music_notes

A comprehensive Dart library for effortlessly working with music theory concepts, offering an elegant and beautifully crafted API.

Features

• Notes, accidentals, and enharmonic operations
• Intervals, qualities, and circle of fifths
• Chords, scales, harmonic functions, inversions and retrogrades
• Keys, key signatures, and modes
• Frequencies and tuning systems (work in progress)

Usage

Import the package into your Dart code:

import 'package:music_notes/music_notes.dart';

Now, you can use the provided APIs to perform various music theory operations. For more detailed usage instructions and examples, please refer to the API documentation.

Notes

Define a Note from a NoteName (.a to .g) and an Accidental, or using their shorthand static constants:

const Note(.e, .flat); // E♭
Note.c; // C
Note.d; // D
Note.f; // F

NoteNames can be obtained from semitones or ordinal:

NoteName.fromSemitones(2); // NoteName.d
NoteName.fromSemitones(9); // NoteName.a

NoteName.fromOrdinal(3); // NoteName.e
NoteName.fromOrdinal(7); // NoteName.b

Alter a Note with sharp or flat:

Note.c.sharp; // C♯
Note.d.flat; // D♭
Note.g.flat.flat; // G𝄫
Note.f.sharp.sharp.sharp; // F𝄪♯

And position them in the octave, resulting in Pitches:

Note.f.inOctave(4); // F4
Note.b.flat.inOctave(5); // B♭5

Or parse them in both scientific and Helmholtz notations:

NoteName.parse('b'); // NoteName.b
Note.parse('a#'); // A♯
Pitch.parse("g''"); // G5
Pitch.parse('Eb3'); // E♭3

Get their difference in semitones:

NoteName.c.difference(.e); // 4
NoteName.a.difference(.e); // -5
NoteName.a.positiveDifference(.e); // 7

Note.c.difference(.e.flat); // 3
Pitch.parse('C').difference(.parse("c''''")); // 60

Transpose them:

Note.g.flat.transposeBy(-Interval.m3); // E♭
Note.b.inOctave(3).transposeBy(.P5); // F♯4

Respell them by any criteria:

Note.c.sharp.respellByNoteName(.d); // D♭
Note.e.flat.respellByAccidental(.sharp); // D♯
Note.g.flat.inOctave(3).respellByOrdinalDistance(-1); // F♯3

Note.g.sharp.respelledUpwards; // A♭
Note.a.flat.respelledDownwards; // G♯
Note.b.sharp.inOctave(4).respelledSimple; // C5

Compare two Pitches based on their semitones:

Note.c.inOctave(4) < Note.c.inOctave(5); // true
Note.d.inOctave(3) > Note.f.inOctave(4); // false
Note.a.flat.inOctave(5) >= Note.g.sharp.inOctave(5); // true

Know whether two Notes or Pitches are enharmonically equivalent:

Note.f.sharp.isEnharmonicWith(Note.g.flat); // true
Note.c.inOctave(4).isEnharmonicWith(Note.b.sharp.inOctave(3)); // true
Note.a.isEnharmonicWith(Note.b.flat); // false

Represent them as PitchClasses:

Note.d.flat.toClass(); // {C♯|D♭}
Note.a.inOctave(4).toClass(); // {A}

Perform PitchClass multiplications (modulo 12):

PitchClass.cSharp * 7; // {G}
PitchClass.d * 7; // {D}
// observe one semitone upwards results in ascending fifths G -> D.

PitchClass.cSharp * 5; // {F}
PitchClass.d * 5; // {A♯|B♭}
// observe one semitone upwards results in ascending fourths F -> B-flat.

Represent them using any notation formatter:

Note.d.flat
  ..format() // D♭
  ..format(const GermanNoteNotation()) // Des
  ..format(const RomanceNoteNotation.symbol()); // Re♭

Note.b.flat.inOctave(-1).format(); // B♭-1
Note.c.inOctave(6).format(HelmholtzPitchNotation.english); // c‴

PitchClass.c.format(); // {C}
PitchClass.dSharp.format(); // {D♯|E♭}

PitchClass.f.format(const IntegerPitchClassNotation()); // 5
PitchClass.aSharp.format(const IntegerPitchClassNotation()); // t

Intervals

Create an Interval:

const Interval.imperfect(.tenth, .major); // M10
Interval.d5; // d5
Size.sixth.augmented; // A6
Size.eleventh.simple.perfect; // P4

Or parse it from a string:

Interval.parse('m3'); // m3
Interval.parse('P-5'); // P-5
Interval.parse('AA6'); // AA6

Turn it descending:

-Interval.m7; // m-7
(-Interval.P5).direction; // -1
Interval.M3.descending; // M-3
(-Interval.P4).ascending; // P4
(-Interval.P4).withDescending(false); // P4

Perform common interval operations:

Interval.m3.inversion; // M6
Interval.A4.inversion; // d5
Interval.m9.inversion; // M7

Interval.m9.simple; // m2
Interval.P11.simple; // P4
(-Interval.M3).simple; // M-3

Interval.P5.isCompound; // false
Interval.M9.isCompound; // true
(-Interval.P11).isCompound; // true

