int MusicalInstrument:ID

Identifier of the instrument, one of INSTR_* constants.

string MusicalInstrument:Name

Instrument name

int MusicalInstrument:OrchestraSection

Section of the orchestra: one of the ORCH_SECTION_* constants

int MusicalInstrument:MidiSection

MIDI section: one of the MIDI_SECTION_* constants.

int MusicalInstrument:Family

Family of instrument: one of FAMILY_* constants.

table MusicalInstrument:GeographicOrigin

For "ethnic" instrument, their geographical origin

table MusicalInstrument:Era

For historical instrument, their era (Renaissance, Baroque, chinese dinasty).

Collection MusicalInstrument:Sounds

Instrument's sounds, a table of Sound.

boolean MusicalInstrument:IsVolumeDecays

Does volume decays?

table MusicalInstrument:Variants

Variants of this instrument, that may have different play/written range.

e.g. 4- or 5-octaves celesta, Bb- or C- or A- soprano clarinet.
Note: in oriented-object, the good practice would have been a MusicalInstrumentVariant object but we are also concerned by memory and serialization optimizations.

int MusicalInstrument:StaffSpan

Number of staves the instrument use, (flûte:1, piano:2, organ:3).

int MusicalInstrument:MaxSimultaneousNotes

Maximum number of simultaneously played notes: 1=monophonic, 2==polyphonic.

Pianos may have 51 (white keys in a HUGE cluster), Marimba/Vibraphone may have 4 (2 sticks in each hand), clarinet is monophonic (MaxSimultaneousNotes=1).

Collection MusicalInstrument:Necks

Necks definitions: number of courses, number of strings per course, tunings...

table MusicalInstrument:AlternativeNames

Alternative names

table MusicalInstrument:ShortNames

Short staff names

MusicalInstrument:addVariant(string variantName, string clefs, Interval transpo, int staffSpan)

Add a variant to the instrument, "Bb", "C", "A" and "G" are variant for Clarinet, as well as "3 octaves" and "5 octaves" are variants for Celesta.

Return

MusicalInstrument: self for concatenation i:addVariant("Bb", ...):play("...", "Bb/Amateur"):play(...)

MusicalInstrument:getSound(int soundID)

Get the sound from its ID.

If MusicalInstrument is known, this is really faster than GetInstrumentBySoundID(...)

Return

Sound: nil if not found

See

GetInstrumentBySoundID

MusicalInstrument:getNecksNames()

Return all necks names

Return

Collection: Collection

MusicalInstrument:getNeck()

Returns the neck from its name.

If name is in neck name - tuning name format, then neck is tuned to the tuning, else to its default.

Return

Neck: nil if not found

MusicalInstrument:getRangesNames()

Return distinct names for ranges: "" (default), "Amateur", "Pro", variant name, neck and tuning name in a iterable Collection.

Return

Collection: May be empty if no play/write ranges defined

MusicalInstrument:getPlayRange(string rangeName)

Return two play ranges of extrem and easy-to-play low and high note for the range name or sound ID.

Piano doesn't require special skills to play notes between A0 and C8, while practice or professional skills are required to play very high woodwinds notes and brass pedal notes.
Some instruments may exist in different sizes, the bigger the more expensive and less portative.
And some instrument exist in various tuning like C- and Bb-clarinet, as well as Nashville or Irish DADGAD guitar strings tunings.

Returns

string: Extreme low note, notes below this one are not playable.

string: Easy low note, notes below this one are difficult to play (require skills), or missing for some low-price or portative instruments. Notes above this one are easy to play.

string: Easy high note, notes below this one are easy to play. Notes above this one are difficult to play (require skills), or missing for some low-price or portative instruments.

string: Extrem high Note, notes above this one are not playable.

string: Easy range name, most probably "Amateur" or ""

string: Extrem range name, most probably "Professional" or ""

MusicalInstrument:getSoundPlayRange(int soundId)

Returns the sound-specific play range, if known.

Returns

string: lowest note name, or nil

string: highest note name, or nil

MusicalInstrument:getWrittenRange(string rangeName)

Get written range, clef(s) and low/high notes.

Returns

table: Lowest clef, table containing clef name, octave shift (+/- 8 or 15), line shift (+/- 5)

string: Lowest easy note name

string: Lowest extreme note name

table: Highest clef, nil means it's the same as lowest clef

string: Highest easy note name

string: Highest extreme note name

MusicalInstrument:hasSounds()

Does this instrument has sound(s)?

Return

boolean: true if so, nil (for false) if not.

MusicalInstrument:hasVariants()

Does this instrument has variant(s)?

Bb- or A- or G-Clarinet, 3- or 4- or 5-octave Celesta...

Return

boolean: true if so, nil (for false) if not.

MusicalInstrument:getVariant(string variantName)

Return the asked variant.

Return

table: or nil if variant doesn't exist

MusicalInstrument:isEra(string era)

Is this instrument created or massively played in era (period)?

Return

boolean: nil for false.

MusicalInstrument:isGeo(string country)

Is this instrument coming from country?

Mostly apply to ethnic instruments

Return

boolean: nil for false.

MusicalInstrument:isPolyphonic()

Is instrument polyphonic?

Return

boolean: boolean

MusicalInstrument:isMonophonic()

Is instrument monophonic?

Return

boolean: boolean