Orion Platinum

I've received a mail from Synapse Audio that the
Orion Platinum software supports the Scala scale file
format now. It's limited to 12-tone scales though,
since it's tightly integrated with a sequencer that
has a piano roll window.
See http://www.synapse-audio.com

Manuel

On 8 Nov 2002 at 16:58, manuel.op.de.coul@... wrote:

> I've received a mail from Synapse Audio that the
> Orion Platinum software supports the Scala scale file
> format now. It's limited to 12-tone scales though,

I see that it is listed as supporting equal temperament plus four
other tuning systems. Does anyone know which four?

Judy

Judith Conrad wrote:
>I see that it is listed as supporting equal temperament plus four
>other tuning systems. Does anyone know which four?

This must be mistake. I just suggested a set of Scala files
to them to include. And you can load any scale from the archive,
as long as it has 12 tones.

Manuel

On 9 Nov 2002 at 16:49, manuel.op.de.coul@eon-benelux wrote:

>
> Judith Conrad wrote:
> >I see that it is listed as supporting equal temperament plus four
> >other tuning systems. Does anyone know which four?
>
> This must be mistake. I just suggested a set of Scala files
> to them to include. And you can load any scale from the archive,
> as long as it has 12 tones.

Exact quotation off website:

> Microtuning is now possible in Orion Platinum, which means that
> you can choose between alternative tuning scales, which will be
> applied to all of Orion's internal generators. In addition to the
> standard of the western world, equal temperament, four other
> tuning systems are available.

I assume that means there are four 'presets', others you would have
to load yourself.

Interesting question for members of this forum, if you had four 12-
tone tunings to choose from, which four would you think?

From where I'm coming from, I would think Quarter-comma meantone,
plus some irregular circulating temperament such as Werckmeister III,
the other two would have to be non-western. And the truth is, it
occurs to me, there is not a single non-western tuning I know how to
tune. Nominations from the floor?

Judy

--- In MakeMicroMusic@y..., judithconrad@m... wrote:
> On 8 Nov 2002 at 16:58, manuel.op.de.coul@e... wrote:
>
> > I've received a mail from Synapse Audio that the
> > Orion Platinum software supports the Scala scale file
> > format now. It's limited to 12-tone scales though,
>
> I see that it is listed as supporting equal temperament plus four
> other tuning systems. Does anyone know which four?
>
> Judy

Hi everyone,

I've ben using Orion since May and I'm the one who suggested the developper the use of Scala files for it. Alternate tunings where implemented in the last update, but for now the user has no way to import or create tunings. You have to use the presets offered and they are (taken from the helpfile):

Pythagorean, well tempered tuning, was invented by the historical greek philosopher and mathematician, Pythagoras. This type of tuning is based solely on the interval of one fifth, and although Pythagoras was primarily concerned with the theoretical science, this scheme also happened to be consistent with the practical tuning of a greek, eight-stringed instrument.

Werckmeister 1681, well tempered tuning, was conceived by Andreas Werckmeister (1645-1706) - like other well tempered schemes, it was designed to functional optimally with a particular style of music, and takes special care of the intervals between notes used in major and minor chords.

Just intonation, or "just tuning", developed in England since the late 12th century. Working with Pythagorean tuning as a starting point, various changes were made to acommodate various circumstances that were detected during that time, by various theorists and musicians. One of the observations, was that singers tend towards certain intervals, and this tuning scheme takes these harmonics into consideration.

Bagpipe is a special type of tuning used for bagpipes, and for bagpipe music.

Zvon

Hmm, I don't consider Pythagorean a well-tempered tuning. And I have
the same problem with a tunign suited for a Greek 8-stringed
instrument as I have with a Bagpipe tuning -- extrapolating to 12
notes per octave is making up facts out of thin air.

But at least they picked 4 distinct approaches, and interesting ones
at that.

Judy

On 10 Nov 2002 at 15:22, zvontr wrote:

> I've ben using Orion since May and I'm the one who suggested the developper the use of Scala files for it. Alternate tunings where implemented in the last update, but for now the user has no way to import or create tunings. You have to use the presets offered and they are (taken from the
helpfile):
>
> Pythagorean, well tempered tuning, was invented by the historical greek philosopher and mathematician, Pythagoras. This type of tuning is based solely on the interval of one fifth, and although Pythagoras was primarily concerned with the theoretical science, this scheme also happened to be
consistent with the practical tuning of a greek, eight-stringed instrument.
>
> Werckmeister 1681, well tempered tuning, was conceived by Andreas Werckmeister (1645-1706) - like other well tempered schemes, it was designed to functional optimally with a particular style of music, and takes special care of the intervals between notes used in major and minor chords.
>
> Just intonation, or "just tuning", developed in England since the late 12th century. Working with Pythagorean tuning as a starting point, various changes were made to acommodate various circumstances that were detected during that time, by various theorists and musicians. One of the
observations, was that singers tend towards certain intervals, and this tuning scheme takes these harmonics into consideration.
>
> Bagpipe is a special type of tuning used for bagpipes, and for bagpipe music.
--
http://home.mindspring.com/~judithconrad/index.html

--- In MakeMicroMusic@y..., judithconrad@m... wrote:

> Hmm, I don't consider Pythagorean a well-tempered tuning.

It's certainly not that. It could be considered a meantone tuning, depending on what you use for thirds.

On 11 Nov 2002 at 8:22, Gene Ward Smith wrote:

> --- In MakeMicroMusic@y..., judithconrad@m... wrote:
>
> > Hmm, I don't consider Pythagorean a well-tempered tuning.
>
> It's certainly not that. It could be considered a meantone tuning, depending on what you use for thirds.

I wouldn't strictly call a tuning 'Pythagorean' unless I tuned it
entirely in pure fifths. Although once they started using the
accidentals (which they most likely didn't on the 8-string Greek
instruments, I would think), say in the 14th century or so, they came
up with refinements. Tune pure fifths B flat -- F -- C -- G -- D -- A
-- E, then temper B so the third G-B beats the same as, or a little
more than, the fifth B-E, then tune the sharps in pure fifths from B.

It's sometimes called 'Boulliau Temperament', it's quite nice for a
lot of keyboard music written in the church modes. Is that what
you're referring to, the B as a sort-of mean between G and E? Bit of
a stretch. There must be something else I'm forgetting.

Judy

Judith wrote:
>... as I have with a Bagpipe tuning -- extrapolating to 12
>notes per octave is making up facts out of thin air.

I suggested them also to allow fewer than 12 notes, but
that would need to go to a next release if at all.
So these four other tunings belong to an older version.

Manuel

i also agree that pythagorean is not a well-temperament, since
the wolf fifth falls outside the range acceptable in such tunings.
moreover, even the "just" tuning is a sort of extrapolation -- far
more authentic and practical would be meantone, say
1/4-comma meantone tuning.

They could have the modern Indian Gamut as the twelve tone just tuning

Robert