Scala may be used to create the TUN format microtuning files needed to
explore microtunings with this software instrument.
The Scala home page is
http://www.xs4all.nl/~huygensf/scala/
Specifying the Reference Frequency of a Microtuning
One of the powerful capabilities of the TUN file format and Scala, is the
ability to specify the frequency and MIDI-Note which will become the
reference pitch, or starting note for a microtuning. This becomes a very
important consideration when one is using a number of different
synthesizers
and wishes to keep them in all tune with a given base frequency. It is very
common for a musician to need to specify a certain concert pitch such as
A440 Hz (MIDI-Note 69) or C261.6256 Hz (MIDI-Note 60) as a reference for
a
microtuning, however, the flexibility of the TUN format and Scala enables
one to specify this frequency arbitrarily, so that any chosen starting
frequency may be assigned to any desired MIDI-Note. In Scala this
reference
is called the Map Frequency.
Being able to specify a particular MIDI-Note reference and its associated
Map Frequency on the MIDI controller, provides a way to map a microtuning
to
begin on any desired MIDI key, making it easier to navigate the instrument
when there may be more or less than 12 tones per octave, or where one
may
have a musical need to map the notes of a microtuning to fall on certain
physical keys.
Important Note
When one uses a TUN microtuning file with this software synthesizer, the
above mentioned mapping properties will override the Master Tuning
reference. Normally when one is using the default 12 Tone Equal Tempered
Scale, the Master Tuning will be used to make fine pitch adjustments
around
the standard concert pitch of A440 Hz, but when one has specified another
pitch base for a microtuning when the TUN file is created in Scala, such as
C261.6256 Hz, the data in the TUN microtuning-file will provide a new pitch
reference.
C r o n o X 3
User Guide
84
