Comments to Andrew Kaye

Thanks for the kind words. I have so many ideas that some of them have
to be right.

I don't think there's much danger of 19-tone tyrannizing over music any
time soon, given the immense problems in the way of redesigning
instruments, etc and the inertia of the music world.

Still, I honestly think the 12-tone equal will continue its miserable
progress unless someone finds some alternate 'tyranny'. Think of it as
giving an American president dictatorial powers so he can fight a Hitler
or a Stalin.

Also, I've noticed that quite a few of the microtonalists get very
uneasy if someone points out the rather evident deficiencies of 12-tone
equal - apparently they want to be very daring and all, and play around
with something that makes the dog howl like 13-tone equal or whatever,
but when the crunch comes, it's back to the aweful, beloved 12 tones. My
favorite example is that theorist - who shall be nameless - who examined
hundreds of equal temperaments, then twisted himself into knots to find
some mathematical wil-o'-the-wisp (the 45th partial or whatever) that
would let him triumphantly announce that 12-tone equal was amazingly
special after all!

You are right that rock music uses all kinds of intonations. But I have
been able to notate the rock melodies I hear much better in 19-tone than
in any other system I've tried. Not that I've notated hundreds of them
or anything - life just isn't long enough to do everything I ought to
do.

It always annoys me when I see some piece of non-Western vocal music
notated in 12-tone equal - I _know_ the result is just a travesty of the
original.


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From: "Bob Lee"
Subject: Steel guitarists' tuning names
PostedDate: 18-12-97 07:01:13
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On 12/17/97 Bob Lee said:
>JI is called "tuning the beats out" by some steel guitarists, and "temper
>tuning" by others. 12TET actually is called "equal tempered" more often
>than not, but I also hear it called "straight up" sometimes (in reference to
>the needle on an electronic tuner).
>
Very cool & very perceptive terminology! This is another example where
the academic world (those who traditionally write the books that create
the next wave of perceived "truth") needs to listen to the music makers
(those who actually make it all happen). Luckily, more and more, and
esp. in this area, many of us cover both worlds.


>The idea of more than 12 tones per octave is alien to most steel guitarists,
>as it is to pop musicians in general. Our biggest concern is not sounding
>out of tune with the electronic keyboard and other electric instruments.
>But at the same time most of us can't bear equal temperament - our
>instruments can sound so much better than that!
>
Exceptional! I repeat my belief that steel guitar players are among the
highest level of performers, and sadly much overlooked by the world outside
of country. In terms of sheer manual technique, I bow to the steel
player any day! As a string player (bass, viola) I can move both hands
at the same time, and more or less dress myself each morning. But I
can't even come close to the physical focus & control of a top-notch steel
player...... Then, the tuning possibilities: multiple necks (diff. tuning
worlds to start with), many strings per neck, steel slide + knee portamento:
WOW! that's an instrument for us to all consider!!!!!!!!!!!!
-- Brian Belet
bbelet@sjsuvm1.sjsu.edu


SMTPOriginator: tuning@eartha.mills.edu
From: gbreed@cix.compulink.co.uk (Graham Breed)
Subject: Re: dissonance curve
PostedDate: 19-12-97 18:46:10
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