Program to Transpose ABC Music Files
Try it Online
Interval | Semitones | Interval | Semitones |
-1/2 | -2. | -2 | 1/12 | 12. | 19 |
-1/3 | -3. | -4 | 1/11 | 11. | 17 |
-1/4 | -4. | -5 | 1/10 | 10. | 16 |
-1/5 | -5. | -7 | 1/9 | 9. | 14 |
-1/6 | -6. | -9 | 1/8 | 8. octave | 12 |
-1/7 | -7. | -11 | 1/7 | 7. | 11 |
-1/8 | -8. octave | -12 | 1/6 | 6. | 9 |
-1/9 | -9. | -14 | 1/5 | 5. | 7 |
-1/10 | -10. | -16 | 1/4 | 4. | 5 |
-1/11 | -11. | -17 | 1/3 | 3. | 4 |
-1/12 | -12. | -19 | 1/2 | 2. | 2 |
Install Transpose
x86 MS-Windows Installation
Obtain slib-3b3-1.exe (1.1.MB) and run.
Obtain scm-5e7-1.exe (475.kB) and run.
Into either the directory containing your ABC files or
a %PATH% directory,
i686 GNU/Linux with RPM Installation
#! /bin/sh
wget http://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/ftpdir/scm/slib-3b3-1.noarch.rpm
wget http://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/ftpdir/scm/scm-5e7-1.i686.rpm
rpm -U slib-3b3-1.noarch.rpm scm-5e7-1.i686.rpm
Obtain transpose.scm (5.kB)
and install in PATH directory as "transpose".
x86_64 GNU/Linux with RPM Installation
#! /bin/sh
wget http://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/ftpdir/scm/slib-3b3-1.noarch.rpm
wget http://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/ftpdir/scm/scm-5e7-1.x86_64.rpm
rpm -U slib-3b3-1.noarch.rpm scm-5e7-1.x86_64.rpm
Obtain transpose.scm (5.kB)
and install in PATH directory as "transpose".
Unix (Including GNU/Linux) Installation
#! /bin/sh
wget http://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/ftpdir/scm/slib-3b3.zip
wget http://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/ftpdir/scm/scm-5e7.zip
unzip slib-3b3.zip
unzip scm-5e7.zip
(cd slib; make install)
(cd scm; make scmlit; make scm5; make mydlls; make install)
Obtain transpose.scm (5.kB)
and install in PATH directory as "transpose".
Usage
Usage: transpose N SOURCE.abc [DESTINATION.abc]
transpose KEY SOURCE.abc [DESTINATION.abc]
- Transpose ABC-format music by interval N.
- Transpose ABC-format melodies for KEY instrument.
If DESTINATION.abc is not supplied, output is written to standard output.
When interval N is a positive or negative integer (with no `.'), transpose
the melodies and chords upward or downward (respectively) by N semi-tones.
Fractions and numbers with decimal points specify `musical intervals':
Intervals Semi-tones Intervals Semi-tones
-1/2 -2. -2 1/12 12. 19
-1/3 -3. -4 1/11 11. 17
-1/4 -4. -5 1/10 10. 16
-1/5 -5. -7 1/9 9. 14
-1/6 -6. -9 1/8 8. 12 (1 Octave higher)
-1/7 -7. -11 1/7 7. 11
-1/8 -8. -12 (1 Octave lower) 1/6 6. 9
-1/9 -9. -14 1/5 5. 7
-1/10 -10. -16 1/4 4. 5
-1/11 -11. -17 1/3 3. 4
-1/12 -12. -19 1/2 2. 2
KEY may be A through G, optionally followed by sharp (#) or flat (b).
For example, "transpose Bb Reveille.abc" will produce ABC script with
notes appearing two semitones higher than in Reveille.abc.
Transpose strips out guitar-chords and turns lyrics into comments when
transposing for KEYed instruments. It may sometimes be neccessary to
"transpose +12" or "transpose -12" the result of transposing for an
instrument.
http://Voluntocracy.org/Music/Transpose.html