JiCalc, consistency

Re JiCalc: Do none of the functions work on PowerMacs or just the
sound and ear-training modules? Specifically, can one still use it
as a tuning editor cum scale archive?

Re Consistency: I may have missed part of this discussion, but I don't
quite grasph how fractional consistency can be defined on a closed,
cyclic, and equally-tempered tuning system. Or am I just humor-impaired
this AM (in general, perhaps, as I'm sweltering in the Texas heat and
humidity preparing to become homeless if and when my house sale
closes next week).

Although this may have been discussed previously, it seems to me that
higher-level consistency, fractional accuracy, and similar concerns
are most important. Because of the perceptual effects described in
George Miller's classic paper, "The Magical Number Seven Plus or Minus
Two...," one probably is going to have difficulties projecting complex
multidimensional, multi-toned static scales per se. Rather I think one
would partition such constructs into sub-scales, motifs, chordal sets, etc.
It is in modulating such objects and writing long chordal progressions that
higher order consistency becomes important. Fractional errors rather than
just absolute errors accumulate under such conditions and one may not
arrive
on the note(s) desired. Hence higher-order consistency and similar
properties
become very important descriptors in musically dynamic contexts and are
not just intellectual excercises.

Back in the late 60's when Erv Wilson and I did our study of ET's,
Erv had me generate a table of what we called "System Interval Equivalents,"
for each ET and a set of common intervals from the harmonic series. SIE's
were tables of the best JI approximation, the errors in cents and in
fractions of scale degrees. From this one could compute consistency,
articulation (which intervals had unique images and which were confused
or fused), etc.

--John


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While Brian McLaren is going on about yakademics,
just remember that in tuning digest #256, (Fri Dec 16, 1994)
Brian wrote:

In fact there are an amazing number of exceptionally
capable composers and theorists in academia. They
generally take on protective coloration--they spout all
the right buzz-words ("the New Complexity!" "The New
Turgidity!!" "The New Pomposity!!!") but like effective
chameleons they're merely hiding their true nature
from the faculty committees and grants committees
and awards committees.

... a long list of talented academics...

Yes, Virginia, there ARE talented composers in academia.

******

I am happy that Brian is willing to attack Cage,
and I am also happy that several list subscribers
are ready to defend... Cage was an influential composer
who published a lot, and he must stand or fall based on what
he said, wrote, and composed.

I am not so happy with attacks based on casual emails.
I do not believe that people need to stand behind
every word they write in email, any more than
they need to stand behind every casual comment
in a phone conversation.

For instance, I would much rather discuss
(or read a discussion of) Eric Lyons CD "Red Velvet"
(which I do believe he should be held responsible for)
than read that he is a victim of junkthink
because in an email message he used the word
"experiment" incorrectly.



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