JI scales

(Since this is now actually about microtonality, I'm taking it off of
meta :)

>>
>>That's a quality scale. Have you ever tried...
>>
>>1/1 8/7 7/6 6/5 5/4 4/3 7/5 3/2 8/5 5/3 12/7 7/4
>>
>>1/1 28/27 9/8 7/6 9/7 4/3 49/36 3/2 14/9 12/7 7/4 49/27
>>

I'll look into 'em.

>>
>> From: Kraig Grady <kraiggrady@...>
>>Subject: Re: Re: XV 3080>
>>
>>the first scale is the same as my centaur scale except for the 13/8
>>which i have a 14/9 and 45/32 instead of 7/5
>> David Canwright had a good scale with 13 that also used the 11/8 !
>>

Doh!! Yeah, that's right, the scale I posted should have read:

1/1 21/20 9/8 7/6 5/4 21/16 11/8 3/2 13/8 5/3 7/4 15/8

I'm betting that may be the same as David's ?

Morton Feldman would have loved one thing I do with this, which is to
play/hold a low 1/1, and then an octave higher, play and hold the chord
21/20, 7/6, 11/8, 13/8 over it.

A sound of such desolation . . and one that really <needs> the tuning
(play it on the 12-tet piano, and it's just a wimpy C Db Eb Gb Ab).

>>
>>
>> to really see what a scale can do, i find it useful to modulate a basic
>>scale by a cycle of fifths through all the keys. that way you see what
>>happens changing one tone at a time
>>

Yep, good plan.

I really need to get a keyboard. Right now, I've got a MAX patch where I
play my typing "QWERTY" keyboard and it sends midi to my XV. I pasted
little white slips where the "black keys" should be. Pretty low budget!!

Know of a good keyboard controller (only need a controller), with a wide
range, good dynamics, for cheap?

:D

I have a 5 octive m-audio midiman which seem to work fine for my uses that was quite cheap

Christopher Bailey wrote:

>
>
>Know of a good keyboard controller (only need a controller), with a wide >range, good dynamics, for cheap? >
> :D
>
>
>
> >

--
Kraig Grady
North American Embassy of Anaphoria Island <http://anaphoria.com/>
The Wandering Medicine Show
KXLU <http://www.kxlu.com/main.html> 88.9 FM Wed 8-9 pm Los Angeles

>I really need to get a keyboard. Right now, I've got a MAX patch where I
>play my typing "QWERTY" keyboard and it sends midi to my XV. I pasted
>little white slips where the "black keys" should be. Pretty low budget!!
>
>Know of a good keyboard controller (only need a controller), with a wide
>range, good dynamics, for cheap?

I've never played a MIDI keyboard with what I'd call good dynamics,
and I've played every keyboard from major manufacturers. Probably
the best I've played is the Kurzweil PC2 (not PC2X).

However, if I were in your shoes, I'd take a gamble on a Doepfer PK88...

http://www.doepfer.de/pk88.htm

-Carl

cb,

{you wrote...}
>Doh!! Yeah, that's right, the scale I posted should have read:
>
>1/1 21/20 9/8 7/6 5/4 21/16 11/8 3/2 13/8 5/3 7/4 15/8

I've been fooling around with this, both your initial and now corrected version. May bear fruit!

>I really need to get a keyboard. Right now, I've got a MAX patch where I
>play my typing "QWERTY" keyboard and it sends midi to my XV. I pasted
>little white slips where the "black keys" should be. Pretty low budget!!
>
>Know of a good keyboard controller (only need a controller), with a wide
>range, good dynamics, for cheap?

I know Carl wants the moon, but he's right: pickings are slim if you have a musical touch. While the PC2 has a really nice feel, it is a full-on synth, so it is a lot more money than you need to lay out if you only want a controller (maybe used?). Don't know the Doepffer, but I hate to have people take a flying leap. In the disposable income realm (or at least that end of the scale), I've been quite pleased with my M-Audio Radium 61 key controller.

http://tinyurl.com/cwem2

Decent (not great, decent) keys, 8 knobs and 8 sliders (software assignable) and mod/pitch wheels, powered by the USB and provides midi output. For an office, a pretty compact and cost-effective solution (alternative) to a qwerty kbd (egads!).

