Erv Wilson: Difference between revisions
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{{Wikipedia|Erv Wilson}} | |||
'''Ervin Wilson''' (June 11, 1928 – December 8, 2016) was a Mexican theorist, [[scalesmith]] and composer. He cited [[Augusto Novaro]] and [[Joseph Yasser]] as influences. Wilson’s own ideas went on to influence almost every xenharmonic composer and theorist who came after him. Large swathes of modern xenharmonic music and theory makes use of [[MOS scale]]s or [[constant structure]]s. MOS scales are the predominant way of approaching [[equal-step tuning|equal-tempered]] tunings. | |||
[[http://anaphoria.com/wilson.html | |||
Erv Wilson was born in a remote area of northwest Chihuahua, Mexico, where he lived until the age of fifteen. His mother taught him to play the reed organ and to read musical [[notation]]. He began to compose at an early age, but immediately discovered that some of the sounds he was hearing mentally could not be reproduced by the conventional [[interval]]s of the organ. As a teenager he began to read books on [[Indian]] music, developing an interest in concepts of raga. While in the Air Force in Japan, a chance meeting with a stranger introduced him to musical harmonics, which changed the course of his life and work. Further influenced by [[Joseph Yasser]], Wilson began to think of the musical scale as a living process, like a crystal or plant. He rediscovered base-2 logarithms and began to systematically explore equal divisions of the octave, coming up with scales of [[17edo|17]], [[19edo|19]], [[22edo|22]], and [[31edo|31]] tones that were especially pleasing. | |||
Wilson has been mentor to many composers and [[:Category:Instrument makers|instrument builders]]. The goal of his research was to make exotic scales musically accessible to the composer and listener. "I sculpt in the architecture of the scale. Other people come along and animate it". | |||
== Contributions == | |||
* [[Combination product set]] | |||
* [[MOS scale|Moment of symmetry scale]] | |||
* [[Constant structure]] | |||
* [[Mavila]] | |||
* [[Erv Wilson's Linear Notations]] | |||
* [[Horogram]] | |||
* [[Diaphonic cycle]] | |||
* [[Harmonic template]] | |||
== External links == | |||
* [http://anaphoria.com/wilson.html The Wilson Archives] (collected papers) | |||
* [https://www.anaphoria.com/wilson-timeline.html Erv Wilson Timeline] compiled by [[Jose L Garcia|Jose Hales-Garcia]] | |||
* [http://www.thesonicsky.com/ The Sonic Sky] (a website about Erv Wilson's work by [[Stephen James Taylor]]) | |||
* ''[https://www.routledge.com/Microtonality-and-the-Tuning-Systems-of-Erv-Wilson/Narushima/p/book/9781138857568 Microtonality and the Tuning Systems of Erv Wilson]'' (a book about Erv Wilson's work by [[Terumi Narushima]]) | |||
* [https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wilsonic/id848852071?mt=8 Wilsonic] – an iPad/iPhone app for exploring alternative scales, built on the works of Erv Wilson | |||
** See it in action: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylZ6VE6E_uE the source file 3 - YouTube] | |||
** [https://audiokitpro.com/synth/ AudioKit Synth One] – free iPad/iPhone touch-to-play synthesizer/keyboard app with customizable layout and scales, which can import scales directly from within Wilsonic. | |||
* [https://johnnyreinhard.bandcamp.com/album/d-6-interviews-erv-wilson-also-the-intelligent-keyboard-by-harold-m-waage-and-kraig-grady-johnny-reinhard-improv Erv Wilson interviewed by Ben Johnston] - Audio recording | |||
* [https://www.xenharmonikon.org/2026/05/19/another-look-at-wilsons-keyboard-mapping-system/ Another look at Wilson's keyboard mapping system] - Xenharmonikon article | |||
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Erv}} | |||
[[Category:Erv Wilson| ]] <!-- main article --> | |||
[[Category:People]] | |||
[[Category:Composers]] | |||
[[Category:Theorists]] | |||
Latest revision as of 19:10, 15 June 2026
Ervin Wilson (June 11, 1928 – December 8, 2016) was a Mexican theorist, scalesmith and composer. He cited Augusto Novaro and Joseph Yasser as influences. Wilson’s own ideas went on to influence almost every xenharmonic composer and theorist who came after him. Large swathes of modern xenharmonic music and theory makes use of MOS scales or constant structures. MOS scales are the predominant way of approaching equal-tempered tunings.
Erv Wilson was born in a remote area of northwest Chihuahua, Mexico, where he lived until the age of fifteen. His mother taught him to play the reed organ and to read musical notation. He began to compose at an early age, but immediately discovered that some of the sounds he was hearing mentally could not be reproduced by the conventional intervals of the organ. As a teenager he began to read books on Indian music, developing an interest in concepts of raga. While in the Air Force in Japan, a chance meeting with a stranger introduced him to musical harmonics, which changed the course of his life and work. Further influenced by Joseph Yasser, Wilson began to think of the musical scale as a living process, like a crystal or plant. He rediscovered base-2 logarithms and began to systematically explore equal divisions of the octave, coming up with scales of 17, 19, 22, and 31 tones that were especially pleasing.
Wilson has been mentor to many composers and instrument builders. The goal of his research was to make exotic scales musically accessible to the composer and listener. "I sculpt in the architecture of the scale. Other people come along and animate it".
Contributions
- Combination product set
- Moment of symmetry scale
- Constant structure
- Mavila
- Erv Wilson's Linear Notations
- Horogram
- Diaphonic cycle
- Harmonic template
External links
- The Wilson Archives (collected papers)
- Erv Wilson Timeline compiled by Jose Hales-Garcia
- The Sonic Sky (a website about Erv Wilson's work by Stephen James Taylor)
- Microtonality and the Tuning Systems of Erv Wilson (a book about Erv Wilson's work by Terumi Narushima)
- Wilsonic – an iPad/iPhone app for exploring alternative scales, built on the works of Erv Wilson
- See it in action: the source file 3 - YouTube
- AudioKit Synth One – free iPad/iPhone touch-to-play synthesizer/keyboard app with customizable layout and scales, which can import scales directly from within Wilsonic.
- Erv Wilson interviewed by Ben Johnston - Audio recording
- Another look at Wilson's keyboard mapping system - Xenharmonikon article
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