software for a microtones?
Hello,
MuseScore depends on MIDI, which allots a given frequency to each note. That frequency may be variable, but only up to a point. In general, you get only 12 tones per octave. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.
Is there a sound-making software that will allow a continuity of pitches? For example, imitating the sound of a slide guitar, siren, wailing human voice, etc.
Thank you,
Ted Shoemaker
Comments
I believe that sound fonts are sample based and therefore cannot manipulated in the same way analog instruments can. Those sound that you want have to be in the sound file AS those sounds.
Samples can be manipulated to some extent, but not in the way you wish.
I may be wrong, and if I am I am sure someone here will soon set me straight. :)
In reply to I believe that sound fonts by xavierjazz
Yes, that is my understanding also.
What other software -- probably not one that's MIDI-based -- would be useful for the purpose?
Ted Shoemaker
In reply to Yes, then what would serve the purpose? by shoes6
By its nature a digital format can not really express an analog gesture. I don't know of any software that can solve that (yet?).
Most soundfonts will respond to the pitchbend and portamento controllers to achieve this result.
MuseScore is not set up to send those controllers, however.
In order to do this you need to learn how to initialise the range and speed of the slide, depending on how you are achieving this.
You will also need to use MIDI sequencing software to control this.
YOu cannot do it in MuseScore.
You can create your own historically authentic videoscores (e.g. using Bach/Lehman "Well-Tempered Clavier" Temperament) using Pianoteq (i.e. software-modelled piano). Find the portable version below) and loading a .scl (scala file) i.e. a file that contains the intervallic cent values from the first note of the scale. The .scl file containing the 12-note equal Temperament chromatic scale would look something like this: (This .scl file is JUST a plain text file with .scl extension)
! Equal Temperament.scl
!
Equal Temperament
12
!
100.0
200.0
300.0
400.0
500.0
600.0
700.0
800.0
900.0
1000.0
1100.0
2/1
so this means: 100 cents (i.e. one E.Tempered semitone) for the second note counting from the first note of the scale or tonic, 200 cents for the third note -counting from the first note, 300 cents for the fourth note -counting from the first note, etc.
The Bach/Lehman WTC temperament scl file is this (It contains the interval values in cents for the second to the upper octave, in the same fashion as the Equal temperament example bove) I have worked it out reading a lot from Lehamn. More on that later).
! Lehman 1722-Bach.scl
!
Bach/Lehman 1722, WTC temperament after Bach's signet
12
!
98.04499
196.09000
298.04500
392.18000
501.95500
584.84714
596.09000
698.04500
798.13500
998.04500
1094.13500
2/1
Download Pianoteq:
https://www.pianoteq.com/try
Download Pianoteq (Portable version): for when you're "out and about"
http://www.mediafire.com/download/h966xvua5186m8i/Pianoteq+Trial+versio…
What is Scala (software programme)
http://www.huygens-fokker.org/scala/scl_format.html
Melodyne (Portable version):
Load a wav 16 bit WAV file and change the pitch of individual notes, change the tuning system to a different temperament, then save it as a midi:
http://www.mediafire.com/download/9qedoomo92pjo1i/Melodyne_Editor.exe
You can choose from over 4000 scales including many historical temperaments just:
1) Download this zip file
http://www.huygens-fokker.org/docs/scales.zip
2) and uncompress it.
3) Open Pianoteq and Click on the Tuning panel, click on "equal" under scale and select "load form computer" to load the scale (.scl file)
See the pictures to clarify these instructions:
http://www.mediafire.com/view/2je4t32tuwb6jq4/Select_Device.jpg
http://www.mediafire.com/view/mfvtxcp0tsy6olo/Select_Windows_Audio.jpg
http://www.mediafire.com/view/8tw8676wj8j6e8h/Select_Tuning.jpg
http://www.mediafire.com/view/p71zst5d72i6dts/Select%20Temperament.jpg
Here is a short description of these 4000+ scales
http://www.huygens-fokker.org/docs/scalesdir.txt
In reply to 2 Excellent programs to use Microtones (Melodyne and Scala) by RonJackendoff2
source:
http://www.huygens-fokker.org/docs/measures.html#midi
MIDI Tuning Standard unit: 1/196608 part of an octave
This divides the 12-tET semitone into 2 14 = 16384 parts which resolution makes sufficiently accurate tuning of electronic instruments possible. See the MIDI Tuning Specification 1.0. There are other MIDI tuning units which differ per manufacturer, for example Yamaha has models tuned in 1/768 or 1/1024 parts of an octave.
