n_steps
and the three time format functions are generic since they
apply clearly to and are useful for not only noteworthy strings, but also
note info, music, and lyrics objects.
If x
is still a simple character string, these functions attempt to
guess if it is noteworthy, note info, or music. Lyrics content is arbitrary
so is never considered for a simple character string. Best practice is to
set the class before using these functions anyway.
There are many package functions that operate on noteworthy strings that
could in concept also work on music objects, but the expectation is that
sound and time/info are disentangled for analysis.
The music class is convenient and relatively efficient data entry, e.g., for
transcription purposes, but it is not sensible to perform data analysis with
quantities like pitch and time tightly bound together in a single string.
This would only lead to repetitive deconstructions and reconstructions of
music class objects.
The music class is intended to be a transient class such as during data
import, data entry, or data export.
Most functions that operate on noteworthy strings or note info
strings strictly apply to one or the other. Generic functions are reserved
for only the most fundamental and generally applicable metadata retrieval
and format coercion.