the science and art of tuning

8/7/2019 The Science and Art of Tuning

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December 2010

All Material 2010 Milton Mermikides

The Science and Art of TuningMilton MermikidesDr.

Sunday, 23 January 2011


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What is in Tune?How Long is a Piece of String?



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How Do We Decide?



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5



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Assumptions



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Acoustic Purity

The Pythagorean concept ofAcoustic Purity: Intervals fromsimple ratios

Selecting notes andconstructing scales from the

Harmonic Series



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The Pure 5th

1/1 2/1 3/13/2Struck



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The 3-Limit Scale

1/1

CRoot

2/1

C8ve

3/2

G5th

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DMaj 2nd

27/16

AMaj 6th

81/64

EMaj 3rd

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F4th

Just intonationSunday, 23 January 2011


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The Pure 3rdFrom the 5th Harmonic (5-limit)

5/1: 2 octaves and a major 3rd

5/4: Major 3rd

1/1C

Root

2/1C8ve

5/4E

Maj 3rd

81/64E

Maj 3rd

25/16G#

Aug. 5th

8/5Ab

Min 6th



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Shrutis of Hindustani

Classical Music



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Raga Bhairav



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Monophonic vs.Polyphonic



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Enough Physics, lets

make 12 Notes.



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The Cycle Spiral of 5ths

(3/2)12=129.746

27=128

PythagoreanComma

129.746/128



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Temper, temper



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Equal Temperament



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Equal Temperament

Makes CentsCents = 1200 * log(ratio)

log(2)

Ratio = 2(Cents/1200)



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The Third Issue

(5/4)3

=125/64

128/64



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The Third Issue



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C Major Prelude

Equal Temperament



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C Major Prelude

Well Tempered



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Another Solution



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Mozarts Semitones



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Another Solution

1/9=11.1cents



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Clockwise from left:Campagnolis fingerboard diagram (1797)Woldermars Violin Method (1803) and

Split key harpsichord 1715Sunday, 23 January 2011


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Where Did It Go?

Complexity of Instrument Design

Challenges of pedagogy and wider interest inperforming music, owning a piano

The drive through romantic harmony into 12-

tone serialism Filtered out of the system



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Leading Tones?

Consideration of the vertical and the horizontal.A time for harmonic sonority,and a time for expressive intonation.



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Microtones & the BluesThe Neutral 3rdThe Neutral 7th

4-b5b5-5



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Blues Inflection

Thelonius Monk

Guitarists (Bends, Slide Guitar)

Vocalists (Bessie Smith)



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Tuning SystemsHarry Partch (1901-1974)

American microtonal composerand instrument maker

11-limit 43 tone system



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11-limit (43 tone)

11th harmonic chosen as the boundary of ourtolerance - falling between 2 equal temperedpitches (F#- 49cents).

43 divisions of the scale are constructed withinthis boundary.



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Technology andMicrotones



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Busoni (1866-1924) In response to Cahill

s Telharmonium"Let us take thought," he exulted, "how music may be

restored to its primitive, natural essence; [...] let it follow the

line of the rainbow and vie with the clouds in breaking

sunbeams.



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Autotune Correction, quantisation and effect



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Autotune (Ab)use

Dixie Chicks The Long Way Around Noticeable on parents and but I.

T-Pain Im Sprung Especially obvious on homies and lady.

Avril Lavigne Complicated Listen to way, when, driving, youre.

Uncle Kracker Follow MeThe whole vocal sounds strained, but especially the word goodbye.

Maroon 5 She Will Be Loved Listen for rain and smile.

Natasha Bedingfield Love Like This Apart and life.

Sean Kingston Beautiful girls OoooOver doesnt sound human.

JoJo Too Little Too Late Appropriately, problem stands out.

Rascal Flatts Life is a HighwayEvery vocal, foreground and background, is treated, but drive in particular.

New Found Glory Hit or Miss Thriller, and every time Jordan sings I.



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Autotune Aware



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Autotune Aware



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Hiding vs. Hearing

Corrective technology (Pristine vs. sterile)

Expressive technology

Non equal-tempered auto-tuning?


Practical


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PracticalDemocratic tuning



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Milton [email protected]

All Material 2010 Milton Mermikides

the science and art of tuning

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