There's also the MIDI Pitch Bend message, which can carry the values -8192 .. 8191, so when the range (which is variable) is the standard range of +/- 200 cents, then the unit is 1/49152 part of an octave or 0.024414 cents.
So MIDI CAN provide Microtones. The program Scala uses Pitch bend messages.
The part in bold does NOT reveals why it possible to indicate the intervals in cent values with figures accurate to the 5th decimal place! as is common in many of the .scl files included in this zip file that can be downloaded from their website.
//www.huygens-fokker.org/docs/scales.zip
In reply to Microtones in MIDI by RonJackendoff2
So if I understand your post, you're saying that MIDI can be adjusted to "bend" a pitch by 8192/49152 = 1/6 of an octave in each direction. If so, then the key marked "D" can really play C through E.
I should have been clearer: I want to bend pitches through a continuous range of frequencies, over a couple of octaves at a time. Like a siren, slide guitar, wailing human voice, etc.
If the fraction of an octave is 1/49152, I want the Pitch Bend to range from -49152 to +49152.
Also I want it to vary across its range over time during one note, not just to de-tune a note.
If MuseScore can't do this, then I need to look into the non-MIDI softwares people have named elsewhere on this thread.
Thanks to all for your responses.
Ted Shoemaker
In reply to So if I understand your post, by shoes6
I think more to the point, you need to be looking at some sort of *audio* software, not *notation* software. Whether it happens to use MIDI under the hood or not is of relatively less concern, as long as it finds *some* way of doing continuous pitch variation. I would imagine DAW (digitial audio workstation) software would be the place to look.
In reply to I think more to the point, by Marc Sabatella
Source:
Freelinking: Unknown plugin indicatorxenharmonic.wikispaces.com/DAWs
Plugins which are microtuned via MTS
(MIDI Tuning Standard).
Some plugins can accept MIDI data in the form
of SysEx messages. These messages contain the
tuning data. The issue with this method, is that
many DAWs filter out SysEx messages. However
some plugins, such as those created by Xen-
Arts, allow the user to load a MIDI file
(containing the SysEx messages within) directly
into the plugin, thus bypassing the restriction
from the DAW. (Such MIDI files can be
generated by Scala).
One benefit of using MTS is that tunings can be
changed during the course of a piece. This
gives much flexibility in tuning for the
composer. MIDI Tuning is also highly accurate.
Furthermore, the user can send one set of MTS
messages to several plugins/hardware
synthesizers at once, thereby making the
tuning process relatively convenient. However
since many DAWs filter out these messages, the
real benefit of MTS can not be realized by
everybody.
In reply to So if I understand your post, by shoes6
Ted, as I understand it, in this help page for the program Scala says you can put as many as 1200 notes per octave when you create your scale. The limit is set in the Scala.ini file.
Source [[nodetitle:www.huygens-fokker.org/scala/help.htm]]
The maximum size of a scale is set in file
scala.ini (default 1200).
Also there is an option/instrument Theremin in the Scala program it works only when you play it "live" by dragging the mouse pointer while the pitch changes smoothly (creating that theremin or "wailing siren effect" you want when you select the flute etc and with an "rrrr" effect for the piano"
There are probably more versatile programs for this out there.
I will try and Google Theremin vst or something like that.
In reply to So if I understand your post, by shoes6
Ted MIDI can handle this.
Listen to this bit of Electronica I wrote in the 90's.
https://soundcloud.com/michael-cowgill/approach-to-stargate
The 4 octave slide at the beginning and end was done with the portamento controller.
All you have to do is learn how to set that up in the sequencer.
Unfortunately you can't do it from MuseScore as it doesn't yet send controller information.
You should be able to do it in a MIDI sequencer such as Anvil or Rosegarden. Reason would probably do it too although I'm not very au fait with Mac software.
Certainly a high end sequencer like Cubase, Logic or Sonar will be able to handle it.
MIDI is the way to go here as pitch bending audio has other implications besides just altering pitch.
