Yahoo Tuning Groups Ultimate Backup tuning Scala File Naming Conventions, TBX1 Files

(Cross-posted: TL and MMM) A list of the Scala files which have been used for TBX1 presets is now posted here, along with a list of native TBXE .tbx files:

http://www.h-pi.com/downloads.html

The presets are intended to represent a sampling of different types of tunings, and includes about 150 tunings. TBX1 can hold 512 full range MIDI tunings at once. Scala files are easily imported and converted to .tbx format. Tbx files can be uploaded to TBX1 in a batch. Once uploaded, they are all accessible at the push of a button. The process of deciding on preset tunings included an analysis of the Scala archive. The chosen files were renamed according to the TBX1 tuning naming convention, which is as follows:

(1) The most important thing a newcomer needs to know about a tuning is how many notes it contains, so begin the name of the file with the number of notes in the scale, followed by a dash; e.g. 12-
(2) Filenames should be concise and should not include spaces or underscores or other characters which simply take up space, so use uppercase and lowercase letters, putting words together as is often done in computer programming; e.g. ThisTuning
(3) Limit the name to 16 characters (this is a current limitation of the TBX1 LCD display, which is a 16x2 character display. The 16 character limitation does not include the 3 letter file extension).
(4) Convey the most important information about the tuning in the name itself, with priorities in this order:
structure
geography
Proper Name (e.g. of the scale's attributed inventor)
history

An example file name using these conventions is 12-5LimitJI, or 7-Boethius

These are the conventions used for .tbx files. I propose that these conventions, or something very close to them, should be adopted for the naming of Scala files. If the Scala archive were to have all of its files renamed according to this convention, it would be much, much easier to navigate. Over 3000 files is a lot to deal with, but the task of converting names could be accomplished by dividing the responsibility amongst tuning list member volunteers. A person works on, say 100 files and submit the results, some alternatives may be suggested, alterations may be made, and final names are decided upon.

Yours,
Aaron Hunt
H-Pi Instruments
http://www.h-pi.com

🔗Ozan Yarman <ozanyarman@ozanyarman.com>

That requires teamwork and a dedicated Yahoogroups workshop.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Aaron Andrew Hunt" <aahunt@h-pi.com>
To: <MakeMicroMusic@yahoogroups.com>; <tuning@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: 27 Mart 2007 Salï¿½ 3:32
Subject: [tuning] Scala File Naming Conventions, TBX1 Files

> (Cross-posted: TL and MMM) A list of the Scala files which have been
> used for TBX1 presets is now posted here, along with a list of native
> TBXE .tbx files:
>
> http://www.h-pi.com/downloads.html
>
> The presets are intended to represent a sampling of different types of
> tunings, and includes about 150 tunings. TBX1 can hold 512 full range
> MIDI tunings at once. Scala files are easily imported and converted to
> .tbx format. Tbx files can be uploaded to TBX1 in a batch. Once
> uploaded, they are all accessible at the push of a button. The process
> of deciding on preset tunings included an analysis of the Scala
> archive. The chosen files were renamed according to the TBX1 tuning
> naming convention, which is as follows:
>
> (1) The most important thing a newcomer needs to know about a tuning is
> how many notes it contains, so begin the name of the file with the
> number of notes in the scale, followed by a dash; e.g. 12-
> (2) Filenames should be concise and should not include spaces or
> underscores or other characters which simply take up space, so use
> uppercase and lowercase letters, putting words together as is often
> done in computer programming; e.g. ThisTuning
> (3) Limit the name to 16 characters (this is a current limitation of
> the TBX1 LCD display, which is a 16x2 character display. The 16
> character limitation does not include the 3 letter file extension).
> (4) Convey the most important information about the tuning in the name
> itself, with priorities in this order:
> structure
> geography
> Proper Name (e.g. of the scale's attributed inventor)
> history
>
> An example file name using these conventions is 12-5LimitJI, or
> 7-Boethius
>
> These are the conventions used for .tbx files. I propose that these
> conventions, or something very close to them, should be adopted for the
> naming of Scala files. If the Scala archive were to have all of its
> files renamed according to this convention, it would be much, much
> easier to navigate. Over 3000 files is a lot to deal with, but the task
> of converting names could be accomplished by dividing the
> responsibility amongst tuning list member volunteers. A person works
> on, say 100 files and submit the results, some alternatives may be
> suggested, alterations may be made, and final names are decided upon.
>
> Yours,
> Aaron Hunt
> H-Pi Instruments
> http://www.h-pi.com
>
>

🔗Aaron Andrew Hunt <aahunt@h-pi.com>

I'd be happy to host such a group. But is
there any interest from anyone in actually
doing this (rather tedious) work of changing
all the file names, and possibly updating
or correcting file descriptions? Alternatively,
I could hire some students to do this work,
submit their results to the list for vetting,
and try to acheive agreement on what to
adopt.

