Re : Digest Number 419

Joe Pehrson (Glad you join us!) wrote:

> It doesn't take a PhD in lingusitics to appreciate that language (as does
> music!) evolves from usage.
>
> Therefore, I would suggest that if this is of such an issue to the
> alternate tuning cognocenti, that knowledgeable individuals simply start
> using the words correctly -- microtones, when they apply, and "macrotones"
> when they apply... (or whatever one feel is appropriate and descriptive).
> Naturally, the whole field could be called "alternate tunings."

Whoever came up with it, I like MICROTONALITY as a word, even if there is a
linguistic confusion with the words MICROTONE and MICROTONAL INTERVAL. Since
the cent is my smallest step to measure an interval instead of the
traditional half tone as is teached at the conservatory, I consider myself
to be a *microtonalist*. 12TET fits into a this conception as long as we use
this micro-measurement, for instance for a scale in which all the intervals
are
deliberately multiples of 100 cents, so all the intervals attract each other
in the same way. It seems logic to use 12TET for a dodecaphonic composition.
Saying 25:24 is a microtone, because of its small size and 3:2 is a
macrotone because it's bigger as its' tempered neighbour doesn't do justice
to the terms *micro* and *macro*. Compare microcosm and macrocosm.

> Therefore, instead of the "American Festival of Microtonal Music," we would
> have the "American Association of Alternate Tunings," or AAAT.
Sounds like the Andouilette AAAAA you can find on the menu of some
traditional french restaurants.

Wim Hoogewerf.

>

Joe!
There is a misunderstanding here. I was not suggesting that the word
Microtone be replaced. i was stating that the "activity" as such is so far
removed philosophically from my own "activities" that I will use the term
Alternative Tunings to describe what i do.
Microtones is a fine word to use for the activities that have become associated
with it.

>
> Joe Pehrson (Glad you join us!) wrote:
>
> > It doesn't take a PhD in lingusitics to appreciate that language (as does
> > music!) evolves from usage.
> >
> > Therefore, I would suggest that if this is of such an issue to the
> > alternate tuning cognocenti, that knowledgeable individuals simply start
> > using the words correctly -- microtones, when they apply, and "macrotones"
> > when they apply... (or whatever one feel is appropriate and descriptive).
> > Naturally, the whole field could be called "alternate tunings."
>
>
>

-- Kraig Grady
North American Embassy of Anaphoria Island
http://www.anaphoria.com