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6.3 Voices, Chords and Polyphony

6.3.1 Voices

Use the voice parameter to specify a voice (numbering starts at 1 and continues up to 128, more than can possibly fit on a staff). If you don't specify one, the default value is 1.

If you explicitly assign voices to note events, keep in mind that the lowest voice number is usually the highest on the staff and vice versa. 

duration 1/2
time 0      voice 1 pitch 73 ; voice 2 pitch 63 ;
time 1/2    voice 1 pitch 67 ; voice 2 pitch 59 ;
time 1      voice 1 pitch 70 ; voice 2 pitch 61 ;
time 1+1/2  voice 1 pitch 71 ; voice 2 pitch 63 ;
time 2      voice 1 pitch 67 ; voice 2 pitch 58 ;
time 2+1/2  voice 1 pitch 73 ; voice 2 pitch 59 ;
time 3      voice 1 pitch 70 ; voice 2 pitch 55 ;
time 3+1/2  voice 1 pitch 75 ; voice 2 pitch 59 ;
time 4      voice 1 pitch 70 ; voice 2 pitch 63 ;
time 4+1/2  voice 1 pitch 73 ; voice 2 pitch 55 ;
time 5      voice 1 pitch 70 ; voice 2 pitch 63 ;
time 5+1/2  voice 1 pitch 67 ; voice 2 pitch 61 ;
time 6      voice 1 pitch 71 ; voice 2 pitch 58 ;
time 6+1/2  voice 1 pitch 67 ; voice 2 pitch 63 ;
time 7      voice 1 pitch 71 ; voice 2 pitch 61 ;
time 7+1/2  voice 1 pitch 67 ; voice 2 pitch 63 ;
time 8      voice 1 pitch 73 ; voice 2 pitch 58 ;
time 8+1/2  voice 1 pitch 71 ; voice 2 pitch 63 ;
time 9      voice 1 pitch 67 ; voice 2 pitch 58 ;
time 9+1/2  voice 1 pitch 73 ; voice 2 pitch 59 ;
time 10     voice 1 pitch 75 ; voice 2 pitch 61 ;
time 10+1/2 voice 1 pitch 71 ; voice 2 pitch 58 ;
time 11     voice 1 pitch 67 ; voice 2 pitch 63 ;
time 11+1/2 voice 1 pitch 71 ; voice 2 pitch 58 ;

ex022.png

Figure 6.20: Voices

6.3.2 Polyphony

FOMUS is given a choice between several voices here by passing a list to the voice parameter. 

part <id apart, inst piano>

part apart

voice (1 2 3)
tim 2.08318 dur 2.88301 pit 75 ;
tim 2.09164 dur 2.99741 pit 68 ;
tim 7.4124 dur 2.67397 pit 63 ;
tim 8.08441 dur 1.2428 pit 66 ;
tim 8.25527 dur 1.22803 pit 64 ;
tim 10.35368 dur 1.01455 pit 74 ;

ex023.png

Figure 6.21: Polyphony 1

part <id apart, inst piano>

apart

d1/4
v(1 2)

t0     p62 ; p59 ;
t1/4   p84 ; p50 ;
t1/2   p78 ; p75 ;
t3/4   p73 ; p74 ;
t1     p78 ; p62 ;
t1+1/4 p75 ; p60 ;
t1+1/2 p84 ; p65 ;
t1+3/4 p78 ; p66 ;
t2     p79 ; p53 ;
t2+1/4 p76 ; p73 ;
t2+1/2 p82 ; p77 ;
t2+3/4 p73 ; p72 ;
t3     p61 ; p75 ;
t3+1/4 p75 ; p79 ;
t3+1/2 p89 ; p51 ;
t3+3/4 p62 ; p66 ;
t4     p61 ; p51 ;
t4+1/4 p71 ; p58 ;
t4+1/2 p63 ; p74 ;
t4+3/4 p65 ; p50 ;
t5     p79 ; p76 ;

ex024.png

Figure 6.22: Polyphony 2

6.3.3 Chords

Chords are formed when simultaneous or overlapping notes exist in a single voice. In the following example, FOMUS finds it appropriate to create chords in one voice even though it is given a choice: 

part <id apart, inst piano>

part apart

duration 1/2
voice (1 2)

time 0     pitch 57 ; pitch 65 ; pitch 71 ;
time 1/2   pitch 60 ; pitch 48 ; pitch 51 ;
time 1     pitch 65 ; pitch 50 ; pitch 58 ;
time 1+1/2 pitch 66 ; pitch 48 ; pitch 63 ;
time 2     pitch 71 ; pitch 65 ; pitch 48 ;
time 2+1/2 pitch 68 ; pitch 59 ; pitch 69 ;
time 3     pitch 68 ; pitch 58 ; pitch 49 ;
time 3+1/2 pitch 51 ; pitch 66 ; pitch 70 ;
time 4     pitch 62 ; pitch 52 ; pitch 65 ;
time 4+1/2 pitch 61 ; pitch 68 ; pitch 49 ;
time 5     pitch 58 ; pitch 67 ; pitch 58 ;
time 5+1/2 pitch 69 ; pitch 52 ; pitch 53 ;
time 6 duration 1 pitch 58 ; pitch 68 ; pitch 52 ;

ex025.png

Figure 6.23: Chords 1

In this example, FOMUS is forced to fit everything into one voice. FOMUS has no choice but to form chords in this case. 

part <id apart, inst piano>

part apart

voice 1

time 3  duration 1 pitch 68 ;
time 3  duration 2 pitch 60 ;
time 4  duration 4 pitch 77 ;
time 12 duration 2 pitch 66 ;
time 13 duration 1 pitch 77 ;
time 17 duration 3 pitch 77 ;
time 18 duration 2 pitch 82 ;
time 18 duration 2 pitch 60 ;

ex026.png

Figure 6.24: Chords 2

FOMUS uses a setting called vertmax to determine the maximum number of notes allowed in a chord. For most instruments the appropriate value is 1. FOMUS needs this information when it chooses voices so that it doesn't notate passages that are impossible to play. The place to put vertmax is in an instrument or part definition, though it may also be changed for individual measures or notes.

In the following example, setting vertmax to 1 in the part definition overrides the default of 5 that is defined in the instrument. This forces the output to consist of two individually monophonic voices. 

part <id prt1, vertmax 1, inst piano>

prt1

voice (1 2)
duration 1/2

time 0 pitch 61 ; pitch 67 ;
time 1/2 pitch 56 ; pitch 50 ;
time 1 pitch 61 ; pitch 67 ;
time 1+1/2 pitch 56 ; pitch 50 ;
time 2 pitch 56 ; pitch 61 ;
time 2+1/2 pitch 50 ; pitch 67 ;
time 3 pitch 50 ; pitch 56 ;
time 3+1/2 pitch 67 ; pitch 61 ;
time 4 pitch 61 ; pitch 56 ;
time 4+1/2 pitch 50 ; pitch 67 ;

ex027.png

Figure 6.25: vertmax Setting