Maybe it's too early or nobody has seen the
original post, but I had imagined there
might be some protestations from those
preferring the existing names. Does
anybody out there care about this?

Yours,
Aaron Hunt
H-Pi Instruments

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "Ozan Yarman" <ozanyarman@...> wrote:
>
> That requires teamwork and a dedicated Yahoogroups workshop.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Aaron Andrew Hunt" <aahunt@...>
> To: <MakeMicroMusic@yahoogroups.com>; <tuning@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: 27 Mart 2007 Salý 3:32
> Subject: [tuning] Scala File Naming Conventions, TBX1 Files
>
>
> > (Cross-posted: TL and MMM) A list of the Scala files which have been
> > used for TBX1 presets is now posted here, along with a list of native
> > TBXE .tbx files:
> >
> > http://www.h-pi.com/downloads.html
> >
> > The presets are intended to represent a sampling of different types of
> > tunings, and includes about 150 tunings. TBX1 can hold 512 full range
> > MIDI tunings at once. Scala files are easily imported and converted to
> > .tbx format. Tbx files can be uploaded to TBX1 in a batch. Once
> > uploaded, they are all accessible at the push of a button. The process
> > of deciding on preset tunings included an analysis of the Scala
> > archive. The chosen files were renamed according to the TBX1 tuning
> > naming convention, which is as follows:
> >
> > (1) The most important thing a newcomer needs to know about a tuning is
> > how many notes it contains, so begin the name of the file with the
> > number of notes in the scale, followed by a dash; e.g. 12-
> > (2) Filenames should be concise and should not include spaces or
> > underscores or other characters which simply take up space, so use
> > uppercase and lowercase letters, putting words together as is often
> > done in computer programming; e.g. ThisTuning
> > (3) Limit the name to 16 characters (this is a current limitation of
> > the TBX1 LCD display, which is a 16x2 character display. The 16
> > character limitation does not include the 3 letter file extension).
> > (4) Convey the most important information about the tuning in the name
> > itself, with priorities in this order:
> > structure
> > geography
> > Proper Name (e.g. of the scale's attributed inventor)
> > history
> >
> > An example file name using these conventions is 12-5LimitJI, or
> > 7-Boethius
> >
> > These are the conventions used for .tbx files. I propose that these
> > conventions, or something very close to them, should be adopted for the
> > naming of Scala files. If the Scala archive were to have all of its
> > files renamed according to this convention, it would be much, much
> > easier to navigate. Over 3000 files is a lot to deal with, but the task
> > of converting names could be accomplished by dividing the
> > responsibility amongst tuning list member volunteers. A person works
> > on, say 100 files and submit the results, some alternatives may be
> > suggested, alterations may be made, and final names are decided upon.
> >
> > Yours,
> > Aaron Hunt
> > H-Pi Instruments
> > http://www.h-pi.com
> >
> >
>

🔗Charles Lucy <lucy@harmonics.com>

I notice that you have set many of your TBX1 files using C4 as the tuning reference pitch.

I suggest that using A=440 Hz would be a better choice for many reasons.

1. International tuning standard (BSI; DNA; US etc.)
2. Matches open 5th string of conventional guitars and is note from which most guitarists and orchestras tune.
3. Many other reasons, which should be obvious to any performing/recording musician.

I could understand why you might have chosen C=256 Hz.;

yet C4 ET seems like a "retrograde step" for "tone-deaf" academics who can only play/write/think/compose music in C and 12edo.

Charles Lucy lucy@lucytune.com

----- Promoting global harmony through LucyTuning -----

For information on LucyTuning go to: http://www.lucytune.com

LucyTuned Lullabies (from around the world):
http://www.lullabies.co.uk

Skype user = lucytune

🔗Ozan Yarman <ozanyarman@ozanyarman.com>

The alternative approach seems more realistic.

