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kennethreitz
866b110afa
index.rst: add figured bass, pitch class sets, scale recommendation, stereo, detune, pan/spread, master compressor, REPL quickstart.rst: same updates to "What's in the Box" README.md: add stereo, sidechain, compressor, repl, forte numbers drums.rst: document stereo drum panning playback.rst: document stereo output and master compressor cli.rst: add REPL section with cross-reference Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
162 lines
4.9 KiB
Markdown
162 lines
4.9 KiB
Markdown
# PyTheory: Music Theory for Humans
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Explore music theory, compose multi-part arrangements, and export to MIDI — all in Python.
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```
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$ pip install pytheory
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```
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## Sketch Ideas Fast
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```python
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from pytheory import Score, Pattern, Key, Duration, Chord
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from pytheory.play import play_score
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score = Score("4/4", bpm=140)
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score.drums("bossa nova", repeats=4)
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chords = score.part("chords", synth="fm", envelope="pad", reverb=0.4)
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lead = score.part("lead", synth="saw", envelope="pluck", delay=0.3, lowpass=3000)
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bass = score.part("bass", synth="sine", lowpass=500)
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for sym in ["Am", "Dm", "E7", "Am"]:
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chords.add(Chord.from_symbol(sym), Duration.WHOLE)
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chords.add(Chord.from_symbol(sym), Duration.WHOLE)
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lead.arpeggio("Am", bars=2, pattern="updown", octaves=2)
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lead.arpeggio("Dm", bars=2, pattern="updown", octaves=2)
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lead.set(lowpass=5000, reverb=0.4)
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lead.arpeggio("E7", bars=2, pattern="up", octaves=2)
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lead.arpeggio("Am", bars=2, pattern="updown", octaves=2)
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for n in ["A2", "E2", "A2", "C3"] * 4:
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bass.add(n, Duration.QUARTER)
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play_score(score) # hear it now
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score.save_midi("sketch.mid") # open in your DAW
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```
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## Hear It Instantly
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```
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$ pytheory demo
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```
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## Music Theory
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```pycon
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>>> from pytheory import Key, Chord, Tone
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>>> Key("C", "major").chords
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['C major', 'D minor', 'E minor', 'F major', 'G major', 'A minor', 'B diminished']
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>>> [c.symbol for c in Key("G", "major").progression("I", "V", "vi", "IV")]
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['G', 'D', 'Em', 'C']
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>>> Chord.from_symbol("F#m7b5").identify()
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'F# half-diminished 7th'
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>>> Tone.from_string("C4").interval_to(Tone.from_string("G4"))
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'perfect 5th'
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>>> Key("C", "major").pivot_chords(Key("G", "major"))
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['A minor', 'B minor', 'C major', 'D major', 'E minor', 'G major']
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>>> Chord.from_tones("C", "E", "G").forte_number
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'3-11'
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>>> from pytheory.scales import Scale
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>>> Scale.recommend("C", "Eb", "F", "Gb", "G", "Bb", top=3)
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[('C', 'blues', 1.0), ...]
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```
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## Composition
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```python
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score = Score("4/4", bpm=124)
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score.drums("house", repeats=16, fill="house", fill_every=8)
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pad = score.part("pad", synth="supersaw", envelope="pad",
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reverb=0.5, chorus=0.3, sidechain=0.85)
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lead = score.part("lead", synth="saw", envelope="pluck",
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legato=True, glide=0.03, humanize=0.3)
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bass = score.part("bass", synth="sine", lowpass=300, sidechain=0.7)
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# Song structure
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score.section("verse")
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# ... add notes ...
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score.section("chorus")
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lead.set(lowpass=5000, reverb=0.3)
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# ... add notes ...
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score.end_section()
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score.repeat("verse")
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score.repeat("chorus", times=2)
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```
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## 10 Synth Waveforms
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sine, saw, triangle, square, pulse, FM, noise, supersaw, PWM slow, PWM fast — with detune, stereo pan, and spread.
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## 58 Drum Patterns
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rock, jazz, bebop, bossa nova, salsa, samba, afrobeat, funk, reggae, house, trap, metal, drum and bass — and 45 more. Plus 21 fill presets. Stereo panned like a real kit.
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## 6 Effects with Automation
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```python
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lead = score.part("lead", synth="saw",
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distortion=0.7, lowpass=1000, lowpass_q=5.0,
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delay=0.3, reverb=0.4, reverb_type="plate",
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chorus=0.3)
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# Automate mid-song
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lead.set(lowpass=4000, distortion=0.9)
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# LFO modulation
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lead.lfo("lowpass", rate=0.5, min=400, max=3000, bars=8)
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```
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Signal chain: distortion → chorus → lowpass → delay → reverb. Sidechain compression. Master bus compressor/limiter. Stereo output.
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## Convolution Reverb
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7 synthetic impulse responses: Taj Mahal (12s), cathedral, plate, spring, cave, parking garage, canyon.
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```python
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pad = score.part("pad", synth="supersaw",
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reverb=0.85, reverb_type="taj_mahal")
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```
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## 6 Musical Systems
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Western, Indian (Hindustani), Arabic (Maqam), Japanese, Blues/Pentatonic, Javanese Gamelan — 40+ scales.
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## 25 Instrument Presets
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Guitar (8 tunings), bass, ukulele, mandolin family, violin family, banjo, harp, oud, sitar, erhu, and more — with chord fingering generation.
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## Command Line
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```
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$ pytheory repl # interactive scratchpad
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$ pytheory demo # hear a generated track
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$ pytheory key G major # explore a key
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$ pytheory identify Cmaj7 # analyze a chord symbol
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$ pytheory progression C major I V vi IV # build a progression
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$ pytheory midi C major I V vi IV -o out.mid
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$ pytheory play Am7 --synth saw --envelope pluck
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$ pytheory modes C # show all modes
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$ pytheory circle C # circle of fifths
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```
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## Why Python?
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A DAW is great for tweaking sounds. But when you're *thinking about music* — code is faster than clicking. Sketch ideas, hear them instantly, export MIDI, finish in your DAW.
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Tools like [Claude Code](https://claude.ai/code) can use PyTheory to prototype musical ideas from natural language — "write a bossa nova in A minor with a saw lead and reverb" becomes real, playable music.
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## Documentation
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**[pytheory.kennethreitz.org](https://pytheory.kennethreitz.org)**
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