Scale design software: Difference between revisions

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==Glossary for scale design software==

Some of the terms discussed below appear in various forms in all music software, while others are specific for tuning software and electronic instruments. However, when establishing tuning for tonical (aka tonal) music set in non-12edo tunings it can be critically important to recognize the concepts behind each of these terms, and not take for granted that a software or electronic musical instrument will properly set these properties or even recognize the need to do so. The distinction between tuning base and reference note is especially important ~~in non-EDO~~ tunings.

Some of the terms discussed below appear in various forms in all music software, while others are specific for tuning software and electronic instruments. However, when establishing tuning for tonical (aka tonal) music set in non-12edo tunings it can be critically important to recognize the concepts behind each of these terms, and not take for granted that a software or electronic musical instrument will properly set these properties or even recognize the need to do so. The distinction between tuning base and reference note is especially important outside equal temperament tunings.

In brief, a tuning base anchors the scale, maps it to a [[MIDI]] note number, and may be the note from which an intervallic network is established, all without necessarily specifying any reference pitch frequency. In contrast, a reference note is used to set the specific pitch frequency of one of the notes in the scale, from which the pitch of the others is implied by the intervallic network. The tuning base note may or may not be set the same as the reference note.

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The reference note can also be used as the tuning base note. For simplicity, it is common to use C4 as both tuning base and reference note for EDO scales, with a reference pitch of 261.63 Hz. However, in the case of tonical music using a non-EDO scale (e.g. set to [[just intonation]] or [[meantone]] tuning systems) carefully setting the tuning base is critical because the uneven intervals require placing the tuning base on the tonic note of the music. Otherwise, the tuning will be off.

But the reference note used for the reference pitch can still be any note of the scale. A4 is commonly used as a reference note because 440 Hz exactly is the ISO-16-1975 tuning reference standard pitch for A4 on a piano keyboard, so no frequency approximation is required. An alternative approach for non-EDO tonical music is to set both the tuning base and reference note to the music's tonic, and set the reference pitch to what the reference note's pitch frequency would have been in a standard ~~12-EDO~~ concert pitch system.

But the reference note used for the reference pitch can still be any note of the scale. A4 is commonly used as a reference note because 440 Hz exactly is the ISO-16-1975 tuning reference standard pitch for A4 on a piano keyboard, so no frequency approximation is required. An alternative approach for non-EDO tonical music is to set both the tuning base and reference note to the music's tonic, and set the reference pitch to what the reference note's pitch frequency would have been in a standard 12edo concert pitch system.

=== Reference pitch ===

The exact pitch frequency (typically in [[Wikipedia:Hertz|Hz]]) for the reference note, ~~based on which~~ all other notes in the scale or tuning system will be assigned a frequency, according to their intervallic relationship to the reference note. Also called the pitch reference, or tuning center, and sometimes the [[Wikipedia:Concert pitch|concert pitch]] (for an ensemble).

The exact pitch frequency (typically in [[Wikipedia:Hertz|Hz]]) for the reference note. Based on that pitch frequency, all other notes in the scale or tuning system will be assigned a frequency, according to their intervallic relationship to the reference note. Also called the pitch reference, or tuning center, and sometimes the [[Wikipedia:Concert pitch|concert pitch]] (for an ensemble).

The reference note and pitch are sometimes casually specified with a combination named note, MIDI number, and pitch frequency expression, e.g. A4-440Hz-MIDI.69, meaning 440 Hz exactly for the A above middle C, because A4=440Hz is the international standard. For cases other than A4=440Hz, in a tuning specifier like C4-261Hz-MIDI.60 for example, the "261" is typically an approximation. It implies a more accurate number should be specified in the tuning file itself, with 2-4 digits after a decimal point (e.g. 261.6256).

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=== Linear keyboard mapping ===

A mapping between scale and keyboard controller keys, ~~such that~~ the notes of the scale are simply applied in a sequential order starting from the tuning base. In the absence of an explicit keyboard mapping, music software will typically assign linear keyboard mapping. ~~Consequently,~~ the pattern of black and white keys on a standard piano keyboard might not align with meaningful intervals of the scale.

A mapping between scale and keyboard controller keys, in which the notes of the scale are simply applied in a sequential order starting from the tuning base. In the absence of an explicit keyboard mapping, music software will typically assign linear keyboard mapping. In this case the pattern of black and white keys on a standard piano keyboard might not align with meaningful intervals of the scale.