As a suggestion, I think it would be better to name the scale source first,
or else, tunings from the same reference will be scattered. For example,
scales from d'Erlanger go under various names with nothing to suggest they
are related except the description. After this should come the particulars
and then the number of tones.

I alphabetically catalogued each scala file into folders named A,B,C, F-G,
etc... This procedure should be automated when decompressing the archive.

There are also redundant files here and there. Who is keeping watch of
repetitions?

Oz.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Aaron Andrew Hunt" <aahunt@h-pi.com>
To: <tuning@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: 27 Mart 2007 Salï¿½ 16:37
Subject: [tuning] Re: Scala File Naming Conventions, TBX1 Files

Maybe it's too early or nobody has seen the
original post, but I had imagined there
might be some protestations from those
preferring the existing names. Does
anybody out there care about this?

Yours,
Aaron Hunt
H-Pi Instruments

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "Ozan Yarman" <ozanyarman@...> wrote:
>
> That requires teamwork and a dedicated Yahoogroups workshop.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Aaron Andrew Hunt" <aahunt@...>
> To: <MakeMicroMusic@yahoogroups.com>; <tuning@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: 27 Mart 2007 Salï¿½ 3:32
> Subject: [tuning] Scala File Naming Conventions, TBX1 Files
>
>
> > (Cross-posted: TL and MMM) A list of the Scala files which have been
> > used for TBX1 presets is now posted here, along with a list of native
> > TBXE .tbx files:
> >
> > http://www.h-pi.com/downloads.html
> >
> > The presets are intended to represent a sampling of different types of
> > tunings, and includes about 150 tunings. TBX1 can hold 512 full range
> > MIDI tunings at once. Scala files are easily imported and converted to
> > .tbx format. Tbx files can be uploaded to TBX1 in a batch. Once
> > uploaded, they are all accessible at the push of a button. The process
> > of deciding on preset tunings included an analysis of the Scala
> > archive. The chosen files were renamed according to the TBX1 tuning
> > naming convention, which is as follows:
> >
> > (1) The most important thing a newcomer needs to know about a tuning is
> > how many notes it contains, so begin the name of the file with the
> > number of notes in the scale, followed by a dash; e.g. 12-
> > (2) Filenames should be concise and should not include spaces or
> > underscores or other characters which simply take up space, so use
> > uppercase and lowercase letters, putting words together as is often
> > done in computer programming; e.g. ThisTuning
> > (3) Limit the name to 16 characters (this is a current limitation of
> > the TBX1 LCD display, which is a 16x2 character display. The 16
> > character limitation does not include the 3 letter file extension).
> > (4) Convey the most important information about the tuning in the name
> > itself, with priorities in this order:
> > structure
> > geography
> > Proper Name (e.g. of the scale's attributed inventor)
> > history
> >
> > An example file name using these conventions is 12-5LimitJI, or
> > 7-Boethius
> >
> > These are the conventions used for .tbx files. I propose that these
> > conventions, or something very close to them, should be adopted for the
> > naming of Scala files. If the Scala archive were to have all of its
> > files renamed according to this convention, it would be much, much
> > easier to navigate. Over 3000 files is a lot to deal with, but the task
> > of converting names could be accomplished by dividing the
> > responsibility amongst tuning list member volunteers. A person works
> > on, say 100 files and submit the results, some alternatives may be
> > suggested, alterations may be made, and final names are decided upon.
> >
> > Yours,
> > Aaron Hunt
> > H-Pi Instruments
> > http://www.h-pi.com
> >
> >
>

🔗Ozan Yarman <ozanyarman@ozanyarman.com>

I am just one such tone-deaf academician. ;) Guess the hold of 12-tET on us is permanent...
----- Original Message -----
From: Charles Lucy
To: tuning@yahoogroups.com
Sent: 27 Mart 2007 Salı 17:32
Subject: Re: [tuning] Re: Scala File Naming Conventions, TBX1 Files - Use A= 440Hz as reference pitch.

I notice that you have set many of your TBX1 files using C4 as the tuning reference pitch.

I suggest that using A=440 Hz would be a better choice for many reasons.

I could understand why you might have chosen C=256 Hz.;

yet C4 ET seems like a "retrograde step" for "tone-deaf" academics who can only play/write/think/compose music in C and 12edo.

