Set Class Calculator

About Set Class Calculator

Set Class Calculator (SCC) is an easy to use tool that quickly calculates the various forms of a collection of pitch classes: Normal Form, Prime Form, Interval Vector and degrees of inversional and transpositional symmetry. You can use integers or note names on a pitch-class clock face and/or a mini-piano keyboard. With the clock face, you'll be able to quickly recognize the intervallic construction of any set of pitches and quickly spot the normal form of your set.

In addition to simply calculating the normal form, prime form and interval vector, SCC generates a list of all transpositions (Tn) and inversions (TnI or In) in normal form of your set. You can even toggle into "clock face mode" where each transposition and inversion is represented by... a clock face! Common tones with your set are outlined in orange and each inversion shows the inversional mappings and axes of inversion!

Set Class Calculator (SCC) was developed for my wonderful and curious Music Theory IV students at Idaho State University (Pocatello) in an effort to help them quickly find, explore and visualize relationships between set classes, helping them gain an appreciation and understanding of set based composition. (Of course, I made them learn how to do the calculations on their own first! ;)