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This is the more straightforward in sound of the two. It sounds a lot like an old Moog. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt-LGslXAF0 Here's a YouTube video] with a run-through of the sounds.
This is the more straightforward in sound of the two. It sounds a lot like an old Moog. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt-LGslXAF0 Here's a YouTube video] with a run-through of the sounds.


It has 5374 tuning files, (FAR more than any other VST or hardware synth, except for my other VST, which has the same tuning files.) It has 64 presets. It's polyphonic, microtonal, free, easy to use, and robust. I'm only going to do a tutorial for one of these two, because the installation and use of both is pretty much identical. Also, both of them come with a collection of PDFs by Sevish about some of the various microtonal systems / tuning files included. They're technically deep, but easy to read, and even fun. He's a good teacher. For a microtonal sampler, check out [https://biptunia.com/?p=4040 Simple Microtonal Sampler], 64-bit Windows. It's free. '''Microtonal Polyphonic Shiny Dirt''' Another free microtonal polyphonic VST I made is called Microtonal Polyphonic Shiny Dirt. [https://biptunia.com/?p=3360 You can download it here]. [https://biptunia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MicrotnalPolyShinyDirt.jpg][[undefined|link=]][[:File:MicrotnalPolyShinyDirt-450x258.jpg|[[Image:MicrotnalPolyShinyDirt-450x258.jpg|link=|300x300px]]]] Microtonal Polyphonic Shiny Dirt is a bit more experimental and freaky than Microtonal Poly Worms'''. '''It's been called "a very musical homage to circuit-bent analog synths.' Plus, I set up the mod wheel to do something very different and very strange on every one of the 128 presets. The album [https://biptunia.com/?p=3389 ''Microtonal Cats from Alpha-Centauri''] uses '''only these two synths''', other than a couple drum samplers used for the drums. Either of these synths can also do 12 TET. Just pick the 12 EDO tuning file. For our purposes here, and largely in naming microtonal tuning systems in a board way, EDO is the same as TET. Though, as Joseph Monzo has pointed out, "T<span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span class="UFICommentBody">ET refers to a temperament of Just Intonation in which unison-vectors are tempered out, whereas EDO or EDn (where n is an integer or ratio) simply refers to an equal division of the octave or n without any particular reference to JI or any of its theoretical underpinning. More links on the nuance of this [http://tonalsoft.com/enc/e/edo.aspx?fbclid=IwAR0-FM1n4j5WU-j6Qt8v04XWT_rU2XwKkGg-62Zcj3iuaTKX_EC2MN8Sarw are here] with [http://tonalsoft.com/enc/e/equal-temperament.aspx more here].</span></span>) '''GETTING STARTED WITH THESE WINDOWS VSTs''' Unzip and put the folder '''\MicrotonalPolyphonicShinyDirt '''inside your DAW's VST folder. In 64-bit Reaper, the presets will show up in a second window, like this, with the pre-sets in a separate window: [https://biptunia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/seperate-Window.jpg][[undefined|link=]][[:File:Seperate-Window-450x191.jpg|[[Image:seperate-Window-450x191.jpg|link=|300x300px]]]] ''(^ If the preset window on the right isn't wide enough to see all the preset names, you can grab either side of it with your mouse, hold down the left mouse button, and drag the window wider. This is at 2:20 in my [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt-LGslXAF0&t second run-through video].) '' If you can't even see the main colorful window with the kitties, click the button on the VST picker that says 'Show UI' (user interface): [https://biptunia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/show-UI.png][[undefined|link=]][[:File:Show-UI-450x196.png|[[Image:show-UI-450x196.png|link=|300x300px]]]]
It has 5374 tuning files, (FAR more than any other VST or hardware synth, except for my other VST, which has the same tuning files.)


'''GETTING TO KNOW Microtonal Polyphonic Shiny Dirt''' SO'This VST has 128 presets, and 5,376 tunings (scale files, in .MTS format). The first 32 pre-sets are microtonal. The rest are in normal tuning, but will retain the last microtonal tuning you used, until you set your own tuning (more on that in a moment). Each preset has a different tuning, but you can use the picker to add any of the tunings to any of the presets. You can also make your own synth patches. And, if 5,376 tunings isn't enough, you can add your own tunings. They should be in .MTS file format, put into the
It has 64 presets. It's polyphonic, microtonal, free, easy to use, and robust.


