Scala and the TX81Z

---------------------------------
Do You Yahoo!?
Get Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere!

Yes, Darren's suggestions worked for me. It turned out that it was the tempo alone that was preventing the TX81Z from receiving the midi file. Once I lowered the tempo, then played the file, the TX switched to the full keyboard edit mode and I was able to see the midi being transmitted on the front panel. Brilliance! The TX81Z is a very important instrument for me, for all of the same reasons mentioned. I have used it in my music since the late 80s. I have practically an orchestra of sounds for the old beasts (I actually have 2, which I run in the alternating mode - doubling the polyphony). I have programmed (mostly from the front panel) many sounds for my EWI, that are focused on wood wind timbres, as well as sound FX. I used these with my other modules in a free form microtonal improv group until 95; now they serve as members of my "electronic orchestra". I have programmed many nice emulations of Gamelan Orchestral Metalaphone instruments, also attempted an emulation of Partch's Cloud Chamber Bowls and have some very convincing Gongs too (not to mention some sounds that would bring to mind the Zoomoozaphone). It is remarkable that with just 4 operators, you can get some really great sounding metallic timbres. One important feature of the TX is that you can set it to play up to an 8 step/tone scale or a melodic passage as you just keep triggering one note (Alternate Mode in Performance). For instance you can set it up to alternate through the pitches of a justly tuned pentatonic scale, while also panning and alternating timbres. I also use the TX81Zs to create the Harmonic Drones that I use to underpin many of my JI pieces. I have tuned the TXs to the Harmonic Series and the Undertone Series to the 128th Partial/Undertones (front panel hell! It's a wonder I'm not blind from these endeavors). Mostly, I will sequence the first 16 overtones and about the first 8 undertones - I then create a single sample of this in the key note of the composition, which can then be copied and transposed/superimposed to other just intervals - in the manner of multiple Tamboura strings. My goal has always been to create a sound that could serve a function in the music that is similar to the Tamboura in East Indian Classical music. I kind of accidentally discovered that I could make this sound when I first tuned the TXs to the overtone series back in the late 80s. I love to use these drones for practicing singing, as well as checking out tunings over them too (the primary scales that I favor for composing in JI - 13 Pitch Symmetrical JI - are derived from the overtone series - would like to discuss this in future post, if any would find this of interest). It's great to know that others are still enjoying this old piece. Yes, it is a little noisy too. I will frequently use audio plugins and my mixing board to eq the sound a bit - all worth it in the end. Also wanted to mention that I recently saw a TX81Z on roguemusic.com for around $160.00, as well as a TX802 for $350.00. I just need to make music with the stuff I've got, can't rationalize buying anything else now - but thought it might be of interest to someone that may need a budget module to work with JI. Thanks for all the input on this! It has been most helpful. The tuning list rules!!!! Jacky

---------------------------------
Do You Yahoo!?
Get Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere!