Jon Catler, 12-Tone Ultra Plus guitar demo, PART I, 5/15/10

Jon Catler gives an introduction to the harmonic possibilities of the 12-Tone Ultra Plus guitar from Freenote Music. Learn more at www.FreeNoteMusic.com

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Music

Tags:

• Jon Catler
• just intonation
• harmonic
• overtones
• microtonal
• microtones
• microtonal tuning
• guitar instruction
• Jimi Hendrix
• Harry Partch
• Jeff Beck
• La Monte Young
• FreeNote Music

[vibratingstring]

Oops I miuscounted. You *do* go to the 7th harmonic, yes?

[FreeNoteMusic]

@vibratingstring

Thanks! The 12-Tone Ultra Plus system goes up to the 13th Harmonic. And I agree, tuning to an open Harmonic chord is a great way to hear these pitches on a standard guitar. A favorite is Just A9, which is, low to high, E, A, C#, G 1/2 flat, B, E This is Harmonics 3:4:5:7:9:12 so C# = 386 cents, G 1/2 flat = 969 cents, E = 702 and B = 204. The high E can also be changed to the 11th or 13th Harmonic (11th = 551 cents, 13th = 840.5 cents).

[vibratingstring]

@FreeNoteMusic

That is a cool one. I'm not sure I interpreted it but you can hear me trying it on my channel, called "Just A9 (after Catler)" [DSCF8354.avi] .

I made the 5th harmonic of A line up with the 4th harmonic of the c# and with the 3rd harmonic of the ghflat. Then the b and e are normal but just rather than tempered. Maybe I got it wrong but it sounds good:-)

[FreeNoteMusic]

@vibratingstring

That looks correct except for the G string, which should be tuned to the 7th Harmonic of 'A'. You can find this pitch as a harmonic on the 'A' string that lies near the third fret, but a little closer to the nut. If you were using a tuner, the 'G' string would go down about 31 cents to G half flat. But once you know the pitch, it's nice to be able to tune to harmonics like this without using a tuner

[lighteningboy]

I think this demo would be more effective on a clean amp

[FreeNoteMusic]

@lighteningboy

Actually, the first few notes of the demo are played clean, then the more saturated tone is brought in. Difference tones are much louder in relative volume when the distortion is added, and since this is a demo of difference tones, it is more effective with this sound.

[vibratingstring]

I think I wrote you on another video about how excited I was to see you doing these pure 7 chords. I was playing around with open tuning once a few years ago and tuned the 1st string to the 7th harmonic of the low E and then all the others just-tuned in between and got a result similar to yours: an incredibly sweet, clean clear and beautiful 7 chord. I think it is a nice coincidence that this happens to work out using the 7th harmonic, though I think you are using only throu the 5th harmonic?

[vibratingstring]

OMG and there it is--exactly what I mentioned earlier after seeing your other video. So Cool!

This is Awesome that you are doing this stuff! I thought I was just a whacky engineer!

[lexusmaxus]

the paradigm keeps changing

watching this video makes me feel that everything we learnt is wrong

then I catch myself and tell me that what we learn is not complete phew

[FreeNoteMusic]

@EricJacksonArts

PART THREE REPLY (FINAL): There are other types of Just thirds that are possible in this system in standard or open tuning. These include Super Major thirds (such as 9/7), Neutral thirds (11/8) and half minor thirds (7/6). These thirds are perfectly in-tune and have their own unique feelings, and are not even approximated on standard fretted guitars.

[FreeNoteMusic]

@EricJacksonArts

PART TWO REPLY: One way to get Just major and minor thirds from this system is to tune to an open tuning, such as open G (DGDGBD), and tune the B string to a pure major third above G. This give a pure Just Major triad in 24 different keys! It also still allows for the pure Just 7th, 11th, and 13th Harmonics of the Ultra Plus system. I have been using this tuning myself for the past couple of months, and it is very inspiring........(continued)..­.....