I'm looking forward to actually putting hands on the 88 key from CME:

http://tinyurl.com/a552s

...but this is a fairly new product line, and while it has gotten OK reviews I won't *ever* buy any kind of controller (kbd, pads, etc) without physically trying it). Maybe Carl had a chance to play the CME stuff, but also he and I have different approaches to kbds. Get input from people and then go at least put your fingers on them.

Cheers,
Jon

cb, Carl,

{I wrote...}
>Maybe Carl had a chance to play the CME stuff, but also he and I have >different approaches to kbds.

I wouldn't want anyone to get the wrong impression: I think Carl is actually a kbd player, and I'm *not*! He's had hands on many more types of actions, etc, than I have or will, so I'm just clearing up the fact that we approach it differently mainly because I may not be as nuanced.

Cheers,
Jon

>I know Carl wants the moon, but he's right: pickings are slim if you have a
>musical touch. While the PC2 has a really nice feel, it is a full-on synth,
>so it is a lot more money than you need to lay out if you only want a
>controller (maybe used?). Don't know the Doepffer, but I hate to have
>people take a flying leap. In the disposable income realm (or at least that
>end of the scale), I've been quite pleased with my M-Audio Radium 61 key
>controller.
>
>http://tinyurl.com/cwem2

In that realm the best thing going is the new Edirol PCR series.

Doepfer does quality work, I don't hesitate to recommend their stuff.

>I'm looking forward to actually putting hands on the 88 key from CME:
>
>http://tinyurl.com/a552s
>
>...but this is a fairly new product line, and while it has gotten OK
>reviews I won't *ever* buy any kind of controller (kbd, pads, etc) without
>physically trying it). Maybe Carl had a chance to play the CME stuff, but
>also he and I have different approaches to kbds. Get input from people and
>then go at least put your fingers on them.

It's a fine product in its market segment, but nothing special.

-Carl

Hi Carl,

{you wrote...}
>In that realm the best thing going is the new Edirol PCR series.

Newer than my board, worth a look.

>It's a fine product in its market segment, but nothing special.

If my "market segment" (ugh) is a weighted-action 88 key controller with at least some assignable knobs/faders, is there anything you would recommend to compare with it? All the others seem to have either lousy or suspicious actions/keyboards.

Cheers,
Jon

On Sunday 07 August 2005 11:04 am, Carl Lumma wrote:
> >I really need to get a keyboard. Right now, I've got a MAX patch where I
> >play my typing "QWERTY" keyboard and it sends midi to my XV. I pasted
> >little white slips where the "black keys" should be. Pretty low budget!!
> >
> >Know of a good keyboard controller (only need a controller), with a wide
> >range, good dynamics, for cheap?
>
> I've never played a MIDI keyboard with what I'd call good dynamics,
> and I've played every keyboard from major manufacturers. Probably
> the best I've played is the Kurzweil PC2 (not PC2X).
>
> However, if I were in your shoes, I'd take a gamble on a Doepfer PK88...
>
> http://www.doepfer.de/pk88.htm
>
> -Carl

I rather like my Yamaha P-200's action. Better than some grands I have played,
and quite 'musical' for any purpose I've ever encountered.

Of course, it's not cheap, and it's not a controller only, so I ignored a
significant part of your question!

-Aaron.

>I rather like my Yamaha P-200's action. Better than some grands I have
>played, and quite 'musical' for any purpose I've ever encountered.

Many people swear by it... though I've never cared for it. Maybe I
should give it another go...

-Carl

>>It's a fine product in its market segment, but nothing special.
>
>If my "market segment" (ugh) is a weighted-action 88 key controller
>with at least some assignable knobs/faders, is there anything you
>would recommend to compare with it? All the others seem to have
>either lousy or suspicious actions/keyboards.

