Re: Researching micro tunings "hands-on" (was: A = 440 Hz OR 432 Hz?)

[Dave Draper <dh.draper@virgin.net>]

On 07/11/2012 14:08, Per Boysen wrote:
> I think I ought to put a new subject line to this post, because I'm
> leaving the 440 vs 432 discussion.But that thread inspired me to do a
> little hands-on experimenting with different micro tunings.

Good idea, a subject close to my own heart!

 But Alchemy
> doesn't allow the user to set a root note for the key so my guess is
> that all micro tunings of Alchemy only works in the traditionally
> correct way if playing in C... which I did not (maybe that's why I
> liked it?).

This made me dig out some stuff I did back around 1992, playing around 
with a DX7-II. This had a great function of being able to map an edit 
function to a controller, which could then be mapped (in Notator!) to a 
keyboard. The oscillator ratios produce a sort of just intonation, which 
of course gets very 'unjust' as you go higher :)
That led me to retuning the DX7 in just intonation in C (along with 
changing a Korg synth to the same), & doing an experimental piece of 
which I've posted an extract:

http://soundcloud.com/davedraper-1/one4harry-exc

Of course when I change the chord it all goes a bit 'interesting', but 
it crossed my mind even then, that theoretically it would be possible to 
electronically retune a synth on the fly as the key of a piece 
modulated. So Bach's 48 preludes & fugues in just intonation, say. I 
guess this is what Logic have done now we have so much more processing 
power at our fingertips.

Incidentally, the Korg didn't default back to ET when you switched it 
off, which confused the heck out of the guys in the studio the following 
week - oops!

I just found another reference to all this stuff at

http://www.archive.org/stream/cu31924022233088#page/n5/mode/2up

 - Mr Bosanquet's 'An Elementary Treatise on Musical Intervals & 
Temperament', on openlibrary.org. His cycle of 53 is mentioned in the 
Helmholtz book, along with pics of his 53-notes-per-octave organ!!
(Maybe he was a 53-fingered alien?)

Dave Draper