Encoding metrical times and durations in scores

[jonnybluesman]

Representing and manipulating metrical times

Main discussion thread to address the need of representing metrical duration consistently.

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Currently, as a temporary workaround to keep the original JAMS (audio) structure, we are collapsing [measure, offset] in a single value that can be used for the time (start) field. Duration is represented accordingly, but: (i) may not be consistent when time signature changes occur; (ii) may not support mathematical operations in base 10 when the offset is expressed in beats (e.g. 1.4 is almost 2 in 4/4).

[jonnybluesman]

We currently settled on the measure.beat convention, which still comes with several drawbacks besides being more consistent. Literature review of symbolic music standards for annotations is needed, in addition to expert feedback for the next stages.

[jonnybluesman]

This needs maximum priority now. We should start two parallel directions in preparation of a better standard.

• Measure and beat counters should always start from 1 (and not 0). Musicians count from 1. Working on this.
• How this issue is addressed by other symbolic annotation methods in the literature (exhaustive review, as suggested before).