==List of scale design software==

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 ==Glossary for scale design software==
-Some of the terms discussed below appear in various forms in all music software, while others are specific for tuning software and electronic instruments. However, when establishing tuning for tonical (aka tonal) music set in non-12edo tunings it can be critically important to recognize the concepts behind each of these terms, and not take for granted that a software or electronic musical instrument will properly set these properties or even recognize the need to do so. The distinction between tuning base and reference note is especially important in non-EDO tunings.
+Some of the terms discussed below appear in various forms in all music software, while others are specific for tuning software and electronic instruments. However, when establishing tuning for tonical (aka tonal) music set in non-12edo tunings it can be critically important to recognize the concepts behind each of these terms, and not take for granted that a software or electronic musical instrument will properly set these properties or even recognize the need to do so. The distinction between tuning base and reference note is especially important outside equal temperament tunings.
 In brief, a tuning base anchors the scale, maps it to a [[MIDI]] note number, and may be the note from which an intervallic network is established, all without necessarily specifying any reference pitch frequency. In contrast, a reference note is used to set the specific pitch frequency of one of the notes in the scale, from which the pitch of the others is implied by the intervallic network. The tuning base note may or may not be set the same as the reference note.
@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 The reference note can also be used as the tuning base note. For simplicity, it is common to use C4 as both tuning base and reference note for EDO scales, with a reference pitch of 261.63 Hz. However, in the case of tonical music using a non-EDO scale (e.g. set to [[just intonation]] or [[meantone]] tuning systems) carefully setting the tuning base is critical because the uneven intervals require placing the tuning base on the tonic note of the music. Otherwise, the tuning will be off.
-But the reference note used for the reference pitch can still be any note of the scale. A4 is commonly used as a reference note because 440 Hz exactly is the ISO-16-1975 tuning reference standard pitch for A4 on a piano keyboard, so no frequency approximation is required. An alternative approach for non-EDO tonical music is to set both the tuning base and reference note to the music's tonic, and set the reference pitch to what the reference note's pitch frequency would have been in a standard 12-EDO concert pitch system.
+But the reference note used for the reference pitch can still be any note of the scale. A4 is commonly used as a reference note because 440 Hz exactly is the ISO-16-1975 tuning reference standard pitch for A4 on a piano keyboard, so no frequency approximation is required. An alternative approach for non-EDO tonical music is to set both the tuning base and reference note to the music's tonic, and set the reference pitch to what the reference note's pitch frequency would have been in a standard 12edo concert pitch system.
 === Reference pitch ===
-The exact pitch frequency (typically in [[Wikipedia:Hertz|Hz]]) for the reference note, based on which all other notes in the scale or tuning system will be assigned a frequency, according to their intervallic relationship to the reference note. Also called the pitch reference, or tuning center, and sometimes the [[Wikipedia:Concert pitch|concert pitch]] (for an ensemble).
+The exact pitch frequency (typically in [[Wikipedia:Hertz|Hz]]) for the reference note. Based on that pitch frequency, all other notes in the scale or tuning system will be assigned a frequency, according to their intervallic relationship to the reference note. Also called the pitch reference, or tuning center, and sometimes the [[Wikipedia:Concert pitch|concert pitch]] (for an ensemble).
 The reference note and pitch are sometimes casually specified with a combination named note, MIDI number, and pitch frequency expression, e.g. A4-440Hz-MIDI.69, meaning 440 Hz exactly for the A above middle C, because A4=440Hz is the international standard. For cases other than A4=440Hz, in a tuning specifier like C4-261Hz-MIDI.60 for example, the "261" is typically an approximation. It implies a more accurate number should be specified in the tuning file itself, with 2-4 digits after a decimal point (e.g. 261.6256).
@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 === Linear keyboard mapping ===
-A mapping between scale and keyboard controller keys, such that the notes of the scale are simply applied in a sequential order starting from the tuning base. In the absence of an explicit keyboard mapping, music software will typically assign linear keyboard mapping. Consequently, the pattern of black and white keys on a standard piano keyboard might not align with meaningful intervals of the scale.
+A mapping between scale and keyboard controller keys, in which the notes of the scale are simply applied in a sequential order starting from the tuning base. In the absence of an explicit keyboard mapping, music software will typically assign linear keyboard mapping. In this case the pattern of black and white keys on a standard piano keyboard might not align with meaningful intervals of the scale.
 ==List of scale design software==