'''\MicrotonalPolyphonicShinyDirt '''folder inside your VST folder. The order of .MTS files in our presets are set up somewhat randomly, to encourage experimentation. But you can stop using the set tunings in a given preset at any time, and pick your own. You do this by clicking on the file picker near the bottom right, on the 'CHOOSE MTS TUNING FILES' section at the bottom, and picking any of the 5,376 scales. (Check out Sevish's [http://sevish.com/music-resources/ Resources for Microtonal Musicians] page.) If you read about a tuning you like and want to try it, you can click the file picker icon in the bottom right of the User Interface, circled here in blue: This will open up the list of tuning .MTS files. From there you can just go down the list and try different scales, or you can find specific ones; there is a search function where you can type the scale name. It will bring up your result or results: [https://biptunia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/search-name-of-file.jpg][[undefined|link=]][[:File:Search-name-of-file-450x299.jpg|[[Image:search-name-of-file-450x299.jpg|link=|300x300px]]]] From there, click on the file icon to use the scale. (Where it says hulen_33' in the above image. But it will be replaced by the name you searched.)
I'm only going to do a tutorial for one of these two, because the installation and use of both is pretty much identical.
 
Also, both of them come with a collection of PDFs by Sevish about some of the various microtonal systems / tuning files included. They're technically deep, but easy to read, and even fun. He's a good teacher.
 
For a microtonal sampler, check out [https://biptunia.com/?p=4040 Simple Microtonal Sampler], 64-bit Windows. It's free.
 
'''Microtonal Polyphonic Shiny Dirt'''
 
Another free microtonal polyphonic VST I made is called Microtonal Polyphonic Shiny Dirt. [https://biptunia.com/?p=3360 You can download it here].
 
[https://biptunia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MicrotnalPolyShinyDirt.jpg][[undefined|link=]][[:File:MicrotnalPolyShinyDirt-450x258.jpg|[[Image:MicrotnalPolyShinyDirt-450x258.jpg|link=|300x300px]]]]
 
Microtonal Polyphonic Shiny Dirt is a bit more experimental and freaky than Microtonal Poly Worms'''. '''It's been called "a very musical homage to circuit-bent analog synths.'
 
Plus, I set up the mod wheel to do something very different and very strange on every one of the 128 presets.
 
The album [https://biptunia.com/?p=3389 ''Microtonal Cats from Alpha-Centauri''] uses '''only these two synths''', other than a couple drum samplers used for the drums.
 
Either of these synths can also do 12 TET. Just pick the 12 EDO tuning file.
 
For our purposes here, and largely in naming microtonal tuning systems in a board way, EDO is the same as TET. Though, as Joseph Monzo has pointed out, "T<span class="UFICommentActorAndBody"><span class="UFICommentBody">ET refers to a temperament of Just Intonation in which unison-vectors are tempered out, whereas EDO or EDn (where n is an integer or ratio) simply refers to an equal division of the octave or ''n'' without any particular reference to JI or any of its theoretical underpinning. More links on the nuance of this [http://tonalsoft.com/enc/e/edo.aspx?fbclid=IwAR0-FM1n4j5WU-j6Qt8v04XWT_rU2XwKkGg-62Zcj3iuaTKX_EC2MN8Sarw are here] with [http://tonalsoft.com/enc/e/equal-temperament.aspx more here].</span></span>)
 
'''GETTING STARTED WITH THESE WINDOWS VSTs'''
 
Unzip and put the folder
 
'''\MicrotonalPolyphonicShinyDirt'''
 
inside your DAW's VST folder. In 64-bit Reaper, the presets will show up in a second window, like this, with the pre-sets in a separate window:
 
[https://biptunia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/seperate-Window.jpg][[undefined|link=]][[:File:Seperate-Window-450x191.jpg|[[Image:seperate-Window-450x191.jpg|link=|300x300px]]]]
 
''(^ If the preset window on the right isn't wide enough to see all the preset names, you can grab either side of it with your mouse, hold down the left mouse button, and drag the window wider. This is at 2:20 in my [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt-LGslXAF0&t second run-through video].)''
 
If you can't even see the main colorful window with the kitties, click the button on the VST picker that says 'Show UI' (user interface):
 
[https://biptunia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/show-UI.png][[undefined|link=]][[:File:Show-UI-450x196.png|[[Image:show-UI-450x196.png|link=|300x300px]]]]
 
'''GETTING TO KNOW Microtonal Polyphonic Shiny Dirt'''
 
SO....This VST has 128 presets, and 5,376 tunings (scale files, in .MTS format).
 
The first 32 pre-sets are microtonal. The rest are in normal tuning, but will retain the last microtonal tuning you used, until you set your own tuning (more on that in a moment).
 
Each preset has a different tuning, but you can use the picker to add any of the tunings to any of the presets. You can also make your own synth patches. And, if 5,376 tunings isn't enough, you can add your own tunings. They should be in .MTS file format, put into the
 
'''\MicrotonalPolyphonicShinyDirt'''
 
folder inside your VST folder.
 
