Yahoo Tuning Groups Ultimate Backup makemicromusic Soft-synth and microtuning feature

Hello,

Would you be interested that I post somme messages and news about
softsynths supporting a microtuning feature?
Just for information, not at all as advertisements! :-)

Something like "the next version of xyz will support microtuning by
loading a certain tuning file format."
Or, "the last avalaible version of xyz is now handling microtuning
via a specific internal setting: blah blah blah".
Or also, "could you help me in my microtuning crusade to convince
such software editor to include an alternate tuning feature"
etc, etc.

(Some of you have probably read my posts at the 16tone Yahoo's group.)

Kind regards,
Philippe

🔗Joseph Pehrson <jpehrson@...>

🔗Jonathan M. Szanto <JSZANTO@...>

Hello Philippe,

Thank you for your message - am I remembering correctly that you are involved in developing some microtonal software?

{you wrote...}
>Would you be interested that I post somme messages and news about >softsynths supporting a microtuning feature? Just for information, not at >all as advertisements! :-)

Yes, I think so, but maybe if all of us keep some of the following in mind:

>Something like "the next version of xyz will support microtuning by >loading a certain tuning file format."

I am finding this not so helpful - in the last couple of years we see some people that say they will offer microtuning, but it is either not done or done in such an awkward manner as to be unusable in a realistic way. However...

>Or, "the last avalaible version of xyz is now handling microtuning via a >specific internal setting: blah blah blah".

This is much better, which I will elaborate on below.

>Or also, "could you help me in my microtuning crusade to convince such >software editor to include an alternate tuning feature" etc, etc.

I have seen these kind of items get posted, but one must remember: this is a *very* small community. At best, we could hope that a couple of individuals could write up well thought-out reasons for a developer to support it, especially if they can supply them with an overview of current tuning file formats, etc. There is _no_way_ we could ever convince them that they will recoup a lot of effort through sales; this group currently numbers around 200, and there are forums dedicated to single softsynths that have over ten times that many members! We are a quite small group.

But by slowly amassing a body of good music, that shows what can be done, we might be able to convince both the developers AND the musicians that it is an avenue worthy of pursuit; this is happening more recently. But unless I personally am convinced that a significant number of people might actually purchase a particular micro app, I'm not going to try and lead a group effort to convince the developer to put in a lot of work - they need to do it because it seems like the right or interesting thing to do. As it stands now, that feature will hardly pay for itself.

BUT! If you come across instruments or environments that allow microtuning, do it well, and *especially* if you've used it and can show some examples, then it very much IS a good and positive thing to post about. Be sure you check the list of hardware and software synths at John Loffink's pages, as most anything listed there has already been discussed here:

http://www.microtonal-synthesis.com/

Anyone else is welcome to chime in on this topic.

Cheers,
Jon

🔗Bill Sethares <sethares@...>

I agree with Jon and JP that this can be very useful information.
It could be even more useful if it was collated and easy to search.
I'm thinking of the "microtonal synthesis" page
http://home.austin.rr.com/ginasbaskets/microtonal-synthesis/index.html
which lists all the hardware synths that support microtonality --
it also has some soft synths listed but I suspect that this is not
as up to date.

Perhaps as soft synths implement microtuning abilities, these could
be added to the microtonal synthesis page, or something equivalent
could be constructed specifically for software synths.

--Bill Sethares

>
> Would you be interested that I post somme messages and news about
> softsynths supporting a microtuning feature?
> Just for information, not at all as advertisements! :-)
>
> Something like "the next version of xyz will support microtuning by
> loading a certain tuning file format."
> Or, "the last avalaible version of xyz is now handling microtuning
> via a specific internal setting: blah blah blah".
> Or also, "could you help me in my microtuning crusade to convince
> such software editor to include an alternate tuning feature"
> etc, etc.
>
> (Some of you have probably read my posts at the 16tone Yahoo's group.)
>
> Kind regards,
> Philippe

🔗paolovalladolid <phv40@...>

--- In MakeMicroMusic@yahoogroups.com, "Philip"
<philippe.gruchet@f...> wrote:
> Would you be interested that I post somme messages and news about
> softsynths supporting a microtuning feature?

