Topic: scala files and temperaments

I'd like to learn more about temperaments and feeding ptq Scala files. I've done a Google search and come up with far too much information to wade through. Can anyone recommend a good concise source of information?

Two specific questions:

The Scala file for Werckmeister III consists of this:

! werck3.scl
!
Andreas Werckmeister's temperament III (the most famous one, 1681)
12
!
256/243
192.18000
32/27
390.22500
4/3
1024/729
696.09000
128/81
888.26999
16/9
1092.18000
2/1

Is the reference note for this A?

What would the Scala file for ptq's "well tempered" temperament be? I ask this because that temperament works well in CGDFBb but gets progressively stranger as you modulate away from C major and I'd like to create another three WT scales centred around Eb F# and A.

Re: scala files and temperaments

some information is given on the scala home page http://www.huygens-fokker.org/scala/

the scala file for our ptq's "well tempered" would be:

! ptqwt.scl
!
pianoteq well tempered
12
!
90.28
194.56
294.17
389.11
498.06
588.34
697.28
792.22
891.84
996.11
1091.1
2/1

The default keymap will map the first note (omitted in scala format) on middle C and put the A at 440Hz (thus the 12 notes above range from midi 61 (C#3) to 72 (C4)).

For other mappings, you will need to load also a kbm file, see for example
http://www.huygens-fokker.org/scala/examples.html

Re: scala files and temperaments

Thanks Guillaume, that was exactly what I needed. I used your information to transpose the scale to three other centres on E flat, F sharp and A.

Your well tempered scale sounds fine within a key of C major (i.e. it's gorgeous in C, wonderful in G and F, and starts getting wonky in D and B flat). These modified scales extend the usable keys to twelve:

ptqwtEb.scl : centred on E flat and good for Eb,Bb,Ab
ptqwtfs.scl : centred on F sharp and good for Fs,B,Cs
ptqwta.scl : centered on A and good for A,D,E

This allows me to play in well temperment in any key. I've linked to a .zip of the three modified files here in case anyone would like to use them.

Re: scala files and temperaments

Hello,

I would to try a custom temperament with Pianoteq. Or I need a KBM file where I can write the frequency of every of 88 tones used in this fabolous piano.

Anybody can help me ?

Thanks

Re: scala files and temperaments

Kajok wrote:

Hello,

I would to try a custom temperament with Pianoteq. Or I need a KBM file where I can write the frequency of every of 88 tones used in this fabolous piano.

Anybody can help me ?

Thanks

If you read this thread carefully, you can learn how to make a scala file that Pianoteq can interpret. You only need to define one octave (starting at C) and the program will figure out the rest. Save the (text) file you've created with the extension .scl.

More information at http://www.huygens-fokker.org/scala/

Re: scala files and temperaments

Thank you Doug !

But...I want to have an equal temperament with nonoctave or I would to determine the frequency manually and individually for each of 88 piano keys...

Is it possible with scala ? I dont know...

Last edited by Kajok (08-07-2007 10:22)

Re: scala files and temperaments

Kajok wrote:

Is it possible with scala ? I dont know...

Me neither. Let me know when you find out.

Re: scala files and temperaments

Hi everyone

I have a idea foir the most weird FXP ever made:

    AWFUL GRAND

    No KIDING!!   What about offer the possibility to play in a out-tune piano?

   Is that possible to real detune (not unison) some keys to simulate a outune piano?

   I know that many people get used to play out-tune pianos and ehrn play a fine tune Grand they tend to strange it.

    Can someone work in this idea?

    Please tell me your opinions about :-)

    .

Re: scala files and temperaments

Bonjour,

Je cherche aussi à faire un tempérament particulier : le tempérament Cordier = tempérament égal à quintes justes, et une variation du tempérament Cordier : le tempérament égal à 12e juste, voire à 19e juste.

Je ne comprends rien à scala, les fichiers que j'ai produit ne sont même pas reconnus par Pianoteq…

D'autre part, si j'utilise Pianoteq avec Apple Logic, quel tempérament est employé, celui spécifié aux préférences de Logic, ou celui de Pianoteq ?

Merci.

Pourriez-vous proposer aux francophones un bout de forum dans la langue de Molière, ainsi qu'une traduction de votre site www.pianoteq.com/fr/ , la boutique est française que diantre !

Re: scala files and temperaments

Xavier, (sorry but I will reply in english )

There is a cordier.scl in the giant scala archive http://www.huygens-fokker.org/docs/scales.zip
(read the notes at the bottom of http://www.huygens-fokker.org/scala/downloads.html )

I post its content here:

! cordier.scl
!
Serge Cordier, piano tuning, 1975 (Piano bien tempéré et justesse orchestrale)
 12
!
 100.27929
 200.55857
 300.83786
 401.11714
 501.39643
 601.67572
 3/2
 802.23429
 902.51357
 1002.79286
 1103.07214
 1203.35143

I don't know how Logic could control the tuning of Pianoteq. If it is using the so-called "midi tuning standard" (real-time or not) messages, pianoteq does not support that (yet). Note that now that pianoteq 2.1 has pitch bend support, you can play the microtonal midi files which use pitch bending on the 16 midi channels to fine-tune each note, for example just drag&drop some of the midi files found on http://www.io.com/~hmiller/music/index.html in the pianoteq standalone.

Re: scala files and temperaments

I was just reading some more about the "MIDI tuning standard" here
http://www.midi.org/cgi-local/forum/for...203665116/
might be of interest....