## micro tunning

Device/Module Wishlist

Original topic on PlanetZ: https://forums.scopeusers.com/viewtopic.php?t=13623

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Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 5:28 am
by JLS
hi all developers
tip to very usefull device
micro tunnig midi device ( chinese, japanese, indian, arabian ...... tune )

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Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 4:32 am
by YiannisK
Doesn't look like too many people are interested in microtuning. I for one would give anything for a device that would make my synths in cw microtunable.
Hope someone will grant this wish.

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Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 9:07 am
by symbiote
So, tell more. What kind of interface would you like more specifically? I'd be intrested in something like this too, so I might try to hack something together. I might try something simple at first (say map 4 octaves to a single octave, maybe a 2/4/6/8 switch) and build it into something more flexible, where you can tune each midi note to whatever you want it to (with presets for standard indian/arabic/etc.)
So, throw all your ideas here please ^_^

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Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 1:28 pm
by Lima
A good thing, in my opinion, is to have a kind of dynamic matrix. Something like 2*n, where n is the number of intervals of the scale.
n is user configurable (by a knob, a slider or a number field).
See this schematic view:
-------------------------------------....---
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |....|n|
|1.000|1.010|1.023|1.321|1.540|1.103|....|2|
-------------------------------------....---
^ ^ ^
| | |
Foundamental Lower! +1 Oct
In this way you can make scales of a different number of step within the octave
(in comparison to the standard 12 steps).
In the second line you put the factor of multiplication of the foundamental (2 is the upper octave)
Notice that it's possible to make decreasing scale if each factor are lower than the previous.
It's also possible to make strange and bizarre scales, the only thing is to put strange values...
(i imagine a scale that firstly decrease and then raise...)
At least 3 decimals are required in my opinion, to have the necessary precision at high frequences.
Next versions could have some cool features like these 2:
- The first is to make a button that activate a kind of auto-transpose. So when the button is in on the device will automatically transpose the scale up and down, permitting to cover the entire field of udible frequences. (in this case the last step doesn't be 2, otherwise there are 2 identical note in 2 contiguous places)
When the button is turned off, the scale works only for the setted range in the matrix; the pattern is copied in the upper and in the lower octaves. If, for eg., you play the note after the last in the matrix, the first of the matrix plays.
This could seems unuseful, but i think it's very useful if you want that an instument playes only in a selected range.
- The second is to make a kind of "finetune randomizer", that minimally change the pitch in realtime, reproducing either the beautiful "pich tuning throubles" of the vintage analog synthesizers and the natural performance of acoustic instruments (like the fretless bass, the strings like violin, viola etc...)
Finally I hope to be understandable, (my englih isn't very nice), otherwise tell me what you don't uderstand.

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Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 1:30 pm
by Lima
oops... To understand the schematic view, copy it in the notepad and use a NON true type font!
Sorry...

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Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 1:49 pm
by symbiote
Great input, thanks! I'm going to quote the schematic with

Code: Select all

     tags below to have it look better (and have a better look at it at the same time) :razz:  Using Pitch Bend, I think you get 18bit precision, it should be enough?  Not much of a choice anyway, heh.  I guess more precision would be possible if you use 24 bit audio and output a 24 bit control signal (like a sine or dc value or some such,) but that's a bit of a hassle, and not many devices support control some audio signals yet.

    [code]
    -------------------------------------....---
    |  1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5  |  6  |....|n|
    |1.000|1.010|1.023|1.321|1.540|1.103|....|2|
    -------------------------------------....---
        ^                            ^        ^
        |                            |        |
    Foundamental                   Lower!  +1 Oct

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Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2004 9:15 am
by decimator
I miss microtuning as well, if someone could make some kind of " wrapper " for Scala or Tun files and such ...

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Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2004 10:54 am
by Mr Arkadin
Also check out this old thread on Hermode Tuning.
Mr A

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Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2004 11:36 am
by borg
http://www.samchillian.com/aboutsam.html
maybe this weird freeware app can help some folks on the way... watch the demo on the page

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Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2004 4:43 pm
by YiannisK
Basically what i would prefer is to be able to tune each note of the scale by 100 cents and not squish or expand the scale over the octaves. c3 to c4 should still be an octave apart c5-c6 etc. I don't know how else to explain it.
Here is something that i think would be easy to understand ' in the sts**** the microtune is perfect exept that it only allows +-25 cents it would be preferable to be +-100 cents.
also when adjusting the scale it should affect all octaves.
hope I to see something in the future for cw.

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Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 10:00 am
by rodos1979
I agree with Johannis. That way would be the most useful to me too. To be able to raise/lower by 100cents each chromatic tone in the octave and that difference to be mapped into each octave.
Furthermore, it would be super-cool to be able to change the tunning with a press of a button that would be midi-controllable.
For example, you have button A pressed and you get (your previously defined scale):
D, E-48cents, F, G, A, B-48cents, C, D (which is the "husseyini" scale)
you press button B and you get:
D, E-48cents, F, Gb+12cents, A, Bb, C, Db+12cents (which is the "sabah" scale)

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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2005 1:14 pm
by irrelevance
Check out the micro tuner plugin here loads scala files
http://www.tobybear.de/p_midibag.html

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Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 5:48 am
by Casper
Maybe I'm mistaken , but an octave has 1200 cent together right?
If you'd go 100 cent + or minus , it's the same as chromaticly go one up or down.
I think 50 cent ( hey were did I hear that before) , should be enough to cover all tones.
It's not that I can create this device , but I will have a try soon.
cheers,
Casper

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Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 6:58 am
by wayne
Aaah, you guys just need a fretless synth

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Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 12:19 am
by YiannisK

> On 2005-08-12 06:48, Casper wrote:
> Maybe I'm mistaken , but an octave has 1200 cent together right?
> If you'd go 100 cent + or minus , it's the same as chromaticly go one up or down.
> I think 50 cent ( hey were did I hear that before) , should be enough to cover all tones.
> It's not that I can create this device , but I will have a try soon.
> cheers,
> Casper

Yes but I might want to pitch something to +/- 65 or +/- 90 So I would rather have this option than only 50+/-.
But if something is created with only +/-50 I would very happy never the less
Johannis