Transcription notes for "Twelve Minuets and Twelve Dances", by Michael Dabney, published c.1760 in London by C. and S. Thompson transcribed 2015 by John Chambers = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = The individual tunes are in files with the name PPN_Tune_Title.abc, where PP is the part number, N is the tune number within the page, and the title has underscores separating the words. This gives a very readable system that puts the tunes in the same order as in the book. Perhaps it would be better to leave off the PPN_ part, giving us alphabetical order, and we wouldn't then want an index. The tunes' numbers aren't used, because they aren't 1 .. 24; they're 1 .. 12 for the minuets and then 1 .. 12 again for the dances. The minuets in this collection are written with figured-bass notation. Since most ABC software doesn't understand figured-bass notation aby better than the average modern musician does, these tunes have been transcribed in two forms: with an ABC form of the original notation, and as modern chords. The files have "-V1.abc" and "-V2.abc: on the ends of their names, and '- or '= instad of the first '_' to make it easy for the Makefile to distinguish them. So there are actually three forms of single-tune file names here: PPN_Tune_Title.abc with only melody and bass, but no chords. PPN-Tune_Title-V1.abc with ABC chords ("Gm" etc.) in the bass line. PPN=Tune_Title-V2.abc with figured-bass notation in the bass line. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Some commented-out R: lines are included as guesses to the rhythm for the dance tunes. The minuets are all in "minuet" rhythm, of course. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Some abbreviations are written with a final letter above a dot; these are mostly transcribed with the dot before the raised letter. E.g., the "S.t" on the title page represents "S." with a "t" above the dot. For the common "1st", "2d" and "3d" this isn't done, since those are so familiar. Other abbreviations are done with a final colon, e.g. "Wo:" for "Woman" and "Cu:" for "Couple". There are assorted minor typos, e.g. "of" for "off"; these are transcribed as-is. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = The dance descriptions don't use the usual dots-and-lines icons to mark the ends of dance phrases; only a (somewhat fat) horizontal line is used, which is transcribed as "_". = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = This book uses figured-bass notation, which ABC doesn't handle very well. The following kludges have been used to transcribe it: Vertical positioning is indicated by a semicolon, so "6;4" means a 6 and a 4 arranged vertically above the note. (Figured bass can be below the notes, but this publisher didn't do that.) Some ABC software uses ';' to indicate text that's to be arranged vertically, and this works with such software. Sharps can be indicated with "#", but flats are a problem. We can't use '_' in quotes for a flat sign, because it's already defined to position the quoted text above the note/staff. So I've used 'b' in the figured bass for flats, as with ABC chords and keys. Also, a raised note (sharp or natural) is indicated in this book with a back-slash through a number, which we can't easily use in ABC, so I've used the equivalent "+" notation: "+6;4" means a raised sixth plus a (normal) fourth above the note. Similarly, '=' is used for a natural sign in the ABC figured-bass notation, as with notes. Changing notes such as suspensions or raised notes are drawn to the right of a number, and we can do the same. I've included a space when the music seems to show a separation. So "6;4 3" means a sixth and a 4th resolving to a 3rd; "6;4#" means a sixth and a 4th going to a raised 4th. And so on. The usual rules for omitted notes seem to apply here, so a 3rd and 5th should be generally assumed unless they clash with the given figured-bass notes. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =