Pieces in this database can be searched by:
a) text incipit and/or words in the title;
b) content of all the pieces in a particular Misión or Concurso;
c) language of pieces;
d) the number of identification (ID) of the piece;
e) musical genre (genres have been grouped in three large categories: "canto", "canto y baile" and "música instrumental"; see also "Genres" in the main menu);
f) location (see also "Locations" in the main menu); and
g) music incipit (first notes of the piece).
The search can combine several options.
The numeric music incipit we have created represents the intervals between the first few notes of a piece, indicating whether the interval is ascending (+), descending (-), or represents a repeated note (=0); the number corresponds to the number of semitones (C-D is +2). For instance, the music incipit F-A-C-D-F-D can be searched through its equivalent numeric incipit: +4+3+2+3-3. This simple system helps to identify identical melodies transposed to different tonalities and/or with different texts, as well as to distinguish between different musical versions of pieces with identical text; for instance, this incipit +4+3+2+3-3 helped identify two instances of the same melody, one without text starting on F and the other with text starting on D. We are also working on a search tool with music notation and/or with a keyboard, but that will have to wait.
Recently we have incorporated the option “Audiovisuales” to search those pieces to which we have added audio or video files and/or links to YouTube or other websites with related audiovisual materials; this is an aspect of the project which we are still developing.