Charles Lucy lucy@lucytune.com

🔗monz <monz@tonalsoft.com>

🔗Charles Lucy <lucy@harmonics.com>

Thanks for the correction Monz.

You missed my other error.

I should have typed DIN not DNA for German Standards Agency.

Nevertheless A 400Hz or its octave (ratio 2/1) makes much more sense as a reference frequency and naming.

BTW The dial tone on French phones is at 440 Hz.

Whatever you may feel about the French, you must admit that they do have their audio, olfactory and gastronomic priorities right;-)

Charles Lucy lucy@lucytune.com

----- Promoting global harmony through LucyTuning -----

For information on LucyTuning go to: http://www.lucytune.com

LucyTuned Lullabies (from around the world):
http://www.lullabies.co.uk

Skype user = lucytune

On 27 Mar 2007, at 17:08, monz wrote:

> Hi Charles,
>
> --- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, Charles Lucy <lucy@...> wrote:
> >
> > I notice that you have set many of your TBX1 files using
> > C4 as the tuning reference pitch.
> >
> > I suggest that using A=440 Hz would be a better choice
> > for many reasons.
> >
> > 1. International tuning standard (BSI; DNA; US etc.)
> > 2. Matches open 5th string of conventional guitars and
> > is note from which most guitarists and orchestras tune.
> > 3. Many other reasons, which should be obvious to any
> > performing/recording musician.
>
> The 5th string in standard guitar tuning is 2 octaves
> below A-440, so it's actually A-110. Yes, it's easy to
> match the tuning of that note from A-440, but it is 110 Hz.
>
> -monz
> http://tonalsoft.com
> Tonescape microtonal music software
>
>
>

🔗Gene Ward Smith <genewardsmith@sbcglobal.net>

🔗Aaron Andrew Hunt <aahunt@h-pi.com>

Hi Charles,

Yes, A=440 Hz also seemed very logical to me,
but practically speaking (and for the sake of
expediance working under deadlines) the
bottom note on a 61-key synth as the reference
made things easier and more uniform from a
keyboard mapping point of view (bottom-up
instead of symmetrical axis) when initially
dealing with all the Scala files. It may not be
the best choice, but it is OK for the time being,
and if it is disspointing then please keep in
mind that the presets are all able to be
overwritten with anything - TBXE includes
batch processing for entire memory contents
updates, so various tuning / reference pitch
standard filesets can be put together and
uploaded, no problems. This is just the
beginning. We plan to include all kinds of
additional optional default filesets, and of
course users can always just create their
own. More uniform Scala files would of
course make all that much easier.

Aaron Hunt
H-Pi Instruments

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, Charles Lucy <lucy@...> wrote:
>
> I notice that you have set many of your TBX1 files using C4 as the
> tuning reference pitch.
>
> I suggest that using A=440 Hz would be a better choice for many reasons.
>
> 1. International tuning standard (BSI; DNA; US etc.)
> 2. Matches open 5th string of conventional guitars and is note from
> which most guitarists and orchestras tune.
> 3. Many other reasons, which should be obvious to any performing/
> recording musician.
>
> I could understand why you might have chosen C=256 Hz.;
>
> yet C4 ET seems like a "retrograde step" for "tone-deaf" academics
> who can only play/write/think/compose music in C and 12edo.
>
>
> Charles Lucy lucy@...
>
> ----- Promoting global harmony through LucyTuning -----
>
> For information on LucyTuning go to: http://www.lucytune.com
>
> LucyTuned Lullabies (from around the world):
> http://www.lullabies.co.uk
>
> Skype user = lucytune
>

🔗Aaron Andrew Hunt <aahunt@h-pi.com>

One or another aspect will at one or another
time be useful for categorization, and scale
source is certainly a useful thing to know,
but the first most basic consideration from
a practical standpoint of music-making is
the number of pitches in a scale. The problem
with placing this info at the end of a filename
is that the filenames cannot easily be sorted
in a list either in a window or a spreadsheet
according to the number of tones from few to
many or vice versa. Some may prefer an
alphabetical list, but I find this not so useful.
I went through the Scala file list here:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~huygensf/doc/scalesdir.txt
and made my own spreadsheet from it
which I then sorted according to numbers
of tones.

Actually, thinking about this suggests to me
that a Scala header could include all data
from which anyone might want to categorize
tunings. A database program could then
easily parse the files to organize them
however a user might wish.

