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Microtonal Scales

33

Title says it all, would be great to have microtonal scales. There are a bunch of VST synths, such as the Madrona Labs stuff, that can do it and a handful of hardware, most recently the Korg Monologue allows for microtonal scales. It would be a pretty unique functionality.

I imagine it would be predominantly limited to the internal synth and possibly re-pitching the samples. Though it would be pretty crazy if it worked with the CV output. Not really compatible with MIDI in general, so don't worry about that.

The way I envision it working is that you would have a folder in the root directory of the SD card named something like "CustomScales" and that's where you would place your scala files. Then after you tap through the 7 western scales built into the Deluge it would scan the folder and display the custom scales. Then in the keyboard mode or in the sequencer the octaves would be spaced depending on how many tones are in the scale. So, in a 5 tone scale the octaves would be every 5 notes/keys, etc.

http://www.huygens-fokker.org/scala/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scala_(software)

Comments

  • 3
    sinknoodlessinknoodles Vancouver, CanadaPosts: 32
    edited June 2017

    +1 Would be great to be able to fine tune individual notes ( half flats/sharps and beyond ) to then be saved in a scale

    Post edited by sinknoodles on
  • 2
    4eyez4eyez Posts: 10

    In case you're looking for motivation on why microtonal would be slick af on Deluge, look no further:

    http://item.warp.net/interview/aphex-twin-speaks-to-tatsuya-takahashi/

  • 1
    IcoustikIcoustik NorwayModerator, Beta Tester, Mentor Posts: 1,017

    Interesting! Thanks for pointing in that direction :)

    ~ Distinguished Delugate ᕕ( ◎_◎)ᕗ

  • 2
    JeffSJeffS Buffalo, NY, USPosts: 11

    I've been able to do microtonal tuning using the kits, since you can load up samples of whatever you want... [I made for ex. a 19-note EDO scale over 5 octaves in Serum, and then used the Slice mode on the Deluge to allow me to distribute all 95 notes efficiently to the different slots, from one big sample] Perhaps a simple implementation of microtonality would be allowing for single-cycle waveforms (on repeat mode) in the kits. You would then load up a large kit (say 88 notes/individual samples or whatever) and have shaping control over envelopes filter etc of the whole...

  • 1
    ElementalElemental Bristol UKPosts: 2

    I'm also looking for this. Scala scale import. Or at least being able to fine tune each note in a scale. This would be amazing, and is really where I'm heading musically. Its so hard to find digital instruments that properly support this too.

  • 0
    sramsram Posts: 2

    I am another one looking for this to be added. @Elemental the preenfm2 synth supports scala tunings in case you didnt know it ;)

  • 0
    amiga909amiga909 Central EuropePosts: 1,078

    great suggestion. problem of scala scale import is we need support for scales other than diatonic or chromatic http://forums.synthstrom.com/discussion/284/true-custom-scales#latest
    even if wikipedia says 'ditonic (2 notes): generally limited to prehistoric ("primitive") music' ;-)

  • 1
    JscottkJscottk SeattlePosts: 51

    +1 I came here to post the same interview with Aphex twin. I'd love to experiment with micro tonal arpeggios.

  • 1
    VJFranzKVJFranzK Los Angeles USABeta Tester Posts: 129

    432 ; - )

    hypothetically, one could enter a mode where all steps on the preview bar were tune adjustable...

    Music, Visuals, Reviews of Synths, Drum Machines, Apps
    YouTube: VJFranzK

  • 0
    JeffSJeffS Buffalo, NY, USPosts: 11

    That sort of works already: I've set up a Synth with just one oscillator and assigned a parameter knob to Transpose. Unfortunately the "LED meter" method does not allow for precise tuning, and evening doing it by ear is hard because of little jumps in pitch as you turn. But per-step tuning, roughly speaking, seems to work.

  • 0
    pETERpROTONpETERpROTON stuttgart, germanyPosts: 5

    +1

    @sinknoodles said:
    +1 Would be great to be able to fine tune individual notes ( half flats/sharps and beyond ) to then be saved in a scale

  • 0
    BurtrudeBurtrude U.K. Posts: 18

    another +1 for this feature

  • 0
    IcoustikIcoustik NorwayModerator, Beta Tester, Mentor Posts: 1,017

    Good news, with 2.1's multisampling feature we can transpose/ fine-tune individual notes, even individual OSC1 and 2 per note

    ~ Distinguished Delugate ᕕ( ◎_◎)ᕗ

  • 1
    NaderNader San FranciscoBeta Tester Posts: 9

    +1 for microtonality

  • 0
    NaderNader San FranciscoBeta Tester Posts: 9

    Also would be great if some of these could have more than 7 tones in a scale.

  • 1
    AndrewChiAndrewChi BelgiumPosts: 12

    +1 for scala or Anamark tuning file import!!

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