On a notation and tuning for Shoe Horns, Sewer Pipes, and that

>I recently enrolled in the tuning digest list. I'm interested in describing
>the parameters of tuning that operate in solo unaccompanied singing. A
>number of years ago, I looked at this in the songs of several women singers
>from central Java, Indonesia. Now I'm looking at unaccompanied solo song
>in various styles of euro-american-world music. Can anyone direct me to a
>publication that gives a table of the cent values that operate in a
>just-tuned scale, in comparison, say, to other scales? I have the
>marvelous table called "Microtonal Music," which was "coordinated by Tui
>St. George Tucker, Robert Jurgrau, and Johnny Reinhard," that appeared on
>cover of Ear Magazine East 7/5 (11-1/1982-83). Have there been any
>critiques of this table, or has it been superceded?
>Thanks, M Hatch

All attempts at describing the tuning of solo vocal music that I am aware
of have resulted in meaningless nonsense because they try to use the same
tuning theory that was developed for fixed-pitch instruments. Music made
on free-pitched instruments is an *enirely different animal* than music
made with fixed-pitch instruments, as far as tuning goes.

To put it differently: Necessary for the study of free-pitched performance
is a totally different type of tuning theory, something that I'd seriously
doubt has never existed. This is probably because there's never been a
need for musicians to describe it, and those who are motivated toward a
description for academic reasons tend to miss basic concepts. They don't
mind, because their theory doesn't have to do anything anyway.

When somebody has a use in mind, then we'll see a useful description of
free-pitched tuning: "I want to run a keyboard thru a box that re-tunes the
parts like a choir would sing it", or "I want to make a computer-performed
line sound like am inspired saxaphone solo." I admit these may not be the
best examples, but I personally have no interest in a description of
free-pitched tuning and they're the best one's I could come up with. I am
sure there are much better ones out there, and more power to them and
anyone interested in persuing. I am under no belief that my interests
should be anyone else's.

>> What about a standard notation that can accurately capture any tuning?
>> (freqeuncy,volume,time)

Maybe it's possible, but it couldn't work as well in any one tuning as a
notation system designed just for that tuning. And besides, why bother?

Apparently, there's a rumor floating around that there's this thing called
"Conventional Notation". It's rigidly defined in a book somewhere, and
everyone in the world who plays music is trained to read it. What's more,
unlike anything else you'll ever learn, learning to read Conventional
Notation doesn't encourage the developement of routines that help you with
similar tasks. Instead, your ability to understand all other
left-to-right-printed data becomes severely impaired. Prolonged exposure
to Conventional Notation can destroy conditioned responses in laboratory rats.

Interest in replacing this "Conventional Notation" is not limited to
Xenharmonics. For example:

http://triemme.com/top100/musiscript/home.htm

Without saying a word about the MusicScript system itself, we can notice
that it was designed, not because a way to notate something was needed, but
just for the purpose of "replacing" something else.

The value of new music shouldn't be measured on a yardstick of old music.
It isn't good because it sounds different, and it isn't bad because it
neglected the forms of the classical masters.

Music has no worth when static, but all of it is valuable if some of it is
still being written. It is not a collection, it is a form of human
expression. Music of the past is an asset and a link and a million things
-- all of them a study in history. Art is like food: One wouldn't trade a
gourmet feast a week ago for a can of beans when he's hungry.

Carl

>Yes, it's true: I am looking for a theremin player! It's actually for a
>friend of mine, who has a near lock on a film score that will call for a
>small ensemble including a theremin player.
>
>Anyone you can recommend in the LA/San Diego area that can read and play?

Jon,

I don't have a Union Book handy, but the last time I checked there were
several theremin players listed. They should be able to tell you at the
Local 47 in Hollywood: (213)462-2161

Bill

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