Free Synthesizer for a Novel Musical Scale?

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Abgal64
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15 Nov 2011, 10:06 pm

Hello, I have been wanting to create music using a synthesizer for quite some time, mainly because my constructed language, Sumamfy can be communicated via music and all the music of its culture, the Sutimpotyk, carries linguistic content. Here is my problem:

The scale

My scale is a type of equally tempered hexatonic, with an interval width of about 97⅕ millioctaves starting at about 32⅖ mO, followed by about 126⅗ mO and ending at 518½ mO, and normally uses an interval ratio of 3:2 octave, of about 583⅓ mO (or a perfect fifth.)

There are 3 lengths: Short, long and overlong, each relative to each other. Of course, these will have to be specified to produce sound.

The Issue

I need something Internet-based, or that may be easily downloaded for free and that can work on Ubuntu (my OS.) I can specify a frequency for each note but I do need something that allows me to easily make my own scale; the basic Western 12-tone and 7-tone scales will not work: I need something customizable.

Thank you for all your help!


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Abgal64
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09 Dec 2011, 12:27 am

UPDATE: I have modified my scale; it still has the basic range of a perfect fifth but is now tetratonic instead of hexatonic.

My scale is equally tempered tetratonic so as to be compatible with the 4 level tones of my constructed language. The tetratonic scale has an interval width of about 146 millioctaves starting at about 36 mO, followed by about 182 mO, then 328 mO, and ending at about 474 mO, and uses a range of 3:2 octaves, of about 583 mO (or a perfect fifth.)

Thus, I need a tunable synthesizer that meets the requirements stated above. Thank you for your suggestions!


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Abgal64
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09 Dec 2011, 2:21 pm

By the way, length is highly variable, not just short, long and overlong as before.

I seriously need assistance in this area so please respond if you have any knowledge.

Thank you!


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vermontsavant
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09 Dec 2011, 3:00 pm

you might want to try this on a violin where you can utlilize pure intonation


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Abgal64
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09 Dec 2011, 3:08 pm

vermontsavant wrote:
you might want to try this on a violin where you can utlilize pure intonation
Well, my scale always has the interval width of 146 mO, so I believe it is a form of equal temperament, not just intonation. Also, I am looking for a computer program that I could use as opposed to a physical musical instrument, as my scale is more like those of the Indigenous Peoples of the Great Basin than any other system I know of. Do you know of any computer programs, synthesizers, that I could use to create music using this scale?


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09 Dec 2011, 3:36 pm

so each interval is 146/1000 of and octave.an octave occurs when the frequency of tone is doubled.for instance the lowest note on a cell is C that has 64 vibration per second.the lowest note on a viola is C 128,middle C is 256 vps.you will need to determine how many times the octave is divided.im not sure how the 146MO equates into divisions of and octave.i not familiar with that form of measurement.i can only guess you literal mean is 1.4/10 which would be about like you said a hexatonic scale.i think using the language of VPS would work better than dividing an octave mathmaticly.your looking for a even temperment this could be difficult.a true instrament has a mean temperment or pure intonation.by mean temperment i would mean like a guitar that sounds best in E or a clarinette that sounds best in B flat.and of coarse violins,cello's,trombones and the human voice are pure tones.an even tempered instriment like a piano was made only for practical reasons.explain more about this scale


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09 Dec 2011, 7:01 pm

its not often one makes me feel stupid about music theory but after much research all your mathimatical calculations are acurate.the millio octave is are and the cent is more commonly used but after studing the millio octave your calculations are correct.this would be your best bet as far as programing this scale.this indiginous music you like either sing and record your voice or play a recording of this music into your computer.then have the computer indentify the VPS and that would give you the intervals.then once you have the scale you have to programe it.i dont all any computer programs that could help.i dont have av computer and all my compositions are written with pencil and paper.


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Abgal64
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09 Dec 2011, 7:06 pm

vermontsavant wrote:
so each interval is 146/1000 of and octave.an octave occurs when the frequency of tone is doubled.for instance the lowest note on a cell is C that has 64 vibration per second.the lowest note on a viola is C 128,middle C is 256 vps.you will need to determine how many times the octave is divided.im not sure how the 146MO equates into divisions of and octave.i not familiar with that form of measurement.i can only guess you literal mean is 1.4/10 which would be about like you said a hexatonic scale.i think using the language of VPS would work better than dividing an octave mathmaticly.your looking for a even temperment this could be difficult.a true instrament has a mean temperment or pure intonation.by mean temperment i would mean like a guitar that sounds best in E or a clarinette that sounds best in B flat.and of coarse violins,cello's,trombones and the human voice are pure tones.an even tempered instriment like a piano was made only for practical reasons.explain more about this scale
An octave is defined as 1,000 millioctaves (an alternative unit is the cent but I prefer mO, personally) and the mO is thus 1/1,000 of an octave, which has a pitch ratio of 2/1 and thus an octave above 10 Hz (a unit of frequency meaning occurrances per second, much like vibrations per second), for example, is 20 Hz.

Note that I am not using the octave as my range; I am using the perfect fifth. A perfect fifth has a pitch ratio of 3/2, or about 583 mO, and thus a perfect fifth above 10 Hz would be 15 Hz.

Here is my full scale, from the lowest mO to the highest mO: 36, 182, 328, 474. Where the frequency of the bottom of the range 10 Hz, the first tone is about 10.5 Hz, followed by about 11.25 Hz for the next tone, and then about 15 Hz and finally about 18.75 Hz for the final tone, with the top of the range being 22.5 Hz. And having the first tone, 36 mO, initially at 10 Hz will give the following frequencies for the note the next 3 perfect fifths up, respectively: 15 Hz, 22.5, 33.75. These are all treated as the first note, despite their being of different frequencies, just as in a scale with the octave as the range. Instead, I use a perfect fifth, like the Indigenous Peoples of the Great Basin.


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09 Dec 2011, 7:45 pm

Abgal64 wrote:
vermontsavant wrote:
so each interval is 146/1000 of and octave.an octave occurs when the frequency of tone is doubled.for instance the lowest note on a cell is C that has 64 vibration per second.the lowest note on a viola is C 128,middle C is 256 vps.you will need to determine how many times the octave is divided.im not sure how the 146MO equates into divisions of and octave.i not familiar with that form of measurement.i can only guess you literal mean is 1.4/10 which would be about like you said a hexatonic scale.i think using the language of VPS would work better than dividing an octave mathmaticly.your looking for a even temperment this could be difficult.a true instrament has a mean temperment or pure intonation.by mean temperment i would mean like a guitar that sounds best in E or a clarinette that sounds best in B flat.and of coarse violins,cello's,trombones and the human voice are pure tones.an even tempered instriment like a piano was made only for practical reasons.explain more about this scale
An octave is defined as 1,000 millioctaves (an alternative unit is the cent but I prefer mO, personally) and the mO is thus 1/1,000 of an octave, which has a pitch ratio of 2/1 and thus an octave above 10 Hz (a unit of frequency meaning occurrances per second, much like vibrations per second), for example, is 20 Hz.

Note that I am not using the octave as my range; I am using the perfect fifth. A perfect fifth has a pitch ratio of 3/2, or about 583 mO, and thus a perfect fifth above 10 Hz would be 15 Hz.

Here is my full scale, from the lowest mO to the highest mO: 36, 182, 328, 474. Where the frequency of the bottom of the range 10 Hz, the first tone is about 10.5 Hz, followed by about 11.25 Hz for the next tone, and then about 15 Hz and finally about 18.75 Hz for the final tone, with the top of the range being 22.5 Hz. And having the first tone, 36 mO, initially at 10 Hz will give the following frequencies for the note the next 3 perfect fifths up, respectively: 15 Hz, 22.5, 33.75. These are all treated as the first note, despite their being of different frequencies, just as in a scale with the octave as the range. Instead, I use a perfect fifth, like the Indigenous Peoples of the Great Basin.
where did you learn all this