The order of .MTS files in our presets are set up somewhat randomly, to encourage experimentation. But you can stop using the set tunings in a given preset at any time, and pick your own. You do this by clicking on the file picker near the bottom right, on the 'CHOOSE MTS TUNING FILES' section at the bottom, and picking any of the 5,376 scales.
 
(Check out Sevish's [http://sevish.com/music-resources/ Resources for Microtonal Musicians] page.)
 
If you read about a tuning you like and want to try it, you can click the file picker icon in the bottom right of the User Interface, circled here in blue:
 
[[undefined|link=]][[:File:Search-name-of-file-450x299.jpg|[[Image:search-name-of-file-450x299.jpg|link=|300x300px]]]]
 
This will open up the list of tuning .MTS files. From there you can just go down the list and try different scales, or you can find specific ones; there is a search function where you can type the scale name. It will bring up your result or results:
 
[[:File:Search-name-of-file-450x299.jpg|[[Image:search-name-of-file-450x299.jpg|link=|300x300px]]]]
 
From there, click on the file icon to use the scale. (Where it says hulen_33' in the above image. But that will be replaced by the name you searched.)


'''Tip: If you want to play in typical western 12-tone equal temperament, pick setting 33, called 'NOT MICROTONAL.''''
'''Tip: If you want to play in typical western 12-tone equal temperament, pick setting 33, called 'NOT MICROTONAL.''''


------------------------------ '''WHEEL CHOICE PANEL'''  
------------------------------ ------------------------------
 
'''WHEEL CHOICE PANEL'''
 
PM DEPTH Zzerp
 
INPUT 1 Newman
 
PITCH Moo
 
RESONANCE Rez
 
SIGNAL (Moog, signal – not on panel)
 
PHASE MOD Subtle
 
MODULATION fBack - (is delay feedback.)
 
PULSE WIDTH LFO drop down, bottom choice.


PM DEPTH Zzerp INPUT 1 Newman PITCH Moo RESONANCE Rez SIGNAL (Moog, signal ' not on panel) PHASE MOD Subtle MODULATION fBack - (is delay feedback.) PULSE WIDTH LFO drop down, bottom choice. 
'''---'''


'''---''' '''Microtonal Polyphonic Shiny Dirt '''has a cool frequency meter. This is a diagnostic tool used while making a VST, but usually removed before outputting for the public. I like it, so left it in. It's stoney and groovy. But they also teach you a bit about how this all works, and what audio synthesis actually ''is''. The mod wheel on '''Microtonal Polyphonic Shiny Dirt '''is unique. It controls a combination of sustain, phase mod, and pulse width. It's somewhat more subtle than many expect from a usual mod wheel, but very useful in creating a shimmer or vibrato by hand. The mod wheel will do more on some presets and patches than on others. And will do more in some octaves than on others. We recommend you try patches and tunings you like in different octaves as well. And with single notes, two- and three-note chords, and also try chords with more notes. This synth will also produce very interesting results with an arpeggiator. Try it! The pitch wheel on your MIDI controller will control pitch. The amount you can bend with it is different on some presets, and can be changed manually with the 'Pitch Wheel' switch. Alright! Make some music then let's get into some maths and a free tool for visualizing said maths.  
'''---''' '''Microtonal Polyphonic Shiny Dirt '''has a cool frequency meter. This is a diagnostic tool used while making a VST, but usually removed before outputting for the public. I like it, so left it in. It's stoney and groovy. But they also teach you a bit about how this all works, and what audio synthesis actually ''is''. The mod wheel on '''Microtonal Polyphonic Shiny Dirt '''is unique. It controls a combination of sustain, phase mod, and pulse width. It's somewhat more subtle than many expect from a usual mod wheel, but very useful in creating a shimmer or vibrato by hand. The mod wheel will do more on some presets and patches than on others. And will do more in some octaves than on others. We recommend you try patches and tunings you like in different octaves as well. And with single notes, two- and three-note chords, and also try chords with more notes. This synth will also produce very interesting results with an arpeggiator. Try it! The pitch wheel on your MIDI controller will control pitch. The amount you can bend with it is different on some presets, and can be changed manually with the 'Pitch Wheel' switch. Alright! Make some music then let's get into some maths and a free tool for visualizing said maths.  
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(BEGIN SCARY MATHS):
(BEGIN SCARY MATHS):


