Re: [tuning] Digest Number 744

>Message: 4
> Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 12:48:22 -0700
> From: "D.Stearns" <STEARNS@CAPECOD.NET>
>Subject: a gear question
>
>I'm forwarding this gear related question to the list for the monster
>bassists Enrique Jardines of the group Absolute Zero:
><http://www.absolute-zero.net/>
>
>"I am still very interested in doing microtonal music on my bass. Due
>to the recording budget etc. i am a bit off on trying to purchase the
>gear neccessary to try it all out. I think I need a midi controller
>and a good sampler to get started. Do you have any suggestions..."
>
>I'll compile any responses and email them back to Enrique later,
>thanks in advance.
>
>Dan

Have him try the Axon AX100 or Yamaha G50 guitar-MIDI converter modules. The Axon uses neural-net based pitch detection technology which, by all reports, has been found to be quite effective for bass as it does not require an entire wave cycle to determine the pitch. The Yamaha is cheaper, but also uses an older version of the Axon technology. Yamaha offers polyphonic pickups for 4, 5, and 6 string basses which are compatible with the Axon or Yamaha.

An interesting idea to try is using a fretless bass as the controller and a microtonal sound module of some sort (I guess you already know about the Microtonal Synthesis page, but here's the URL for convenience: http://home.att.net/~microtonal/). Naturally, the fretless bass alone is a continuous pitch microtonal instrument, but if Enrique is interested in more easily exploring chords from different temperaments, he would need only set up his sound module in the desired scale in chromatic mode (pitch bend off). Some other useful links:

MIDI Guitar Home Page

http://home.epix.net/~joelc/midi_git.html

Axon Info Page

http://home.epix.net/~joelc/axon.html

BTW, I emailed Bitheadz about their software synth (Retro AS-1) and soft sampler (Unity) and they said their products support microtuning on a per program basis with 1 cent resolution. This is not mentioned on the Microtonal Synthesis page.

Paolo
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