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DRAFT ==== Microtuning Surge XT synth in the Reaper DAW ==== DRAFT

[This is a thinking-out-loud sketch of what a guide might look like for detailing how to use Surge XT set to alternative (non-12-EDO) tunings in Reaper. It might become part of a larger document also describing how other popular but less full-featured synths or samplers can be used for microtonal music in Reaper. Or it might become part of a larger document also describing how Surge XT can be used for microtonal music in other DAWs.]

This guide will describe alternative methods for making music set in microtonal or other uncommon tuning systems with the Surge XT software synthesizer running inside in the Reaper DAW. It will describe scenarios in which each of those methods are effective, and procedures for configuring the software using that method. Similar reasoning and procedures will apply to other synths and DAWs. Therefore this guide will go into some detail to help provide the understanding needed to apply the described tuning methods to other synth/DAW combinations.

Introduction

Surge XT can be used within the Reaper DAW to create music set in microtonal or other uncommon tuning systems using several methods. Which method you use will depend on the larger context in which you're working and your specific needs, which will be explored below. Reaper is a popular and inexpensive DAW that fully supports all of Surge XT's possibilities for using alternative tuning systems. This tutorial was last verified using Surge XT version 1.2.3 and Reaper version 6.80 in August 2023.

This tutorial assumes you already have Surge XT and Reaper installed on your computer, and [for now] that you know how to create an instrument track in Reaper and load a plugin instrument like Surge XT onto it.

However, Surge XT can also run in standalone mode, without any DAW. A significant drawback to that configuration is you won't be able to record your playing as MIDI notes, unless you have some additional component doing the recording. The common use cases for running Surge XT in standalone mode are for live performance where you don't want the extra complexity of running a DAW, or when you're just playing casually and don't need to record MIDI. In standalone mode, the first two use cases below [be specific once section titles are settled] can be used to tune Surge XT.

Methods | Use cases | Scenarios | Configurations

[I need to think further about how I want to name these use cases. I might prefer something that says more about why rather than what or how. But there can be several different "why" use cases for each the configurations named. So I might leave them as they are, call this section "Methods" and have the first section after the title and before "Advantages" be "Scenarios" for describing typical use cases for that method.]

There are many ways to configure Surge XT to use a non-standard tuning in Reaper, listed here as "methods." But there are advantages and disadvantages to each. To use this section, you might choose just to read the "Scenarios" section of each method to find something that is close to the actual scenario in which you plan to use Surge XT and Reaper. Then follow the "Procedure" for that method. Or you may want to read all the "Scenarios," "Advantages," and "Disadvantages" of every method to gain a strong understanding of all the possibilities and be prepared for many scenarios.

Create a tuning directly in Surge XT itself

[Briefly: Use Surge's tuning editor to recreate a custom tuning, using the example of a Ptolemy's Intense Diatonic.]

Load a Scala tuning file and keyboard mapping file into Surge XT

Scenarios

[What circumstances would lead to this being the best (or at least a good) choice of the methods listed here? The "why that is" would be answered in the next two sections.]

Advantages

[Why you would want to use this method.]

Disadvantages

[Why you would not want to use this method.]

Procedure

1. Create a new instrument track in Reaper.
2. Add Surge XT as a plugin on that instrument track.
3. Load a Scala tuning file (.scl) into Surge XT as follows:
   1. In Surge XT's Menu select the Tuning option, then choose "Load .scl tuning..."
   2. Use the resulting file selection popup to choose one of the (ideally 12-tone for keyboard mapping simplicity) Scala tuning files that come with Surge XT, e.g. [something beginners might have read about and would recognize,] like just intonation's Ptolemy_intense_diatonic.scl or meantone's WerckmeisterIII_equal_beating.scl, or instead choose [something named in condensed code like] ED3-12.scl.
      • Note that without a Scala keyboard mapping file (.kbm) also loaded, Surge XT might assume a default tonic frequency and keyboard mapping that sets the first note specified in the tuning file as MIDI Note C.60 and the reference pitch as international ISO standard pitch (MIDI A.69=440.000Hz). [Or will it? Seems undocumented. In fact, it does not. Default in Surge XT 1.2.3 is a tonic of C.60 and the reference pitch is C.60=261.626Hz, which is close but not international standard.] However, if we are using a just intonation scale and music with a tonic of F (F4, MIDI 65, 349.23 Hz), we need to use a keyboard mapping file to ensure the tuning is correct.
      • Remember that when you load a Scala tuning file you should always load a keyboard mapping file to prevent mistuned surprises. To learn more about how to use Scala tuning and keyboard mapping files, including what to do when your instrument doesn't offer the option to load a keyboard mapping file, see Tuning methods.
4. Load a Scale keyboard mapping file (.kbm), for example the "Halberstadt 60-440-69.kbm" file [which *is* international ISO tuning standard].
5. Optionally, if you understand Scala tuning and mapping data, you may wish to open Surge XT's Tuning editor at this time (Menu > Tuning > Open tuning editor...) to confirm the correct data was loaded from the files.
6. Test the tuning to ensure it is correct.

Notes

Surge XT also provides a button "Tune" under the label "Status" along the top of its window. If a custom tuning has not yet been added during the current session, clicking the button will reveal the same list of options as Menu > Tuning. If a custom tuning has been loaded, the Tune button will be lit (bright not dark), and clicking it will turn that tuning off (back to the default) or on.

Scala does not support Anamark (.tun) tuning files, which some other synths do support.

Control Surge XT's tuning with a tuning plugin

There is no convincing case for using this tuning method with Surge XT, AFAIK. If you want to set a custom tuning, or load a tuning file, or respond to an MTS-ESP tuning source, you can do all those in Surge XT without any need for an additional plugin to provide those functionalities. [Rather than provide instructions for using a tuning plugin here, I will instead do that in a different Guide for using a synth that requires it like Vital, which can load a Scala tuning file but not a keyboard mapping file, and supports MPE tuning.]

Control Surge XT's tuning using MTS-ESP without a tuning plugin

Briefly: Add an MTS-ESP tuning source plugin on one track, and Surge XT on another. Load a tuning file into the MTS-ESP source plugin. Set Surge XT to listen to MTS-ESP.

How to test the tuning

[Briefly: If you're familiar enough with the tuning to recognize its correctness by ear, play the scale. Otherwise, test the frequency of played notes using the tuner that comes with Reaper, or an external (e.g. phone-based) tuner. This may require using a prepared data sheet or making one using an appropriate utility like Scala or the simpler Scale Workshop.]

See Also

Tuning methods. An in-depth introduction to all the common methods for setting hardware and software electronic instruments to use non-standard tunings.

External Links

Reaper. A low-cost, powerful and popular DAW with excellent support for microtuning and other xenharmonic tunings.

Scala. The Swiss army knife of alternative tunings, Scala is a powerful tool but with a steep learning curve. Scala can be used to create custom tuning files.

Scale Workshop. A very effective tool for creating and analyzing tunings, and creating tuning files for them, Scale Workshop is much simpler to learn and use than Scala. [That doesn't make it intuitively obvious to use, though! I guess there needs to be a page, "How to make a note-frequency chart" of your tuning, for confirming your musical instrument's correctness.]

Surge XT. A soft synth with outstanding support for non-standard tunings, supporting a variety of tuning methods.