<blockquote>0: 1/1 0.000000 unison, perfect prime 1: 49/45 147.428097 BP minor semitone 2: 25/21 301.846520 BP second, quasi-equal minor third 3: 9/7 435.084095 septimal major third, BP third 4: 7/5 582.512193 septimal or Huygens' tritone, BP fourth 5: 75/49 736.930616 BP fifth 6: 5/3 884.358713 major sixth, BP sixth 7: 9/5 1017.596288 just minor seventh, BP seventh 8: 49/25 1165.024385 BP eighth 9: 15/7 1319.442808 septimal minor ninth, BP ninth 10: 7/3 1466.870906 minimal tenth, BP tenth 11: 63/25 1600.108480 quasi-equal major tenth, BP eleventh 12: 135/49 1754.526904 13: 3/1 1901.955001 perfect 12th Number of notes : 13 -- Interval properties -- Smallest interval : 27/25, 133.2376 cents, class 1 Average step (divided formal octave): 146.3042 cents Largest one step interval : 375/343, 154.4184 cents Average / Smallest step : 1.098070 Largest / Average step : 1.055461 Largest / Smallest step : 1.158971 Median interval of one step : 49/45, 147.4281 cents, amount: 6 Most common interval of one step : 49/45, 147.4281 cents, amount: 6 Least squares average step : 146.20906 cents, oct.: 1900.71781 cents Scale is strictly proper Interval pattern alph. order: ABCABACABACBA Interval pattern size order : MLSMLMSMLMSLM Scale is a Constant Structure, by a margin of 112.05673 cents Scale diversity : 0.283864 Rothenberg stability : 1.000000 = 1 Lumma stability : 0.866364 Number of different interval sizes : 38 = 3.16667 / class Number of one step interval sizes : 3 Highest interval variety : 4 Mean interval variety : 3.16667 = 19/6 Median interval variety : 3 Lowest interval variety : 3 Smallest interval difference : 16875/16807, 6.9903 cents Most common intervals : 7/5, 582.5122 cents & inv., amount: 10 Most common triad is 0.0 582.512 1319.443 cents, amount: 7 Number of recognisable fifths : 2, average 715.7498 cents Number of appreciable fifths : 0 Number of recognisable fourths : 0 Best fifths form a closed circle Best major thirds form a closed circle Best minor thirds form a closed circle Formal octave complements present : 13 = 100.0000% 2/1 octave complements present : 0 = 0.0000% Limited transpositions with margin 21.1808 cents: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Limited inverse transpositions with margin 21.1808 cents: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Inversional symmetry on degrees :0 Inversional symmetry on intervals :6-7 -- Rational properties -- Prime limit : 7 Odd number limit : 6075 (O: 6075 U: 2401) Highest odd numerator or denominator: 135 Scale harmonicity : 0.012488 Average absolute harmonicity : 0.078049 Specific harmonicity : 0.072166 Fundamental : 1/11025, -13.4285 octaves, 0.0237 Hz. Guide tone : 33075, 15.0135 octaves, 8653265.572 Hz. Exponens Consonantiae : 3.646519E+08, 28.44194 octaves Euler's gradus suavitatis : 51 Sum of Mann's harmonic distance : 348.0, average 26.76923 Mersenne's string divisions : too high to compute Sum of van Prooijen's expressibility: 16.53393, average 1.27184 Sum of Tenney's harmonic distance : 29.72801, average 2.28677 Vogel's harmonic complexity : 31.61538 Wille's k value : 16537 Wilson's harmonic complexity : 63 Rectangular lattice diameter : 13 Triangular lattice diameter : 7 Lattice compactness : 278.65409, average 3.06213 Lattice compactness (without 2's) : 278.65409, average 3.06213 Number of different primes : 3 Prime exponents' range, average, count, tones@limit: 3: -2 .. 3 0.53846 17 1 5: -2 .. 2 0.00000 14 2 7: -2 .. 2 0.00000 14 10 Average exponent except 2's : 7 / 13 = 0.53846 Average absolute exponent except 2's: 45 / 13 = 3.46154 Scale is JI-epimorphic in non-monotonic order: <13 17 24| Scale is JI-epimorphic: <13 19 23| = standard Scale is JI-epimorphic in non-monotonic order: <13 20 25| Scale is JI-epimorphic in non-monotonic order: <13 21 22| Scale is JI-epimorphic in non-monotonic order: <13 21 23|</blockquote>
0: 1/1 0.000000 unison, perfect prime
 
