Re: [tuning] MIRACLE collaboration (was: Hypothesis, and clarification for Monz)

Dave Keenan wrote:

>
> Yes indeed. But so far it's only theory. We could use some more
> collaboration from composers or performers.
>
> We need some music that could only be played in this tuning, either
> the 31-tone or preferably the 21-tone. Even if it is only a medly of
> existing pieces showing off its neutral scales, hexanies, dekanies,
> quasi-JI majors and minors etc, subsets which have probably never
> before appeared together in so few notes to such great accuracy.
>

Two opportunities have just arisen for me to compose and perform new compositions, one involving
an open ended commission from a large 'found percussion' ensemble called TRASH. I am about to
start making a simple metallophone and I deliberately left the details of how I would tune it
vague as it is dependant on a number of performance factors. I'd like to try the 21 tone version
given that there are so many consonant structures and sonorous subsets. What I need are the
details in cents of MIRACLE in a simple linear scale. It might be difficult to tune but I have
access to frequency counters and the like.

One possibility for the larger ensemble is to tune up sets of 5 to 6 batphones (big pipes that you
whack over the open end with a bat) within say a larger set of tones played on say a metallophone.
That depends on whether the batphones give a clear enough timbre to tune up accurately. Problems
aside this ensemble gets around and so therefore would the new tuning. It wouldn't be ready in a
week though and recording would take longer. Normally performances are videoed so these could be
streamed. For quicker results best try a midi person. But post the details and I'll try to sell
the idea to the boss man.

Best Wishes

Alison wrote:

> Two opportunities have just arisen for me to compose and perform new
> compositions, one involving
> an open ended commission from a large 'found percussion' ensemble
> called TRASH. I am about to
> start making a simple metallophone and I deliberately left the details
> of how I would tune it
> vague as it is dependant on a number of performance factors. I'd like
> to try the 21 tone version
> given that there are so many consonant structures and sonorous subsets.
> What I need are the
> details in cents of MIRACLE in a simple linear scale. It might be
> difficult to tune but I have
> access to frequency counters and the like.

Go for it! Paul Erlich posted the 21 note scale earlier, but to save you
looking back, here it is again:

0.000
33.333
116.667
150.000
233.333
266.667
350.000
383.333
466.667
500.000
583.333
616.667
700.000
733.333
816.667
850.000
933.333
966.667
1050.000
1083.333
1166.667

It's not that difficult. If you can find the degrees of 72-equal (not
difficult either, it alternates 5 and 2 steps) put them in a spreadsheet
and multiply each by 1200/72 or 50/3.

> One possibility for the larger ensemble is to tune up sets of 5 to 6
> batphones (big pipes that you
> whack over the open end with a bat) within say a larger set of tones
> played on say a metallophone.
> That depends on whether the batphones give a clear enough timbre to
> tune up accurately. Problems
> aside this ensemble gets around and so therefore would the new tuning.
> It wouldn't be ready in a
> week though and recording would take longer. Normally performances are
> videoed so these could be
> streamed. For quicker results best try a midi person. But post the
> details and I'll try to sell
> the idea to the boss man.

With inharmonic timbres, the 11-limit value would be lost. But if they
approximate pure tones, a harmonic series fragment should work well, which
is where high limits come into their own. So it might work.

Oh, and whatever you're building would make sense if you put the keys in
rows of 10. Then you could try going up to 31 notes per octave.

Graham