A naive question

Message written at 02 Dec 1996 17:11:11 -0500

I have been giving a little thought to specifying tuning systems
within a software system. At present I am limiting myself to equal
temprament scales.

It seems to me that there are three parameters to specify the scale,
and two (or one) to specify frequency required. At present my
operator take as arguments

1. The number of equal divisions (eg 12 -- sorry 19)
2. The interval to be divided (eg 2 for octave, 3 for 12th)
3. A base frequency

My question is about the base frequency. At present I am toying with
either making this "octave" zero, which suggests in the system I use
(where octave 8 contains middle C) make is 1.021975, or alternatively
decreeing that octave 8 is the reference point, and so 8.0 is always
261.62561 (or there abouts).

My first question is what have a failed to realise? Is the reference
freguency really obvious and i have failed to understand?

My second question is how useful is the large interval other than 2
and 3? I have this feeling that a two octave repeating scheme could
be interesting?

I am using the selection in the format oct.pitch which assumes 100ET
or less. Does anyone (apart from me) ever think about 100ET?

Any advice appreciated.

==John ff

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