You know me... I say yes!

> Something like "the next version of xyz will support microtuning by
> loading a certain tuning file format."
> Or, "the last avalaible version of xyz is now handling microtuning
> via a specific internal setting: blah blah blah".

Definitely the 2nd. :)

Congratulations on getting Peter of LinPlug to implement microtuning
in Albino 2 and convincing him to display the current scale on the
synth's front panel and your efforts to get soft synth developers to
adopt Anamark's tuning scheme (mainly because its developer made the
tuning source code openly available for other developers).

Paolo

🔗Jonathan M. Szanto <JSZANTO@...>

Paolo,

I've usually taken a pretty "pro microtuning" stance, including lobbying developers, etc. But I also feel I have to ask the tough questions, as in:

{you wrote...}
>Congratulations on getting Peter of LinPlug to implement microtuning in >Albino 2 and convincing him to display the current scale on the synth's >front panel and your efforts to get soft synth developers to adopt >Anamark's tuning scheme (mainly because its developer made the tuning >source code openly available for other
>developers).

Congratulations, certainly; however, do you or anyone else on the list know someone who has actually purchased a license for Albino 2 and then used it for making some new microtonal music? In other words, how can we show the developers that it is worth their effort to support non-12? Are we all going to simply keep yammering at them to add these features and then no one utilizes them?

I pretty much know the people on the list that have bought into softsynths, but I would certainly like to see more support of the idea through actual use. I remember pushing one guy pretty hard, and then realizing no one had any intention of actually using the synth!

Just some reality-based ideas,
Cheers,
Jon

🔗paolovalladolid <phv40@...>

--- In MakeMicroMusic@yahoogroups.com, "Jonathan M. Szanto"
<JSZANTO@A...> wrote:
> Congratulations, certainly; however, do you or anyone else on the
list know
> someone who has actually purchased a license for Albino 2 and then
used it
> for making some new microtonal music? In other words, how can we
show the
> developers that it is worth their effort to support non-12? Are we
all
> going to simply keep yammering at them to add these features and
then no
> one utilizes them?

Fair questions, Jon. I did buy and use FM7 for a while, before
realizing it was too demanding on my poor little iBook, plus having
the aforementioned stuck notes issue.

I do plan to download and audition both Albino 2 and CronoX 2 after I
purchase my Windows laptop. And yes, actually purchase one or both
of them. I will do these things after I sell my Nord Modular G2 -
which I bought on impulse, and then realized it didn't fit my
interests.

From what I've gathered in email conversations, Philippe is a serious
user of soft synths who actually does buy licenses and works for a
French music magazine, but I should allow him to speak for himself.

Paolo

🔗Jonathan M. Szanto <JSZANTO@...>

Hi Paolo,

And to be fair, I wasn't really meaning to single you (or Philippe) out at all. I just think these are fair questions we must all address if we also wish to become very proactive about microtonality when approaching developers.

It has given me pleasure to write to one such developer (Rene of rgc) to let him know that not only have I purchased the program, but that due to his support for tuning 'we' have made two more sales for him, with another possible one in the future (Joseph?). I don't want this to sound like crass commercialism, but these small companies (and large ones, too) take the time and effort to add the features, and I'm sure it makes it a positive experience when they know that it causes not only more sales, but happy users.

Cheers,
Jon

🔗paolovalladolid <phv40@...>

--- In MakeMicroMusic@yahoogroups.com, "Jonathan M. Szanto"
<JSZANTO@A...> wrote:
> all. I just think these are fair questions we must all address if
we also
> wish to become very proactive about microtonality when approaching
developers.

I agree. z3ta+ is yet another soft synth I want to look at for my
upcoming Windows laptop. And yes, part of the reason is a desire to
reward the developer with my business.

