Files
pytheory/docs/guide/cookbook.rst
T
kennethreitz d2058668a6 Use musically correct flat spellings in flat keys
Flat keys now display flats (Bb, Eb, Ab) instead of sharps (A#, D#, G#).
Uses the "no duplicate letter names" rule: if building a scale with
sharps produces two notes with the same letter (e.g. C and C# in C minor),
the scale is rebuilt with flat spellings instead.

- Tone.add() and Tone.from_index() accept prefer_flats parameter
- TonedScale detects flat vs sharp per-scale automatically
- F major: Bb (not A#), Eb major: Ab Bb (not G# A#), etc.
- All tests and docs updated to match

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-03-23 09:22:39 -04:00

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Cookbook
=======
Real-world recipes for common musical tasks. Each recipe is self-contained
and ready to paste into a Python session.
Analyze a Song
--------------
Take the chord progression from "Let It Be" (C G Am F) and analyze it
in the key of C major:
.. code-block:: pycon
>>> from pytheory import Chord, Key
>>> C = Chord.from_name("C")
>>> G = Chord.from_name("G")
>>> Am = Chord.from_name("Am")
>>> F = Chord.from_name("F")
>>> [c.identify() for c in [C, G, Am, F]]
['C major', 'G major', 'A minor', 'F major']
>>> [c.analyze("C") for c in [C, G, Am, F]]
['I', 'V', 'vi', 'IV']
>>> key = Key("C", "major")
>>> [c.identify() for c in key.progression("I", "V", "vi", "IV")]
['C major', 'G major', 'A minor', 'F major']
Write a 12-Bar Blues
--------------------
The `12-bar blues <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve-bar_blues>`_ is
built from the I, IV, and V chords. Here it is in the key of A:
.. code-block:: pycon
>>> from pytheory import Key, Chord
>>> key = Key("A", "major")
>>> [c.identify() for c in key.progression("I", "IV", "V")]
['A major', 'D major', 'E major']
>>> bars = ["I","I","I","I", "IV","IV","I","I", "V","IV","I","V"]
>>> [c.identify() for c in key.progression(*bars)]
['A major', 'A major', 'A major', 'A major', 'D major', 'D major', 'A major', 'A major', 'E major', 'D major', 'A major', 'E major']
>>> Chord.from_name("A7").identify()
'A dominant 7th'
>>> Chord.from_name("D7").identify()
'D dominant 7th'
>>> Chord.from_name("E7").identify()
'E dominant 7th'
Find Chords in a Key
--------------------
The :class:`~pytheory.scales.Key` class builds diatonic chords for any
key and lets you pull progressions by Roman numeral or Nashville number:
.. code-block:: pycon
>>> from pytheory import Key
>>> key = Key("G", "major")
>>> key.chords
['G major', 'A minor', 'B minor', 'C major', 'D major', 'E minor', 'F# diminished']
>>> [c.identify() for c in key.progression("I", "V", "vi", "IV")]
['G major', 'D major', 'E minor', 'C major']
>>> [c.identify() for c in key.nashville(1, 5, 6, 4)]
['G major', 'D major', 'E minor', 'C major']
Compare Scales
--------------
Play the same tonic through different scales to hear how each mode
reshapes the palette. The western modes share the same notes but start
on different degrees; the blues scale adds the "blue note" (flat 5th):
.. code-block:: pycon
>>> from pytheory import TonedScale
>>> c = TonedScale(tonic="C4")
>>> c["major"].note_names
['C', 'D', 'E', 'F', 'G', 'A', 'B', 'C']
>>> c["minor"].note_names
['C', 'D', 'Eb', 'F', 'G', 'Ab', 'Bb', 'C']
>>> c["dorian"].note_names
['C', 'D', 'Eb', 'F', 'G', 'A', 'Bb', 'C']
>>> c["mixolydian"].note_names
