On 4/6/07, Chuck Martin <dsdhpnw02@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Fri, Apr 06, 2007 at 12:37:28AM -0400, Chuckk Hubbard wrote: > On 4/6/07, Chuck Martin <dsdhpnw02@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > >No equal tempered scale will have any of those ratios, exactly, except > >for the octave. Just tunings will have some of those ratios, exactly, > >buy only in certain keys, because it's impossible to have all fifths or > >all thirds perfect, for example. > > Well, it is impossible if you are using a fixed-pitch instrument. > With talented singers, it's almost impossible to have any fifth or > third not perfect. That's true, but they adjust their pitch subconciously to harmonize with the other singers.
Absolutely. And so they can have all thirds and fifths perfect in all keys, by using more than 12 pitches when necessary.
That brings to mind an interesting thought. With most electronic keyboards being software-based, it seems it would be a simple matter for the software to analyze what notes are being played, and adjust the notes for perfect harmony in the same way those singers do. I wonder if that's ever been done. Does anyone know?
I don't know about that one. Wendy Carlos spoke of and might have created a keyboard that would retune with a pedal. With computers it would be a snap, and could even be reprogrammed in real time. I like the idea: when you hold down the foot pedal, the next note you touch doesn't sound, but rather becomes the new tonal center. I programmed a Pure Data patch a while back that allows me to compose using a set of just frequency ratios, and will transpose with one key-press, so that, for instance, the 7/4 element of one chord can become the 1/1 of the next, and then the 5/9 of that tonal center can become the next 1/1, and so on and so on. This way I don't need to decide how many notes per octave I want, and I don't need to keep multiplying and dividing when I change keys. I think the ideal instrument for this would be a computer with a touchscreen. Real-time scaleless microtonal improvisation together with live coding. It would be unstoppable. -Chuckk -- http://www.badmuthahubbard.com _______________________________________________ Linux-audio-user mailing list Linux-audio-user@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx http://lists.linuxaudio.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/linux-audio-user