I'm still in the networking phase of my growing involvement with our
local electronic music scene (or perhaps more accurately, our scene-
within-a-scene). To my knowledge, nobody else in this area is doing
microtuned electronic music. Somebody's gotta do it here... ;)

Paolo

🔗Philip <philippe.gruchet@...>

Hello Jonathan,

> am I remembering correctly that you
> are involved in developing some microtonal software?

I've just written some audio tools with Max/MSP, and from Max/MSP
patchers to Pluggo plug-ins.
Unfortunately, Pluggo is not yet available for Windows and Pluggo
instruments don't work anymore with Victor Cerullo's microtuning
workaround.
So, I decided to begin to work with Reaktor which includes an
optionnal microtuning instrument for developers.

I'm particularly involved in developing microtuning features in
existing soft-synths. At least, for those I like and use as 'tonal'
synths.

> >"the next version of xyz will support microtuning by
> >loading a certain tuning file format."
>
> I am finding this not so helpful - in the last couple of years we
> see some people that say they will offer microtuning, but it is
> either not done or done in such an awkward manner as to be unusable
> in a realistic way. However...

I agree! ;-)

> >convince software editor to include an alternate tuning feature

> write up well thought-out reasons for a developer to
> support it, especially if they can supply them with an overview of
> current tuning file formats, etc. There is _no_way_ we could ever
> convince them...

Well, what I observe as journalist is when I ask for an 'alternate
tuning' feature request for such or such software, I always get a
reply. I couldn't say (write) the same about hardware.
And what needs a developer? A SDK (aka Sample Developer Kit), a piece
of code easy to implement in their software. If we can provide a such
piece of code, that works; otherwise...
The great and only source code actually usable has been released by
Mark Henning. And it's from this code that some developers have
already included a microtuning feature (LinPlug), and some others are
currently working on.

> Anyone else is welcome to chime in on this topic.

Thank you very much Jonathan!
Kindest regards,
Philippe

🔗Philip <philippe.gruchet@...>

Hi Paolo!

> > next version of xyz will support microtuning by
> > loading a certain tuning file format
> > last avalaible version of xyz is now handling microtuning
> > via a specific internal setting
>
> Definitely the 2nd. :)

Hmm, yes, probably for sampler-based software.
Otherwise, your preference could mean 'no standard' and I absolutely
don't know what could I propose to developers... ?

> Congratulations on getting Peter of LinPlug
> to implement microtuning in Albino 2

Thanks for the credit but I wasn't alone! ;-)

> efforts to get soft synth developers to adopt
> Anamark's tuning scheme

While waiting for something more consistent: a good C++ sdk would be
terrific!

Bye,
Philippe

🔗Rick McGowan <rick@...>

Philippe --

You wrote:

> I'm particularly involved in developing microtuning features in
> existing soft-synths. At least, for those I like and use as 'tonal'
> synths.

That is good news for me...!

I've mentioned before that I'm always looking for two things: good piano
sounds and good bowed string sounds, both with microtonal capability. If
you know any VSTi developers of those types of instruments, I would love to
buy good microtonal VST instruments for piano and bowed strings. I would
like them to use ".tun" files like what most others are now using, from the
available source.

Cheers,
Rick

🔗Philip <philippe.gruchet@...>

Jonathan,

> It has given me pleasure to write to one such developer
> (Rene of rgc)

Yes, René has a great forum at KVR (free subscription) where this
topic has been amply discussed. You'll find the rgc:audio forum at:
<http://www.kvr-vst.com/>

> commercialism, but these small companies (and large ones, too)
> take the time and effort to add the features, and I'm sure it makes
> it a positive > experience when they know that it causes
> not only more sales, but happy users.

Oh yes! Coming from the shareware domain, happy users is 'something'
so much important than happy customers! ;-)
And yes, sending back to them some 'demo songs' (any musical style)
using their microtuning feature would be a wonderful support to
convince some others.

