User:Mousemambo/Tuning methods

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Please use this page's Discussion page for comments and suggestions. A summary of my thinking and my own comments are there too. Or you can join the discussion in the #wiki channel of the Xenharmonic Alliance's Discord server. This developing page is initially just an outline, but will be expanded into a proper page. I use square brackets to set apart my document development notes, which will all be removed before the final document version.

Brief article summary goes here....

Overview

Temporary Outline

  • Why? We need to tell hardware (electronic) and software (virtual) musical instruments what tuning system to use when they receive controller input or MIDI data.
  • What? Either the instrument itself, or an intermediary component dedicated to tuning, may need to be provided either with direct tuning data entry or a data loaded from a tuning file. You may need to specify what tuning mechanism(s) the instrument supports or should use, and sometimes also additional information about how to use that tuning data.
  • How? Components of a tuning system. At the time of this writing, there are three general components of tuning systems that you'll encounter in modern instruments: direct tuning information, tuning files, and tuning plugins or retuners. These are in addition, of course, to a controller (e.g. keyboard) and a musical instrument, which may be integrated in a hardware synth for example. Because legacy electronic instruments that support retuning have been preserved and are popular, but use outdated tuning mechanisms, those old mechanisms also need some consideration.
  • Addressing the complexity. There are many different types of hardware and software musical instruments, each of which will have a specific method or set of methods for tuning which it supports. This page will summarize what methods are being or have been used, and the advantages and disadvantages of alternatives. But you'll need to consult the manual for the specific instrument you are using to learn what tuning method (or methods) it actually supports, and you may need to choose components able to implement a method. These writings are intended to ensure that when you read that manual, you understand what it's saying and can make informed decisions.
  • Some example configurations could be briefly described here in general forms.

Main body of this section goes here....

Direct tuning

Temporary Outline

  • Intro. Some musical instruments have a built-in system for setting their tuning, via drop-down menu selection or user-customized tuning settings. Note: I don't like the expression "direct tuning" but can't think of something better right now.
  • Kontakt "microtuner" built-in script. Because Kontakt is so important within the musician community, this needs to be stated explicitly, and a how-to link provided (Guide to tuning the Kontakt sampler system).
  • Other instruments (e.g. <list of example instruments>)

Main body of this section goes here....

Tuning files

This whole "Tuning files" section should probably be split out into a separate "Tuning file" article, leaving just a summary in the main "Tuning methods" article.

Temporary Outline

  • Intro
    • What are tuning files? In an outside file that needs to be loaded, they provide the information necessary to tell a musical instrument (or software that in turn tells an instrument) how to implement a specific tuning system.
    • What are some important features of tuning files? Features may include establishing intervals, frequency assignment, controller data mapping, full-keyboard microtuning support, and more.
  • Instrument and manufacturer-specific tuning files
    • Kontakt scripts
    • Harmor Pitch Map (.FNV)
    • Max/MSP coll (.TXT)
    • PureData text (.TXT)
    • Soniccouture tuning file (.NKA)
    • Sytrus Pitch Map (.FNV)
    • Korg Sound Librarian Scale/Octave (.mnlgtuns/.mnlgtuno)
  • Anamark (.TUN) tuning files
  • Scala (.SCL/.KBM) tuning system
    • Scala tuning files (.SCL)
    • Scala keyboard mapping files (.KBM)

Main body of this section goes here....

Tuning plugins and retuners

This whole "Tuning plugins and retuners" section should probably be split out into a separate "Tuning plugin or retuner" article, leaving just a summary in the main "Tuning methods" article. I need a better article title than "Tuning plugin or retuner" though.

Temporary Outline

  • Intro
    • What are retuners and tuning plugins? They take a tuning file as input (or direct tuning info), and appropriately modify the data going to an instrument. They interpret a tuning file to map controller data into the format the instrument can use. There are both software and hardware implementations, depending on specific musical system (e.g. all software, modular synth system, etc.).
    • What are some important features of retuners and tuning plugins? They modify incoming data as it happens, so they need to be fast. They may implement this function either by altering the note-on data of a MIDI stream, or by providing dynamic (continuous control) tuning info while a note is playing (or both??). Do they support full-keyboard microtuning?
  • Tuning plugins (e.g. VST/AU inserted into a DAW or VST-host plugin chain ahead of a software or hardware-interface instrument)
    • MTS-ESP tuning
    • MIDI Polyphonic Expression (MPE) tuning
    • Pitch bend-based tuning
  • Software retuners. Software running standalone (independent from a DAW or plugin host), operating between a controller and a software or hardware instrument.
    • alt-tuner
  • Hardware retuners. Hardware modules for integrated hardware synths or for CV-controlled modular synths, independent of an all-purpose computer (PC, tablet, phone).

Main body of this section goes here....

Other tuning methods

Temporary Outline

  • MIDI Tuning Standard (MTS)
  • Legacy manufacturer-specific and instrument-specific tuning methods
  • RPN tuning
  • Other SysEx-based tuning methods

Main body of this section goes here....

Appendix

Base note, pitch center and tonic

[Terminology and inter-relationship between base note, pitch center, tonic, diapason, reference pitch, and other related terms.]

Look-up Table vs MIDI stream mechanisms

[Note-on re-tuning vs. dynamic pitch bending.]

See also

External links

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