Aaron Hunt
H-Pi Instruments

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "Ozan Yarman" <ozanyarman@...> wrote:
>
> The alternative approach seems more realistic.
>
> As a suggestion, I think it would be better to name the scale source first,
> or else, tunings from the same reference will be scattered. For example,
> scales from d'Erlanger go under various names with nothing to suggest they
> are related except the description. After this should come the particulars
> and then the number of tones.
>
> I alphabetically catalogued each scala file into folders named A,B,C, F-G,
> etc... This procedure should be automated when decompressing the archive.
>
> There are also redundant files here and there. Who is keeping watch of
> repetitions?
>
> Oz.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Aaron Andrew Hunt" <aahunt@...>
> To: <tuning@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: 27 Mart 2007 Salý 16:37
> Subject: [tuning] Re: Scala File Naming Conventions, TBX1 Files
>
>
> I'd be happy to host such a group. But is
> there any interest from anyone in actually
> doing this (rather tedious) work of changing
> all the file names, and possibly updating
> or correcting file descriptions? Alternatively,
> I could hire some students to do this work,
> submit their results to the list for vetting,
> and try to acheive agreement on what to
> adopt.
>
> Maybe it's too early or nobody has seen the
> original post, but I had imagined there
> might be some protestations from those
> preferring the existing names. Does
> anybody out there care about this?
>
> Yours,
> Aaron Hunt
> H-Pi Instruments
>
>
> --- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "Ozan Yarman" <ozanyarman@> wrote:
> >
> > That requires teamwork and a dedicated Yahoogroups workshop.
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Aaron Andrew Hunt" <aahunt@>
> > To: <MakeMicroMusic@yahoogroups.com>; <tuning@yahoogroups.com>
> > Sent: 27 Mart 2007 Salý 3:32
> > Subject: [tuning] Scala File Naming Conventions, TBX1 Files
> >
> >
> > > (Cross-posted: TL and MMM) A list of the Scala files which have been
> > > used for TBX1 presets is now posted here, along with a list of native
> > > TBXE .tbx files:
> > >
> > > http://www.h-pi.com/downloads.html
> > >
> > > The presets are intended to represent a sampling of different types of
> > > tunings, and includes about 150 tunings. TBX1 can hold 512 full range
> > > MIDI tunings at once. Scala files are easily imported and converted to
> > > .tbx format. Tbx files can be uploaded to TBX1 in a batch. Once
> > > uploaded, they are all accessible at the push of a button. The process
> > > of deciding on preset tunings included an analysis of the Scala
> > > archive. The chosen files were renamed according to the TBX1 tuning
> > > naming convention, which is as follows:
> > >
> > > (1) The most important thing a newcomer needs to know about a tuning is
> > > how many notes it contains, so begin the name of the file with the
> > > number of notes in the scale, followed by a dash; e.g. 12-
> > > (2) Filenames should be concise and should not include spaces or
> > > underscores or other characters which simply take up space, so use
> > > uppercase and lowercase letters, putting words together as is often
> > > done in computer programming; e.g. ThisTuning
> > > (3) Limit the name to 16 characters (this is a current limitation of
> > > the TBX1 LCD display, which is a 16x2 character display. The 16
> > > character limitation does not include the 3 letter file extension).
> > > (4) Convey the most important information about the tuning in the name
> > > itself, with priorities in this order:
> > > structure
> > > geography
> > > Proper Name (e.g. of the scale's attributed inventor)
> > > history
> > >
> > > An example file name using these conventions is 12-5LimitJI, or
> > > 7-Boethius
> > >
> > > These are the conventions used for .tbx files. I propose that these
> > > conventions, or something very close to them, should be adopted for the
> > > naming of Scala files. If the Scala archive were to have all of its
> > > files renamed according to this convention, it would be much, much
> > > easier to navigate. Over 3000 files is a lot to deal with, but the task
> > > of converting names could be accomplished by dividing the
> > > responsibility amongst tuning list member volunteers. A person works
> > > on, say 100 files and submit the results, some alternatives may be
> > > suggested, alterations may be made, and final names are decided upon.
> > >
> > > Yours,
> > > Aaron Hunt
> > > H-Pi Instruments
> > > http://www.h-pi.com
> > >
> > >
> >
>

