To Manuel Op de Coul

Dear Manuel,

I have some suggestions to make the already wonderful SCALA a little better:

1. A checkbox for displaying the cent or rational values of a scale on the microtonal keyboard screen (font and color depending on preference). These should appear when a key is pressed (embossing the keys when pressed might be an attractive idea).

2. Another button could be added in this screen dubbed "make mode", which will extract the selected pitches (chosen by CTRL+click). It should be possible to store these in the modes list toward the end.

3. Alternative Notation dialog box for editable keyboard mapping (white keys, black keys, other colors, etc...).

4. Show BRATS function in the Analyze menu.

Cordially,
Ozan

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, <oyarman@o...> wrote:
>
> Dear Manuel,
>
> I have some suggestions to make the already wonderful SCALA a little
better:

One thing I'd change in the latest version is that the epimorphic val,
if any, is buried under a ton of permutation epimorphic finds.

Another thing I hope to see sometime is generator-based notation for
both scl and seq files, along the lines of Tonescape.

Anyway, keep up the good work, Manuel! The program undergoes more
incremental improvements than anything else I know of.

Thanks for the thumbs up guys.

> 1. A checkbox for displaying the cent or rational values of a scale
on the microtonal keyboard screen (font and color depending on
preference). These should appear when a key is pressed (embossing the
keys when pressed might be an attractive idea).

Yes, a good idea. Will put it on the todo list.

>
> 2. Another button could be added in this screen dubbed "make mode",
which will extract the selected pitches (chosen by CTRL+click). It
should be possible to store these in the modes list toward the end.

I'm not sure about adding it to the mode list, but a function to
change the right mouse button chord into a mode shouldn't be much work.

>
> 3. Alternative Notation dialog box for editable keyboard mapping
(white keys, black keys, other colors, etc...).

That would be more work than if you tell me which notation(s) you're
missing and I add a keyboard layout for it.

>
> 4. Show BRATS function in the Analyze menu.
>

It's in that menu, choose Show beats, then select Show relative
frequencies.

I will trim the number of epimorphisms and the generator based
notation is also still on the todo list.

Manuel

Dear Manuel,

----- Original Message -----
From: "Manuel Op de Coul" <manuel.op.de.coul@eon-benelux.com>
To: <tuning@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: 24 Kas�m 2005 Per�embe 15:34
Subject: [tuning] Re: To Manuel Op de Coul

> Thanks for the thumbs up guys.
>
> > 1. A checkbox for displaying the cent or rational values of a scale
> on the microtonal keyboard screen (font and color depending on
> preference). These should appear when a key is pressed (embossing the
> keys when pressed might be an attractive idea).
>
> Yes, a good idea. Will put it on the todo list.
>

Splendid.

> >
> > 2. Another button could be added in this screen dubbed "make mode",
> which will extract the selected pitches (chosen by CTRL+click). It
> should be possible to store these in the modes list toward the end.
>
> I'm not sure about adding it to the mode list, but a function to
> change the right mouse button chord into a mode shouldn't be much work.
>

You mean to say that I will be able to make a mode from the keys I held down
with CTRL+left click (red dots appearing) when I right click in the keyboard
screen?

An alternative mode list would be most helpful for when I'm trying to
analyze Maqam scales out of 79 MOS 159-tET. Make Mode will automate many
things in SCALA. Or else, I will constantly need to work with FTS, which
gulps so much system resources that my PC becomes unstable and crashes
regularly.

> >
> > 3. Alternative Notation dialog box for editable keyboard mapping
> (white keys, black keys, other colors, etc...).
>
> That would be more work than if you tell me which notation(s) you're
> missing and I add a keyboard layout for it.
>

It should be possible to specify which keys are to be white at least. There
are times when the natural diatonical tones fo not depend on a regular cycle
of fifths. For example, in 79 MOS 159-tET, perde segah (3rd diatonical
degree) can be the 26th step, or as low as the 23rd depending on the Maqam.

> >
> > 4. Show BRATS function in the Analyze menu.
> >
>
> It's in that menu, choose Show beats, then select Show relative
> frequencies.
>

Splendid.

> I will trim the number of epimorphisms and the generator based
> notation is also still on the todo list.
>
> Manuel
>
>
>
>

Cordially,
Ozan

Manuel, I remembered something else... In the microtonal keyboard screen, I
can select a mode from the available modes list, but cannot specify on which
degree to start the mode, since it is always taking the default key (C) as
1/1. Shouldn't it be made possible to transpose the modes in the modes
window to the degrees of the scale?

Also, for lenghty mode selections, a REVERT button to restore the original
scale would be most convenient.

