MusicXML 3.0 starting soon

Since we had so much discussion on this list about music notation on the
web, I wanted to post an update about our MusicXML 3.0 work, which we are
planning to start soon.

At Recordare, we have been collecting ideas for a new version of the format
since MusicXML 2.0 was released three years ago. Some of the *possible* new
features under consideration are:

   - Improving playback support, including an instrument taxonomy for better
   sharing between people and applications who use different, ever-larger
   virtual instrument libraries.
   - Extending repertoire coverage, possibly to Chinese jianpu numbered
   notation, Turkish maqam music, and more. We are looking for small feature
   additions that broaden MusicXML’s scope, without losing the focus on common
   Western music notation.
   - Catching up with newer features of common Western music notation,
   perhaps using Elaine Gould’s upcoming book *Behind Bars: The Definitive
   Guide to Music Notation* for guidance.
   - Catching up with more widespread notation software features, such as
   percussion pictograms and better microtonal support.
   - Filling feature gaps, including MusicXML extensions that were added to
   the Open Score Format PVG Profile.
   - Fixing typos, ambiguous descriptions, and other problems found by
   MusicXML 2.0 developers.
   - Creating a specification document that combines information currently
   in different places like the tutorial, the DTD, and the example files.

We expect to be discussing MusicXML 3.0 a lot in the new year on the
MusicXML discussion list. If you want to participate in these discussions,
please join us! Signup is available online at:

http://www.recordare.com/musicxml/mailing-list

Geri Actor and I will be attending the NAMM show in Anaheim on January 13 –
16, and I will be attending Musikmesse in Frankfurt on April 6 – 9. We will
be happy to meet with people at these shows to discuss new MusicXML 3.0
features. Please let us know if you would like to meet at either of these
upcoming events by using Recordare’s contact form:

http://www.recordare.com/company/contact

We would like to have all the major new 3.0 features discussed on the
MusicXML list in January and February. If you want to meet at Musikmesse,
please don’t wait until then to propose your MusicXML 3.0 idea. At that
point, it may be too late to consider ideas we are hearing for the first
time. Please send us an email or discuss it on the MusicXML list ahead of
time.
Best wishes to everyone for a happy holiday season and new year!

Best regards,

Michael Good
Recordare LLC