12-Like

Brian sez:
> By far the most interesting equal temperaments
> are those which have *little or nothing* in common with
> traditional Pythagorean and 5-limit tunings.

I'm not sure if I would go so far as to use the phrase "by far", but I
understand what Brian is getting at here. Over all, I tend to agree. But I
would like to put two caveats on that:

First, I found Paul's XH article to be very much worth reading, and a well
thought-out systemization of meaningful concepts (actually, I'm not quite done
reading it yet). I have no doubt that Brian appreciates the value of Paul's
article as well, despite his constructive criticism.

Second, although my work with wildly 88CET and two other wildly
nontraditional tunings has taught me dramatically the value of "starting over",
I have found one very strong value from the 12-like tunings: Quite often people
pay more attention if you present them with a composition that goes something
like...

"Normal Normal Normal Huh?! Normal Normal Normal Eeewww!"

rather than...

"Huh? Huh? Hmmmm.. What? Come again? Mmmmm? Say what?"


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> Brian writes:
>
> > But how many live acoustic xenharmonic concerts did
> > YOU attend last year?
>
> > And didn't ALL of 'em use one-of-a-kind exotic homebuilt acoustic
> > microtonal instruments?

I guess it is clear that Brian inhabits a totally different world from
the one I live in. And I'm not talking about locale, either.

To my ears "pressing buttons on electronic technology" is the least
satisfactory musical sound. Vocal sound is the primal musical sound and
that is not discussed. Truth, most who press buttons can't hear in
their heads what they are supposed to produce audibly.

We live at time where there are multitudes of great musicians, ready to
play anything. I don't know if they need an endangered species act, but
it would be a shame if they will soon need refugee status.

Here in New York City musicians will read any notation that makes use of
their training. So - Julian Carrillo's 96-ET music in his original
number notation has always required transcription to a plus or minus of
49 cents above a quartertone notation. Lesson: the more foreign the
notation the less likely a performance by master musicians.

Gardner Read's "20th Century Microtonal Notoation" demonstrates that there
are a myriad of notations, as there are multiplicity of tunings. Perhaps
notation reflects profoundly a creators aesthetic as does the choice
of tuning, or instrumental color, or form, etc.

It is self-prophesizing to proclaim that the unexperienced doesn't
exist. Somehow I am surpsrised that with all the traveling that AFMM
is involved in there has never been an invitation to perform on the West
coast.

There is yet beautiful music to be made on CDs that are acoustic and that
use the resonant instruments that human heritage has produced. I believe it
is a mistake to alienate yourself from the grass roots of sound. New
sounds are great, too! Love homemade stuff. MMmmm. Even great
electronics, sometimes.

Johnny Reinhard
AFMM
reinhard@styx.ios.com

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