L4MPLIGHT

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L4MPLIGHT, also known as LAMPLIGHT (stylized LΛMPLIGHT) or ランプライト, is a Japanese composer, music theorist, conlanger and worldbuilder.

They developed the Shasavic, Faentian, and Lisatopian constructed languages, and Shasavistic music theory.

Constructed languages

They have created three languages, all descended from the same proto-language. The languages, called Shasavic (Safcyk), Faentian (Fēntā), and Lisatopian (Lisatopa), are described in their YouTube video Ch.2 / Constructed Languages. Most of their videos are narrated in Shasavic, with subtitles in English and Japanese. Lisatopian was created for language study using computers.

Shasavistic music theory

They describe Shasavistic music theory in their YouTube playlist titled 微分音理論 / Microtonal theory. It is recorded and illustrated in Shasavic with optional English and Japanese closed captions.

Dimensions

A key concept in Shasavistic theory is the idea of dimensions, which are different prime numbers in the harmonic series. Here are the first few dimensions:

Dimension Prime number Associated ratio Interval
1D 2 2/1 Octave
2D 3 3/2 Just perfect fifth
3D 5 5/4 Major third
4D 7 7/4 Septimal minor seventh
5D 11 11/4 Undecimal superfourth (plus one octave)

(Note that 5D is typically voiced at the higher octave to avoid the clash between 11/8 and 3/2.)

A ratio can be thought of as a location in infinite-dimensional space, where each dimension corresponds to a prime number (positive movement being multiplication, and negative movement being division). In this way it is similar to Monzo notation.

Chordonyms

Chordonyms (Shasavic: Nafchaclap /nəfxəkləp/) are the system for referring to chords in Shasavistic theory. Chordonyms are formed out of the harmononyms for each note, in order. Harmononyms are a solmization system based on these ratios. Harmononyms represent movement in different dimensions (excluding 1D due to octave equivalency) to create the names for notes. Harmononyms and their ratios can be explored at the web app Chalaxata (UI in Japanese).

Here are some harmononyms (Ah is the root)

Dimension Amount of movement
-2 -1 0 1 2 3
2D Schu Fu Ah Chy Scy Xcy
3D Du Su Ah Ly Dry Drvy
4D Pru Pu Ah My Mry Mrvy
5D Kry Tschu Ah Zy Zry Zrvy
6D Ghru Ghu Ah Ghy Ghry Ghrvy

Harmononyms can indicate movement in two dimensions simultaneously. For example, 15/8 is 3/2 times 5/4, or Chy + Ly, so it is called Chyli. 11/6 is 2/3 times 11/4, or Fu + Zy, so it is called Fuzi.

Chord diagrams

A chord diagram used in Shasavistic music theory
A chord diagram

Chord diagrams (Shasavic: Nafchalica /nəfxəlʲkə/) are a system for representing chords. Pitches are represented by horizontal white lines and steps in different dimensions are represented by different lines.

Dimension Color Position
2D Red Left
3D Green Right
4D Purple Diagonal (bottom-left to top-right)
5D Orange Diagonal (bottom-right to top-left)

At right is an example of a chord diagram. From bottom to top, the pitches are Ah (root, identified by the triangle pointing at it), Ly (5/4), Chy (3/2), Fuzi (11/6), Scy (9/4), Zy (11/4), and Xcy (27/8).

Chord diagrams do not typically indicate voicing or octave doubling of pitches.

Original music

Their xenharmonic compositions are listenable in their YouTube playlist titled 微分音作品 / Microtonal works.

Stephen Weigel’s transcription of L4MPLIGHT’s introductory composition is viewable on YouTube here.

Social media