Scala is a very complete freeware editor/librarian/analysis tool for tunings. It allows scales to be created, manipulated and combined in many different ways. A large library of scales is available for it. It can tune various different synthesizers and samplers via standard MIDI-files. To install, unpack scala.zip in an empty directory and read the readme file.
Version 1.4 is an update with about 10% more functionality than 1.3. Some of its new features:
- The EXAMPLE command to create xenharmonic MIDI files from input text files has been made much more powerful. One can now use more than one instrument, define tracks, insert controller messages, use note names instead of only note numbers, specify relative time, use more than one scale, use a default scale and specify any quarter note division. - Several new note name systems were added for the command SET NOTATION. - Erv Wilson's operations "Purvi modulation" and "Marva permutation" are implemented (MODULATE/GENERATOR and PERMUTE/GENERATOR). - Roots of "polynomials" with arbitrary exponents can now be calculated. This is needed if one wants to calculate non-octave equal temperaments with certain beat rate properties. - Text files produced by JICalc with scales can be converted to Scala scale files. - Farey parent and child ratios can be calculated. - Harmonic scale approximations can be searched for a scale (FIT/HARMONIC). - Beat rates can now be shown with a built-in command (SHOW BEATS). - The COMPARE command has been enhanced. - The help file has been converted to HTML format so it can be read with a browser, and printed out in better style. It is roughly 64 pages A4. - An HTML version of the mode list was added.
Thanks to Kami Rousseau for suggestions and feedback.
A library of 2000 scale files of all kinds in Scala format can be downloaded from ftp://byrd.math.uga.edu/pub/music/dx7/scales/scales.zip ftp://ella.mills/edu/ccm/tuning/software/scales/scales.zip
Below is the list of commands that are new in this version:
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