User:Mousemambo/Document draft: Difference between revisions

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[''Once again, this whole section should probably be moved to the recently created article "Scale design software."'']

It's important to realize that the words "scale" and "tuning" have very different meanings in different contexts. In the context of scale design software (aka scale designers) and tuning editors, scales can be understood abstractly as an ordered set of notes, whose roughly demarcated structure of intervals is determined by cultural music traditions or based on one of many possible patterns. ~~Tuning~~ systems can be understood as mathematical specifications for the set of exact pitch frequencies upon which those scale notes may be positioned. Tuning systems can define a large number of possible pitch locations, and a scale may include all or only a subset of them.

It's important to realize that the words "scale" and "tuning" have very different meanings in different contexts. In the context of scale design software (aka scale designers) and tuning editors, scales can be understood abstractly as an ordered set of notes, whose roughly demarcated structure of intervals is determined by cultural music traditions or based on one of many possible patterns. In this same context, tuning systems can be understood as mathematical specifications for the set of exact pitch frequencies upon which those scale notes may be positioned. Tuning systems can define a large number of possible pitch locations, and a scale may include all or only a subset of them. A broader meaning of the term "tuning system" can encompass both scale and tuning, but splitting these is useful for understanding scale design software.

For example, the 12edo tuning system offers 12 possible frequencies per period for placing notes upon, all of which are used by the 12edo Chromatic scale, but only some of which are used by the 12edo Major scale. These examples also point to the fact that an unambiguous, concrete scale description also names the tuning being used. The "12edo Major" scale and "Ptolemy's intense diatonic Major" scale are both Major scales. They are both diatonic (have five large and two maximally separated small intervals per period) and follow the Major mode pattern (L L s L L L s). But they place all their notes besides the tonic on slightly different frequencies, because they follow two different tuning systems — a just intonation in the Ptolemy case and an equal temperament in the 12edo case. They sound roughly the same when each is played as a sequential scale, but some strong harmonic differences are audible in dyads and chords.

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Therefore, we could define a scale designer as a software tool for indicating the notes of a scale and their exact pitch frequencies. Given that definition, a tuning might could be understood as a more general tool for exploring the various mathematical patterns from which tuning systems are developed. However, you will encounter software that uses these terms differently, as well as many other names that point toward these same functions being fulfilled. And software in this category frequently combines at least some of the functions of a scale designer and tuning editor. Just keep in mind that apart from the abstract meanings of the terms scale and tuning, to play music you will ultimately need to indicate both the notes of your scale and the exact frequencies on which they are placed.

~~'''''~~Glossary for scale design software~~'''''~~

=== Glossary for scale design software ===

'''Tuning base'''

The implied note, or explicit MIDI note number, on which the tuning file's scale is anchored. In the part of a tuning file that specifies a scale, it is usually the first, usually lowest pitched, scale note defined in a tuning file. In some tuning file systems, the other notes in the scale may be defined with reference to the tuning base (e.g. by frequency ratio or distance in cents). In the part of a tuning file that specifies a keyboard mapping, the tuning base is the MIDI note to which the scale is anchored.

Also called the tuning base note, base note (easily confused with bass note), reference note (which is vague), 1/1 (referring to its intervallic relationship with itself), or (least clearly) the "middle note" which is how it's named in the Scala keyboard mapping file (.kbm) specification.

Also called the tuning base note, tuning base MIDI note (in a MIDI context), scale base, base note (easily confused with bass note), reference note (which is vague), 1/1 (referring to its intervallic relationship with itself), or (least clearly) the "middle note" which is how it's named in the Scala keyboard mapping file (.kbm) specification.

It can be misleading to refer to the tuning base as the tonic, root, or key. The conceptual tool that is a tuning base does not directly appear in Western classical music theory. It's related to the concepts of tonic and key, but the tuning base is just a technical tool that operates in the context of needing to attach a scale to a musical instrument controller. Not every tuning base is also a tonic or key (e.g. in atonal music), and "root" applies to chords not scales.

It can be misleading to refer to the tuning base as the tonic, root, or key, although this is sometime done. The conceptual tool that is a tuning base does not directly appear in Western classical music theory. It's related to the concepts of tonic and key, but the tuning base is just a technical tool that operates in the context of needing to attach a scale to a musical instrument controller. Not every tuning base is also a tonic or key (e.g. in atonal music), and "root" applies most correctly to chords but not scales. Although the lowest note in a scale (which is a pitch set usually ordered by pitch frequency), is typically called the scale's tonic in common musicology, it does not have tonical function in atonal music, so "base" is a more general term though not in common use.