The M-Audio Keystation 88 is one option. FATAR's line is still
very strong, though they don't do USB. The VMK-188 has knobs and
such...

http://www.studiologic.net/vmk-188.html

The Keystation 88 and ProKeys 88 have the same action, though
the prototype ProKeys 88 I played at NAMM felt different than
out review unit Keystation 88... go figure. Probably the
difference in "feeling" was a difference in the velocity curve
or something similar. Anyway, it's not a FATAR action... but
it may be the same action as the CME boards... unclear.
Anderton gave the CME stuff a positive review...

http://www.keyboardmag.com/story.asp?sectioncode=30&storycode=7780

...but then again, positive reviews in Keyboard are a bit like
clover in a meadow.

-Carl

--- In MakeMicroMusic@yahoogroups.com, Carl Lumma <ekin@l...> wrote:
> it may be the same action as the CME boards... unclear.
> Anderton gave the CME stuff a positive review...
>
> http://www.keyboardmag.com/story.asp?sectioncode=30&storycode=7780
>
> ...but then again, positive reviews in Keyboard are a bit like
> clover in a meadow.

Anderton as I recall is actually a guitarist, so while I respect his
knowledge in other areas, I'm not sure why he was asked to review this
controller instead of a "real" keyboard player.

>> it may be the same action as the CME boards... unclear.
>> Anderton gave the CME stuff a positive review...
>>
>> http://www.keyboardmag.com/story.asp?sectioncode=30&storycode=7780
>>
>> ...but then again, positive reviews in Keyboard are a bit like
>> clover in a meadow.
>
>Anderton as I recall is actually a guitarist, so while I respect
>his knowledge in other areas, I'm not sure why he was asked to
>review this controller instead of a "real" keyboard player.

He plays both. He's completely qualified to review keyboards.

-Carl

>>I know Carl wants the moon, but he's right: pickings are slim if you have
>>a musical touch. While the PC2 has a really nice feel, it is a full-on
>>synth, so it is a lot more money than you need to lay out if you only want
>>a controller (maybe used?). Don't know the Doepffer, but I hate to have
>>people take a flying leap. In the disposable income realm (or at least
>>that end of the scale), I've been quite pleased with my M-Audio Radium 61
>>key controller.
>>
>> http://tinyurl.com/cwem2
>
>In that realm the best thing going is the new Edirol PCR series.

Actually the Novation Remote series would be preferrable (though
I assume it's more expensive than M-Audio/Edirol)...

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ReMOTE61/

Novation makes wonderful stuff. The Supernova II is a serious contender
for best subtractive synth ever (keep your eyes on ebay for that one).

-Carl

--- In MakeMicroMusic@yahoogroups.com, Carl Lumma <ekin@l...> wrote:
> >I rather like my Yamaha P-200's action. Better than some grands I have
> >played, and quite 'musical' for any purpose I've ever encountered.
>
> Many people swear by it... though I've never cared for it. Maybe I
> should give it another go...
>
> -Carl

I regret selling my P200. I liked the action on that better than most
other 88-key keyboards that I have tried.

I'll take your word on Mr. Anderton, btw. I do respect his contributions.

--- In MakeMicroMusic@yahoogroups.com, Christopher Bailey
<chris@m...> wrote:
>
> > I don't know if this will interest you, but I just bought
a Yamaha DGX-205, power adapter, foot pedal, USB cable,
and mutil-year
warranty at Best Buy for <$440.

It has USB capability so I have it connected to my
computer and Scala. I play 12 EDO and,and when connected
to Scala, music {basically chords} from my 24 note per
octave scale.

The nice thing about 24, is that once you can play in
it to some extent, you can keep the original 12 note
Western scale and change the *new* notes to almost
anything. This allows for the creation of many new
scales and music.

(Learning to play in 24 is a big project though.)

P.S. The keyboard feel is light. It does have
velocity sensitivity though (think that's the term).

Stephen Szpak

> I really need to get a keyboard. Right now, I've got a MAX patch
where I
> play my typing "QWERTY" keyboard and it sends midi to my XV. I
pasted
> little white slips where the "black keys" should be. Pretty low
budget!!
>
> Know of a good keyboard controller (only need a controller), with
a wide
> range, good dynamics, for cheap?
>
> :D