music-code

Music Code Player is a web app that allows you to type and play music using plain text.

Website: https://stdio2016.github.io/music-code/

Currently, it supports only one format, Music Macro Language.

Music Macro Language

Music Macro Language (MML) is a text format to describe a music. It is case-insensitive, and ignores all white spaces and newlines.

I have implemented two versions of MML player, the first version is mus.html, and this is the second version.
Some features are implemented after I finished mus.html, so there are syntax differences between these two versions. I will denote such differences in warning sections.

Here is a list of commands:

CDEFGAB

A note. Its format is pitch accidentals duration dots.
Pitch is a letter from A to G and causes the corresponding note to be played.

Accidentals can be zero or more +, #, -, = or @, where a + or # denotes a sharp, a - denotes a flat, and an = or @ denotes a natural.

The note duration is specified by an integer, representing a fraction of a whole note. Valid range is 1 to 64. For example, C4 is a C quarter note. Duration can have 0 to 2 dots, which correspond to the dots of the note. For example, C4. is single dotted C quarter note.

P or R

Rest note. Its format is P duration dots. It is similar to a note, but a rest note does not have pitch and accidentals.

O

Followed by a digit. Sets the octave of the following notes. Octave 4 (O4) contains Middle C.

The octave setting will affect current track only. By default, each track is in octave 4 initially.

Octave can be -1 to 9. To reach octave -1 you need to type O0<.

>

Raise the octave by 1. The highest possible octave is 9. The octave setting will affect current track only.

<

Lower the octave by 1. The lowest possible octave is -1. The octave setting will affect current track only.

L

The format is L duration dots. Sets the duration of the following notes to the duration specified by this command.
For each following note:

1. If a note has a duration, then its duration is not affected by this instruction.
2. If a note has dots but no duration, then its duration is the duration specified by this command, but its dots remain unchanged.
3. If a note has neither dots nor duration, the its duration and dots are set to the same as this command.

The L command will affect current track only. By default all notes are quarter notes.

T

Followed by an integer. Set the tempo in Beats Per Second. Valid range is 32 to 255.
An MML music is assumed to be 4/4 time. By default, a song will play a tempo of 120 (T120).

T command will apply to the whole music, so the tempo of each track can by synchronized.

N

Play a note in the specified pitch. Its format is N pitch dots. The pitch is MIDI note number minus 12, so N48 plays Middle C. Pitch is an integer between 0 and 115.
N note can have dots, but cannot have a duration. Please use L command to change its duration.

V

Change the volume of the following notes. Volume is an integer from 0 to 127.
When in MML Compatible Mode, this command will accept an integer between 0 and 15. The program convert this integer to the volume with formula: \(volume = input\times 8+7\).
The volume setting will affect current track only. By default, all notes are played in volume 63.

&

Connect notes of the same pitch together like ties in music.
For example, C2 & C4. means to connect a C half note with a C dotted quarter note.

When used with &, all the notes in the same chord are tied.

MML@

Enter MML Compatible Mode. In MML Compatible Mode, you can use , to separate tracks. This mode is for playing Mabinogi MML music.

;

Leave MML Compatible Mode. It is also a line comment, so anything after ; is ignored.

Extensions

These commands are extensions created by me.

, (comma)

When in MML Compatible Mode: Switch to next track.
When not in MML Compatible Mode: Lower the octave by 1. This is the same as <.

' (apostrophe)

Raise the octave by 1. It is the same as >.

/

Chord. Its usage is note / note / ... / note. For example, C/E/G plays C, E, and G at the same time. Only the first note of the chord needs to specify a duration, since other notes will have the same duration as the first note.

Octave changes after / will only apply to the following notes in the same chord, so C/<G G plays two G's in different octaves.

K keyname

Set a key signature. Key name is assumed to be major key. For example, KD means that this music is played in D major.

After setting a key, the following notes that have no accidentals will add accidentals acording to that key signature.
In D major, for example, C and F are sharp, so KD C D E F G A B will play C+ D E F+ G A B.

If you want to specify a minor key, please type its relative major key instead.

Key name can have accidentals. For example B flat major can be represented by KB-.

K accidentals

Transpose all the following notes. For example K++ raises notes up 2 semitones. Transposition happens after a note adds accidentals, so KD K++ F will play a F sharp note raised by 2 semitones, that is G sharp.

This command affects every tracks, so it can be used to transpose a music.

If there are multiple transposition commands, their effect will sum up. K++ K- for example will raise music up 2 semitones, then lower down 1 semitone. The net effect will be raise up 1 semitone.

K= has no effect, since this program does not reset transposition by natural symbol.

! tracknumber

Switch to other track. Valid range of track number is 0 to 999.
For example, !0 C !1 D plays C and D at the same time.

You can interleave different tracks as you like. For example, !0 A B !1 C !0 D !1 E F is the same as !0 A B D !1 C E F.

~

Act as a tie in sheet music. Can only appear immediately after a note.
When used with /, only the notes immediately preceding ~ are tied.
For example, only G notes in C/G~ C/G are tied, where both C and G in C/G& C/G are tied.