'''Reference note'''

@@ Line 196: / Line 196: @@
 [''Once again, this whole section should probably be moved to the recently created article "Scale design software."'']
-It's important to realize that the words "scale" and "tuning" have very different meanings in different contexts. In the context of scale design software (aka scale designers) and tuning editors, scales can be understood abstractly as an ordered set of notes, whose roughly demarcated structure of intervals is determined by cultural music traditions or based on one of many possible patterns. Tuning systems can be understood as mathematical specifications for the set of exact pitch frequencies upon which those scale notes may be positioned. Tuning systems can define a large number of possible pitch locations, and a scale may include all or only a subset of them.
+It's important to realize that the words "scale" and "tuning" have very different meanings in different contexts. In the context of scale design software (aka scale designers) and tuning editors, scales can be understood abstractly as an ordered set of notes, whose roughly demarcated structure of intervals is determined by cultural music traditions or based on one of many possible patterns. In this same context, tuning systems can be understood as mathematical specifications for the set of exact pitch frequencies upon which those scale notes may be positioned. Tuning systems can define a large number of possible pitch locations, and a scale may include all or only a subset of them. A broader meaning of the term "tuning system" can encompass both scale and tuning, but splitting these is useful for understanding scale design software.
 For example, the 12edo tuning system offers 12 possible frequencies per period for placing notes upon, all of which are used by the 12edo Chromatic scale, but only some of which are used by the 12edo Major scale. These examples also point to the fact that an unambiguous, concrete scale description also names the tuning being used. The "12edo Major" scale and "Ptolemy's intense diatonic Major" scale are both Major scales. They are both diatonic (have five large and two maximally separated small intervals per period) and follow the Major mode pattern (L L s L L L s). But they place all their notes besides the tonic on slightly different frequencies, because they follow two different tuning systems — a just intonation in the Ptolemy case and an equal temperament in the 12edo case. They sound roughly the same when each is played as a sequential scale, but some strong harmonic differences are audible in dyads and chords.
@@ Line 202: / Line 202: @@
 Therefore, we could define a scale designer as a software tool for indicating the notes of a scale and their exact pitch frequencies. Given that definition, a tuning might could be understood as a more general tool for exploring the various mathematical patterns from which tuning systems are developed. However, you will encounter software that uses these terms differently, as well as many other names that point toward these same functions being fulfilled. And software in this category frequently combines at least some of the functions of a scale designer and tuning editor. Just keep in mind that apart from the abstract meanings of the terms scale and tuning, to play music you will ultimately need to indicate both the notes of your scale and the exact frequencies on which they are placed.
-'''''Glossary for scale design software'''''
+=== Glossary for scale design software ===
 '''Tuning base'''
 The implied note, or explicit MIDI note number, on which the tuning file's scale is anchored. In the part of a tuning file that specifies a scale, it is usually the first, usually lowest pitched, scale note defined in a tuning file. In some tuning file systems, the other notes in the scale may be defined with reference to the tuning base (e.g. by frequency ratio or distance in cents). In the part of a tuning file that specifies a keyboard mapping, the tuning base is the MIDI note to which the scale is anchored.
-Also called the tuning base note, base note (easily confused with bass note), reference note (which is vague), 1/1 (referring to its intervallic relationship with itself), or (least clearly) the "middle note" which is how it's named in the Scala keyboard mapping file (.kbm) specification.
+Also called the tuning base note, tuning base MIDI note (in a MIDI context), scale base, base note (easily confused with bass note), reference note (which is vague), 1/1 (referring to its intervallic relationship with itself), or (least clearly) the "middle note" which is how it's named in the Scala keyboard mapping file (.kbm) specification.
-It can be misleading to refer to the tuning base as the tonic, root, or key. The conceptual tool that is a tuning base does not directly appear in Western classical music theory. It's related to the concepts of tonic and key, but the tuning base is just a technical tool that operates in the context of needing to attach a scale to a musical instrument controller. Not every tuning base is also a tonic or key (e.g. in atonal music), and "root" applies to chords not scales.
+It can be misleading to refer to the tuning base as the tonic, root, or key, although this is sometime done. The conceptual tool that is a tuning base does not directly appear in Western classical music theory. It's related to the concepts of tonic and key, but the tuning base is just a technical tool that operates in the context of needing to attach a scale to a musical instrument controller. Not every tuning base is also a tonic or key (e.g. in atonal music), and "root" applies most correctly to chords but not scales. Although the lowest note in a scale (which is a pitch set usually ordered by pitch frequency), is typically called the scale's tonic in common musicology, it does not have tonical function in atonal music, so "base" is a more general term though not in common use.
 '''Reference note'''