Interval.P5.isDissonant; // false
Interval.d5.isDissonant; // true
Interval.M7.isDissonant; // true

Respell an Interval by size:

Interval.A4.respellBySize(.fifth); // d5
Interval.d3.respellBySize(.second); // M2

Calculate the Interval between two notes:

Note.c.interval(.g); // P5
Note.d.interval(.f.sharp).inversion; // m6

NoteName.d.intervalSize(.f); // 3
NoteName.a.intervalSize(.e); // 5

Know the intervallic distance between two notes:

Interval.P5.circleDistance<Note>(from: .c, to: .d);
// (2, notes: [C, G, D])
Interval.P4.circleDistance<Note>(from: .b.flat, to: .d);
// (-4, notes: [B♭, F, C, G, D])

And even explore the circle of fifths or any circle of intervals up to a distance:

Interval.P5.circleFrom(Note.c).take(13).toList();
// [C, G, D, A, E, B, F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯, B♯]
Note.c.circleOfFifths(distance: 3); // [E♭, B♭, F, C, G, D, A]
Note.c.splitCircleOfFifths.down.take(6).toList();
// [F, B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭]
Note.c.splitCircleOfFifths.up.take(8).toList();
// [G, D, A, E, B, F♯, C♯, G♯]

Note.d.circleOfFifthsDistance; // 2
Note.a.flat.circleOfFifthsDistance; // -4

Note.c.fifthsDistanceWith(.e.flat); // -3
Note.b.fifthsDistanceWith(.f.sharp); // 1

Know whether two Intervals are enharmonically equivalent:

Interval.M3.isEnharmonicWith(Interval.d4); // true
Interval.A4.isEnharmonicWith(Interval.d5); // true
Interval.P1.isEnharmonicWith(Interval.m2); // false

Represent them as IntervalClasses:

Interval.M2.toClass(); // {M2|d3}
Interval.m6.toClass(); // {M3|d4}
Interval.P8.toClass(); // {P1}

Compare two Intervals based on their semitones:

Interval.m3 < .P5; // true
Interval.m7 <= .P5; // false
-Interval.P4 > .M3; // true

Add, subtract and multiply Intervals and IntervalClasses:

Interval.m2 + .M2; // m3
Interval.M2 + .P4; // P5

IntervalClass.tritone + .M2; // {M3|d4}
IntervalClass.M3 + .P4; // {m3}
IntervalClass.P4 - .m3; // {M2|d3}

IntervalClass.P4 * -1; // {P4}
IntervalClass.M2 * 0; // {P1}
IntervalClass.m3 * 2; // {A4|d5}

Represent them as a string:

Interval.m2.format(); // m2
Interval.A6.format(); // A6

IntervalClass.M2.format(); // {M2|d3}
IntervalClass.P4.format(); // {P4}
IntervalClass.tritone.format(); // {A4|d5}

Keys

Create a Key or get it from a given Note:

const Key(.e, .minor); // E minor
Note.a.flat.major; // A♭ major

Know its KeySignature:

Note.d.major.signature; // {D major, B minor} +2 fifths (F♯ C♯)
Note.e.flat.minor.signature;
// {G♭ major, E♭ minor} −6 fifths (B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ C♭)

Whether it is theoretical:

Note.e.major.isTheoretical; // false
Note.a.flat.minor.isTheoretical; // true

And its relative and parallel Keys:

Note.d.major.relative; // B minor
Note.c.minor.relative; // E♭ major

Note.f.minor.parallel; // F major
Note.c.sharp.major.parallel; // C♯ minor

Represent it using any notation formatter:

Note.d.flat.major.format(); // D♭ major
Note.c.major.format(const RomanceKeyNotation()); // Do maggiore
Note.e.flat.minor.format(const GermanKeyNotation()); // es-Moll

Key signatures

Create a KeySignature:

KeySignature.fromDistance(4); // {E major, C♯ minor} +4 fifths (F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯)
KeySignature([.b.flat, .e.flat]); // {B♭ major, G minor} −2 fifths (B♭ E♭)
KeySignature([.g.sharp, .a.sharp]); // Non-canonical (G♯ A♯)

Increment them by sharps or flats:

KeySignature.fromDistance(-4).incrementBy(-1);
// {E♭ major, C minor} −3 fifths (B♭ E♭ A♭)
KeySignature([.f.sharp, .c.sharp]).incrementBy(3);
// {B major, G♯ minor} +5 fifths (F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ A♯)

And know its Keys:

KeySignature([.f.sharp]).keys[TonalMode.major]; // G major
KeySignature.empty.keys[TonalMode.minor]; // A minor

Non-canonical key signatures are also supported, although they return null when asked about their fifths distance or keys:

KeySignature([.a.flat])
  ..isCanonical // false
  ..distance // null
  ..keys; // <TonalMode, Key>{}

Modes

Get each Mode’s ScalePattern:

TonalMode.minor.scale; // ScalePattern.minor
ModalMode.locrian.scale; // ScalePattern.locrian

Their Dorian Brightness Quotient:

ModalMode.lydian.brightness; // 3
ModalMode.dorian.brightness; // 0
ModalMode.aeolian.brightness; // -1