Kind regrads,
Phi

🔗paolovalladolid <phv40@...>

--- In MakeMicroMusic@yahoogroups.com, "Philip"
<philippe.gruchet@f...> wrote:
> Hi Paolo!
>
> > > next version of xyz will support microtuning by
> > > loading a certain tuning file format
> > > last avalaible version of xyz is now handling microtuning
> > > via a specific internal setting
> >
> > Definitely the 2nd. :)
>
> Hmm, yes, probably for sampler-based software.
> Otherwise, your preference could mean 'no standard' and I absolutely
> don't know what could I propose to developers... ?

Sorry, Phi, I misspoke because I misunderstood some things in your
post. I am most definitely in favor of synths being able to load
popular tuning formats, instead of forcing users to manually enter
each new tuning they want to use (which is what I now think you mean
by "internal setting only").

Paolo

🔗Philip <philippe.gruchet@...>

Hi Rick,

> I've mentioned before that I'm always looking for two things:
> good piano sounds and good bowed string sounds,
> both with microtonal capability.

The best I recently tested is the NI's Sampling Line: Kontact,
Intact, Kontact.
See Kompact at:
<http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?kompakt_us>
Kompact uses the Kontact audio engine and a specific MICROTUNING
feature.
You have to set your tuning to save in your preset. No external
tuning files support.

Some other labels use the Kontact engine to include their own samples
library, such Best Service and it's "Steinway Grand Piano".
You'll also find the same MICROTUNING feature as in Kontact and
Kompact:
<http://www.bestservice.de>

See also at Zero-G:
<http://www.zero-g.co.uk>

HTH,
Phi

🔗Philip <philippe.gruchet@...>

Paolo,

> > microtuning via a specific internal setting
> > Hmm, yes, probably for sampler-based software.

> Sorry, Phi, I misspoke because I misunderstood some
> things in your post.

No prob.
(And it's late here, my English becomes approximate! ;-)

> I am most definitely in favor of synths being able to load
> popular tuning formats, instead of forcing users to manually enter
> each new tuning they want to use (which is what I now think you
> mean by "internal setting only").

Yes.
About 'standard' synth, using external tuning files is the most easy
to handle with quite good results. (Albino2 works really fine with
TUN files!)
About sampler and microtuning, it's a more complex problem for which
I'm absolutely not a expert.
I'm also here to learn ;-)

Philippe

🔗Jonathan M. Szanto <JSZANTO@...>

{you wrote...}
>Yes, René has a great forum at KVR (free subscription) where this topic
>has been amply discussed. You'll find the rgc:audio forum at:
><http://www.kvr-vst.com/>

I take part in the forum, but it is under a user name. Very, very helpful,
as is the LinPlug forum (makers of Albino 2 and ChronoX).

>Oh yes! Coming from the shareware domain, happy users is 'something' so
>much important than happy customers! ;-)

I get the happy distinction - just to be clear, when I said "users" I *did*
mean people who had purchased licenses. I find that many of the developers
use of demo versions to be extremely helpful - how easy would it be to walk
out of a music store with 3 different synths to compare? Demo versions are
a very good development.

>And yes, sending back to them some 'demo songs' (any musical style) using
>their microtuning feature would be a wonderful support to convince some others.

Check out the contribution of former member Jacky Ligon at
http://www.linplug.com/Products/CronoX/cronox.htm entitled "Galang Taathe".

Cheers,
Jon

🔗Philip <philippe.gruchet@...>

🔗kraig grady <kraiggrady@...>

Would it be possible to furnish links that go to to the matter in
question. Neither one of these did much except send me on a search which
did not pan out, or possibly one can just put the info up.

