**cents -- absolute pitch representation in hundredths of semitones

DESCRIPTION

The **cents representation is used to represent absolute pitch in units of hundredths of semitones with respect to middle C. Each equally tempered semitone spans a distance of 100 cents. Middle C is designated zero cents. All other pitches are represented with respect to this reference, hence A4 is 900 cents and A3 is -300 cents. Cents may be specified as either integer or real values.

Pitch tokens may be modified by the presence of additional signifiers. The open brace `{' denotes the beginning of a phrase. The closed brace `}' denotes the end of a phrase. The open parenthesis `(' denotes the beginning of a slur. The closed parenthesis `)' denotes the end of a slur. The semicolon `;' denotes a pause.

Rest tokens are denoted by the lower-case letter `r'.

Barlines are represented using the "common system" for barlines -- see barlines.

FILE TYPE

It is recommended that files containing predominantly **cents spines should be given names with the distinguishing `.cnt' extension.

SIGNIFIERS

The following table summarizes the **cents mappings of signifiers and signifieds.

0-9	decimal values
.	decimal point; or null token
-	minus sign
+	plus sign (optional)
r	rest
=	barline; == double barline
(	slur start
)	slur end
{	phrase mark (start)
}	phrase mark (end)
;	pause sign

Summary of **cents Signifiers

A sample document is given below:

**cents	**cents
!tempered	!untempered
=1	=1
{1200	{1209.
700	720.4
700	698
=2	=2
(800	(804.1
700)}	722)}
=3	=3
r	r
500 1100	492 1131.2
=4	=4
400 1200	397 1202
==	==
*-	*-

The following Humdrum commands accept **cents encoded data as inputs:

	cents	change numerical precision of **cents values
	freq	translates **cents to **freq
	kern	translates **cents to **kern
	pc	translates **cents to **pc
	pitch	translate **cents pitch to numerical **pitch
	semits	translates **cents to **semits
	solfg	translates **cents to **solfg
	tonh	translates **cents to **Tonh
	vox	determine active and inactive voices in a Humdrum file

The following Humdrum command produces **cents data as output:

	cents	translates **cents, **freq, **fret, **kern, **MIDI, **pitch, **semits, **solfg, **specC, and **Tonh to **cents

The following tandem interpretations can be used in conjunction with **cents:

MIDI channel	*Ch1
meter signatures	*M6/8
key signatures	*k[f#c#]
key	*c#:
tempo	*MM96.3

Tandem interpretations for **cents

barlines, cents, **freq, freq, **fret, **kern, kern, **MIDI, midi, **pitch, pitch, **semits, semits, **solfg, solfg, **specC, specc, **Tonh, tonh

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