Scala

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[[toc|flat]]

=Description=
//Scala// is a freeware software application with versions supporting Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.  It allows users to create and archive [[scale (music)|musical scales]], analyze and transform them with built-in theoretical tools, play them with an on-screen keyboard or from an external [[MIDI]] keyboard, and export them to hardware and software synthesizers.

Scala can retune MIDI streams and files using pitch bend.  It also supports MIDI sysex and file-based tunings.  Originally a command-line program, Scala now uses the [[Gtk+]] GUI toolkit.  Scala is written in the [[Ada programming language]], and is the work of Manuel Op de Coul of the [[Netherlands]].

Scala can also be used as a midi sequencer, by way of its [[ASCII]]-based sequencing format, ''seq''. Because of its great flexibility when it comes to tuning formats, it is a very powerful tool for those who want to compose and sequence [[microtonal music]].

Scala's motto is "Invenit et perficit", Latin for "It finds and perfects" or "It discovers and accomplishes" in [[Latin]].  Its logo is a [[Renaissance]]-style [[relief print]] of a [[cherub]] holding a [[compass (drafting)|compass]] and a globe inscribed with a diatonic musical scale and a [[circle of fifths|circle of fourths]].

==File formats==
Scala can open, transform, and save standard MIDI files.  It can also export MIDI tuning tables in .tun format.  It provides a native, human-readable sequencing language (.seq).  But it is best known for its use of human-readable text files to store musical scales.

The [http://www.huygens-fokker.org/scala/scl_format.html Scala scale file format] has become a standard for representing microtonal scales in a way that can be used by other software.  The Scala site lists over thirty applications that support the format, including several major commercial packages like [[Apple Logic| Apple Logic 7]], [[Melodyne|Celemony Melodyne 3]], and [[Cakewalk (company)|Cakewalk]] Rapture<ref>[http://www.cakewalk.com/support/rapture/rapturetuning.asp Rapture Microtuning and Alternative Tunings<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and Z3TA+<ref>http://cakewalk.com/Products/Z3TA/Z3TA+%20Waveshaping%20Synthesizer.zip</ref>.  Scala's developer also makes freely available an archive of over 3,500 Scala scale files, containing many musical scales of historical, cultural, and theoretical interest.

=See also=
*[[Microtuner]]
*[[Microtonal music]]

=External links=
*[http://www.huygens-fokker.org/scala/ Scala's home page]

=References=
<references/>

Original HTML content:

