RE: MusicXML Clefs

Movable F and G clefs are not used in modern notation, but are necessary to notate early music. F, movable C, and G clefs correspond to the voice parts:

F clef, middle C 1 ledger line above the staff: bass
C clef line 5: baritone clef
C clef line 4: tenor clef
C clef line 3: alto clef
C clef line 2, mezzo-soprano clef
C clef line 1: soprano clef
G clef, middle C 1 ledger line below the staff: obbligato

The clefs always point to lines and never to spaces.

Paul Lombardi, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Music Theory and Composition
University of South Dakota



From: Albert Hart <alhart369@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 5:42 PM
To: Jeremy Sawruk <jeremy.sawruk@gmail.com>
Cc: Music Notation Community Group <public-music-notation@w3.org>
Subject: Re: MusicXML Clefs

After some research, it turns out that the <line> entry says which line the F appears on (as advertised), and that the clef is moved up or down so that the 2 dots surround the line with the F. The Bass Clef is called a "F" cleg, because the two dots surround the line which has the F on it.

The same works for Treble and "C" Clefs which can be moved up and down for different instruments.
[image.png]


On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 2:52 PM Jeremy Sawruk <jeremy.sawruk@gmail.com<mailto:jeremy.sawruk@gmail.com>> wrote:
Wouldn't C/3 be alto clef and C/4 be tenor clef? It's the same symbol, but at different vertical positions. That is why the line attribute is needed.

On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 4:48 PM Albert Hart <alhart369@gmail.com<mailto:alhart369@gmail.com>> wrote:
Re: https://github.com/w3c/musicxml/issues/316#issuecomment-631558362<https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2Fw3c%2Fmusicxml%2Fissues%2F316%23issuecomment-631558362&data=02%7C01%7CPaul.Lombardi%40usd.edu%7Cb1d8d359401f4607a60408d7fd0f1407%7C9c36a7d0bf7b49919b78be91a52f0226%7C0%7C0%7C637256113520042798&sdata=aWRI10CN5AdTEs%2FEY84zzcbK1u9ZIJ%2BCiycNtt18L%2FQ%3D&reserved=0>
"You might be better off asking questions like this on our mailing list<https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flists.w3.org%2FArchives%2FPublic%2Fpublic-music-notation%2F&data=02%7C01%7CPaul.Lombardi%40usd.edu%7Cb1d8d359401f4607a60408d7fd0f1407%7C9c36a7d0bf7b49919b78be91a52f0226%7C0%7C0%7C637256113520052795&sdata=Or1NO2x2rj7uOuJHPDvkBSVvM%2F96FXHh2%2FnUWu8Y10U%3D&reserved=0> instead of GitHub. We try to reserve GitHub issues for ideas and bug reports as opposed to user support questions."

I posted this because it sounded like a "bug" to me, that the musicXML format allows note and line in <clef> definition, and allows offsetting the octave, but does not say what octave to use.

If MuscXML only supports clefs by name - G, F, C, etc. - why does it include the "line" attribute. Are their "G" clefs which have the G on a different line. Is there is a clef like G/5 instead of G/2?

--
Al


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Al