Gate time Theory (3 parts) {Table Updated}

Gate time Theory

Part-1: Opening

My writing here is based on what I learned at school (State Conservatoire).

According to the way we work: If there is no slur or articulation on the note, the two notes are slightly separated from each other. But not with of  95% value!.

In fact, the musician does this easily.
However, if you want a machine to do this operation by giving certain rules, everyone's interpretation will be different.

Theory:

For Quarter and lower note values: (For values greater than the Quarter note, this may differ. We'il discuss this later.)

Suppose the value for Slur, and Tenuto is 100%. (1000 in the Musescore's piano-roll editor.)

A lower level of this value will be "Tenuto with Dot"; We can give it 90%. (900 in piano-roll)

In this case, the duration value of the normal note must be around 80% ~ 85% (800 ~ 850 in piano-roll)

For Staccato, values from 50% to 60% are suitable. (500 ~ 600 in piano-roll)

For Stacatissimo, values between 30% and 40% are suitable. (300 ~ 400 in piano-roll)

Table:

+------------------+-------+--------+ | Exp. | Value | P.Roll | +------------------+-------+--------+ | Legato (*1) | 1.05% | 1050%. | | Full/Slur/Tenuto | 1.00% | 1000%. | | Tenuto+Staccato | 0.90% | 900%. | | Normal Gate Time | 0.80% | 800%. | | Staccato | 0.50% | 500%. | | Stacatissimo | 0.35% | 350%. | +------------------+-------+--------+ *1: Overlap required.

 Please try it out, and write your feedback. 

Part-2: Duration values longer than the base beat.

We've talked about the quarter note and the lower values. (I assume the time signature is x/4)

Now, let's talk about the longer notes than the base duration.

Half note includes two quarters:





Dotted Half note contains three quarters:





Whole note contains four quarters:

And the Gate-time should only be applied to the last Quarter, not to the whole duration: (in 4/4 or x/4)

Solfege: Do, oh*




Solfege: Do, oo, oh




Solfege: Do, oo, oo, oh

*: "oh" indicates the last quarter note with (reduced) gate time.

Table (Updated)

+----------------+--------+-------------------+-----------------+ | | Ticks | Ticks | MuseScore | | | Duration |(Normal)|(Gated)| 1000th | Expl.(MS 1000th)| +----------------+--------+-------+-----------+-----------------+ | Whole Note | 1920 | 1824 | 0.950 | 0.750 + 0.200 | | Half Note | 960 | 864 | 0.900 | 0.500 + 0.400 | | Quarter Note | 480 | 384 | 0.800 | 0.800 | +----------------+--------+-------+-----------+-----------------+ | Dotted Half | 1440 | 1344 | 0.933 | 0.667 + 0.266 | | Dotted Quarter | 720 | 672 | 0,933 | (Based on: 8th)| | Dotted Eighth | 360 | 336 | 0.933 | (Based on: 16th)| | Dotted 16th | 180 | 168 | 0.933 | (Based on: 32th)| +----------------+--------+-------+-----------+-----------------+ | 4th | 480 | 384 | 0.800 | 0.800 | | 8th | 240 | 192 | " " | (Based on: 8th)| | 16th | 120 | 96 | " " | (Based on: 16th)| | 32nd | 60 | 48 | " " | (Based on: 32nd)| | 64th | 30 | 24 | " " | (Based on: 64th)| | 128th | 15 | 12 | " " | (Based on:128th)| +----------------+--------+-------+-----------+-----------------+ | Double dotted | ... | ... | ... | | | 4.. | 840 | 816 | 0.971 | (Based on: 4th)| | 8.. | 420 | 408 | " " | (Based on: 8th)| | 16.. | 240 | 204 | " " | (Based on: 16th)| | 32.. | 120 | 102 | " " | (Based on: 32th)| | 64.. | 60 | 51 | " " | (Based on: 64th)| +----------------+--------+-------+-----------+-----------------+ | Triplet | ... | ... | ... | | | (each one) 1t!| 1280 | 1166 | 0.911 | (Based on: 2t)| | " " " 2t | 640 | 576 | 0.900 | (Based on: 2t)| | " " " 4t | 320 | 256 | 0.800 | (Based on: 4t)| | " " " 8t | 160 | 128 | 0.800 | (Based on: 8t)| | " " " 16t | 80 | 64 | 0.800 | (Based on: 16t)| +----------------+--------+-------+-----------+-----------------+ *MIDI TPQ is 480 **TPQ: Ticks per Quarter. ! "1t" is only possible in 8/4

If you've noticed, all the dotted notes for Musescore (1000th) are 933%.
Please note that we are talking theoretically and that all tables change when the base values ​​change.

 Please try it out, and write your feedback. 

In the next part, we will compare the playing times of base duration values ​​in note writing software such as Sibelius, Finale and Encore.

Part-3: Gate-time comparison between software:

The Sibelius software doesn't use any gate-time at all. Whatever you write is playing full length (100%).

The Encore software is using a gate-time. The time is equal to one-nine of the note you wrote (90%).

I couldn't examine the Finale, because I don't have it. I tested it with the Finale NotePad 2012 instead. The behavior of this software is somewhat surprising. Because the notes -as if there were a legato- a bit overlap. (105%)

The Band-in-a-Box uses a default note duration as one-eight (80%). This is clearly stated in the help file. According to his comments, "Notes are not always played for their full duration. If a whole note is inserted with a duration of 80%, the note would play for 80% of 4 beats = 3.2 beats." 
In fact, based on the base note duration (in this example= Quarter), this is incorrect. However, this applies only to those that are equal to and lower than the base note duration (metronome).

I think (maybe)  it's commercial concerns that the four software behaves differently.

• Finale: while trying to earn more customers by playing more legato,
• Sibelius: does this as a full-duration note.
• Encore: seems to have made a small optimization (although not very high market share).
• Band-in-a-Box: seems to be using the ideal gate-time value. (the market share of this software is very high. However, it is a {chord and style} accompaniment software rather than dedicated to writing musical score {engraving}.)

Table

+---------------+------+-------------+ | | Gate | my | | Software | Time | comment | +---------------+------+-------------+ | Finale | 105% | ? | +---------------+------+-------------+ | Sibelius | 100% | not opt'd | +---------------+------+-------------+ | Encore | 90% | litte opt'd | +---------------+------+-------------+ | Band-in-a-Box | 80% | ideal | +---------------+------+-------------+

If you have another note-writing software that you are using, you can add the gate-time values below (as a comment).
(or: also export as a MIDI file and send to me)