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Abgal64
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09 Dec 2011, 7:47 pm

vermontsavant wrote:
Abgal64 wrote:
vermontsavant wrote:
so each interval is 146/1000 of and octave.an octave occurs when the frequency of tone is doubled.for instance the lowest note on a cell is C that has 64 vibration per second.the lowest note on a viola is C 128,middle C is 256 vps.you will need to determine how many times the octave is divided.im not sure how the 146MO equates into divisions of and octave.i not familiar with that form of measurement.i can only guess you literal mean is 1.4/10 which would be about like you said a hexatonic scale.i think using the language of VPS would work better than dividing an octave mathmaticly.your looking for a even temperment this could be difficult.a true instrament has a mean temperment or pure intonation.by mean temperment i would mean like a guitar that sounds best in E or a clarinette that sounds best in B flat.and of coarse violins,cello's,trombones and the human voice are pure tones.an even tempered instriment like a piano was made only for practical reasons.explain more about this scale
An octave is defined as 1,000 millioctaves (an alternative unit is the cent but I prefer mO, personally) and the mO is thus 1/1,000 of an octave, which has a pitch ratio of 2/1 and thus an octave above 10 Hz (a unit of frequency meaning occurrances per second, much like vibrations per second), for example, is 20 Hz.

Note that I am not using the octave as my range; I am using the perfect fifth. A perfect fifth has a pitch ratio of 3/2, or about 583 mO, and thus a perfect fifth above 10 Hz would be 15 Hz.

Here is my full scale, from the lowest mO to the highest mO: 36, 182, 328, 474. Where the frequency of the bottom of the range 10 Hz, the first tone is about 10.5 Hz, followed by about 11.25 Hz for the next tone, and then about 15 Hz and finally about 18.75 Hz for the final tone, with the top of the range being 22.5 Hz. And having the first tone, 36 mO, initially at 10 Hz will give the following frequencies for the note the next 3 perfect fifths up, respectively: 15 Hz, 22.5, 33.75. These are all treated as the first note, despite their being of different frequencies, just as in a scale with the octave as the range. Instead, I use a perfect fifth, like the Indigenous Peoples of the Great Basin.
where did you learn all this
I mostly taught myself from Wikipedia.


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Burnbridge
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09 Dec 2011, 8:16 pm

Are you looking for a computer synthesizer that is "justly intonated" as in Harry Parch or Terry Reiley?

BTW, I recall Terry Riley doing an album of Just intonated music of a British folk tale, taking the original melodies of folk songs and deconstructing them ... with a saxophone quartet. Each of the 4 saxes just makes a microtone instead of fingering a proper note, and they blend together play pure, just, notes. It's the only just intonated recording I've ever heard that's very touching emotionally, instead of just intellectually.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPRKKdFO__c[/youtube]

Personally, it's the very flaws of the Pythagorean 12 tone scale that I find appealing. Used to be into just intonation rather a lot, though.


Just google "just intonation plugin" and you will get loads of computer synth programs that allow for microtonal adjustment
http://magnus.smartelectronix.com/
http://www.musicwords.net/musictech/justtutor/justtutor1.htm


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09 Dec 2011, 8:24 pm

Abgal64 wrote:
vermontsavant wrote:
Abgal64 wrote:
vermontsavant wrote:
so each interval is 146/1000 of and octave.an octave occurs when the frequency of tone is doubled.for instance the lowest note on a cell is C that has 64 vibration per second.the lowest note on a viola is C 128,middle C is 256 vps.you will need to determine how many times the octave is divided.im not sure how the 146MO equates into divisions of and octave.i not familiar with that form of measurement.i can only guess you literal mean is 1.4/10 which would be about like you said a hexatonic scale.i think using the language of VPS would work better than dividing an octave mathmaticly.your looking for a even temperment this could be difficult.a true instrament has a mean temperment or pure intonation.by mean temperment i would mean like a guitar that sounds best in E or a clarinette that sounds best in B flat.and of coarse violins,cello's,trombones and the human voice are pure tones.an even tempered instriment like a piano was made only for practical reasons.explain more about this scale
An octave is defined as 1,000 millioctaves (an alternative unit is the cent but I prefer mO, personally) and the mO is thus 1/1,000 of an octave, which has a pitch ratio of 2/1 and thus an octave above 10 Hz (a unit of frequency meaning occurrances per second, much like vibrations per second), for example, is 20 Hz.

Note that I am not using the octave as my range; I am using the perfect fifth. A perfect fifth has a pitch ratio of 3/2, or about 583 mO, and thus a perfect fifth above 10 Hz would be 15 Hz.

