Workaround for triangle in chord symbols to automatically imply 7

• Mar 2, 2021 - 12:32
Reported version
3.6
Type
Functional
Frequency
Few
Severity
S5 - Suggestion
Reproducibility
Always
Status
active
Regression
No
Workaround
Yes
Project

Why is a Major 7th chord not played as such, when you use the shortcut ∆ ?


Comments

Title Major 7th chords Major 7th chords doesn't playback if notated with ∆ (shortcut 't')
Frequency Many Once
Severity S5 - Suggestion S4 - Minor
Status active needs info

Sample score please. "at" -> "A∆" does play back, as does "a7" > "A7" and "at7" > "A∆7" but "a7t" > "A7∆" though indeed does not (other then the A itself), do you mean that?

It is A Major 7, so "at7" > "A∆7" makes sense, while "a7t" > "A7∆" does not, A 7 Major?

Title Major 7th chords doesn't playback if notated with ∆ (shortcut 't') Request for triangle in chord symbols to automatically imply 7
Severity S4 - Minor S5 - Suggestion
Status needs info active
Type Performance Functional

Technically, the triangle by itself - without the 7 - doesn't necessarily mean to play the seventh; many musicians use it to indicate a triad. The 7 should therefore always be included.

Still, it's not uncommon for people to omit it - similar issues for half-diminished (see #297246: Chord symbols: in some cases, 0 (zero) does not turn into ø), so at some point we should probably support this alternate notation style.

Title Request for triangle in chord symbols to automatically imply 7 Major 7th chords
Frequency Once Many
Type Functional Performance
Title Major 7th chords Request for triangle in chord symbols to automatically imply 7
Frequency Many Once
Type Performance Functional
Frequency Once Few

FWIW, there was a forum post or two about this, but apparently no issue submitted that I can find.

Also, to be clear, this issue isn't unique to playback, it is built-in to the parser that hasn't changed appreciably in many years. It's just that previously, the only way to recognize that the triangle wasn't implying the 7th already was to export to MusicXML. Now playback is there to tell the same story.

Hello. I'm curious if this subject is still being considered. I know that for jazz players, the triangle does imply the 7. I would think that the triangle is used more often as maj 7 then simply the triad.

Severity S5 - Suggestion S4 - Minor
Reported version 3.6 4.x-dev

Hi, I can only enforce that the triangle (alias "t" or "^") should stand for a 4 voice major7 chord in Jazz (0 4 7 11). Short symbols are important, when there is not much room in a measure (eg 4 chords per bar). (Regular length is fine here)
"Xt" is a very common and basic chord, as is X-7 , X7 or X0, they should render short with symbols and should be recognized as such. I think that MusicXML treats the triangle as 3 note major only.
Just my 2 cents (maybe 2,5 cents since I read jazz chords intensively for some decades)
Kai

If you are writing for musicians, you can use the "Jazz" interpretation, just make sure they understand the convention.

If, however, you are writing for MIDI, you must understand that the "Classical" (if I may use that term) interpretation is that the 7 is not implied and must be added.

If the convention now used is switched to your preference, many others who follow the established convention will then have a problem.

How do you propose that they "remove" the 7 unless specifically asked for?

I write a great deal of music for players. I was used to the 7 being implied, but when I though about it, I realized that it is a very insignificant addition to my work flow to follow the convention now established in MuseScore.

Title Request for triangle in chord symbols to automatically imply 7 Workaround for triangle in chord symbols to automatically imply 7

Hi,
I am looking for a personal workaround to the above matter (triangle implies major and major7, t==>"0 4 7 11")
[I am aware of the chordsymbol Style xml files and am able to control the display, but not the sound|voicing]
Is there a non-source-touching way to "invent" a new Chord the parser takes as given, including voicing for its playback.
For example:
The following "j" eg should replace triangle "t" as I would like it. So "Cj" should define the chord (display and sound) entirely, without needing (the lengthy and complicated) parser.
I would like the basic jazz (4 note) chords to be short and of equal length, as there are some already (like m7b5==0). Extensions in addition to those: Root, Basic Chord, Extensions.

Maybe someone can give me an sketch of a predefined "Xj" chord -with voicing- in the XML style files.
Thanks a lot

Kai

The style files control the display only, not the playback or the parsing. To get playback to include the seventh, you need to have the 7 there. But, you can have a custom XML file to force the 7 not to display. Something like this at the bottom of the file (just before the closing musescore tag):

    <chord>
      <name>t7</name>
      <render>triangle</render>
      </chord>

Or you could add the chord you to see but disable it's playback, and also the chord you want to hear but make it invisible.

Thanks. I also tried similar things. Without success! With regards to the < chord > Tag. I tried to follow the two examples (6/9 and 6) -commented out- at the end. Seems to have no effect.
The changes in < token class="xxx" > seem to be read in, but I am not sure if that is the correct spot and don't understand the logic.

Greetings

btw. I use your file with the stacked chord extension with eg "[9/13]" syntax with success.

I tested it and it worked fine for me, but note whenever using custom XML files, the customziation get written to the score so changing the file afterwards won't work. You'll need to do each test with a new file to make sure you are seeing the effects correctly.

I wouldn't really recommend messing with the token definitions because then you wouldn't be able to also have t9 etc. For this purpose I think you need to catch each specific chord.

if you need further help, please ask on the Support forum. This issue tracker has been retired and is not normally visible to folks who otherwise might be able to help.

Thanks, works now!!! I never really used a NEW file. I will repeat maybe your hint helps others:

If (even) I apply the above (or similar) patch to the xml chord style file and connect to a new file, a new chord symbol like "ct7" now sounds and displays like expected, with triangle only and sound with major7th.

I consider this a workaround since extensions like "ct79" still display all three symbols and have to be defined similar i suppose. I'll look into that some more.