Philip wrote:

> Hi Rick,
>
> > I've mentioned before that I'm always looking for two things:
> > good piano sounds and good bowed string sounds,
> > both with microtonal capability.
>
> The best I recently tested is the NI's Sampling Line: Kontact,
> Intact, Kontact.
> See Kompact at:
> <http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?kompakt_us>
> Kompact uses the Kontact audio engine and a specific MICROTUNING
> feature.
> You have to set your tuning to save in your preset. No external
> tuning files support.
>
> Some other labels use the Kontact engine to include their own samples
> library, such Best Service and it's "Steinway Grand Piano".
> You'll also find the same MICROTUNING feature as in Kontact and
> Kompact:
> <http://www.bestservice.de>
>
> See also at Zero-G:
> <http://www.zero-g.co.uk>
>
> HTH,
> Phi
>
> [MMM info]------------------------------------------------------
> More MMM music files are at http://www.microtonal.org/music.html
> ------------------------------------------------------[MMM info]
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>

-- -Kraig Grady
North American Embassy of Anaphoria Island
http://www.anaphoria.com
The Wandering Medicine Show
KXLU 88.9 FM WED 8-9PM PST

🔗John Loffink <jloffink@...>

Ideally for the Microtonal Synthesis web site I would implement the data
into a database with a search/filter function, such as all software
synthesizers running on Windows, but I don't have the facilities or software
to do that.

I monitor this list and try to add things as I see them, but often the data
is incomplete, documentation is unavailable without installation, etc., so
an email direct to me with the same information as listed in the table
format is the most expeditious way to get something listed.

John Loffink
The Microtonal Synthesis Web Site
http://www.microtonal-synthesis.com
The Wavemakers Synthesizer Web Site
http://www.wavemakers-synth.com

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bill Sethares [mailto:sethares@...]
>
> I agree with Jon and JP that this can be very useful information.
> It could be even more useful if it was collated and easy to search.
> I'm thinking of the "microtonal synthesis" page
> http://home.austin.rr.com/ginasbaskets/microtonal-synthesis/index.html
> which lists all the hardware synths that support microtonality --
> it also has some soft synths listed but I suspect that this is not
> as up to date.
>
> Perhaps as soft synths implement microtuning abilities, these could
> be added to the microtonal synthesis page, or something equivalent
> could be constructed specifically for software synths.
>

🔗Philip <philippe.gruchet@...>

Hello John,
> Ideally for the Microtonal Synthesis web site I would implement the
> data into a database with a search/filter function, such as all
> software synthesizers running on Windows, but I don't have
> the facilities or software to do that.

And for Mac too! ;-)
Which software are you missing to do that?

> I monitor this list and try to add things as I see them, but often
> the data is incomplete, documentation is unavailable without
> installation, etc., so an email direct to me with the same
> information as listed in the table format is the most
> expeditious way to get something listed.

I get your format and send you back all legal info I can grab.
Thanks for your contribution!

Best regards,
Phi

🔗Philip <philippe.gruchet@...>

🔗Jonathan M. Szanto <JSZANTO@...>

🔗Rick McGowan <rick@...>

🔗Philip <philippe.gruchet@...>

Hi J,

> >It's times to to send him some realistic info for a good
> >microtuning implementation. What do you think?
>
> (Glenn Olander) planned on stopping development
> because a new job in the real world.

Yes, with Eric Persing at Spectrasonics.
(The new Stylus has been introducing at the Frankfurt MusikMesse
where Eric spoke with really warmhearted words about Glenn.)

I've just posted an add at the Crystal group:
</crystal-users/>

If you have any extra info, suggestions...
thanks in advance for your contribution.

Kindest regards,
Philippe

🔗Philip <philippe.gruchet@...>

🔗paolovalladolid <phv40@...>

--- In MakeMicroMusic@yahoogroups.com, "Philip"
<philippe.gruchet@f...> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> It seems than Glenn Olander, the author of Crystal, is currently
> working on microtuning. See his last post at:
> </crystal-users/message/1854>
>
> "I have a question for you microtuning enthusiasts: what kind of
> keyboard mapping do you generally use? Do you only use 12 tone
> scales?
> If not, how do you usually do the keyboard mapping for non-12 tones
> scales?
>
> - Glenn"
>
>
> It's times to to send him some realistic info for a good microtuning
> implementation.
> What do you think?
>
> Kindest regards,
> Philippe

I contributed what little I could to the thread - I told him I'm
working with the 19-tET preset tuning on my Emu XL-7 and described how
it maps the notes incoming from my MIDI keyboard (a cheap Yamaha
DGX202 "porta-piano").