Cordially,
Ozan.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Manuel Op de Coul" <manuel.op.de.coul@eon-benelux.com>
To: <tuning@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: 24 Kas�m 2005 Per�embe 15:34
Subject: [tuning] Re: To Manuel Op de Coul

> Thanks for the thumbs up guys.
>
> > 1. A checkbox for displaying the cent or rational values of a scale
> on the microtonal keyboard screen (font and color depending on
> preference). These should appear when a key is pressed (embossing the
> keys when pressed might be an attractive idea).
>
> Yes, a good idea. Will put it on the todo list.
>
> >
> > 2. Another button could be added in this screen dubbed "make mode",
> which will extract the selected pitches (chosen by CTRL+click). It
> should be possible to store these in the modes list toward the end.
>
> I'm not sure about adding it to the mode list, but a function to
> change the right mouse button chord into a mode shouldn't be much work.
>
> >
> > 3. Alternative Notation dialog box for editable keyboard mapping
> (white keys, black keys, other colors, etc...).
>
> That would be more work than if you tell me which notation(s) you're
> missing and I add a keyboard layout for it.
>
> >
> > 4. Show BRATS function in the Analyze menu.
> >
>
> It's in that menu, choose Show beats, then select Show relative
> frequencies.
>
> I will trim the number of epimorphisms and the generator based
> notation is also still on the todo list.
>
> Manuel
>
>

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, <oyarman@o...> wrote:
>
> Manuel, I remembered something else... In the microtonal keyboard
screen, I
> can select a mode from the available modes list, but cannot specify
on which
> degree to start the mode, since it is always taking the default key
(C) as
> 1/1. Shouldn't it be made possible to transpose the modes in the modes
> window to the degrees of the scale?
>

That's because the degree it starts on is considered part of the mode
definition. You can see examples of this if you take a 7-note scale,
it is between the []. So you can only adapt it in the mode list.

> Also, for lenghty mode selections, a REVERT button to restore the
original
> scale would be most convenient.

There's an Undo button in the mode dialog. Same as Edit:Undo.

Manuel

> You mean to say that I will be able to make a mode from the keys I
held down
> with CTRL+left click (red dots appearing) when I right click in the
keyboard
> screen?

Yes, that's the idea.

> An alternative mode list would be most helpful for when I'm trying to
> analyze Maqam scales out of 79 MOS 159-tET. Make Mode will automate many
> things in SCALA. Or else, I will constantly need to work with FTS, which
> gulps so much system resources that my PC becomes unstable and crashes
> regularly.

Isn't it possible to keep a backup copy of modenam.par and then add
all your modes to it so you have them all in one file? Do you really
need to switch between different lists?

> It should be possible to specify which keys are to be white at
least. There
> are times when the natural diatonical tones fo not depend on a
regular cycle
> of fifths. For example, in 79 MOS 159-tET, perde segah (3rd diatonical
> degree) can be the 26th step, or as low as the 23rd depending on the
Maqam.

Ok, I see.
Best,

Manuel

Manuel,

----- Original Message -----
From: "Manuel Op de Coul" <manuel.op.de.coul@eon-benelux.com>
To: <tuning@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: 25 Kas�m 2005 Cuma 19:03
Subject: [tuning] Re: To Manuel Op de Coul

> --- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, <oyarman@o...> wrote:
> >
> > Manuel, I remembered something else... In the microtonal keyboard
> screen, I
> > can select a mode from the available modes list, but cannot specify
> on which
> > degree to start the mode, since it is always taking the default key
> (C) as
> > 1/1. Shouldn't it be made possible to transpose the modes in the modes
> > window to the degrees of the scale?
> >
>
> That's because the degree it starts on is considered part of the mode
> definition. You can see examples of this if you take a 7-note scale,
> it is between the []. So you can only adapt it in the mode list.
>

I see... but it could have been so much easier to specify the scale degree
for the tonic on the fly. A little input box in a corner of the modes-window
where one could enter the scale degree number where possible as part of the
mode definition wouldn't hurt. In cases where a modification of the tonic
degree is not viable, the input box could be grayed out.

> > Also, for lenghty mode selections, a REVERT button to restore the
> original
> > scale would be most convenient.
>
> There's an Undo button in the mode dialog. Same as Edit:Undo.
>
> Manuel
>
>

Ah, you are right!

Cordially,
Ozan

----- Original Message -----
From: "Manuel Op de Coul" <manuel.op.de.coul@eon-benelux.com>
To: <tuning@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: 25 Kas�m 2005 Cuma 20:00
Subject: [tuning] Re: To Manuel Op de Coul

> > You mean to say that I will be able to make a mode from the keys I
> held down
> > with CTRL+left click (red dots appearing) when I right click in the
> keyboard
> > screen?
>
> Yes, that's the idea.
>

Splendid then!

> > An alternative mode list would be most helpful for when I'm trying to
> > analyze Maqam scales out of 79 MOS 159-tET. Make Mode will automate many
> > things in SCALA. Or else, I will constantly need to work with FTS, which
> > gulps so much system resources that my PC becomes unstable and crashes
> > regularly.
>
> Isn't it possible to keep a backup copy of modenam.par and then add
> all your modes to it so you have them all in one file? Do you really
> need to switch between different lists?
>

I fear I'll make a mess of things that way. But if you were to automate the
backup process, and give permission to add modes via the chromatic klavier
as you approved above, I would know where I was. I suggested the alternate
modes list as a means to preserve the sanctity of modenam.par. Then again,
you know what to do better than I.

> > It should be possible to specify which keys are to be white at
> least. There
> > are times when the natural diatonical tones fo not depend on a
> regular cycle
> > of fifths. For example, in 79 MOS 159-tET, perde segah (3rd diatonical
> > degree) can be the 26th step, or as low as the 23rd depending on the
> Maqam.
>
> Ok, I see.
> Best,
>
> Manuel
>
>

I am already ecstatic about the minute changes you have just made.

Cordially,
Ozan.