User:Mousemambo/Document draft: Difference between revisions

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*Note that without a Scala keyboard mapping file (.kbm) also loaded, the resulting tuning may not be what you expect. Surge XT like most synths will assume a default tuning center frequency and keyboard mapping that sets the first note specified in the tuning file as MIDI Note C.60 and the tuning center (diapason, 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 base note of C.60 and the reference pitch is C.60=261.626Hz, which is very close to but not exactly international standard. I've read that this is the most common default for retunable synths when you don't load a keyboard mapping file.] However, if for example we are using a just intonation scale and music with a tonic of F (F4, MIDI note 65, 349.23 Hz), we need to ensure the base note is set to the tonic F, and ideally will use a keyboard mapping file to do that.

*Remember that when you load a Scala scale file you should always prevent mistuned surprises by loading a keyboard mapping file, if your instrument supports that. However, your instrument may instead allow you set a base note for your tuning as described in the Method 2 Notes below, under "Alternatives for setting the tuning's base note and tuning center." To learn more details about how to use Scala scale and keyboard mapping files, including what to do when your instrument doesn't offer the option to load a keyboard mapping file, read the [[User:Mousemambo/Tuning methods#Tuning files|Tuning methods]] or [[User:Mousemambo/Scala tuning system|Scala tuning system]] articles.

*See [[User:Mousemambo/Document draft#Tuning base, tuning center, and tonic|Tuning base, tuning center, and tonic]] in the Appendix for more about setting a tuning's base note, tuning center, and addressing keyboard mapping issues, including the tuning system meanings of the terms ''base note'', ''reference pitch'', ''tuning center'', ''diapason'', and ''tonic''.

*The four functions of the keyboard mapping file are to define the MIDI range to be used, the tuning base, the tuning center, and the mapping of the tuning's notes to the controller (e.g. keys on a keyboard controller). See [[User:Mousemambo/Document draft#Tuning base, tuning center, and tonic|Tuning base, tuning center, and tonic]] in the Appendix for more about setting a tuning's base note, tuning center, and addressing keyboard mapping issues, including the tuning system meanings of the terms ''base note'', ''reference pitch'', ''tuning center'', ''diapason'', and ''tonic''.

*[Note that although it is called the keyboard mapping file, that is only half its function. It is also critical for establishing on what note the tuning base (given in the scale file) is placed and also its pitch frequency (either directly by setting the tuning center to the tuning base, or indirectly by using some other note as the tuning center that then defines relatively the pitch frequency of the other notes).]

*[Note that other keyboard layouts are supported by other keyboard mapping files.]

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=== Tuning base, tuning center, and tonic ===

[Explain these key concepts and describe how they interact using the example of a traditional just intonation system. I note some of the following terms as equivalent, but they can have different implications and contexts for use... Tuning center = reference pitch or pitch reference = pitch standard = diapason states the note name or MIDI number and its frequency in Hertz, and is the note from which all other notes in a tuning are pitched relatively. Tuning base = base note = tuning base note = 1/1 = Reference note = Middle note (in the [https://www.huygens-fokker.org/scala/help.htm#mappings .kbm spec]) is both 1) the note from which all intervals of the tuning are defined relatively, and 2) the (implicit) first note of a Scala scale file whose pitch the .kbm file defines. [[Wikipedia:Tonic (music)|Tonic]] = Tonic center = Tonal center is the note upon which all other notes in a tonical musical ~~piece~~ are hierarchically referenced, and is not the same as "root" (scales and music have tonics, chords have roots) but root is often poorly used to mean tonic and sometimes misused to mean tuning base. "Key" refers to the tonic plus the scale (e.g. C Minor, F Double harmonic major). "[[wikipedia:Concert_pitch|Concert pitch]]" can be a flexible term but most often means the pitch standard to which a group of musical instruments are tuned for a particular performance, most often set to ISO 16:1975 "standard pitch" of A4=440Hz. ]

[Explain these key concepts and describe how they interact using the example of a traditional just intonation system. I note some of the following terms as equivalent, but they can have different implications and contexts for use... Tuning center = reference pitch or pitch reference = pitch standard = diapason states the note name or MIDI number and its frequency in Hertz, and in some contexts is the note from which all other notes in a tuning are pitched relatively. Tuning base = base note = tuning base note = 1/1 = Reference note = Middle note (in the [https://www.huygens-fokker.org/scala/help.htm#mappings .kbm spec]) is both 1) the note from which all intervals of the tuning are defined relatively in a tuning system, and 2) the (implicit) first note of a Scala scale file whose pitch the .kbm file defines. This is a major source of confusion... From which note are others defined relatively, the tuning center or the tuning base? The answer is that it differs depending on context. In the context of defining a tuning with tuning files, the tuning base sets the note from which all others are defined (in the Scala scale file for example), and the tuning center sets the pitch (in Hz) of either that tuning base itself or any other note (in the Scale keyboard mapping file for example) that in turn then defines the pitch of the other notes. [[Wikipedia:Tonic (music)|Tonic]] = Tonic center = Tonal center is the note upon which all other notes in a tonical musical work are hierarchically referenced, and is not the same as "root" (scales and music have tonics, chords have roots) but root is often poorly used to mean tonic and sometimes misused to mean tuning base. "Key" refers to the tonic plus the scale (e.g. C Minor, F Double harmonic major). "[[wikipedia:Concert_pitch|Concert pitch]]" can be a flexible term but most often means the pitch standard to which a group of musical instruments are tuned for a particular performance, most often set to ISO 16:1975 "standard pitch" of A4=440Hz. ]

