1. for an augmented sense useful for musicians: add the ability to hear whether or not a note is in tune. Not sure how best to implement this — some sort of kinetic feedback system would be the most straightforward, but doesn’t seem true to it’s purpose in the same way that the belt buzzing north does.

    How about a small speaker on the shoulder/in a hat which plays a very quiet A 440hz — then use the beats to judge whether or not the note is in tune.

    Possible problems: might only work adequately for A and related notes (E, maybe D), might be irritating to have a constant sound — like artificial tinnitus. Also irritating if notes which the wearer doesn’t control are slightly out of tune! Probably the most simple solution is to allow the sound to be toggled quickly and easily.

  2. For all his smugness and misrepresentation, I’m actually really impressed with Howard Goodall’s conclusion to the Story of Music. In particular the closing segment, where he satisfyingly sums up the history of in about four sentences.

    Most of the series was moderately interesting historical info, but concluding by linking the advent of the Play button to Bach’s notation style is quite profound.

  3. I got tired of WPSM looking and working the way it does (I wrote it when I was 13 and learning PHP), so I’ve taken the data and started building the Music module. Live here. Major but already looking and working better than the old one!

  4. The gig went alright, considering we had major bagpipe tuning problems (chanter stuck a quarter-tone between F# and G). Thanks to everyone who came!

    Now I’ve played Bach in front of a paying audience I feel like a real musician. Couldn’t have done it without Robin Andrews though :)

  5. Wow, exporting my DB of tunes (for migration into the shiny new system) as almost results in valid !

    -
      TUNE_ID: 1
      T: Bourree De Brand
      M: 2/4
      L: 1/8
      C: Trad. French
      N: Bourree from France
      K: G
      ABC: |-
        d>B GB|c3g|f>d ef|ga bg|d>B GB|c3g|f>d ef|g4:|
        |:c2e2|g=fd2|e=fe2|ded2|cB AG|c2e2|g=fd2|e=f/2e/2 dB|c4:|
      words: 
      genre: folk