<html><head><title>Scala</title></head><body><!-- ws:start:WikiTextTocRule:14:&lt;img id=&quot;wikitext@@toc@@flat&quot; class=&quot;WikiMedia WikiMediaTocFlat&quot; title=&quot;Table of Contents&quot; src=&quot;/site/embedthumbnail/toc/flat?w=100&amp;h=16&quot;/&gt; --><!-- ws:end:WikiTextTocRule:14 --><!-- ws:start:WikiTextTocRule:15: --><a href="#Description">Description</a><!-- ws:end:WikiTextTocRule:15 --><!-- ws:start:WikiTextTocRule:16: --><!-- ws:end:WikiTextTocRule:16 --><!-- ws:start:WikiTextTocRule:17: --> | <a href="#See also">See also</a><!-- ws:end:WikiTextTocRule:17 --><!-- ws:start:WikiTextTocRule:18: --> | <a href="#External links">External links</a><!-- ws:end:WikiTextTocRule:18 --><!-- ws:start:WikiTextTocRule:19: --> | <a href="#References">References</a><!-- ws:end:WikiTextTocRule:19 --><!-- ws:start:WikiTextTocRule:20: -->
<!-- ws:end:WikiTextTocRule:20 --><br />
<!-- ws:start:WikiTextHeadingRule:4:&lt;h1&gt; --><h1 id="toc0"><a name="Description"></a><!-- ws:end:WikiTextHeadingRule:4 -->Description</h1>
<em>Scala</em> is a freeware software application with versions supporting Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.  It allows users to create and archive <a class="wiki_link" href="/scale%20%28music%29">musical scales</a>, analyze and transform them with built-in theoretical tools, play them with an on-screen keyboard or from an external <a class="wiki_link" href="/MIDI">MIDI</a> keyboard, and export them to hardware and software synthesizers.<br />
<br />
Scala can retune MIDI streams and files using pitch bend.  It also supports MIDI sysex and file-based tunings.  Originally a command-line program, Scala now uses the [[Gtk+]] GUI toolkit.  Scala is written in the <a class="wiki_link" href="/Ada%20programming%20language">Ada programming language</a>, and is the work of Manuel Op de Coul of the <a class="wiki_link" href="/Netherlands">Netherlands</a>.<br />
<br />
Scala can also be used as a midi sequencer, by way of its <a class="wiki_link" href="/ASCII">ASCII</a>-based sequencing format, ''seq''. Because of its great flexibility when it comes to tuning formats, it is a very powerful tool for those who want to compose and sequence <a class="wiki_link" href="/microtonal%20music">microtonal music</a>.<br />
<br />
Scala's motto is &quot;Invenit et perficit&quot;, Latin for &quot;It finds and perfects&quot; or &quot;It discovers and accomplishes&quot; in <a class="wiki_link" href="/Latin">Latin</a>.  Its logo is a <a class="wiki_link" href="/Renaissance">Renaissance</a>-style <a class="wiki_link" href="/relief%20print">relief print</a> of a <a class="wiki_link" href="/cherub">cherub</a> holding a <a class="wiki_link" href="/compass%20%28drafting%29">compass</a> and a globe inscribed with a diatonic musical scale and a <a class="wiki_link" href="/circle%20of%20fifths">circle of fourths</a>.<br />
<br />
<!-- ws:start:WikiTextHeadingRule:6:&lt;h2&gt; --><h2 id="toc1"><a name="Description-File formats"></a><!-- ws:end:WikiTextHeadingRule:6 -->File formats</h2>
Scala can open, transform, and save standard MIDI files.  It can also export MIDI tuning tables in .tun format.  It provides a native, human-readable sequencing language (.seq).  But it is best known for its use of human-readable text files to store musical scales.<br />
<br />
The [<!-- ws:start:WikiTextUrlRule:56:http://www.huygens-fokker.org/scala/scl_format.html --><a class="wiki_link_ext" href="http://www.huygens-fokker.org/scala/scl_format.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.huygens-fokker.org/scala/scl_format.html</a><!-- ws:end:WikiTextUrlRule:56 --> Scala scale file format] has become a standard for representing microtonal scales in a way that can be used by other software.  The Scala site lists over thirty applications that support the format, including several major commercial packages like <a class="wiki_link" href="/Apple%20Logic"> Apple Logic 7</a>, <a class="wiki_link" href="/Melodyne">Celemony Melodyne 3</a>, and <a class="wiki_link" href="/Cakewalk%20%28company%29">Cakewalk</a> Rapture<!-- ws:start:WikiTextRefRule:1:&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.cakewalk.com/support/rapture/rapturetuning.asp Rapture Microtuning and Alternative Tunings&amp;lt;!&amp;#45;- Bot generated title &amp;#45;-&amp;gt;]&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; --><sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1">[1]</a></sup><!-- ws:end:WikiTextRefRule:1 --> and Z3TA+<!-- ws:start:WikiTextRefRule:3:&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;http://cakewalk.com/Products/Z3TA/Z3TA+%20Waveshaping%20Synthesizer.zip&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; --><sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2">[2]</a></sup><!-- ws:end:WikiTextRefRule:3 -->.  Scala's developer also makes freely available an archive of over 3,500 Scala scale files, containing many musical scales of historical, cultural, and theoretical interest.<br />
<br />
<!-- ws:start:WikiTextHeadingRule:8:&lt;h1&gt; --><h1 id="toc2"><a name="See also"></a><!-- ws:end:WikiTextHeadingRule:8 -->See also</h1>
*<a class="wiki_link" href="/Microtuner">Microtuner</a><br />
*<a class="wiki_link" href="/Microtonal%20music">Microtonal music</a><br />
<br />
<!-- ws:start:WikiTextHeadingRule:10:&lt;h1&gt; --><h1 id="toc3"><a name="External links"></a><!-- ws:end:WikiTextHeadingRule:10 -->External links</h1>
*[<!-- ws:start:WikiTextUrlRule:57:http://www.huygens-fokker.org/scala/ --><a class="wiki_link_ext" href="http://www.huygens-fokker.org/scala/" rel="nofollow">http://www.huygens-fokker.org/scala/</a><!-- ws:end:WikiTextUrlRule:57 --> Scala's home page]<br />
<br />
<!-- ws:start:WikiTextHeadingRule:12:&lt;h1&gt; --><h1 id="toc4"><a name="References"></a><!-- ws:end:WikiTextHeadingRule:12 -->References</h1>
<!-- ws:start:WikiTextReferencesRule:60:&amp;lt;references/&amp;gt; --><ol class="references">
<li id="cite_note-1"><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a> [<a class="wiki_link_ext" href="http://www.cakewalk.com/support/rapture/rapturetuning.asp" rel="nofollow">http://www.cakewalk.com/support/rapture/rapturetuning.asp</a> Rapture Microtuning and Alternative Tunings&lt;!-- Bot generated title --&gt;]</li>
<li id="cite_note-2"><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a> <a class="wiki_link_ext" href="http://cakewalk.com/Products/Z3TA/Z3TA+%20Waveshaping%20Synthesizer.zip" rel="nofollow">http://cakewalk.com/Products/Z3TA/Z3TA+%20Waveshaping%20Synthesizer.zip</a></li>
</ol><!-- ws:end:WikiTextReferencesRule:60 --></body></html>