I don't know enough about .tun vs. .scl vs .kbm tuning files so I
stayed out of that discussion. Hopefully other microtonal music
makers will weigh in on that thread.

Paolo

🔗Philip <philippe.gruchet@...>

🔗paolovalladolid <phv40@...>

--- In MakeMicroMusic@yahoogroups.com, "Philip"
<philippe.gruchet@f...> wrote:
> Hi Paolo,
>
> > I don't know enough about .tun vs. .scl vs .kbm tuning files so I
> > stayed out of that discussion. Hopefully other microtonal music
> > makers will weigh in on that thread.
>
> But your ideas and suggestions about how to handle alternate
> tuning support in a softsynth are the welcome! ;-)
>
> Bye,
> Phi

Hey Phi,

Yahoo Groups ate my post to crystal-users, so I reposted my answer to
Glenn's question about what tuning I use and how the synth maps the
tuning from the keyboard input (C1 key = C1 pitch, G2 key = C2 pitch,
etc.). As far as I'm concerned, if he can get Crystal to load .scl or
.tun tuning files, that's good enough for me.

Paolo

🔗Margo Schulter <mschulter@...>

Hello, there, Glenn and Philippe and all, and please let me emphasize
that there are various approaches to mapping tunings of more than 12
notes per octave to one or more keyboards.

A complication here is that ASCII diagrams of keyboard layouts might
look very curious for people viewing on the Yahoo site, and based on
one experiment with my Lynx browser, I'm not sure that choosing the
"Expand Messages" option would solve the problem; also, people using
proportional fonts to view this might get unpredictable results.

One approach, which I follow, is to map such a tuning to two standard
12-note MIDI keyboards, with up to 24 notes per octave. Often I prefer
arrangements with 24 notes per octave where both keyboards have the
same pattern of steps and intervals and are placed at some convenient
distance apart. A general diagram, with an asterisk (*) representing
the distance between the keyboards in a given system, might look like
this:

C#* Eb* F#* G#* Bb*
C* D E F G A B C
-----------------------------------------------------------
C# Eb F# G# Bb
C D E F G A B C

For example, this scheme could use two 12-note Pythagorean tunings at
a 64:63 or 7:6 apart, to get some pure ratios like 7:6, 9:7, and 7:4.
Another example is two 12-note sets in some shade of meantone
temperament, for example 1/4-comma or 2/7-comma, at a distance of what
is called an "enharmonic diesis" -- the difference in a given
temperament, for example, between G# and Ab. One favorite illustration
of mine is Peppermint, with two 12-note sets of a regular temperament
with fifths at around 704.10 cents (about 2.14 cents wide) placed at a
distance of about 58.680 cents.

With a tuning set of 13-17 notes per octave, I use an arrangement
somewhat analogous to 15th-18th century European keyboards with "split
key accidentals" -- that is, with a black key divided into two parts,
so that the front portion produces G# and the back portion Ab, for
example. A "conventional" -- for me -- example, is my standard layout
for a 17-note system dividing each whole-tone into three diatonic
semitones or thirdtones, which I've used for 17-equal or 17-tET,
unequal well-temperaments, and also a just system called JOT-17:

Db D# Gb Ab A#
C D E F G A B C
-------------------------------------------
C# Eb F# G# Bb
C D E F G A B C

These models can also be adapted to what I might call, for me,
somewhat less "conventional" tunings, where you can't form a 2:1
octave from five identical whole-tones plus two identical semitones.
For example, here's a mapping for 20-equal, based on two keyboards
with identical patterns at 2 scale steps apart:

5 7 13 15 18
2 6 9 10 14 17 21 22
-------------------------------------------------
3 5 11 13 16
0 4 7 8 12 15 19 20

Here's an arrangement for 14-equal where only two of the accidental
keys vary between the two keyboards, with the other notes the same on
both:

1 4 7 9 12
0 2 5 6 8 11 13 14
-------------------------------------
1 3 7 10 12
0 2 5 6 8 11 13 14

Please let me emphasize that a choice of layouts can reflect the
interval preferences or stylistic leanings of the person doing the
layout, and also that these solutions might be considered rather crude
compared to a generalized keyboard, for example, with up to 53 or more
notes per octave.

