Regarding Microtonal Instruments That Are EASIER to Play Than 12

I noticed, in the long discussion about trying to make microtonal music popular, there was some talk of making instruments that would be easier to play than a 12-tET instrument. 5- and 10-EDO were suggested, and Herman Miller mentioned the Blackwood decatonic scale.

Well, it just so happens I recently wrote a brief paper on EDOs which are multiples of 5 (aka "5n-EDOs"), aimed at the microtonal novice and presenting the thesis that 5n-EDOs are simpler to learn and deal with than 12-tET, even up to 20 or 25-EDO. For the price of a more out-of-tune fifth, these 5n-EDOs offer easier guitar tuning, easy synth retuning, excellent approximations of non-3-limit JI intervals, a 10-note scale (the Blackwood decatonic) that is as easy to work with as the 7-note diatonic. Ultimately, I think these metatunings are ideal "first xentonalities", suitable even for untrained musicians.

I'd encourage you all to give it a read, but I know a lot of you will immediately take issue with my idiosyncratic reappropriation of some microtonal jargon...and the discussion will swiftly devolve into arguing over semantics. So, y'know, read it if you'd like a sales pitch on 5n-EDOs, or else please ignore it. I am officially refusing to debate terminology here.

You can find it in .pdf form in the "files" section of this group.

At 08:21 PM 3/23/2010, Igliashon wrote:
>I noticed, in the long discussion about trying to make microtonal
>music popular, there was some talk of making instruments that would be
>easier to play than a 12-tET instrument. 5- and 10-EDO were
>suggested, and Herman Miller mentioned the Blackwood decatonic scale.
>
>Well, it just so happens I recently wrote a brief paper on EDOs which
>are multiples of 5 (aka "5n-EDOs"), aimed at the microtonal novice and
>presenting the thesis that 5n-EDOs are simpler to learn and deal with
>than 12-tET, even up to 20 or 25-EDO. For the price of a more
>out-of-tune fifth, these 5n-EDOs offer easier guitar tuning, easy
>synth retuning, excellent approximations of non-3-limit JI intervals,
>a 10-note scale (the Blackwood decatonic) that is as easy to work with
>as the 7-note diatonic. Ultimately, I think these metatunings are
>ideal "first xentonalities", suitable even for untrained musicians.
>
>I'd encourage you all to give it a read, but I know a lot of you will
>immediately take issue with my idiosyncratic reappropriation of some
>microtonal jargon...and the discussion will swiftly devolve into
>arguing over semantics. So, y'know, read it if you'd like a sales
>pitch on 5n-EDOs, or else please ignore it. I am officially refusing
>to debate terminology here.
>
>You can find it in .pdf form in the "files" section of this group.

Nice paper! Except where you say "antimajor", I think it would be
more correct to say "inframajor".

-Carl

I think your terminology is wicked, I've even used "metatuning" a couple of times since I learnt what it means! I will try out Blackwood decatonic some time. I have read much but not all of your paper and it's decent. Good job!

Sean

--- In MakeMicroMusic@yahoogroups.com, "cityoftheasleep" <igliashon@...> wrote:
>
> I noticed, in the long discussion about trying to make microtonal music popular, there was some talk of making instruments that would be easier to play than a 12-tET instrument. 5- and 10-EDO were suggested, and Herman Miller mentioned the Blackwood decatonic scale.
>
> Well, it just so happens I recently wrote a brief paper on EDOs which are multiples of 5 (aka "5n-EDOs"), aimed at the microtonal novice and presenting the thesis that 5n-EDOs are simpler to learn and deal with than 12-tET, even up to 20 or 25-EDO. For the price of a more out-of-tune fifth, these 5n-EDOs offer easier guitar tuning, easy synth retuning, excellent approximations of non-3-limit JI intervals, a 10-note scale (the Blackwood decatonic) that is as easy to work with as the 7-note diatonic. Ultimately, I think these metatunings are ideal "first xentonalities", suitable even for untrained musicians.
>
> I'd encourage you all to give it a read, but I know a lot of you will immediately take issue with my idiosyncratic reappropriation of some microtonal jargon...and the discussion will swiftly devolve into arguing over semantics. So, y'know, read it if you'd like a sales pitch on 5n-EDOs, or else please ignore it. I am officially refusing to debate terminology here.
>
> You can find it in .pdf form in the "files" section of this group.
>

Good one, Carl! ;->
-Igs

--- In MakeMicroMusic@yahoogroups.com, Carl Lumma <carl@...> wrote:
>
> At 08:21 PM 3/23/2010, Igliashon wrote:
> >I noticed, in the long discussion about trying to make microtonal
> >music popular, there was some talk of making instruments that would be
> >easier to play than a 12-tET instrument. 5- and 10-EDO were
> >suggested, and Herman Miller mentioned the Blackwood decatonic scale.
> >
> >Well, it just so happens I recently wrote a brief paper on EDOs which
> >are multiples of 5 (aka "5n-EDOs"), aimed at the microtonal novice and
> >presenting the thesis that 5n-EDOs are simpler to learn and deal with
> >than 12-tET, even up to 20 or 25-EDO. For the price of a more
> >out-of-tune fifth, these 5n-EDOs offer easier guitar tuning, easy
> >synth retuning, excellent approximations of non-3-limit JI intervals,
> >a 10-note scale (the Blackwood decatonic) that is as easy to work with
> >as the 7-note diatonic. Ultimately, I think these metatunings are
> >ideal "first xentonalities", suitable even for untrained musicians.
> >
> >I'd encourage you all to give it a read, but I know a lot of you will
> >immediately take issue with my idiosyncratic reappropriation of some
> >microtonal jargon...and the discussion will swiftly devolve into
> >arguing over semantics. So, y'know, read it if you'd like a sales
> >pitch on 5n-EDOs, or else please ignore it. I am officially refusing
> >to debate terminology here.
> >
> >You can find it in .pdf form in the "files" section of this group.
>
> Nice paper! Except where you say "antimajor", I think it would be
> more correct to say "inframajor".
>
> -Carl
>