AXIS for Bohlen-Pierce Scale (Part 9)

I teach Electronic Music at Scottsdale Community College. Come join the fun!

C-Thru Music has lent me this keyboard, called the AXIS, for a few months, and I am rearranging the keys for the Bohlen-Pierce Scale, a macrotuning based on a 3/1 frequency ratio, divided by 13 equal steps. See http://www.ziaspace.com/elaine/BP for research on the BP Scale.

This particular AXIS toured with the Lionel Richie Band on loan, went to me, and in two weeks I will be flying to Boston to give this AXIS to the Berklee College of Music, Synthesis Department - namely to Dr. Boulanger who will use it for his classes and for the new microtonal club.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• AXIS
• keyboard
• C-Thru
• Bohlen
• Pierce
• Scale
• electronic
• music
• controller
• Elaine
• Walker

[Smorphine]

Ok, here's the video I was looking for. Regarding "Magic Max Microtuner", "it is compatible with synthesizers and samplers supporting the MIDI Tuning Standard and other formats". Can you explain this? I thought MIDI was a 12T "technology". How is it possible to get MIDI into microtonality? Thanks!

[miselaineeous]

@Smorphine - MIDI note numbers range from 0 to 127. Middle C is MIDI note number 60, and since most keyboards only span 88 keys or less, some of the lower and higher note numbers go unused. As you play up a keyboard, the pitch gets modulated, meaning the pitch changes, normally a half step, per key. But the synthesizer itself does this pitch-modulating, not MIDI itself. Most synths default to modulate 100 cents (a half step) per key (MIDI note number), but this value can sometimes be changed!

[AGAG789]

Great video! and btw I have a Kawai k5000s too :)

[miselaineeous]

Awesome. I wish the K5000 could be microtuned. I may sell it, just because it can't be, and that makes it all but useless for me.. it's so sad. It has a really amazing sound.

[AGAG789]

yes, since it's old it has some of those flaws but it's unmatchable when it comes to synthesizing, maybe you should keep it to add some effects to your compositions since it can make some beautiful atonal sounds and noises. Besides it's somehow rare and it may come in handy :)

[miselaineeous]

Ya.. I've made it a habbit to never sell my gear. You're right..

[Voitcu]

Wait a minute, the idea of a scale is to fit between Octaves, right? Then if 12 tones = 100 cents each = 1,200 cents per octave. How can 13 tones = 146 cents each? If your dividing the octave by more numbers than there would have to be less cents per tone, not more. We've already established that an octave = 1,200 cents, so how then can a 13 note scale = 146 cents each = 1,898 total per octave. So wouldn't it have to be more like 92.3? Am I nuts?

[Smorphine]

@miselaineeous Thanks. I understand that MIDI's values can be changed (for instance, with Magic Max Tuner. Do you know any other software to do this?), but I dont' still understand how the synth itself does the pitch modulating not using MIDI, it must receive a MIDI signat to get triggered, innit? :) Thanks in advance again.

[MackTuesday]

Er, I don't mean to be a party pooper or anything. I do think this BP stuff is interesting.

[MackTuesday]

The 7/5 harmonic ratio sounds bad to me. It's very close to the 12-tet tritone.