The pc command is able to translate any of the pitch-related representations listed below. In each case, a tuning standard of A4 equals 440 hertz is assumed. For descriptions of the input and output representations refer to Section 2 (Representation Reference) of this reference manual.

It is recommended that output files produced using the pc command should be given names with the distinguishing `.pc' extension.

**cents	hundredths of a semitone with respect to middle C=0 (e.g. 1200 equals C5)
**freq	fundamental frequency (in hertz)
**kern	core pitch/duration representation
**pc	pitch-class representation
**pitch	American National Standards Institute pitch notation (e.g. "A#4")
**semits	equal-tempered semitones with respect to middle C=0
**solfg	French solfège system (fixed `doh')
**specC	spectral centroid (in hertz)
**Tonh	German pitch system

Note that the pc command is also able to reprocess pitch-class (**pc) inputs. This allows pitch-class representations to be translated from numeric-only (0,1,2,3 ... 9,10,11) to mixed alphanumeric (0,1,2,3 ... 9,A,B) or vice versa. (See documentation for **pc (2).)

-a	output alphanumeric representation (where A=10, B=11)
-h	displays a help screen summarizing the command syntax
-t	suppresses printing of all but the first note of a group of tied **kern notes
-x	suppresses printing of non-pitch-class data

The -a option invokes an alternative (alphanumeric) form of the **pc output where the upper-case letters `A' and `B' are substituted for the pitch-class integers 10 and 11, respectively. In addition, the input alias values `T' (ten) and `E' (eleven) are transformed to `A' and `B'. Encodings using mixed alphanumeric values are often better suited to pattern-matching and searching tasks. Encodings using purely numeric values are especially useful when the representation is to be processed numerically.

The -t option ensures that only a single output value is given for tied **kern notes; the output coincides with the first note of the tie.

Note that pc will round-off frequencies and non-integer semitone input values to the nearest pitch-class. Hence, an input **semits data token of 5.6 will be rendered in the **pc output as the value 6. Similarly, the input **freq value 452.1 will be rendered in the **pc output as the value 9.

In the default operation, pc outputs non-pitch-related signifiers in addition to the pitch-class value. For example, the **semits token "X15yz" will result in the output "X3yz" -- that is, after translating 15 to pitch-class 3, the "Xyz" signifiers are retained in the output. The -x option is useful for eliminating non-pitch-class-related signifiers from the output.

pc -xt input > output.pc

produces the following result:

!! `pc' example.
**pc		**pc		**pc		**foo
*M2/4		*M2/4		*		*
=1		=1		=1		.
8		3		9 10		A
.		.		B		A
6		5		.		B
11 8		1		.		B
10		1		8 7		C
0		.		0		C
=2		=2		=2		D
3		8		2 3		D
.		.		6		E
=3		=3		=3		E
r		r		5 4		.
===		==		====		.
*-		*-		*-		*-

• Pertinent description in the Humdrum User Guide
• Index to Humdrum Commands
• Table for Contents for Humdrum User Guide