LΛMPLIGHT
L4MPLIGHT (Shasavic: Cléfca [klʲɛːfkə]), also known as LAMPLIGHT (stylized LΛMPLIGHT) or ランプライト, is a Japanese composer, music theorist, conlanger and worldbuilder[citation needed].
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, Ipket. The languages, called Shasavic (Safcyk), Faentian (Fēntā), and Lisatopian (Lisatopa), are described in their YouTube video Ch.2 / Constructed Languages and on their personal website. Their languages' etymology is based on their synesthesia which causes them to associate certain sounds. For example, Ly is the word for the major third, because like the major third, LΛMPLIGHT perceives the lateral approximant as sounding "green". 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 | Classical 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).
Below are a list of dimensions, movements (exponent), and their corresponding harmonyms. For an extended list, please visit Formula to Harmonym, which contains dimensions up to 21D (73/1).
| Dimension | Amount of movement | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -3 | -2 | -1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 2D | Ju | Schu | Fu | Ah | Chy | Scy | Xcy |
| 3D | Srvu | Sru | Su | Ah | Ly | Dry | Drvy |
| 4D | Prvu | Pru | Pu | Ah | My | Mry | Mrvy |
| 5D | Krvu | Kru | Tschu | Ah | Zy | Zry | Zrvy |
| 6D | Grvau | Grau | Gnau | Ah | Gnay | Gray | Grvay |
Harmononyms can indicate movement in more than one dimension 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. (Note that the final Y in "Zy" is replaced with an I, which represents palatalization of the preceding consonant.) 6/5 is 3/2 times 4/5, or Chy + Su, so it is called Chys. (Note that the U in "Su" is removed.)
There exist 1D harmonyms used to represent pitches octaves away, although they aren't typically used.
| Amount of movement | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -3 | -2 | -1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Urvuh | Uruh | Uh | Ah | Yh | Yryh | Yrvyh |
| Urvu- | Uru- | U- | Y- | Yry- | Yrvy- | |
This system of harmonyms can represent pitches up to a movement of ±12. To access these higher harmonyms, attach an appropriate prefix to the corresponding ±1 direction.
| Dimension | Amount of movement | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
| 2D (+) | Xcy | Sciry | Scirvy | Xciry | Xcirvy | Chlachy | Yuchy | Xychy | Nuichy | Kychy |
| 2D (-) | Ju | Schru | Scirvu | Jru | Jrvu | Chlafu | Yufu | Xyfu | Nuifu | Kyfu |
| Any | Tra- | Cva- | Da- | Tui- | Sa- | Chla- | Yu- | Xy- | Nui- | Ky- |
The root is the sign (normalized direction) and the prefix is the corresponding magnitude. For example, [math]\displaystyle{ 2^{-30}/7^{-11} }[/math] (aka 7fꜜꜜꜜꜜꜜꜜꜜꜜꜜꜜꜜ) is [math]\displaystyle{ (4/7)^{-11} \times (2)^{-8} \cong (4/7)^{-11} }[/math], so its magnitude is -11. Its sign is negative, so the root will be "pu" (-1). Its magnitude is 11, so the prefix will be "Nui-" (11). Therefore, the harmonym is "Nuipu".
For dimensions 4 through 7, 2D harmonyms don't follow this pattern. After 7, its harmonym aligns with the general prefix-root construction.
Chordonyms are created by combining multiple harmonyms. These harmonyms are arranged according to these rules (in order of priority):
- Pitches whose highest dimensions are lower go first.
- Pitches reached with a lower number of dimensions go first.
- Pitches reached with ascents go before pitches reached with descents. (Lower dimensions get higher priority.)
- Pitches reached with fewer ascents and descents go first.
A chord including Ah, Chy, and Zy would be called AhChyZy. A chord including Ah, Ly, Chy, and Chyli would be called AhChyLyChyli.
Commas are represented with their corresponding harmonym followed by -ama. The harmonyms used in comma names must use their numeric prefix form. For example, Scirvykr (Scirvy + Kru) must change to Dachykr (Dachy + Kru).
Here are some examples of comma names:
Schupama (64/63, Septimal comma)
Dachykrama (243/242, Rastma)
Trafutralimiama (875/864, Keema)
Chord diagrams
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) |
On the 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). The chordonym is AhChyScyXcyLyZyFuzi.
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.