The 45000 fingers of Dr S

My latest piece is up on http://66.98.148.43/~xenharmo/gene.html
Despite being a long, long way from minimalism, I would put it in the
same category as my previous piece, Totally Tubular, and Kotekant, as
being music to meditate by. It is in Ennealimmal[54].

Gene,

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "Gene Ward Smith" <gwsmith@s...> wrote:
> My latest piece is up on http://66.98.148.43/~xenharmo/gene.html
> Despite being a long, long way from minimalism, I would put it in the
> same category as my previous piece, Totally Tubular, and Kotekant, as
> being music to meditate by. It is in Ennealimmal[54].

I wasn't meditating, but that was a fun one. It reminds me - in terms of the song title, if nothing else - of a great old Tom Wait's ballad, "The Piano Has Been Drinking". If you and Prent Rodgers ever get popular, they'll have to start inventing pianos with whammy bars!

Cheers,
Jon

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "Jon Szanto" <JSZANTO@A...> wrote:

> I wasn't meditating, but that was a fun one. It reminds me - in
terms of the song title, if nothing else - of a great old Tom Wait's
ballad, "The Piano Has Been Drinking". If you and Prent Rodgers ever
get popular, they'll have to start inventing pianos with whammy bars!

Thanks, Jon, I appreciate it. Prent may want to know I sometims use
*his* music to meditate to. Perhaps it has shrunken my head.

Anyone have suggestions for music which is complex, xenharmonic, but
somehow soothing?

>Anyone have suggestions for music which is complex, xenharmonic,
>but somehow soothing?

If you want to meditate (actually I'd say it's more trance-inducing
than meditation-inducing, if there is a difference), you won't do
better than Kraig Grady's music. His best album is, in my opinion,
*The Creation of the Worlds*, but they are all good.

Also soothing but very engaging is Michael Harrison's music. His
best album is *From Ancient Worlds*, but more soothing and less
engaging is *Revelation*.

As you can see by visiting lumma.org, I consider these not only
soothing but among the best xenharmonic albums ever recorded.
If you want your head shrunk you might check out some of the
others.

-Carl

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, Carl Lumma <ekin@l...> wrote:
> >Anyone have suggestions for music which is complex, xenharmonic,
> >but somehow soothing?
>
> If you want to meditate (actually I'd say it's more trance-inducing
> than meditation-inducing, if there is a difference), you won't do
> better than Kraig Grady's music. His best album is, in my opinion,
> *The Creation of the Worlds*, but they are all good.

Kraig's music is exactly the sort of thing I meant, yes.

> Also soothing but very engaging is Michael Harrison's music. His
> best album is *From Ancient Worlds*, but more soothing and less
> engaging is *Revelation*.

I haven't heard him, but since he caused Issacoff to subvert the
entire message of his book, probably I should buy an album. Does
anyone know if clips are availanble on-line somewhere? I like to know
what I'm getting into before buying.

> As you can see by visiting lumma.org, I consider these not only
> soothing but among the best xenharmonic albums ever recorded.
> If you want your head shrunk you might check out some of the
> others.

You don't even mention Prent. You should--the fact that he is willing
to send you an album for free should not be held against him.

G,

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "Gene Ward Smith" <gwsmith@s...> wrote:
> Anyone have suggestions for music which is complex, xenharmonic, but
> somehow soothing?

Couple of thoughts...

1. I don't necessarily equate meditation and 'soothing' with complexity, but that is just me.

2. One of the drags about this place is that, frequently, when people leave they are forgotten. WRT meditation/trance/complexity, I would think one should check out the work of Mary Beth Ackerley:

http://www.elucida.com/

...and since you want to hear before you buy, take a listen to "Intervals of Motion" at CDBaby:

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ackerley/from/evor

The commentary from a listener sounds just like what you are talking about, and Mary Beth has information on her work and the inner workings of it on her site. I miss her presence around these parts, but that is how it is...

Cheers,
Jon

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "Jon Szanto" <JSZANTO@A...> wrote:
> G,
>
> --- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "Gene Ward Smith" <gwsmith@s...>
wrote:
> > Anyone have suggestions for music which is complex, xenharmonic,
but
> > somehow soothing?
>
> Couple of thoughts...
>
> 1. I don't necessarily equate meditation and 'soothing' with
complexity, but that is just me.

"Soothing" was the wrong word; I meant a kind of focusing. Most
people find "New Age" music good to meditate to, but it doesn't work
with me.

> 2. One of the drags about this place is that, frequently, when
people leave they are forgotten. WRT meditation/trance/complexity, I
would think one should check out the work of Mary Beth Ackerley:
>
> http://www.elucida.com/

By the way, I notice that not only is Starett's webpage full of
broken links, but Manuel's is getting pretty bad too. Some music you
used to be able to find on the web has vanished; part of that is due
to the demise of mp3.com, of course. It would be nice to keep this
stuff updated, and also not to ignore people who don't or no longer
hang out here, as you suggest.

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "Gene Ward Smith" <gwsmith@s...>

/tuning/topicId_52502.html#52526

wrote:
> --- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "Jon Szanto" <JSZANTO@A...> wrote:
> > G,
> >
> > --- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "Gene Ward Smith" <gwsmith@s...>
> wrote:
> > > Anyone have suggestions for music which is complex,
xenharmonic,
> but
> > > somehow soothing?
> >
> > Couple of thoughts...
> >
> > 1. I don't necessarily equate meditation and 'soothing' with
> complexity, but that is just me.
>
> "Soothing" was the wrong word; I meant a kind of focusing. Most
> people find "New Age" music good to meditate to, but it doesn't
work
> with me.
>
> > 2. One of the drags about this place is that, frequently, when
> people leave they are forgotten. WRT meditation/trance/complexity,
I
> would think one should check out the work of Mary Beth Ackerley:
> >
> > http://www.elucida.com/
>
> By the way, I notice that not only is Starett's webpage full of
> broken links, but Manuel's is getting pretty bad too. Some music
you
> used to be able to find on the web has vanished; part of that is
due
> to the demise of mp3.com, of course. It would be nice to keep this
> stuff updated, and also not to ignore people who don't or no
longer
> hang out here, as you suggest.

***John Starrett has been very busy, apparently, teaching math and
has been "in absentia" on the Tuning scene for some time now. He
doesn't answer my emails. Amybody ever hear from him??

JP