['C', 'D', 'E', 'F', 'G', 'A', 'Bb', 'C']
>>> c_blues = TonedScale(tonic="C4", system="blues")
>>> c_blues["blues"].note_names
['C', 'Eb', 'F', 'Gb', 'G', 'Bb', 'C']
Guitar Chord Chart
------------------
Generate fingerings for guitar and ukulele with
:class:`~pytheory.tones.Fretboard`:
.. code-block:: pycon
>>> from pytheory import Fretboard
>>> fb = Fretboard.guitar()
>>> fb.chord("C")
Fingering(e=0, B=1, G=0, D=2, A=3, E=x)
>>> fb.chord("G")
Fingering(e=3, B=0, G=0, D=0, A=2, E=3)
>>> fb.chord("Am")
Fingering(e=0, B=1, G=2, D=2, A=0, E=x)
>>> fb.chord("D")
Fingering(e=2, B=3, G=2, D=0, A=x, E=x)
>>> uke = Fretboard.ukulele()
>>> uke.chord("C")
Fingering(A=3, E=0, C=0, G=0)
>>> uke.chord("G")
Fingering(A=2, E=3, C=2, G=0)
Explore an Interval
-------------------
Start from A4 (440 Hz) and walk through intervals, checking names and
frequency ratios:
.. code-block:: pycon
>>> from pytheory import Tone
>>> a4 = Tone.from_string("A4", system="western")
>>> a4.frequency
440.0
>>> minor_3rd = a4 + 3
>>> a4.interval_to(minor_3rd)
'minor 3rd'
>>> p5 = a4 + 7
>>> a4.interval_to(p5)
'perfect 5th'
>>> round(p5.frequency / a4.frequency, 4)
1.4983
>>> octave = a4 + 12
>>> a4.interval_to(octave)
'octave'
>>> round(octave.frequency / a4.frequency, 4)
2.0
Walk the Circle of Fifths
-------------------------
The `circle of fifths <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_of_fifths>`_
is the backbone of Western harmony — each step adds one sharp or flat:
.. code-block:: pycon
>>> from pytheory import Tone
>>> c = Tone.from_string("C4", system="western")
>>> [t.name for t in c.circle_of_fifths()]
['C', 'G', 'D', 'A', 'E', 'B', 'F#', 'C#', 'G#', 'D#', 'A#', 'F']
>>> g = Tone.from_string("G4", system="western")
>>> [t.name for t in g.circle_of_fifths()]
['G', 'D', 'A', 'E', 'B', 'F#', 'C#', 'G#', 'D#', 'A#', 'F', 'C']
Voice Leading Between Chords
-----------------------------
Find the smoothest path from one chord to the next — each voice moves
the minimum distance:
.. code-block:: pycon
>>> from pytheory import Chord
>>> c_maj = Chord.from_tones("C", "E", "G")
>>> f_maj = Chord.from_tones("F", "A", "C")
>>> for src, dst, motion in c_maj.voice_leading(f_maj):
... print(f"{src} -> {dst} ({motion:+d} semitones)")
G4 -> A4 (+2 semitones)
E4 -> F4 (+1 semitones)
C4 -> C4 (+0 semitones)
Measure Harmonic Tension
------------------------
Quantify how much a chord "wants to resolve." Dominant 7ths have
the most tension — the tritone between the 3rd and 7th pulls toward
resolution:
.. code-block:: pycon
>>> from pytheory import Chord
>>> for name in ["C", "Am", "G7", "Cmaj7"]:
... ch = Chord.from_name(name)
... t = ch.tension
... print(f"{name:6s} tension={t['score']:.2f} tritones={t['tritones']} dominant={t['has_dominant_function']}")
C tension=0.00 tritones=0 dominant=False
Am tension=0.00 tritones=0 dominant=False
G7 tension=0.60 tritones=1 dominant=True
Cmaj7 tension=0.15 tritones=0 dominant=False
Tritone Substitution (Jazz)
---------------------------
Replace any dominant chord with the one a
`tritone <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tritone_substitution>`_ away —
they share the same tritone interval:
.. code-block:: pycon
>>> from pytheory import Chord
>>> g7 = Chord.from_name("G7")
>>> g7.tritone_sub().identify()
'C# dominant 7th'
>>> # ii-V-I with tritone sub:
>>> # Dm7 -> G7 -> Cmaj7 (standard)
>>> # Dm7 -> Db7 -> Cmaj7 (chromatic bass line!)
