source file: mills2.txt Date: Wed, 5 Feb 1997 07:47:17 -0800 Subject: Re: NeXT.Just.tar.Z From: Bill Parod Kami, Here is the unformatted overview from the on-line help for Just. There are a couple of versions 'out there'. The latest version supports midi in, so you can play tunings from a midi keyboard. If your version doesn't do that and you wish to, let me know. Also the newer version is FAT so it will run on Intel-NeXTStep as well as NeXT hardware. If you need more help, let me know. Bill Parod Overview This application provides a means of exploring arbitrary tuning systems using standard representations (pitch, musical interval, cents, frequency, and ratio), as well as exploiting theoretical systems such as Just Intonation and N-tone equal temperament. The application organizes these features into two main window styles and a few auxiliary panels. The two window styles: Keyboard and Matrix, contain Keys that may be tuned and played with the mouse or MIDI keyboard. A Tuning Panel provides controls that are used to tune, play, compare, or change the representation of selected keys. The user may also play standard NeXT and MIDI score files. These scores may be retuned from tuning information in Keyboard or Matrix Windows. Keyboard Windows Keyboard windows contain an arbitrary number of marimba style keys. Keys are sounded by clicking with the mouse. Multiple keys may be selected at one time. This is useful for listening to chords, or examining relationships within a subset of a tuning. Keys are moved within or between Keyboards with the standard cut, copy, and paste mechanisms. Each Key may be tuned and presented in a variety of representation styles: Pitch Cents Relative to a Reference Key Cents Relative to the Previous Key Hertz Ratio Relative to a Reference Key Ratio Relative to the Previous Key Interval from Reference Key Interval from Previous Key MIDI Key Number User Label (arbitrary names, i.e Do, Re, Mi) Matrix Windows There are two types of Matrices available: Transpositional and Extended Just. Each presents a palette of ratios to be used in the formation of new Keyboards, although representation is not restricted to ratios. Any of the above tuning representations may be used. A Transposition matrix is formed by selecting two keyboards as axes, and creating a matrix consisting of each keyboard transposed by each step of the other. An Extended Just Matrix also provides a system of ratios. Each axis represents powers of a specified ratio, reduced and brought to within an octave of the origin (1/1), which is centered in the matrix. Tuning a Keyboard or Matrix The Tuning Panel is the mechanism used to tune a key or change its representation. Controls in the Tuning Panel are applied to the last key played. The desired representation or tuning style for individual Keys or an entire Keyboard/Matrix are chosen with the Tuning Panel. Tuning a Score Once a tuning is described, it may be used to affect the performance of a score. Re-tuning a score is accomplished by installing a Keyboard's tuning as the default tuning system for Musickit performance. A score may be heard with a variety of tunings by installing those from different Keyboards. Received: from ns.ezh.nl [137.174.112.59] by vbv40.ezh.nl with SMTP-OpenVMS via TCP/IP; Thu, 6 Feb 1997 02:03 +0100 Received: by ns.ezh.nl; (5.65v3.2/1.3/10May95) id AA26799; Thu, 6 Feb 1997 02:03:19 +0100 Received: from ella.mills.edu by ns (smtpxd); id XA26872 Received: from by ella.mills.edu via SMTP (940816.SGI.8.6.9/930416.SGI) id RAA14558; Wed, 5 Feb 1997 17:01:07 -0800 Date: Wed, 5 Feb 1997 17:01:07 -0800 Message-Id: Errors-To: madole@mills.edu Reply-To: tuning@ella.mills.edu Originator: tuning@eartha.mills.edu Sender: tuning@ella.mills.edu