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Re: Let's Talk Tuning!!!! Electronic, Acoustic, Challenges.



Wow, interesting discussion, especially on a subject I know so little 
about.

The Boss line of drum machines allow tuning of each sound, with a
range plus or minus 2 octaves, in increments of 10 cents. However, I
find that not all the sounds have the same base frequency. +100 for a
whistle sound may be the same as -740 for a clave, for example.

I also find that since they're not pure sine wave forms, I sometimes
find it difficult to tell whether something's in tune or not - this is
especially true when using distortion or filters. Certain sounds -
especially hi-pitched ones, will have a different perceived frequency
when you use distortion. Some sort of aliasing, I'd guess.

When I perform with musicians using tuned instruments, I use an
external pitch shifter to try to "slide" a note up to where it's in
tune with what they're playing, then I usually keep it there. Pitch
changers add some artifacts of their own, but for drum machine that's
a good thing more often than not.

I've heard a few recordings where "out of tuneness" is established as
the norm, and it works for the song, with a disorienting feel. Many of
the songs on the newest Portishead record are this way, as far as my
cro-magnon ears can tell.

Matt Davignon
Tour! www.ribosomemusic.com


margaret noble went:

> Hello List,
>
> First, thanks for all your input on my noise posting. I must say the 
>biggest
> change was separating my power cables from the audio cables!
>
> Onto Tuning Now
>
> Background: I have always relied on happy accidents or not cared about
> tuning. I like wild electronic music and world music with alternative
> tunings and it never seemed to matter. Also, since I mix in random sounds
> like toys or records, tuning is impossible to control. Recently, I have
> decided that I want more expressive control over what I am saying. I am
> trying to tune together an analogue drum machine which can't hold tune 
>but
> makes kick ass basslines, a psaltery and kalimba. I am seriously pulling 
>out
> my hair with this challenge. I want to pull it off but it t'ain't 
>looking so
> good!
>
> Questions (Clearly Subjective!)
>
> - Is there a tolerable amount of cents you can be off when trying to be 
>in
> key?
>
> - When mixing in non-traditional sounds together, how disturbing is it to
> listeners if tunings are loose?
>