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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 with alternative (non-12-EDO) tunings in Reaper. It might be 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 be part of a larger document also describing how Surge XT can be used for microtonal music in other DAWs.]

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Temporary Outline

• Intro
• Usage cases
• How to test the tuning

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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 requirements for using alternative tuning systems. This tutorial was last verified using Surge XT version ???? and Reaper version ???? in August 2023.

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

Note that Surge XT can also be run in standalone mode, without any DAW, but 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 usage cases below [be specific once section titles are settled] can be used to tune Surge XT.

Usage cases | Methods | Scenarios

[I need to think about how I want to name these usage cases. I might prefer something that says more about why rather than what or how.]

Create a tuning 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 tuning file in Surge XT

Advantages

[Why you would want to use this method.]

Disadvantages

[Why you would 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 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 12-note Scala tuning files that come with Surge XT, e.g. something beginners might have read about and would recognize, like just intonation Ptolemy_intense_diatonic.scl or meantone 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 standard pitch (MIDI A.69=440.000Hz). [Or will it? Seems undocumented. In fact, it does not. Default 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 <this awesome document that doesn't exist yet>.
4. Load a keyboard mapping file, for example the "Halberstadt 60-440-69.kbm" file [which *is* international standard].
5. Optionally, open Surge XT's Tuning editor (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.

Control Surge XT's tuning with a tuning plugin

There is no 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

[Test using the tuner that comes with Reaper, or an external (e.g. phone-based tuner.]