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pytheory/docs/guide/quickstart.rst
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kennethreitz d23de92713 Update docs to use newer APIs (Key, Fingering, convenience constructors)
- Circle of fifths: use tone.circle_of_fifths() instead of manual loop
- Fingerings: show labeled Fingering class with string names, identify()
- Chords: document from_tones(), from_name(), from_intervals(), from_midi_message()
- Scales: add Key class, Key.detect(), Key.progression(), nashville()
- Playback: simplify examples with Chord.from_name()
- README: add Keys section, update fingering output format
- Quickstart: add chord identification from fret positions

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-03-22 19:57:06 -04:00

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Quickstart
==========
Installation
------------
::
$ pip install pytheory
Basic Usage
-----------
Create tones, build scales, and explore music theory:
.. code-block:: python
from pytheory import Tone, TonedScale, Fretboard, CHARTS
# Create a tone — A4 is the tuning standard (440 Hz)
a4 = Tone.from_string("A4", system="western")
print(a4.frequency) # 440.0
# Tone arithmetic — add semitones to move up the chromatic scale
c4 = Tone.from_string("C4", system="western")
e4 = c4 + 4 # Major third up (4 semitones)
g4 = c4 + 7 # Perfect fifth up (7 semitones)
print(e4, g4) # E4 G4
# Measure intervals between tones
print(g4 - c4) # 7 (semitones — a perfect fifth)
# Build a C major scale
c_major = TonedScale(tonic="C4")["major"]
print(c_major.note_names)
# ['C', 'D', 'E', 'F', 'G', 'A', 'B', 'C']
# Build diatonic triads from the scale
I = c_major.triad(0) # C E G (C major)
IV = c_major.triad(3) # F A C (F major)
V = c_major.triad(4) # G B D (G major)
# Guitar chord fingerings — labeled with string names
fb = Fretboard.guitar()
fingering = CHARTS["western"]["Am"].fingering(fretboard=fb)
print(fingering) # Fingering(e=0, B=1, G=2, D=2, A=0, E=0)
# Identify a chord from fret positions
f = fb.fingering(0, 1, 0, 2, 3, 0)
print(f.identify()) # C major
What's Included
---------------
- **6 musical systems**: Western, Indian (Hindustani), Arabic (Maqam),
Japanese, Blues/Pentatonic, Javanese Gamelan
- **40+ scales**: major, minor, harmonic minor, 7 modes, 10 thaats,
10 maqamat, 6 Japanese pentatonic scales, blues, pentatonic,
slendro, pelog, and more
- **Pitch calculation** in equal, Pythagorean, and meantone temperaments
- **Chord identification**: name any chord from its notes, intervals, or
MIDI numbers (17 chord types recognized)
- **Chord charts** with 144 pre-built chords (12 roots x 12 qualities)
- **Chord analysis**: consonance scoring, Plomp-Levelt dissonance,
beat frequency calculation, harmonic tension, voice leading
- **Key detection** and **Roman numeral analysis** (I-IV-V-I progressions)
- **Fingering generation** for 25 instruments with labeled string names,
including guitar (8 tunings), bass, ukulele, mandolin, and more
- **Audio playback** with sine, sawtooth, and triangle wave synthesis