🔗Gene Ward Smith <genewardsmith@sbcglobal.net>

🔗Ozan Yarman <ozanyarman@ozanyarman.com>

🔗Aaron Andrew Hunt <aahunt@h-pi.com>

Scala allows any number of comment
lines before the description. these can be
parsed by a program - not a standard
database program, but a specially written
Scala file manipulation program, which can
be written pretty easily. The program would
search the header for any available criterion
so all criteria don't all need to be there in every
file. So, in addition to making all the filenames
follow certain guidelines for quickest reference,
How about making a standard Scala
header look something like this:

! 12-ThisTuning.scl
!
! STRUCTURE: what
! GEOGRAPHY: where
! AUTHORSHIP: who
! HISTORY: when
! CATEGORY: Whatever
! CATEGORY: Whatever
! CATEGORY: Whatever
! CATEGORY: Whatever
! CATEGORYn: Whatever
!
A brief description of this tuning, which may or may not contain any of the above info.
12
!

(the tuning follows in ratios or cents or both)

This allows all existing files to be backward compatible (not requiring the categories) and
also allows for categorical expansion. Dream up as many categories as you want; then it's
only a matter of doing the tedious work of actually cataloging everything. A program can
sort the files, copy them into new folders, move them around, etc. based on any criterion.

Cheers,
Aaron Hunt
H-Pi Instruments

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "Ozan Yarman" <ozanyarman@...> wrote:
>
> It should be made possible to sort scales by any criterion. A database is a
> must.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Gene Ward Smith" <genewardsmith@...>
> To: <tuning@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: 28 Mart 2007 Çarþamba 1:50
> Subject: [tuning] Sorting scales
>
>
> > --- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "Aaron Andrew Hunt" <aahunt@> wrote:
> > >
> > > One or another aspect will at one or another
> > > time be useful for categorization, and scale
> > > source is certainly a useful thing to know,
> > > but the first most basic consideration from
> > > a practical standpoint of music-making is
> > > the number of pitches in a scale.
> >
> > In order to sort scales for a listing, I would suggest the following:
> >
> > (1) Separate out the nonoctave scales
> >
> > (2) Sort the nonoctave scales in terms first of period, and then number
> > of scale steps in a period
> >
> > (3) Sort the octave scales by number of steps, and then within that by
> > decreasing Lumma stability
> >
> >
>

🔗Ozan Yarman <ozanyarman@ozanyarman.com>

Pleased to find 79/80 MOS 159-tET there. Some modes by me (T for tonic):

Mahur/Suzidilara
0T 14 27 28 33 46 47 60 61 74 75 80

Huseyni/Ushshaq/Bayati
0 13T 14 23 24 25 32 33 46 47 52 60 61 66 67 70 71 72 73 79 80

Hijaz
0 13T 14 20 21 33 39 46 47 60 66 67 68 71 72 79 80

Zirguleli Hijaz
0 6 13T 14 20 21 39 46 47 60 67 68 79 80

Saba
0 7 8 9T 13 23 24 25 26 27 31 32 33 34 40 41 42 59 60 61 66 67 79 80

Huzzam
0 13 19T 25 33 46 47 57 58 66 67 72 79 80

Nishabur
0 9 21 29T 42 46 47 62 68 80

Subject to updating without notice.

Oz.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Aaron Andrew Hunt" <aahunt@h-pi.com>
To: <tuning@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: 28 Mart 2007 ï¿½arï¿½amba 2:51
Subject: [tuning] Re: Scala File Naming Conventions, TBX1 Files

> Here it is:
>
> http://www.h-pi.com/additionals/ScalaSortedByTones.txt
>
> It doesn't look pretty in a browser but it's
> tab delimited, ready to copy and paste
> directly into a spreadsheet.
>
> Yours,
> Aaron Hunt
> H-Pi Instruments
>
>

🔗monz <monz@tonalsoft.com>

Hi Charles,

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, Charles Lucy <lucy@...> wrote:
>
> Thanks for the correction Monz.
>
> You missed my other error.
>
> I should have typed DIN not DNA for German Standards Agency.

Oh well, that one wasn't obvious for me, like the other one.
;-)

> Nevertheless A 400Hz or its octave (ratio 2/1) makes
> much more sense as a reference frequency and naming.

Oops -- now you introduced a new error by making a typo.
Of course you meant A 440Hz.

