LinPlug Alpha User Manual
Page 31
Creating TUN Microtuning Files with Scala
Scala is a freeware musical software utility developed by Manuel Op de Coul in the
Netherlands, which can be used for the creation and analysis of historical, ethnic and
contemporary microtunings. A powerful capability of Scala is that it enables the user to create
the proprietary tuning data required for microtuning a wide range of hardware and software
synthesizers and samplers.
Scala may also be used to create the TUN format microtuning files needed to explore
microtunings with this software instrument. The Scala home page is at:
Specifying the Reference Frequency of a Microtuning
One of the powerful capabilities of the TUN format and Scala is the ability to specify the
frequency and MIDI-note number for the pitch base of 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 a common requirement for musicians and composers to be able to specify concert
pitches such as A440 Hz (MIDI-Note 69) or C261.6256 Hz (MIDI-Note 60) as a reference
pitch for a microtuning, however, the flexibility of the TUN format enables one to specify this
frequency arbitrarily, so that any base frequency may be assigned to any MIDI-note number.
In Scala this important parameter is called the Reference Frequency.
Being able to specify a particular MIDI-note number on the MIDI controller and its associated
Reference Frequency, provides a way to map a microtuning to a common base pitch, making
it easier to navigate the instrument when the intonation system may have more or less than
12 tones per octave, or where one may need to map the notes of a microtuning to fall on
certain physical keys.
Important Note
When musicians use TUN microtuning files with this software instrument, the above
mentioned mapping properties will override the Master Tune setting, which is set to a default
of 440 Hz (found on the Setup page). Normally when one is using the default 12 Tone Equal
Temperament tuning, the Master Tune setting can be used to set pitch offsets around the
standard concert pitch of A440 Hz, however, when one has specified another pitch base for a
microtuning when creating TUN files in Scala, these settings will determine the actual
Reference Pitch for the intonation system being used.
LinPlug Alpha 3.3 Series User Manual
Page 31