Or its mirrored version:

ModalMode.ionian.mirrored; // ModalMode.phrygian
ModalMode.aeolian.mirrored; // ModalMode.mixolydian

Scales

Create a Scale from a ScalePattern:

ScalePattern.lydian.on(Note.d); // D Lydian (D E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D)
ScalePattern.wholeTone.on(Note.f); // F Whole-tone (F G A B C♯ D♯ F)
ScalePattern.majorPentatonic.on(Note.g.flat);
// G♭ Major pentatonic (G♭ A♭ B♭ D♭ E♭ G♭)

Or get it from a Key:

Note.a.flat.major.scale; // A♭ Major (ionian) (A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G A♭)
Note.d.minor.scale; // D Natural minor (aeolian) (D E F G A B♭ C D)

Even experiment with any ScaleDegree or HarmonicFunction:

ScalePattern.lydian.on(Note.e).degree(.iv); // A♯
Note.c.major.scale.functionChord(
  HarmonicFunction.dominantV / .dominantV,
); // D

Rearrange any collection of Notes, Pitches or PitchClasses as inversion or retrograde:

<Note>{.b, .a.sharp, .d}.inversion.toSet(); // {B, C, G♯}
<PitchClass>{.dSharp, .g, .fSharp}.retrograde.toSet();
// {{F♯|G♭}, {G}, {D♯|E♭}}

Or know its numeric representation:

<PitchClass>{.b, .aSharp, .d, .e}
  ..numericRepresentation()
      .toSet() // {0, 11, 3, 5}
  ..numericRepresentation(reference: .d)
      .toSet() // {9, 8, 0, 2}
  ..deltaNumericRepresentation.toList(); // [0, -1, 4, 2]

Chords

Create a Chord from a series of Notes or a ChordPattern:

Chord([.a, .c.sharp, .e]); // A
ChordPattern.augmentedTriad.add11().add13().on(.d.sharp); // D♯+11 13

Or build it on top of a Note:

Note.f.minorTriad.add7().add9(.minor);
// F-7 ♭9
Note.e.flat.diminishedTriad.add7().transposeBy(.m2);
// F♭ø

Or modify its root triad:

Note.g.minorTriad.major; // G
Note.f.sharp.majorTriad.add9().diminished; // F♯dim

Frequencies

Get the Frequency of a Pitch:

Note.a.inOctave(4).frequency(); // 440
Note.a.inOctave(4).frequency(temperature: const Celsius(18));
// 438.4619866006409

Create a TuningFork from a Pitch and a reference Frequency, or using its shorthand static constants:

Note.a.inOctave(4).at(const Frequency(438)); // A438
TuningFork.a440; // A440
TuningFork.c256; // C256

And use it in a TuningSystem:

Note.b.flat
    .inOctave(4)
    .frequency(
      tuningSystem: const EqualTemperament.edo12(fork: .c256),
    ); // 456.1401436878537

Get the Frequency at a given temperature:

const Frequency(440).at(const Celsius(18)); // 438.4619866006409
const Frequency(440).at(const Celsius(24)); // 443.07602679871826

Get the closest Pitch from a given Frequency:

const Frequency(432).closestPitch(); // A4−32
const Frequency(314).closestPitch(); // E♭4+16
const Frequency(440).closestPitch(temperature: const Celsius(24)); // A4−12

And combining both frequency and closestPitch methods, the harmonic series of a given Pitch:

Note.c.inOctave(1).harmonics().take(16).toSet();
// {C1±0, C2±0, G2+2, C3±0, E3−14, G3+2, A♯3−31, C4±0,
// D4+4, E4−14, F♯4−49, G4+2, A♭4+41, A♯4−31, B4−12, C5±0}

Create a ClosestPitch by adding or subtracting Cents to a Pitch:

Note.f.sharp.inOctave(4) + const Cent(16); // F♯4+16
Note.g.flat.inOctave(5) - const Cent(8.236); // G♭5−8

Or parse a ClosestPitch from a string:

ClosestPitch.parse('A4'); // A4±0
ClosestPitch.parse('E♭3-28'); // E♭3−28
ClosestPitch.parse('A4+12.6').format(
  const StandardClosestPitchNotation(fractionDigits: 1),
); // A4+12.6

In a nutshell

ScalePattern
    .lydian // Lydian (M2 M2 M2 m2 M2 M2 m2)
    .on(Note.parse('a')) // A Lydian (A B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A)
    .transposeBy(.M2) // B Lydian (B C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯ G♯ A♯ B)
    .degree(.iii) // D♯
    .respelledUpwards // E♭
    .major // E♭ major
    .relative // C minor
    .scale // C Natural minor (aeolian) (C D E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C)
    .degreeChord(.v) // G-
    .add9(); // G-9

Similar projects in other languages

• mingus Python
• modest Lua
• music21 Python
• sharp11 JavaScript
• teoria JavaScript
• tonal JavaScript
• tonic JavaScript | Dart

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! If you encounter any issues or have suggestions for improvements, please feel free to open an issue or submit a pull request on the GitHub repository.

Star History

License

This package is released under the BSD-3-Clause License.