Key Signatures and Detection
-----------------------------
View the accidentals in any key, or detect the key from a set of notes:
.. code-block:: pycon
>>> from pytheory import Key
>>> Key("C", "major").signature
{'sharps': 0, 'flats': 0, 'accidentals': []}
>>> Key("G", "major").signature
{'sharps': 1, 'flats': 0, 'accidentals': ['F#']}
>>> Key("D", "major").signature
{'sharps': 2, 'flats': 0, 'accidentals': ['F#', 'C#']}
>>> Key.detect("C", "E", "G", "A", "D")
<Key C major>
Relative and Parallel Keys
--------------------------
Every major key has a **relative minor** (same notes, different root)
and a **parallel minor** (same root, different notes):
.. code-block:: pycon
>>> from pytheory import Key
>>> c = Key("C", "major")
>>> c.relative
'A minor'
>>> c.parallel
'C minor'
Borrowed Chords and Secondary Dominants
---------------------------------------
Add color by borrowing from the parallel key or building secondary
dominants that approach other scale degrees:
.. code-block:: pycon
>>> from pytheory import Key
>>> c = Key("C", "major")
>>> c.borrowed_chords[:4]
['C minor', 'D diminished', 'Eb major', 'F minor']
>>> c.secondary_dominant(5).identify()
'D dominant 7th'
>>> c.secondary_dominant(2).identify()
'A dominant 7th'
>>> c.secondary_dominant(6).identify()
'E dominant 7th'
The Overtone Series
-------------------
Every musical tone contains a stack of harmonics — the physics behind
why intervals sound consonant:
.. code-block:: pycon
>>> from pytheory import Tone
>>> a4 = Tone.from_string("A4", system="western")
>>> [round(f, 1) for f in a4.overtones(6)]
[440.0, 880.0, 1320.0, 1760.0, 2200.0, 2640.0]
>>> # Harmonic 2 = octave (2:1)
>>> # Harmonic 3 = perfect 5th + octave (3:1)
>>> # Harmonic 5 = major 3rd + two octaves (5:1)
Enharmonic Spellings
--------------------
Find the alternate name for any sharp or flat:
.. code-block:: pycon
>>> from pytheory import Tone
>>> for name in ["C#4", "D#4", "F#4", "G#4"]:
... t = Tone.from_string(name, system="western")
... print(f"{t.name} = {t.enharmonic}")
C# = Db
D# = Eb
F# = Gb
G# = Ab
World Scales
------------
Explore scales from Indian, Arabic, and Japanese traditions:
.. code-block:: pycon
>>> from pytheory import TonedScale
>>> indian = TonedScale(tonic="Sa", system="indian")
>>> indian["bhairav"].note_names
['Sa', 'komal Re', 'Ga', 'Ma', 'Pa', 'komal Dha', 'Ni', 'Sa']
>>> arabic = TonedScale(tonic="Do", system="arabic")
>>> arabic["hijaz"].note_names
['Do', 'Reb', 'Mi', 'Fa', 'Sol', 'Solb', 'Sib', 'Do']
>>> japanese = TonedScale(tonic="C4", system="japanese")
>>> japanese["hirajoshi"].note_names
['C', 'D', 'Eb', 'G', 'Ab', 'C']
Visualize a Scale on Guitar
----------------------------
See where the notes fall across the fretboard — E minor pentatonic,
the most-played scale in rock:
.. code-block:: pycon
>>> from pytheory import Fretboard, Scale
>>> fb = Fretboard.guitar()
>>> pent = Scale(tonic="E4", system="blues")["minor pentatonic"]
>>> print(fb.scale_diagram(pent, frets=12))
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
E| E | - | - | G | - | A | - | B | - | - | D | - | E |
B| B | - | - | D | - | E | - | - | G | - | A | - | B |
G| G | - | A | - | B | - | - | D | - | E | - | - | G |
D| D | - | E | - | - | G | - | A | - | B | - | - | D |
A| A | - | B | - | - | D | - | E | - | - | G | - | A |
E| E | - | - | G | - | A | - | B | - | - | D | - | E |