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kennethreitz
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Covers the prompt, theory commands, composition flow, effects, automation, LFOs, playback, export, and a full start-to-finish session. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
124 lines
3.3 KiB
ReStructuredText
124 lines
3.3 KiB
ReStructuredText
PyTheory: Music Theory for Humans
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=================================
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**PyTheory** is a Python library for exploring music theory, composing
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multi-part arrangements, and exporting them to MIDI for your DAW.
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Use it to learn theory by doing — build chords from intervals and hear
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the result. Use it to sketch song ideas faster than clicking through a
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DAW. Use it with Claude Code to prototype
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music from natural language. Or just use it to answer "what chords are
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in G major?" without opening a browser.
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::
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$ pip install pytheory
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Theory
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------
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The theory layer works everywhere Python runs — no audio setup needed.
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Tones, scales, chords, keys, intervals, harmony, 6 musical systems,
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25 instruments:
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.. code-block:: 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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Composition
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-----------
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When you're ready to make noise, the composition layer adds drums,
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synths, effects, and multi-part arrangements. Sketch an idea, hear
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it through your speakers, export MIDI, finish in your DAW:
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.. code-block:: 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)
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bass = score.part("bass", synth="sine", lowpass=500)
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for chord in Key("A", "minor").progression("i", "iv", "V", "i"):
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chords.add(chord, Duration.WHOLE)
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lead.arpeggio("Am", bars=4, pattern="updown", octaves=2)
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play_score(score)
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score.save_midi("sketch.mid")
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Or hear a randomly generated track from the command line — different
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every time::
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$ pytheory demo
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What's Inside
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-------------
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- **Theory** — tones, scales (40+ across 6 systems), chords (17 types),
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keys, Roman numeral analysis, modulation, voice leading
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- **Sequencing** — Score, Parts, arpeggiator, legato/glide, velocity,
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swing, humanize, tempo changes, song sections
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- **Synthesis** — 10 waveforms, 8 envelopes, 58 drum patterns, 21 fills
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- **Effects** — reverb (algorithmic + 7 convolution IRs), delay, lowpass,
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distortion, chorus, sidechain, automation, LFOs
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- **Instruments** — 25 presets with fingering generation
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- **Export** — MIDI, WAV, real-time playback
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- **CLI** — ``pytheory demo``, ``key``, ``chord``, ``midi``, ``play``, and more
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- **AI-friendly** — Claude Code can compose
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and play music through PyTheory from natural language
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.. toctree::
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:maxdepth: 2
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:caption: User Guide
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guide/quickstart
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guide/theory
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guide/tones
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guide/scales
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guide/chords
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guide/fretboard
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guide/systems
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guide/sequencing
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guide/synths
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guide/effects
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guide/drums
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guide/playback
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guide/repl
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guide/cli
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guide/cookbook
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.. toctree::
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:maxdepth: 2
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:caption: API Reference
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api/tones
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api/scales
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api/chords
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api/charts
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api/play
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api/systems
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.. toctree::
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:maxdepth: 1
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:caption: Project
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changelog
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