microzone

Hey all-
I want to respond to the talk about the Starr Labs generalized keyboard. I had an
opportunity to play Chris Mohr's microzone a few weeks ago, and I was bowled over. Chris'
particular instrument has 288 keys in 6 rows of 48, and he has it tuned to 53tet.
Unfortunately I do not remember the exact layout of the keys in regards to the tuning, but the
octaves in a particular row were about the spacing of the piano octave, and the pitch rose as
you moved up the 6 rows. It was triggering a Proteus, whose sound I did not care for, for the
most part. The keyboard was velocity sensitive, and I do not remember if it had aftertouch.
Anyhow, it was amazing to have all those little sons of pitches within easy reach, and I had
no trouble at all playing rapid arpeggios or glisses. The buttons are flexible in a way that
sliding across them would trigger notes pretty much uniformly. It is a very natural feeling to
play on a 2d grid (but I have played StarrBoard for many years, so I might be acclimated).
Would I buy one? If I had $3000 sitting around, I would in a minute. In fact I still
might, even though I would have to save up. Chris thinks that the one he has would cost more
than the $3000 he shelled out since it was an experimental job and Harvey probably didn't
cover his costs. However, list members might want to consider the ztar as an alternative to
the microzone. It has 6 ranks ("strings") of 24 keys ("frets") and may well be suited to your
compositional needs. I may get one from Tod Keene on loan and try it out. I will report and
post some sound files if I do.
BTW, Chris Mohr is playing the 53tet microzone at Microstock this year. Can't wait.

John Starrett

> [John Starrett]
> http://www.egroups.com/message/tuning/12522
>
> ... I had an opportunity to play Chris Mohr's microzone a few
> weeks ago,

AHA! - so Harvey *is* selling at least a few of them! Good!!

> and I was bowled over. Chris' particular instrument has 288 keys
> in 6 rows of 48,

Right, that's the smaller version.

> and he has it tuned to 53tet. Unfortunately I do not remember
> the exact layout of the keys in regards to the tuning, but the
> octaves in a particular row were about the spacing of the piano
> octave, and the pitch rose as you moved up the 6 rows.

One of the most beautiful things about the design of the MicroZone,
which Erv Wilson insisted Harvey implement despite Harvey's
misgivings, is its total generalizability.

The only thing that's built-in is the layout of the keys themselves.
The mapping of pitches onto them can be anything you want it
to be. Absolutely wonderful.

> ...
> However, list members might want to consider the ztar as an
> alternative to the microzone. It has 6 ranks ("strings") of 24
> keys ("frets") and may well be suited to your compositional
> needs.

I agree with you, John. I think the Ztar is also a great
instrument, and it's *much* less expensive than the MicroZone.
(But I still want a MicroZone... someday...)

-monz
http://www.ixpres.com/interval/monzo/homepage.html

>Anyhow, it was amazing to have all those little sons of pitches within easy
>reach, and I had no trouble at all playing rapid arpeggios or glisses.

What about chords? Melodically, Erv's keyboard seems ideal, and some chords
fantastic, but I'm having trouble seeing a layout that makes it possible to
get to a good variety of chords and voicings. It's possible I'm just haven't
seen the the right layout yet. . .

>BTW, Chris Mohr is playing the 53tet microzone at Microstock this year.
>Can't wait.

Cool. Do post a notice. Does Chris Mohr have a web site?

>The only thing that's built-in is the layout of the keys themselves.
>The mapping of pitches onto them can be anything you want it
>to be. Absolutely wonderful.

You bet! And when I was there, Harvey said you'd even be able to change
the layout, as the keys themselves were to be attached to the action with
adhesive -- so the pattern of blacks and whites would not be fixed. Which
I thought was pretty key. Wether or not any of it actually made it to
production, I don't know.

-Carl

--- In tuning@egroups.com, Carl Lumma <CLUMMA@N...> wrote:
> http://www.egroups.com/message/tuning/12551
>
> > [me, monz]
> > The only thing that's built-in [on the MicroZone] is the
> > layout of the keys themselves. The mapping of pitches onto
> > them can be anything you want it to be. Absolutely wonderful.
>
> [Carl]
> You bet! And when I was there, Harvey said you'd even be able
> to change the layout, as the keys themselves were to be attached
> to the action with adhesive -- so the pattern of blacks and
> whites would not be fixed. Which I thought was pretty key.

Yes, right... I remember that too. In fact, Harvey showed me
how you could remove the key-tops and change the black/white
patterns.

> Wether or not any of it actually made it to production,
> I don't know.

My guess would be yes.

OK, now I really need to make a date and go over there and play
with the MicroZone again. Lucky me :) :) San Diego is such
a microtonal place! ...well, that *is* exactly why I moved here...
well... the weather's great too...

-monz
http://www.ixpres.com/interval/monzo/homepage.html