In reply to 2 Excellent programs to use Microtones (Melodyne and Scala) by RonJackendoff2
You can create your own historically authentic videoscores (e.g. using Bach/Lehman "Well-Tempered Clavier" Temperament) using Pianoteq (i.e. software-modelled piano). Find the portable version below) and loading a .scl (scala file) i.e. a file that contains the intervallic cent values from the first note of the scale. The .scl file containing the 12-note equal Temperament chromatic scale would look something like this: (This .scl file is JUST a plain text file with .scl extension)
! Equal Temperament.scl
!
Equal Temperament
12
!
100.0
200.0
300.0
400.0
500.0
600.0
700.0
800.0
900.0
1000.0
1100.0
2/1
so this means: 100 cents (i.e. one E.Tempered semitone) for the second note counting from the first note of the scale or tonic, 200 cents for the third note -counting from the first note, 300 cents for the fourth note -counting from the first note, etc.
The FINALLY CORRECTED Bach/Lehman WTC temperament .scl file is this (It contains the interval values in cents for the second to the upper octave, in the same fashion as the Equal emperament example bove) I have worked it out reading a lot from Lehamn. More on that later).
! Lehman 1722-Bach.scl
!
Bach/Lehman 1722, WTC temperament after Bach's signet
12
!
98.04499
196.09000
298.04500
392.18000
501.95500
596.09000
698.04500
798.13500
894.13500
998.04500
1094.13500
2/1
Download Pianoteq:
https://www.pianoteq.com/try
Download Pianoteq (Portable version): for when you're "out and about"
http://www.mediafire.com/download/h966xvua5186m8i/Pianoteq+Trial+version...
What is Scala (software programme)
http://www.huygens-fokker.org/scala/scl_format.html
Melodyne (Portable version):
Load a wav 16 bit WAV file and change the pitch of individual notes, change the tuning system to a different temperament, then save it as a midi:
http://www.mediafire.com/download/9qedoomo92pjo1i/Melodyne_Editor.exe
You can choose from over 4000 scales including many historical temperaments just:
1) Download this zip file
http://www.huygens-fokker.org/docs/scales.zip
2) and uncompress it.
3) Open Pianoteq and Click on the Tuning panel, click on "equal" under scale and select "load form computer" to load the scale (.scl file)
See the pictures to clarify these instructions:
Select Pianoteq and click trial
PianoteqPortableTrial.jpg
![PianoteqPortableTrial.jpg]( "PianoteqPortableTrial.jpg")
Close Welcome window.
![PianoteqCloese Welcome window.jpg]( "PianoteqCloese Welcome window.jpg")
click on Tuning panel on the left
![PianoteqSelectScale.jpg]( "PianoteqSelectScale.jpg")
It will open this options. - Select Tuning click on default
Here is a short description of these 4000+ scales
http://www.huygens-fokker.org/docs/scalesdir.txt
This is the correctedBach/Lehman 1722 scale
!Lehman 1722-Bach.scl! Bach/Lehman 1722, WTC temperament after Bach's signet
12 !
98.04499
196.09000
298.04500
392.18000
501.95500
596.09000
698.04500
798.13500
894.13500
998.04500
1094.13500
2/1
In reply to !Lehman 1722-Bach.scl ! by RonJackendoff2
Apologies for Having separate posts with the same information, but I cannot access and edit/ delete the other posts with this scale
! Lehman 1722-Bach.scl
!
Bach/Lehman 1722, WTC temperament after Bach's signet
12
!
98.04499
196.09000
298.04500
392.18000
501.95500
596.09000
698.04500
798.13500
894.13500
998.04500
1094.13500
2/1
@shoes6
Is there a sound-making software that will allow a continuity of pitches? For example, imitating the sound of a slide guitar, siren, wailing human voice, etc.
A simpler option that could be integrated with musescore as a VST for playback is this:
Since Musescore supports VST from DSK Music according to this user
Watch YouTube "Some VSTs with Musescore"
I have found these free one, also by DSK Music, that has some decent sounds.
The first one is DSK Analog Matrix:
Watch YouTube "DSK Analog Matrix"
In this other synth, called DSK BlueZ, The first sound that you hear on the video is a Horn-like synth sound
Watch YouTube "dsk-bluez (Synth VST)"
I am not a user of these VSTs, but I assume that by changing the speed and Depth controls of the LFO 2 (Low Frequency Oscillator 2), shown in the red circle, you will create that "Wailing siren effect", continuously shifting up and down.
More Info on dsk-bluez From www.dskmusic.com
Regards