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A musical algorithm.

🔗robertthomasmartin <robertthomasmartin@bigpond.com.au>

5/5/2008 8:24:27 AM

A musical algorithm for obtaining quick, good quality microtonal music
in ANY equal temperament is this: Choose any interval between 0 and
1200 cents. Start stacking or cycling the interval (eg 655cents in
22tet) making sure that the figures line up with the cycle of 5ths.
Thus we obtain C=0, G=655, D=109, A=764, E=218, B=873, F#=327, C#=982,
Ab=436, Eb=1091, Bb=545 and F=1200 or 0 cents. This might seem
illogical but a Kurzweil (or similar) can implement tuning tables like
this. Acending 4ths, ascending chromatic and descending chromatic
scales can also be used. To test any desired result then simply play
your favorite midi files and listen to the way the music is
transformed. I usually test my findings by randomly playing my
collection of 800+ classical piano midi files using a vibraphone
timbre. This set of four related musical algorithms can be used as an
exploratory tool as well as a play thing. I hope you enjoy.