VAZ+ Synth/Sequencer Tuning Capabilities

Hi, everybody, I just got a reply from the guy who turned me on to
the VAZ+ synth/sequencer, Martin Fay, and he also happens to be the
programmer who wrote it, and only has one micro-tuning-savvy beta
tester, so here's your chance to get in and have some conceptual input
on the ground floor of an entry-level, mass-market micro-tuning-capable
product!

Here's the complete text of his note:

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Bill:

>> Hi, Martin, I checked out the VAZ+ web site yesterday, and it
>> looks
>> like a great program. Do you have any idea how the user is able to
>> specify alternate tunings? Is it by frequency, cents values, or some
>> other way?
>>
>> Also, how fine is the tuning resolution? These are questions the
>> alternative tuning people will be asking, and I need to know that
>> stuff in order to promote VAZ+ on the alternative mailing lists and
>> web sites that I'm in contact with (which I'll be more than happy to
>> do!). Thanks.

Martin:

>At present, the tuning map is setup in a text-format file, and each
>MIDI note can freely be given a tuning to 1 cent accuracy, which is
>also the frequency resolution of the VAZ+ oscillators.
>
>The present situation is entirely pragmatic, at present I am only
>aware of 1 of my beta testers who uses the microtuning capability so
>I haven't coded a tuning map editor, and 1 cent resolution seems to
>be sufficient for smooth pitch changes. I'm not sure what resolution
>you'd be after?
>
>
>
>Martin
>
> man(i)kin / 3 track demo now available on mp3
>+------------------------------------------------+
>| Email: martin.fay@umist.ac.uk |
>| Web: http://www.cp.umist.ac.uk/users/martin/ |
>+------------------------------------------------+
>| See web site for: |
>| VAZ: Vurtual Analogue Synth Emulator |
>| Demos on mp3: man(i)kin, Curious Yellow |
>+------------------------------------------------+

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In TD 1434 I asked about the name of a class of tunings that I was exploring.
No one reponded, so I'm assuming for the time being that I'm the first to take
interest in them.

Thanks to a bunch of offline help from Graham Breed, I've settled on the name
ASPluCT, for Arithmetic Series Plus a Constant Tunings, pronounced like "as
plucked." One or two numbers are appended to the name: if only one number is
appended, it is the constant, and it is to be assumed that the simplest form
of the Arithmetic Series is added to it. If a second number is appended, the
Series is multiplied by that number.

For example, ASPluCT-19 is tuned to the harmonics

19-20-22-25-29-34-40-47-55-64-74-85 and so forth.

ASPluCT-19, 2 would go

19-21-25-31-39-49-61-75-91-109-129-151 and so forth.

Theoretically, they extend indefinitely. I don't yet go past 12 tones because
my synth's tuning table won't support it. 12 of them is generally more than
enough anyway! These are not octave-repeating scales, or anything-repeating,
but simple tunings. They provide highly sonorous, complex chords in a clearly
non-diatonic setting. Strikingly rich and beautiful textures are easy to
find. No one of them should be considered the basis for a large system of
music; instead, it's a good idea to become aquainted with the strengths and
weaknesses of a large number of them. I'd encourage the more adventurous
amoung us to try a few out, see how you like them.

David J. Finnamore
Just tune it!

David Finnamore's ASPluCT tunings can also be described by
second order polynomials, i.e. of the form ax^2+bx+c
For this example:

19-20-22-25-29-34-40-47-55-64-74-85 and so forth.

we get a=1/2, b=1/2, c=19, x=0,1,2,...

19-21-25-31-39-49-61-75-91-109-129-151 and so forth.
has a=1, b=1, c=19.
In Scala these scales can be created with the command POLYNOMIAL but
you have to know the coefficients first. For the first example do
POLYNOMIAL
Enter scale size: 12 (or any other size)
Enter order of polynomial: 2
Enter coefficient 2: 1/2
Enter coefficient 1: 1/2
Enter coefficient 0: 19
Enter operand offset: 0 (to have x=1 for degree 1, etc.)
REPLACE 0 19 (to have 1/1=19/1 instead of 1/1)
SET ATTRIBUTE FACTOR
SHOW SCALE

Vary the values of the three coefficients to get different
ASPluct tunings.

Manuel Op de Coul coul@ezh.nl

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End of TUNING Digest 1500
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