> BTW The dial tone on French phones is at 440 Hz.
>
> Whatever you may feel about the French, you must admit that
> they do have their audio, olfactory and gastronomic priorities
> right;-)

Oh, i don't know about that. Actually my preference too
is to use middle-C as the tuning reference -- see my
paper "JustMusic Prime-Factor Notation":

http://sonic-arts.org/monzo/article/article.htm#reference

My proposal is to use C 256Hz for middle-C, because it
refers ultimately to an inaudible C 1Hz as a "fundamental".
Can't get any simpler than that.

However, i do agree with you that it's nice to have "A"
as the reference. That does make sense after all, doesn't it?

Obviously "A" *was* originally the reference. When medieval
European theorists tried to reconcile their ideas about
scale structure with what they knew of ancient Greek theory,
and replace the long and obscure (to them) Greek names
with a nomenclature which was simpler and more familiar
to them, the note which the Greeks used as a reference,
_mese_ ("middle"), was labeled as "A".

It was only later, with the introduction of prime-factor 5
in the late 1400s, that the shift from a minor-mode to a
major-mode became predominant, and "C" came to seem a
more "natural" reference. For a while the major scale was
actually alternatively labeled A B C D E F G, but eventually
theorists decided to keep the letters stuck to their
original pitches.

-monz
http://tonalsoft.com
Tonescape microtonal music software

🔗mikal haley <chipsterthehipster@gmail.com>

🔗Aaron Andrew Hunt <aahunt@h-pi.com>

For a short reference about A as a tuning pitch, see:

http://www.ux1.eiu.edu/~aahunt/emancipation/index.html

and click on A=440 Hz

I suggest that there are 3 different pitches which have
central roles in Western music. A is considered the tuning
reference for musicians. C is the notation and
instrumental reference. And finally, although
almost nobody cares to apply it, D is the symmetrical
systemic reference of the Western diatonic system.

Aaron Hunt
H-Pi Instruments

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "monz" <monz@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Charles,
>
>
> --- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, Charles Lucy <lucy@> wrote:
> >
> > Thanks for the correction Monz.
> >
> > You missed my other error.
> >
> > I should have typed DIN not DNA for German Standards Agency.
>
>
> Oh well, that one wasn't obvious for me, like the other one.
> ;-)
>
>
> > Nevertheless A 400Hz or its octave (ratio 2/1) makes
> > much more sense as a reference frequency and naming.
>
>
> Oops -- now you introduced a new error by making a typo.
> Of course you meant A 440Hz.
>
>
> > BTW The dial tone on French phones is at 440 Hz.
> >
> > Whatever you may feel about the French, you must admit that
> > they do have their audio, olfactory and gastronomic priorities
> > right;-)
>
>
> Oh, i don't know about that. Actually my preference too
> is to use middle-C as the tuning reference -- see my
> paper "JustMusic Prime-Factor Notation":
>
> http://sonic-arts.org/monzo/article/article.htm#reference
>
> My proposal is to use C 256Hz for middle-C, because it
> refers ultimately to an inaudible C 1Hz as a "fundamental".
> Can't get any simpler than that.
>
>
> However, i do agree with you that it's nice to have "A"
> as the reference. That does make sense after all, doesn't it?
>
> Obviously "A" *was* originally the reference. When medieval
> European theorists tried to reconcile their ideas about
> scale structure with what they knew of ancient Greek theory,
> and replace the long and obscure (to them) Greek names
> with a nomenclature which was simpler and more familiar
> to them, the note which the Greeks used as a reference,
> _mese_ ("middle"), was labeled as "A".
>
> It was only later, with the introduction of prime-factor 5
> in the late 1400s, that the shift from a minor-mode to a
> major-mode became predominant, and "C" came to seem a
> more "natural" reference. For a while the major scale was
> actually alternatively labeled A B C D E F G, but eventually
> theorists decided to keep the letters stuck to their
> original pitches.
>
>
> -monz
> http://tonalsoft.com
> Tonescape microtonal music software
>

🔗Charles Lucy <lucy@harmonics.com>

I have begun to put together a FileMaker database from the ScalaSortedByTone.txt.

Can anyone else read/write FileMaker?

It seems that some useful extra fields can be added:

e.g. Rationale, limit number, octave ratio, type of tuning (edo,JI,Well,Meantone,Hybrid,etc.), fifth cents. etc.

Is anyone interested in correcting/adding to it?

if so I could post it somewhere, or if anyone knows a suitable FileMaker host, it could be run as a web database which users could modify.

