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Eight mostly loop-based compositions for a Yamaha DX7ii FD synthesizer that was re-tuned to a microtonal scale. Released February 5, 2021.
Marcus Satellite’s new album uses tunings based on Erv Wilson’s work.
Terra Octava is a collaboration album from the collective at STAFFcirc.
Sounds of digital fusion, chiptune, jazz and electronic music in a variety of equal tempered tunings.
Featuring Cryptovolans, Reuben Gingrich, Jaq, Chimeratio, petet, manfish, STC_1001, STC_1002, STC_1003, STC_1004, Vince Kaichan, Hunter Van Brocklin, Tancla, Emelia K., Abd al-Mahdi, Themnotyou, Sintel, 0x70457465, limeboiler, clown core, b-knox, amimifafa, ordinate and Sevish.
The microtonal tunings include 34edo, 22edo, 19edo, 16edo, 10edo and others – but also the tiny ones like 6edo, 4edo, 3edo, 2edo, 1edo, 0edo!
My track Fuschiamarine in 7edo is on there.
I’m actually blown away by what everybody was able to achieve here. They’re all deep into their musical craft – and some of them are pros at tuning already – some are trying microtones for the first time. Hope you’ll enjoy the listen!
Here is some new microtonal music I heard recently.
I’ve added some presets you can use to make microtonal music in Bitwig Studio. The zip includes all edo tunings up to 55edo and a selection of other microtonal scales that might inspire your next melody.
Instructions: unzip the files in your "~/Bitwig Studio/Library/Presets/" directory. Launch Bitwig. Load a preset into the Micro-Pitch device.
Download (zip)
For Bitwig Studio 3.1 and up
If you would like to own a vinyl record featuring songs from both Sevish and Brendan Byrnes, here’s your chance.
We need your help to decide what tracks to include on the record. To find out, we set up two polls. Go ahead and make your selections!
Choose your Brendan Byrnes tracks
Later we will kick off a crowdfunding campaign to manufacture the records.
All tracks will be specially mastered for vinyl.
Stay tuned as the campaign hasn’t yet started.
By choosing your fave tracks, you’re helping us take the first steps. Thank you! :)
If you are looking for a quick introduction to microtonal scales in computer music, then I invite you to watch my latest tutorial video.
Using Microtones in Electronic Music explains how to tune software synths to microtonal scales, for composition and production using a DAW-based workflow.
Microtonal music is a deep topic, and this tutorial video is just one possible starting point. If you know of alternative approaches then please do share your knowledge with others!
0:00 Intro
0:30 What software
2:00 Tuning up
2:35 5edo
4:37 Messing around with 19edo
14:40 19edo semaphore[9]
18:19 A golden ratio inspired tuning
27:00 Some chords of 22edo
32:07 How a song like Gleam looks on piano roll
Possible Worlds Vol 4 is out today – a compilation of music using alternative tunings in various styles.
The lineup this time includes Runningonair, Javier María López Rodríguez, Jonathon McCullough, Skiks, Stephen Weigel, müesk, Kristofer Svensson, Filtercreed and myself Sevish.
My track Disorient was rescued from a cassette tape recording (with some bass overdubs done a few weeks ago). It’s an ambient piece in 313edo island[9] featuring field recordings from Qingdao beach and field recordings from a playground near my apartment where I used to live in Beijing. I often miss my time in China and I hope my piece conveys an unsettling dreamlike fading away from that land.
Possible Worlds is a series of compilation albums that take a snapshot of the international microtonal and xenharmonic composition community. If you enjoyed the collection, try Vol 1, Vol 2 and Vol 3 next.
Spectropol Records is run by Bruce Hamilton who sometimes composes under the name Skiks. Stephen Weigel interviewed him earlier this year on the Now&Xen podcast. They both feature in the new Vol 4 record.
Thanks for listening and if you enjoyed the sounds then please share them around!
Here’s an early look at a new feature of Bitwig Studio 3.1 – Micro-Pitch!
Micro-Pitch allows you to use microtonal scales and tunings with your Bitwig instruments.
It supports scales of up to 12 notes. If you want to use unequal scales with more than 12 notes then you’re out of luck – best way to do this is still to use VST plugins with full-keyboard microtuning support. But if you’re interested in large equal temperaments, these are still possible (you simply enter the data for the first 12 notes).
It’s a good start and quite mind-blowing that the tunings can be modulated over time. I can think of plenty of things I would love to do with that.
Given that Micro-Pitch now exists, is it possible for some third-party developer to create a MIDI effect that would retune all MPE-capable Bitwig synths WITHOUT the 12 note limitation? I wrote to Bitwig support and they confirmed that Bitwig instruments DO NOT respond to MPE that comes earlier in the chain. They only respond to polyphonic pitch-bend from the piano roll, or Micro-Pitch. Therefore a third-party VST MPE retuner is still not possible within Bitwig Studio.
But with MIDI 2.0 on the horizon, the future is looking bright for microtonal music tech. As MIDI 2.0 rolls out in the coming years it will be exciting to see which DAWs offer the best experience for microtonal musicians.