New tuner for PC platform, other tuning/synth info

Saw this mentioned elsewhere, from Victor Cerullo:

"A free utility for Windows called "Microtuner LE" is now available at the following URL:

/16tone

This program is essentially a bidirectional cross-conversion utility between Scala files (.scl), MIDI Tuning Standard (.mid, .syx) and Microtuner files (.mtx) for the Windows platform."

It seems that there is still constant flux/development as to what kind of format for tuning the softsynth people adopt. When one doesn't have a bona fide standard, the next best thing is to have something that translates one format into another. Looks like this is another way to skin a turnip...

==========

On a related note, there is ongoing talk of microtuning in the Absynth mailing list, where the primary developer answers questions (I think this is one of the most exciting developments of networks/Internet: being able to talk directly to the people making the tools). I'm posting the following in advance of writing the dev guy, Brian Clevinger, directly; it is some of the comments I scanned from recent posts (the non-quoted comments are from Mr. Clevinger):

*****
>Wonderful! What method will be used? Import of tuning table, such as
>via Scala? Or similar to fm7?

You'll have to wait and see because it's not done yet;-) But Absy will have a nice tuning editor, you'll be able to tune any midi note to any pitch.

*****

Both Hz and "floating point semitones" will be supported. The resolution will be much higher than what you're asking for. I'm not sure exactly how many decimals there will be in the release, but it will be very precise. I have a lot of friends who are into alternative tuning, and everybody wants higher resolution than what is commonly available.

*****

>Cool. Finally, a synth with a tuning table that can be operated in
>Hertz instead of cents. Due to a series of reasons, I would have
>preferred a better resolution, though - but it's a good start
>anyway.

You can set tuning in Hertz, decimal midi note number or ratio to any other note. I could increase the resolution quite easily in future releases, I just thought 6 decimals was pretty good.

>Now it would be so nice if Absynth 2.0.1 could load those
>Microtuner text files, that are expressed in Hertz actually. Or Scala
>files at least.

I do intend to implement something like that soon.

*****

So, *something* is happening. I need to ask Mr. C if there will be a demo version of 2.0, where the tuning editor is more fully implemented; currently the demo is from version 1.3.2. It is a beautiful sounding and complex synth, worthy of getting into a flexibly tuned format.

==========

Lastly, I had been having problems attempting to try out Rhino, from Big Tick (having only had one tick in my life, I *still* wish that wasn't their name...) but I had success: for whatever reason, the standalone version did not interface with the soundcard, insisting on sending to 'simulated' ports, causing unacceptable latency problems as well as glitches (this *may* be due to its construction as a VST instrument). Once I installed it in Sonar with a VST -> DXi wrapper, it worked like a charm. And, indeed, it is a very fine FM-style program, with seemingly a deep set of tools (especially in terms of envelopes). I'll try and bang it around some more.

I gotta go battle ants right now.

Cheers,
Jon