| Penta-Tonic |
Many ethnic music contains "C","D","E","G","A"
in its music scale. Why are these particular notes used in many ethnic
music? The reason is that these notes are formed naturally while horns
and strings are played.
When you play a note with
guiter, for example, if you snap the point which is 1/3 of string length,
you will listen to a note which is 5th above the original note. For example,
the original note is "C," then you will listen to "G." (If you snap the
1/2 point, you will listen to a note which is octave above the original
note.) If you repeat this process for "G", then "D" is generated. And if
you repeat this process once more, "A" is generated, and next is "E." So,
"C","G","D","A","E" are generaged. These are reorganized into
"C","D","E","G","A."
If you begin this process
at "F," and repeat 7 times, then "F","C","G","D","A","E","B" are generated.
These notes can be reorganized into "C","D","E","F","G","A","B." Seven
notes which are generated by repeating this process are called just intonation.
Just intonation is different from temparament. |
| Okinawa Music Scale |
| Most penta-tonic music scale
does not contain half pitches, "F" and "B." However, Okinawa Music Scale
contains "F" and "B" and does not contain "D" and "A." Why is this? If
the music instruments are tuned with just intonation, then "D" and "A"
come off and if these notes are played together or played on and
on, these notes sound very weird. This may be the reason why Okinawa Music
Scale does not contain "D" and "A." If you have some information about
this matter, please e-mail me. |
|
| In the world of MIDI, temperament
is used as system of tuning. However, many ethnic music scale contains
notes which are not fit into temperament. For example, if you need a note
between "C" and "D", then you will have "C#." However what will you do
if you need to have a note between "C" and "C#?" How do you generate this
sound with MIDI? There are two ways to do this. One is to use tuning table
and another is to use pitch bend command. To change tuning table, a System
Exclusive Command can be used. The System Exclusive Commands are different
from maker to maker (Ex, GS and XG), different data must be used for different
sound devices. If you use pitch bend command, then there are no differences
from maker to maker. But pitch bend command is not for tuning originally.
Many sequence soft assume pitch bend of 1/4 or 1/2 note usually. |
