Re:Thai "7-equal" tuning

Kraig!

Some very interesting music out of that area of the world. I did an organ piece related to this
scale type which is on my "Interiors" and found myself using quite long sustains. Let me know if
this produces much of interest. It appears due t o the recent floods and such, he is the last
tuner of his tribe. If not for Hugh and Andrew Tracy, all could have vanished without our notice.
If these scales are the base race as in seeds, 7ET could be the GMO version. Just teasing:)

Sad, :-(

Yes, makes a lot of sense. I know exactly what you mean (I think) - the n-tet scales are so
uniform, with every interval and transposition the same, like perfect vegetables in a
supermarket.

Same of course applies to meantone and MOS scales to a lesser extent - could make a lot of
enemies here by saying that!

But, I do like those scales too, and use them frequently, so that's all right.

:-)

Robert

Hi Paul,

One reason one might want to temper an approximately equal
seven tone scale is that 7-tet has no really good 3/2
0.0 171.4 342.9 514.3 685.7 857.1 1029.0 1200.0

Closest is the 685.7 which is way out.

The Chopi scale has a fair number of reasonably close
approximations to 3/2 in it (to within a couple of cents
or so).
Also it is furthest from 7-tet at the 3/2.

7-tet does have a fairly close 11/9 at 342.9 instead of
347.4, and 11/10 at 171.4 instead of 165.0.

So I suppose pure 7-tet rests at 11 limit consonances, especially
the 11/9.

E.g. the progression of diads
4 6 -> 2 4 -> 0 2 in 7-tet almost sounds like the triads progression
ii v i in twelve tone scales in the way it functions harmonically.

One can even do a tune in each of the transpositions and it sounds
like it is moving to home.

This shows the idea
http://members.nbci.com/tune_smithy/exs/7_tet_diads_progression.mid
N.b. forgot to do a 0 2 at the start corr. to the i of i ii v i
so it is just ii v i repeated (plus v i) at the end.

The Chopi scale has none of the characteristic feel of 7-tet
and is a completely other type of scale to improvise in.

It is very nice - have you given it a go?

http://members.nbci.com/tune_smithy/exs/chopi_scale_improv.mid

Just getting used to it, but gives an idea.

Robert

Hi Kraig!

Tried listening to the clip on
http://www.eyeneer.com/World/Ea/Instruments/laos.mouth.organ.html
and I can hear the resemblance indeed!

Robert

7-tET was shown to be used by the 'Are'are people of the North Soloman
Islands for their flute music. The film, a wonderful enthnomusicology
achievement, was made by Swiss scholar Hugo Zemp. As I recall the 7 was
equal, and it was tuned by setting up the smallest interval of the scale as
something to refer to on a bamboo tube that was pre-cut. The music is fun,
with several people joining in, demonstrating the harmonic qualities that the
tuning offers.

I've been to Thai restaurants that have xylophones in equal -7. Other
examples of 7 (more equal than non- as in Cambodia), include the some of
Central Africa (Cameroun-mayble a bit less than equal), and as I've been
told...the Puna of Panama (which I have not had the opportunity to hear).

My piece "MIllennium" uses 7-tET (for violin, tenor sax, and bassoon) as does
a section from my string quartet ("Cosmic Rays" where it is mixed with 5 and
11 ets, isometrically), in my bassoon solo "Zanzibar" (where I improvise in
the tuning), and in my symphony ("Middle-earth") in the strings.

7-tET is a great tuning. I have not recognized the "whys" for this yet and
am reading what is said about it with great interest. My fingerings for
bassoon and saxophone (by Steve Kaufman) are published in PITCH I:4. It is a
very enjoyable tuning with a respectful body of work.

Clem Fortuna in Michigan has a nice 7-tET string quartet.

Best, Johnny Reinhard