Groundfault

Sky Talbott-Settle, also known by her online alias groundfault (nickname ground), is a xenharmonic composer, music theorist and co-host of the podcast Xendergarten living in Madison, Wisconsin. She has contributed the following innovations to xen theory:

• Aberrismic theory, a theory of scales obtained by taking a given melodic scale pattern and adding steps (smaller than the existing steps) approximately 20 to 55 cents in size, called aberrisma steps. Diasem (5L2m2s), blackdye (5L2m3s), and diaslen (5L2m4s) are some scales that result from the diatonic mos via this operation. Aberrismic scales are groundfault's principal way of using edos > 20.
• Zeta peak integer edos, the pure-octave constrained counterpart to zeta peak edos.
• Several temperaments, including flutterpyth, pentagoth, tragicomical, and dirt.

Approach to xenharmonics

groundfault mainly uses aberrismic theory and regular temperaments by mapping JI scales via edo vals to equal temperaments in subgroups in the 19-prime-limit and uses delta-rational optimization for less LCJI-accurate chords, for example in 18edo. She always works in full edos rather than subsets and has released xenharmonic music in 11edo, 16edo, 20edo, 24edo, 25edo, 27edo, 29edo, 31edo, and 32edo (often combining edos in a single composition). Her compositions are maximalist, melody-based and polyphonic, combining multiple melodic lines including rhythmically complex basslines, but does not replicate classical counterpoint. groundfault's approach to edos is summarized by the concept of closure, where each edo interval must have a role distinct from any other; an edo has too many notes for her if closure is not satisfied.

Microtonal discography

• A New Dusk (2024) – 9-piece full album
• Souvenirs of the Affliction (2025) – 9-piece full album

External links

• YouTube channel
• Bandcamp profile