John deLaubenfels wonderful experiment

I just wanted to express my appreciation for the terrific experiment that
John deLaubenfels has been conducting with synthesized just intonation
Schubert... It's particularly affecting, but I think this is partially due
to the fact that the Schubert G Major Sonata Op. 78 is such a perfect
example for tuning experiments.

Why? Well, partially because it sustains large "block-chords" of primary
harmonies at its inception. (I, IV and V are "biggies"). The idea that
this piece is being retuned has a peculiarly haunting effect...[I,
fortunately, found my copy of the score here...]

I'm beginning to question, however, whether I am experiencing the "full
effect." I first tried the experiment on a sound card -- a Soundblaster
Awe 64 -- but I fear that the bending was not being fully implemented. The
just intonation thirds sounded, to me, awfully large -- and not too
different from 12-tET. Is this bending information not always properly
interpreted by sound cards (???) The three different versions 12-tET,
5-limit just and 7-limit just really didn't sound all that different...

Then, I have been trying listening through a TX81Z. (Well, I get MOST of
the voices). It seems that the bending is more prominent.

However, it still seems that the major thirds are pretty large... unless,
that is due to the fact that the algorithm for Mr. deLaubenfels program has
been adjusting things "like mad" so we don't get our dreaded "diesis pump."

Has anyone else out there had similar experiences with these files, or has
this all been discussed on the list and I just missed it again (???)

Thanks!

Joseph Pehrson

At 09:29 PM 1/5/00 -0500, you wrote:
>I just wanted to express my appreciation for the terrific experiment that
>John deLaubenfels has been conducting with synthesized just intonation
>Schubert... It's particularly affecting, but I think this is partially due
>to the fact that the Schubert G Major Sonata Op. 78 is such a perfect
>example for tuning experiments.
>
>Why? Well, partially because it sustains large "block-chords" of primary
>harmonies at its inception. (I, IV and V are "biggies"). The idea that
>this piece is being retuned has a peculiarly haunting effect...[I,
>fortunately, found my copy of the score here...]
>
>I'm beginning to question, however, whether I am experiencing the "full
>effect." I first tried the experiment on a sound card -- a Soundblaster
>Awe 64 -- but I fear that the bending was not being fully implemented. The
>just intonation thirds sounded, to me, awfully large -- and not too
>different from 12-tET. Is this bending information not always properly
>interpreted by sound cards (???) The three different versions 12-tET,
>5-limit just and 7-limit just really didn't sound all that different...
>
>Then, I have been trying listening through a TX81Z. (Well, I get MOST of
>the voices). It seems that the bending is more prominent.
>
>However, it still seems that the major thirds are pretty large... unless,
>that is due to the fact that the algorithm for Mr. deLaubenfels program has
>been adjusting things "like mad" so we don't get our dreaded "diesis pump."
>
>Has anyone else out there had similar experiences with these files, or has
>this all been discussed on the list and I just missed it again (???)
>
>Thanks!
>
>Joseph Pehrson
>Jay Williams here,
I experienced the Schubert on both my Turtle Beach Tropez soundcard and my
external Roland SC55 unit. The tuning works absolutely admirably on both
systems. But I don't doubt that different sound cards react differently to
such parameters. You'll likely hafta probe its software innards and tweek
the thing.
On my Tropez sound card, incidentally, the sustain function is spotty at
best. All this still reaffirms my impressions that sound card-based synths
are still not "serious" when it comes to achieving optimal MIDI
implementation. Good luck
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