Table of Contents

Mini-notation

Mini-notation is a short text language for patterns. Mini.Notes reads note names, Mini.Drums reads drum names, Mini.Integers reads whole numbers (scale degrees, for example), Mini.Numbers reads decimals, and Mini.Chords reads chord names.

A pattern is one cycle of four beats. Steps in the text share that cycle equally, so c3 e3 g3 puts each note on a quarter of it.

Syntax

Syntax Meaning Example
space The next step in the cycle. c3 e3 g3
~ A rest. c3 ~ g3
[ ] A group that fills one step. c3 [e3 g3]
*n Repeat a step n times within its slot. c3*2
/n Stretch a step over n cycles. c3/2
<a b> One item per cycle, in turn. <c3 e3 g3>
(p,s) Euclidean rhythm: p hits across s steps. c3(3,8)
a@n Give a step n times the slot. c3@3 e3
a _ Extend the previous step by one slot. c3 _ e3
a!n Repeat a step n times. a! repeats it twice. c3!3
a? Sometimes drop the step. c3?
a:v Velocity, 0 to 1 (notes only). c4:0.6

Note names

Names are a letter A to G, optionally # or b, then an octave. c4 is middle C. Octaves run from -1 to 9.

Names without an octave are in octave 3. The same note names are read everywhere text names a note: Notes.Parse("c e4 g4:0.6"), Scale.Parse("c3 minor"), Chord.Parse("c3:min7"), and NoteInput.NoteOn("a2 g3 e4") for live notes, where the notes of the first cycle all start at once. A MIDI number is the way in only when a number is what you have.

Chords

A chord name is a root and a quality: c3:min7, f3:7, g3:maj7, a3:sus4. Qualities include maj, min, dim, aug, sus2, sus4, 7, maj7, min7. Chord.Parse("c3:min7") builds one chord from the same text.

Drums

Mini.Drums reads drum names and gives notes on the General MIDI drum map, so one pattern can drive your own sounds or a MIDI drum kit: bd bass drum, sn snare, rim side stick, cp clap, hh and oh closed and open hi-hat, lt, mt and ht toms, cr crash, rd ride, cb cowbell. :0.4 sets the velocity (hh:0.4). Play each drum as its own pattern with the sound you want; the pitch only says which drum it is.

Scales

A scale is text too, and so are its degrees: Scale.Parse("c3 minor").Notes("0 2 <4 7> ~") is the same as Scale.Minor(Pitch.C3).Notes(Mini.Integers("0 2 <4 7> ~")).

Examples

// Two bars of the same beat: the chord changes every bar, the lead picks one note per cycle.
Mini.Notes("[c3 e3 g3]*2 <f3 a3 c4> <g3 b3 d4>")
    .Play(v => Saw(v.Frequency).LowPass(1000, q: 2).Adsr(0.005, 0.1, 0.5, 0.2), bpm: 100) * 0.2

// Degrees in C major: 0 is the root, 4 the fifth above, and the group plays both.
Scale.Parse("c3 major").Notes("0 [2 4]*2 <5 7>")
    .Play(v => Triangle(v.Frequency).Adsr(0.005, 0.1, 0.5, 0.2), bpm: 110) * 0.4

// Numbers for a control signal: a rhythm of hits written as values.
Saw(110).LowPass(Mini.Numbers("200 2000 200 ~").ToSignal(smoothSeconds: 0.01), q: 2) * 0.4

A parse error is reported with its position in the text. Patterns that are too dense, or nested too deeply, are refused with a message rather than played.

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