MIDI : weight pairs

  lossy
  60:1,62:1,64:1,65:1,67:1,69:1,71:1

  Path key → scale → pc-set → note-set → note-space · needs root, octave

  • Assumed root C. No root was given, so the value is read from C.
  • Assumed octave 4. No octave was given, so octave 4 is used.
  • Drops tonic, step order. A scale's pitch classes; a scale written without a tonic is read from the root.

Live coding

Use in Symbolic Cycle

sym('key/name/C%20major')