===Set up an instrument track in the Reaper DAW===

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 *Note that without a Scala keyboard mapping file (.kbm) also loaded, the resulting tuning may not be what you expect. Surge XT like most synths will assume a default tuning center frequency and keyboard mapping that sets the first note specified in the tuning file as MIDI Note C.60 and the tuning center (diapason, 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 base note of C.60 and the reference pitch is C.60=261.626Hz, which is very close to but not exactly international standard. I've read that this is the most common default for retunable synths when you don't load a keyboard mapping file.] However, if for example we are using a just intonation scale and music with a tonic of F (F4, MIDI note 65, 349.23 Hz), we need to ensure the base note is set to the tonic F, and ideally will use a keyboard mapping file to do that.
 *Remember that when you load a Scala scale file you should always prevent mistuned surprises by loading a keyboard mapping file, if your instrument supports that. However, your instrument may instead allow you set a base note for your tuning as described in the Method 2 Notes below, under "Alternatives for setting the tuning's base note and tuning center." To learn more details about how to use Scala scale and keyboard mapping files, including what to do when your instrument doesn't offer the option to load a keyboard mapping file, read the [[User:Mousemambo/Tuning methods#Tuning files|Tuning methods]] or [[User:Mousemambo/Scala tuning system|Scala tuning system]] articles.
-*See [[User:Mousemambo/Document draft#Tuning base, tuning center, and tonic|Tuning base, tuning center, and tonic]] in the Appendix for more about setting a tuning's base note, tuning center, and addressing keyboard mapping issues, including the tuning system meanings of the terms ''base note'', ''reference pitch'', ''tuning center'', ''diapason'', and ''tonic''.
+*The four functions of the keyboard mapping file are to define the MIDI range to be used, the tuning base, the tuning center, and the mapping of the tuning's notes to the controller (e.g. keys on a keyboard controller). See [[User:Mousemambo/Document draft#Tuning base, tuning center, and tonic|Tuning base, tuning center, and tonic]] in the Appendix for more about setting a tuning's base note, tuning center, and addressing keyboard mapping issues, including the tuning system meanings of the terms ''base note'', ''reference pitch'', ''tuning center'', ''diapason'', and ''tonic''.
+*[Note that although it is called the keyboard mapping file, that is only half its function. It is also critical for establishing on what note the tuning base (given in the scale file) is placed and also its pitch frequency (either directly by setting the tuning center to the tuning base, or indirectly by using some other note as the tuning center that then defines relatively the pitch frequency of the other notes).]
 *[Note that other keyboard layouts are supported by other keyboard mapping files.]
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 === Tuning base, tuning center, and tonic ===
-[Explain these key concepts and describe how they interact using the example of a traditional just intonation system. I note some of the following terms as equivalent, but they can have different implications and contexts for use... Tuning center = reference pitch or pitch reference = pitch standard = diapason states the note name or MIDI number and its frequency in Hertz, and is the note from which all other notes in a tuning are pitched relatively. Tuning base = base note = tuning base note = 1/1 = Reference note = Middle note (in the [https://www.huygens-fokker.org/scala/help.htm#mappings .kbm spec]) is both 1) the note from which all intervals of the tuning are defined relatively, and 2) the (implicit) first note of a Scala scale file whose pitch the .kbm file defines. [[Wikipedia:Tonic (music)|Tonic]] = Tonic center = Tonal center is the note upon which all other notes in a tonical musical piece are hierarchically referenced, and is not the same as "root" (scales and music have tonics, chords have roots) but root is often poorly used to mean tonic and sometimes misused to mean tuning base. "Key" refers to the tonic plus the scale (e.g. C Minor, F Double harmonic major). "[[wikipedia:Concert_pitch|Concert pitch]]" can be a flexible term but most often means the pitch standard to which a group of musical instruments are tuned for a particular performance, most often set to ISO 16:1975 "standard pitch"  of A4=440Hz. ]
+[Explain these key concepts and describe how they interact using the example of a traditional just intonation system. I note some of the following terms as equivalent, but they can have different implications and contexts for use... Tuning center = reference pitch or pitch reference = pitch standard = diapason states the note name or MIDI number and its frequency in Hertz, and in some contexts is the note from which all other notes in a tuning are pitched relatively. Tuning base = base note = tuning base note = 1/1 = Reference note = Middle note (in the [https://www.huygens-fokker.org/scala/help.htm#mappings .kbm spec]) is both 1) the note from which all intervals of the tuning are defined relatively in a tuning system, and 2) the (implicit) first note of a Scala scale file whose pitch the .kbm file defines. This is a major source of confusion... From which note are others defined relatively, the tuning center or the tuning base? The answer is that it differs depending on context. In the context of defining a tuning with tuning files, the tuning base sets the note from which all others are defined (in the Scala scale file for example), and the tuning center sets the pitch (in Hz) of either that tuning base itself or any other note (in the Scale keyboard mapping file for example) that in turn then defines the pitch of the other notes. [[Wikipedia:Tonic (music)|Tonic]] = Tonic center = Tonal center is the note upon which all other notes in a tonical musical work are hierarchically referenced, and is not the same as "root" (scales and music have tonics, chords have roots) but root is often poorly used to mean tonic and sometimes misused to mean tuning base. "Key" refers to the tonic plus the scale (e.g. C Minor, F Double harmonic major). "[[wikipedia:Concert_pitch|Concert pitch]]" can be a flexible term but most often means the pitch standard to which a group of musical instruments are tuned for a particular performance, most often set to ISO 16:1975 "standard pitch"  of A4=440Hz. ]
 ===Set up an instrument track in the Reaper DAW===