1: 49/45 147.428097 BP minor semitone
 
2: 25/21 301.846520 BP second, quasi-equal minor third
 
3: 9/7 435.084095 septimal major third, BP third
 
4: 7/5 582.512193 septimal or Huygens' tritone, BP fourth
 
5: 75/49 736.930616 BP fifth
 
6: 5/3 884.358713 major sixth, BP sixth
 
7: 9/5 1017.596288 just minor seventh, BP seventh
 
8: 49/25 1165.024385 BP eighth
 
9: 15/7 1319.442808 septimal minor ninth, BP ninth
 
10: 7/3 1466.870906 minimal tenth, BP tenth
 
11: 63/25 1600.108480 quasi-equal major tenth, BP eleventh
 
12: 135/49 1754.526904
 
13: 3/1 1901.955001 perfect 12th
 
Number of notes : 13
 
-- Interval properties --
 
Smallest interval : 27/25, 133.2376 cents, class 1
 
Average step (divided formal octave): 146.3042 cents
 
Largest one step interval : 375/343, 154.4184 cents
 
Average / Smallest step : 1.098070
 
Largest / Average step : 1.055461
 
Largest / Smallest step : 1.158971
 
Median interval of one step : 49/45, 147.4281 cents, amount: 6
 
Most common interval of one step : 49/45, 147.4281 cents, amount: 6
 
Least squares average step : 146.20906 cents, oct.: 1900.71781 cents
 
Scale is strictly proper
 
Interval pattern alph. order: ABCABACABACBA
 
Interval pattern size order : MLSMLMSMLMSLM
 
Scale is a Constant Structure, by a margin of 112.05673 cents
 
Scale diversity : 0.283864
 
Rothenberg stability : 1.000000 = 1
 
Lumma stability : 0.866364
 
Number of different interval sizes : 38 = 3.16667 / class
 
Number of one step interval sizes : 3
 
Highest interval variety : 4
 
Mean interval variety : 3.16667 = 19/6
 
Median interval variety : 3
 
Lowest interval variety : 3
 
Smallest interval difference : 16875/16807, 6.9903 cents
 
Most common intervals : 7/5, 582.5122 cents & inv., amount: 10
 
Most common triad is 0.0 582.512 1319.443 cents, amount: 7
 
Number of recognisable fifths : 2, average 715.7498 cents
 
Number of appreciable fifths : 0
 
Number of recognisable fourths : 0
 
Best fifths form a closed circle
 
Best major thirds form a closed circle
 
Best minor thirds form a closed circle
 
Formal octave complements present : 13 = 100.0000%
 
2/1 octave complements present : 0 = 0.0000%
 
Limited transpositions with margin 21.1808 cents:
 
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
 
Limited inverse transpositions with margin 21.1808 cents:
 
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
 
Inversional symmetry on degrees :0
 
Inversional symmetry on intervals :6-7
 
-- Rational properties --
 
Prime limit : 7
 
Odd number limit : 6075 (O: 6075 U: 2401)
 
Highest odd numerator or denominator: 135
 
Scale harmonicity : 0.012488
 
Average absolute harmonicity : 0.078049
 
Specific harmonicity : 0.072166
 
Fundamental : 1/11025, -13.4285 octaves, 0.0237 Hz.
 
Guide tone : 33075, 15.0135 octaves, 8653265.572 Hz.
 
Exponens Consonantiae : 3.646519E+08, 28.44194 octaves
 
Euler's gradus suavitatis : 51
 
Sum of Mann's harmonic distance : 348.0, average 26.76923
 
Mersenne's string divisions : too high to compute
 
Sum of van Prooijen's expressibility: 16.53393, average 1.27184
 
Sum of Tenney's harmonic distance : 29.72801, average 2.28677
 
Vogel's harmonic complexity : 31.61538
 
Wille's k value : 16537
 
Wilson's harmonic complexity : 63
 
Rectangular lattice diameter : 13
 
Triangular lattice diameter : 7
 
Lattice compactness : 278.65409, average 3.06213
 
Lattice compactness (without 2's) : 278.65409, average 3.06213
 
Number of different primes : 3
 
Prime exponents' range, average, count, tones@limit:
 
3: -2 .. 3 0.53846 17 1
 
5: -2 .. 2 0.00000 14 2
 
7: -2 .. 2 0.00000 14 10
 
Average exponent except 2's : 7 / 13 = 0.53846
 
Average absolute exponent except 2's: 45 / 13 = 3.46154
 
Scale is JI-epimorphic in non-monotonic order: <13 17 24|
 
Scale is JI-epimorphic: <13 19 23| = standard
 
Scale is JI-epimorphic in non-monotonic order: <13 20 25|
 
Scale is JI-epimorphic in non-monotonic order: <13 21 22|
 
Scale is JI-epimorphic in non-monotonic order: <13 21 23|


(END SCARY MATHS.)
(END SCARY MATHS.)
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