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Contributing to the CCEH

Contributions to this collection are welcome:

Hymn Tunes and Arrangements

I'd be happy to add public-domain scores or arrangements in any format. MIDI files are particularly useful for additional electronic postprocessing, and sheet music in Adobe Acrobat Reader PDF is printable anywhere; but other formats are welcome: either graphics files (GIF or JPEG) or scores from music-editing programs such as Noteworthy Composer, "abc" notation, Sibelius, or Finale.

Please provide information on the source and composer, so that I can add it to the database. If possible, name a widely-used hymnal that includes the tune (so that I can proofread, after importing into Noteworthy Composer to generate other formats.) If you are planning to do many of these, please contact me first, to avoid duplicating work.

Different musical arrangements: The original composition and a new arrangement of it are both copyrightable -- possibly by different people. Please ensure that contributed files do not violate either copyright.
Arrangements for special purposes: This includes (but is not limited to) instrumental accompaniments, classical performances (e.g. the Bach chorales, chorale preludes, chorale partitas, etc.), or MIDI files with separate tracks per voice.

Help with Current Projects

The Projects in Progress page includes several projects that could use help.

Hymnal Indexes

More Indexes of Hymnals into the hymn tune database would be appreciated. I have substantially done several hymnals used by Southern Baptists or churches of Christ; the (Lutheran) Service Book and Hymnal and The Hymnal (1916, Episcopal); and have partial indexes to others. If you would be willing to create such a hymnal, please contact me. If you can provide bibliographic data on a hymnal, and a cross-reference file in a format like:

1;000450
2;000012
2a;000211

with hymnal number first, (with the optional letter added to distinguish multiple tunes with the same number in the hymnal), I'd be happy to format it in the standard form.

Graphics Help

The header could use polishing. I like the general approach (lettering over gray or parchment neumes) and size, but surely a slicker version could be created. And I'd be happy to hear of suggestions for improving the file layout (but I'm very concerned about portability and page loading speed.)

MIDI File Hacking

A program that extracted the first 15 to 20 notes of the top line of the first track, and placed them in some convenient incipit format would be useful to anyone cataloging large numbers of MIDI files. [This is being addressed.]

Database or Perl Hacking

Interested in Database or Perl hacking? A program that looked up tunes based on a name or incipit typed in by the user, and on relational databases incorporating this data, would be welcome. I can provide XML and dBase-like formats; the CCEH will provide the host. [Some work is being done here also.]

Ideas

What does the CCEL need, to be a useful archive for hymns -- lyrics and music -- or a resource for hymnology reference and study? Can you help? Please contact me.