Most appreciatively,

Margo Schulter
mschulter@...

🔗paolovalladolid <phv40@...>

🔗Paul Erlich <perlich@...>

I frequently use several different mapping ideas, both on the Ensoniq
(where it's easy) and the Korg Karma (where it requires more
trickery).

1. 12-note per octave tuning, mapped trivially
2. N-note per octave tuning, mapped one key per note, acoustical
octaves fall where they may
3. N-note per octave tuning, some keys are left out of the mapping,
so that the acoustical octaves fall on an integer number of keyboard
octaves

🔗Philip <philippe.gruchet@...>

Hello Paul,

Many thanks for your post!
May I quote you at the Crystal group?

</crystal-users/>

Cheers,
Philippe

> I frequently use several different mapping ideas, both on the
> Ensoniq (where it's easy) and the Korg Karma (where it
> requires more trickery).
>
> 1. 12-note per octave tuning, mapped trivially
> 2. N-note per octave tuning, mapped one key per note, acoustical
> octaves fall where they may
> 3. N-note per octave tuning, some keys are left out of the mapping,
> so that the acoustical octaves fall on an integer number of
> keyboard octaves

🔗Paul Erlich <perlich@...>

🔗Philip <philippe.gruchet@...>

🔗Margo Schulter <mschulter@...>

> From: "paolovalladolid" <phv40@...>
>
> Margo,
>
> Are you using a separate synth for each of the 2 MIDI keyboards or
> are both keyboards driving the same synth? If the latter, I guess
> you have a synth that allows a separate tuning per MIDI channel?
>
> Paolo

Dear Paolo,

Please let me explain, as I should have before, that indeed I am using a
Yahama TX-802 synthesizer driven by both MIDI keyboards; this synth has a
"part-tuning" feature so that each "instrument" has its own microtuning
table. As you suggest, what I do for more than 12 notes per octave is to
choose one tuning table for any instrument played on the lower keyboard
(usually MIDI channel 1), and another for any instrument played on the
upper keyboard (usually MIDI channel 2).

Most appreciatively,

Margo
mschulter@...

🔗Philip <philippe.gruchet@...>

Hello,

Some more details about BitHeadz Unity software:
<http://www.bitheadz.com>

Unity can be used with external tune tables stored as text file
format.
In the "Unity Editor" -> Programs -> Global:
First click Add in the left column and select the new program.
Then, in the Scale panel, chose Type, Key and Mode.
Click in the tuning table and the Export function of the File menu
turns to "Export Tuning...".
The generated file is a text file format and can be easily read and
edited in any text editor: it's just a 1 column/128 rows in cents for
the full midi notes range from [C-1, 0.0000 cent, 8.1758 Hz] to [G9,
0.0000 cent, 12543.8564 Hz], where cents can be any user values.

So, the txt tuning table contains 128 lines in cent, 4 decimals:
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
etc.

From the File menu, chose "Import tuning...". Any scale in this
format can be imported from the Import menu command.
However, be sure to first expand the scale to the full midi notes
range before importing.
(Unity has no expand feature to do that.)
If the scale is not previously expanded, the remaining notes keep one
of the two Unity default settings, "Equal Tempered" or "Just
Tempered".

It's also possible to edit each note separately: select a row, click
the Edit button (or double-click the selected row) : a dialog appears
where you can type Cents and Hertz.

HTH,
Philippe