source file: mills2.txt Date: Tue, 24 Dec 1996 15:41:42 -0800 Subject: Re: TUNING digest 935 From: malkin@iwaynet.net (David Malkin) Hey yall, I've been experimenting (with what limited computer knowledge i have) with playing microtones with my computer keyboard with Chipmunk Basic 5 rem partch's 5-limit scale (13 tones, no tritone) 7 rem imagine z to be note a (concert a) 10 a$ inkey$ 20 print a$ 30 if a$ "z" then goto 40 else goto 130 40 sound 440,0.1,10 130 if a$ "s" then goto 140 else goto 230 140 sound 440*(16/15),0.1,10 230 if a$ "e" then goto 240 else goto 250 240 sound 440*(27/25),0.1,10 250 if a$ "d" then goto 260 else goto 270 260 sound 440*(9/8),0.1,10 270 if a$ "c" then goto 280 else goto 290 280 sound 528,0.1,10 290 if a$ "f" then goto 300 else goto 310 300 sound 528*(16/15),0.1,10 310 if a$ "t" then goto 320 else goto 330 320 sound (528*10/9),0.1,10 330 if a$ "v" then goto 340 else goto 350 340 sound (528*9/8),0.1,10 350 if a$ "g" then goto 360 else goto 370 360 sound (528*6/5),0.1,10 370 if a$ "b" then goto 380 else goto 390 380 sound (528*5/4),0.1,10 390 if a$ "n" then goto 400 else goto 410 400 sound (528*4/3),0.1,10 410 if a$ "m" then goto 420 else goto 430 420 sound (528*3/2),0.1,10 430 if a$ "k" then goto 440 else goto 450 440 sound (528*8/5),0.1,10 450 if a$ "," then goto 460 else goto 470 460 sound (528*5/3),0.1,10 470 if a$ "l" then goto 480 else goto 490 480 sound (528*16/9),0.1,10 490 if a$ "p" then goto 500 else goto 510 500 sound (528*9/5),0.1,10 510 if a$ ";" then goto 520 else goto 530 >520 sound (528*15/8),0.1,10 >530 if a$ "/" then goto 540 else goto 550 >540 sound (528*2),0.1,10 >550 goto 10 This puts the mac into an infinite standby mode (if only I could figure out how to get case statements to work). Well, the wheels started grinding and I thought wouldn't it be great if midi was based on hz instead of it's limiting protocol. Also, those dudes back about 200 years ago had it right (if there's such a thing as right) when they rebuilt keyboards that had more than 2 levels. Hell on any standard computer keyboard, one can use the "zxcvbnm,./" level as a base and put small gradations going up diagonally up to the "1234567890-level, not to mention octave transpositions possible with the shift key. Is it possible to buy such a keyboard? Also, I ran into the problem of not being able to play more than one note at a time (bummer). Is it possible without MIDI and several channels? Just curious. As an aside, I really think it's interesting how people in the microtuning community are upset about Kronus doing Partchs works. It's funny how some rare shining intellect comes along and tells the codifiers of knowledge that they've gotton stuck in their reality system to the point where it is almost like a straitjacket; and then after his death, people codify him. If Kronus were all 7 years old, I'm positive that the "parents" (be they "12TET is right for everyone" professors or caretakers of the Partch legacy) would physically prevent those "upstart brats" from "vandalizing" our religion. Partch made his own instruments because it was right for him, he didn't want to create another entrenched system (he states this ethic time and time again in his "Genesis.."). Sure he had certain ideas in mind for the sound he wanted, but if someone can put a new spin on it using shovels and drumsticks on an upside down porcelein toilet seat: MORE POWER TO YOU. Partch constantly encouraged us to get off our "ahem" and make our own music, our own instruments, our own scales, our own REALITY SYSTEMS. Who really OWNS anything. I respect other people's work and don't plagurize because I think life is full of so many infinite combinations of expressions that it would be absurd to "steal" anothers ideas. I would feel very pathetic if I had to copy the way I talk and walk from someone else. At any rate, the universe is dynamic not static, all the sounds we hear influence everything we do, a river can't be dammed up by sticks. Music is part of that river. Why dam it up? Kronus will get thousands to hear music they might never hear. And it's Kronus's interpretation, just like everything in life is an interpretation. I think it's supremely BEAUTIFUL that Partch's instruments will rot away in no time. I feel it is part of his sense of humor in a sense for if his instruments would have been made to be more permenant, then he would face the legacy of becoming another dogmatic system. Received: from ns.ezh.nl [137.174.112.59] by vbv40.ezh.nl with SMTP-OpenVMS via TCP/IP; Wed, 25 Dec 1996 15:44 +0100 Received: by ns.ezh.nl; (5.65v3.2/1.3/10May95) id AA02800; Wed, 25 Dec 1996 15:47:17 +0100 Received: from eartha.mills.edu by ns (smtpxd); id XA02799 Received: from by eartha.mills.edu via SMTP (940816.SGI.8.6.9/930416.SGI) for id GAA08413; Wed, 25 Dec 1996 06:47:14 -0800 Date: Wed, 25 Dec 1996 06:47:14 -0800 Message-Id: Errors-To: madole@ella.mills.edu Reply-To: tuning@eartha.mills.edu Originator: tuning@eartha.mills.edu Sender: tuning@eartha.mills.edu