Charles Lucy lucy@lucytune.com

----- Promoting global harmony through LucyTuning -----

For information on LucyTuning go to: http://www.lucytune.com

LucyTuned Lullabies (from around the world):
http://www.lullabies.co.uk

Skype user = lucytune

On 28 Mar 2007, at 07:59, monz wrote:

> Hi Charles,
>
> --- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, Charles Lucy <lucy@...> wrote:
> >
> > Thanks for the correction Monz.
> >
> > You missed my other error.
> >
> > I should have typed DIN not DNA for German Standards Agency.
>
> Oh well, that one wasn't obvious for me, like the other one.
> ;-)
>
> > Nevertheless A 400Hz or its octave (ratio 2/1) makes
> > much more sense as a reference frequency and naming.
>
> Oops -- now you introduced a new error by making a typo.
> Of course you meant A 440Hz.
>
> > BTW The dial tone on French phones is at 440 Hz.
> >
> > Whatever you may feel about the French, you must admit that
> > they do have their audio, olfactory and gastronomic priorities
> > right;-)
>
> Oh, i don't know about that. Actually my preference too
> is to use middle-C as the tuning reference -- see my
> paper "JustMusic Prime-Factor Notation":
>
> http://sonic-arts.org/monzo/article/article.htm#reference
>
> My proposal is to use C 256Hz for middle-C, because it
> refers ultimately to an inaudible C 1Hz as a "fundamental".
> Can't get any simpler than that.
>
> However, i do agree with you that it's nice to have "A"
> as the reference. That does make sense after all, doesn't it?
>
> Obviously "A" *was* originally the reference. When medieval
> European theorists tried to reconcile their ideas about
> scale structure with what they knew of ancient Greek theory,
> and replace the long and obscure (to them) Greek names
> with a nomenclature which was simpler and more familiar
> to them, the note which the Greeks used as a reference,
> _mese_ ("middle"), was labeled as "A".
>
> It was only later, with the introduction of prime-factor 5
> in the late 1400s, that the shift from a minor-mode to a
> major-mode became predominant, and "C" came to seem a
> more "natural" reference. For a while the major scale was
> actually alternatively labeled A B C D E F G, but eventually
> theorists decided to keep the letters stuck to their
> original pitches.
>
> -monz
> http://tonalsoft.com
> Tonescape microtonal music software
>
>
>

🔗mikal haley <chipsterthehipster@gmail.com>

🔗Andreas Sparschuh <a_sparschuh@yahoo.com>

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "Aaron Andrew Hunt" <aahunt@...> wrote:

> I suggest that there are 3 different pitches which have
> central roles in Western music.
In the old heachord system:
G=GAMMA(ut) the empty-string of was the general reference pitch:
http://www.celestialmonochord.org/log/images/celestial_monochord.jpg
but A was with 9:8 the first tone in that system,
remember that in there are in the latin old roman numbers
exist no zero.

> A is considered the tuning
> reference for musicians.
then at ~1500 was a change a 3rd from A to
F the Choral-Thone alike
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Schlick
thean at ~1600 a 5th higher to C

Lit:
Klotz, Hans
Über die Orgelkunst der Gotik Renaissance und des Barock
Kassel 1975
ISBN 3-7816-0170-x
pp.29/30 (~1500) & pp.69-71 (~1600)

> C is the notation and
> instrumental reference. And finally, although
> almost nobody cares to apply it, D is the symmetrical
> systemic reference of the Western diatonic system.
I.m.o. already J.S. Bach did so:
/bach_tunings/

alike
Jaques Handschin in his
"Toncharakter"
Zürich 1948, on p. 106
"
F 3^-3
C 3^-2
G 3^-1
D 3^0 = 1
A 3^1
E 3^2
H 3^3
"

> > > Nevertheless A 400Hz or its octave (ratio 2/1) makes
> > > much more sense as a reference frequency and naming.
400Hz was introduced over 100Hz by
Beekman, Descartes & Mersenne
overtaken by Hygens, Werckmeister & Sauveur &ct.

> > My proposal is to use C 256Hz for middle-C, because it
> > refers ultimately to an inaudible C 1Hz as a "fundamental".
> > Can't get any simpler than that.
That's Saveurs "son-fixe" of 2^8cps.
> >
A.S.