Komplete 2, Cubase

Hi, I've been a lurker of this group for like.. well more then a year..
maybe 2?

Anyway, I just bought me a copy of that there Komplete 2... and I happen to
note that the good people of NI seem to have put an awful lot of tuning
abilities into there software instruments.. and as of not too long ago Cubase
decided to have midi plugins.. one of which is a microtonal scale thing...
the only trouble is that I have a few hurdles to jump in order to use these
tools properly.. As I kinda don't "get them," or "how they work."

My approach to microtonalisim is best described like this.. I was once in
a studio of inter related media program at a local art school.. I explained
to them that the music I was presenting to them had 6 times as many notes as
what they where used to.. and that, well you know.. more is better... Someone
thought this was an expression of American Excess.... and challenged me on
it, saying "you know matt, sometimes more isn't better" to which I replied..
well yes it is... it's a question of tonal fidelity.. and when he asked why
I didn't use a scale with more then 72 notes, I explained to him that that
number doesn't include the auxiliary notes... at that was pretty much the end
of that part of the critique
But I mean.. that's why I do this.. cause there's more colors... and
my inner Jungian likes drones I guess. But I only have about 2 hours worth of
theory.. training.. (from a guy I took guitar lessons from who told me he
was Matt Menari's college room mate..)
Well I think modern electronic music sorta changes things in terms of
how one develops, right? I mean you don't have to wait around to train some
band to play what you just wrote.. and I suppose that modifies the roll of
theory.. but the point is I lurk around these parts and others... and I don't
really understand much of what's going on.. And I'm the only one (out side of
cyber land) I know who is mad enough to do this sort of stuff... and you
know what Freud said was the difference between the neurotic and the normal
person? The neurotic's isolated..
Anyway... I saw that there La monte Young Well tuned piano tuning
thing.. but it didn't really make much sense to me... I'd like to be able to use
that tuning in cubase, perhaps in the komplete instruments to, but I don't
really know much about how to go about that.. and I was looking for guidance...
thinking that there might be some folks around these parts who know about
these things...
I was also wondering.... Are there places to go for information on
microtonal artists, and what's going on with this sort of thing? In part
because I'm interested and in part because I plan to release a CD soon and am
wondering how to reach an audience..
Also.. seeing that I hear rumors that such an audience exists, what
are the values of this audience? I understand that as an artist making art..
if you dream of being supported by an audience.. it's a good idea to have
something to say in relationship to said audiences values.. (this was supposed to
be a funny joke, but it didn't quiet work out)
well, ty for your tolerance and patience and stuff

Mr Thustra AKA matt searles

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Welcome, from a fellow beginning microtonal musician.

--- In MakeMicroMusic@yahoogroups.com, Tramtrist7@A... wrote:
> Anyway, I just bought me a copy of that there Komplete 2... and I
happen to
> note that the good people of NI seem to have put an awful lot of
tuning
> abilities into there software instruments.. and as of not too
long ago Cubase
> decided to have midi plugins.. one of which is a microtonal scale
thing...
> the only trouble is that I have a few hurdles to jump in order to
use these
> tools properly.. As I kinda don't "get them," or "how they work."

Cubase has a microtonal scale plugin? Does it work by sending MIDI
pitch bend messages to other plugins? Just curious.

If you're on the Mac, a software product called Lil' Miss Scale Oven
can simplify the tuning process for you. It can load tuning files
and export them to the NI synths (which cannot, to my knowledge, load
these files by themselves and thus make you enter each tuning you
want to use manually). It has a lot of other features too, of
course. If you're on Windows, I'm sure a number of folks here can
point you to the appropriate tuning software.

Paolo

Hey Matt,

{you wrote...}
>Hi, I've been a lurker of this group for like.. well more then a year.. >maybe 2?

Oh, one of the *quiet* ones! Well, I'm glad to have you!

First off, you've got a lot of info in one blast, so I don't know that it will all get answered right off the bat, but I'll give some quick thoughts...

As Paolo sort of implied, it is always nice when talking about your working scenario if you mention your platform (PC, Mac, Linux, etc.). This will help us give you only pertinent data/apps/ideas, etc.

>Anyway, I just bought me a copy of that there Komplete 2... and I happen to
>note that the good people of NI seem to have put an awful lot of tuning
>abilities into there software instruments.

Good things can be done with some of the synths they offer - I hope some of the NI users will chime in. I've been trying to get Absynth to use a really open tuning system, rather than a built-in set of scales or internal tuning editor. We'll see how we go. But I believe FM7 has the broadest support.

>My approach to microtonalisim is best described like this...

I think one of the best aspects of microtonality, as it stands right now (and especially WRT computer-based work) is that there is NO "right" way. Just on this list, which is tiny compared to a lot of music lists, there are many, many ways that people use microtonality to make their music of preference. I happen to think that this is a Very Good Thing.

>But I mean.. that's why I do this.. cause there's more colors... and my >inner Jungian likes drones I guess. But I only have about 2 hours worth >of theory.. training.. (from a guy I took guitar lessons from who told >me he was Matt Menari's college room mate..)

Welll, Matt Maneri has great cred and is a wonderful musician, all stemming from his dad Joe. Do a quick Google on Joe Maneri and you should see quite a bit of info - he has had a profound effect especially in the Boston area.

>Well I think modern electronic music sorta changes things in terms of
>how one develops, right?

Yep.

>I mean you don't have to wait around to train some band to play what you >just wrote.. and I suppose that modifies the roll of theory.. but the >point is I lurk around these parts and others... and I don't really >understand much of what's going on.

You aren't the only one! But you can ask, and if it doesn't get answered here (esp. if it is more along the lines of microtonal theory) there are places we can point to so that you can get up to speed on that end as well.

>And I'm the only one (out side of cyber land) I know who is mad enough to >do this sort of stuff...

Microtonality is one of the last areas where - in music at least - you can really chart a new course. And it is pretty much the intrepid explorers who do this. Revel in your loneliness! :)

>I was also wondering.... Are there places to go for information on >microtonal artists, and what's going on with this sort of thing? In part >because I'm interested and in part because I plan to release a CD soon and >am wondering how to reach an audience..

There isn't really a 'clearinghouse' of information. Be sure to check on the links page, the listing of music that is already out on the net. I wouldn't be surprised if you contacted musicians that are represented there that you would get msgs back about how they go as to spreading their music. But we/they are still a very small niche. It will take time. But if you dig a bit, you might be surprised how many different people, in a large number of ways, are using alternative tunings to make very new music.

>Also.. seeing that I hear rumors that such an audience exists, what are >the values of this audience?

Impossible to say. I don't really know for a fact that an audience exists, certainly not along the lines of more traditional (either classical or pop or ?) music audiences.

>well, ty for your tolerance and patience and stuff

This list doesn't move at light speed, so patience is kinda built-in...

Cheers,
Jon (aka ListMom)