Here is my full scale, from the lowest mO to the highest mO: 36, 182, 328, 474. Where the frequency of the bottom of the range 10 Hz, the first tone is about 10.5 Hz, followed by about 11.25 Hz for the next tone, and then about 15 Hz and finally about 18.75 Hz for the final tone, with the top of the range being 22.5 Hz. And having the first tone, 36 mO, initially at 10 Hz will give the following frequencies for the note the next 3 perfect fifths up, respectively: 15 Hz, 22.5, 33.75. These are all treated as the first note, despite their being of different frequencies, just as in a scale with the octave as the range. Instead, I use a perfect fifth, like the Indigenous Peoples of the Great Basin.
where did you learn all this
I mostly taught myself from Wikipedia.
you had me thinking you studied composition and theory at curtis or something.so if the tonic is mo 36 and the dominant is mo 474 and a perfect fifth is mo 583,then how does your scale end on a perfect fifth.or is your scale 36-182-328-474-583.


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09 Dec 2011, 8:52 pm

I wanted one that could do thirty discrete microtones per semitone, effectively a 360 note scale


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Burnbridge
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09 Dec 2011, 8:52 pm

The perfect fifth isn't a perfect interval. It's just as close as it gets (after the octave) in the Pythagorean 12 tone scale.


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09 Dec 2011, 8:57 pm

Burnbridge wrote:
The perfect fifth isn't a perfect interval. It's just as close as it gets (after the octave) in the Pythagorean 12 tone scale.
yes true,but he said his last number was 583


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Abgal64
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09 Dec 2011, 10:02 pm

vermontsavant wrote:
Abgal64 wrote:
vermontsavant wrote:
Abgal64 wrote:
vermontsavant wrote:
so each interval is 146/1000 of and octave.an octave occurs when the frequency of tone is doubled.for instance the lowest note on a cell is C that has 64 vibration per second.the lowest note on a viola is C 128,middle C is 256 vps.you will need to determine how many times the octave is divided.im not sure how the 146MO equates into divisions of and octave.i not familiar with that form of measurement.i can only guess you literal mean is 1.4/10 which would be about like you said a hexatonic scale.i think using the language of VPS would work better than dividing an octave mathmaticly.your looking for a even temperment this could be difficult.a true instrament has a mean temperment or pure intonation.by mean temperment i would mean like a guitar that sounds best in E or a clarinette that sounds best in B flat.and of coarse violins,cello's,trombones and the human voice are pure tones.an even tempered instriment like a piano was made only for practical reasons.explain more about this scale
An octave is defined as 1,000 millioctaves (an alternative unit is the cent but I prefer mO, personally) and the mO is thus 1/1,000 of an octave, which has a pitch ratio of 2/1 and thus an octave above 10 Hz (a unit of frequency meaning occurrances per second, much like vibrations per second), for example, is 20 Hz.

Note that I am not using the octave as my range; I am using the perfect fifth. A perfect fifth has a pitch ratio of 3/2, or about 583 mO, and thus a perfect fifth above 10 Hz would be 15 Hz.

Here is my full scale, from the lowest mO to the highest mO: 36, 182, 328, 474. Where the frequency of the bottom of the range 10 Hz, the first tone is about 10.5 Hz, followed by about 11.25 Hz for the next tone, and then about 15 Hz and finally about 18.75 Hz for the final tone, with the top of the range being 22.5 Hz. And having the first tone, 36 mO, initially at 10 Hz will give the following frequencies for the note the next 3 perfect fifths up, respectively: 15 Hz, 22.5, 33.75. These are all treated as the first note, despite their being of different frequencies, just as in a scale with the octave as the range. Instead, I use a perfect fifth, like the Indigenous Peoples of the Great Basin.
where did you learn all this
I mostly taught myself from Wikipedia.
you had me thinking you studied composition and theory at curtis or something.so if the tonic is mo 36 and the dominant is mo 474 and a perfect fifth is mo 583,then how does your scale end on a perfect fifth.or is your scale 36-182-328-474-583.
Miscalculations in the scale frequencies; the tones are: 0 mO, 194 mO, 389 mO and 583 mO; thus, the frequencies are, according to the proper calculations, with the lowest note at 10 Hz: 10 Hz, 13.75 Hz, 17.5 Hz and 22.25 Hz.


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