Appendix f: alternative tunings – Sequential Take 5 Compact Synthesizer User Manual

Page 87

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78 Appendix F: Alternative Tunings

Sequential

Appendix F: Alternative Tunings

By default, the Take 5 is set to standard, chromatic western tuning. Addi-

tionally, it supports up to 64 additional alternative tunings, which you

can access using the

alt

tunings

parameter in the

global

menu.

These 64 alternative tunings range from Equal temperament to Indo-

nesian Gamelan tunings. If you want, you can replace these with other

tunings that you can find on the Internet. These must be in SysEx format.

You can download them into the Take 5 using SysEx Librarian for Mac

or MIDI-OX for Windows.

Here are descriptions of the default Take 5 alternative tunings:

1. 12-Tone Equal Temperament (non-erasable)

The default Western tuning, based on the twelfth root of two.

2. Harmonic Series

MIDI notes 36-95 reflect harmonics 2 through 60 based on the funda-

mental of A = 27.5 Hz. The low C on a standard 5 octave keyboard acts

as the root note (55Hz), and the harmonics play upwards from there. The

remaining keys above and below the 5 octave range are filled with the

same intervals as Carlos’ Harmonic 12 Tone that follows.

3. Carlos Harmonic Twelve Tone

Wendy Carlos’ twelve note scale based on octave-repeating harmonics.

A = 1/1 (440 Hz). 1/1 17/16 9/8 19/16 5/4 21/16 11/8 3/2 13/8 27/16 7/4

15/8

4. Meantone Temperament

An early tempered tuning, with better thirds than 12ET. Sounds best in

the key of C. Use this to add an authentic touch to performances of early

Baroque music. C=1/1 (260 Hz)

5. 1/4 Tone Equal Temperament

24 notes per octave, equally spaced 24root2 intervals. Mexican composer

Julian Carillo used this for custom-built pianos in the early 20th century.

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